48. Дворцово-парковый Ансамбль Ломоносова (Ораниенбаум)/The Palace and Park Ensemble of Lomonosov (Oranienbaum), 1710-1836

Authors: architects – D.Fontana and G.Schadel (1710-1727), F.-B.Rastrelli (1746-1750s), A.Rinaldi (1765-1775), L.Ruska, C.I.Rossi, V.P.Stasov, A.StakenshneiderAddress: Lomonosov town, from the Baltic Station

The country estate in Lomonosov (formerly Oranienbaun) belonged lo Peter's close associate - Alexander Danilovich Menshikov'" and was one of the four summer residences he began lo ereel in the environs of Saini-Pciersburg al the time of Peter I's reign: Favorite in Strel'na, Mnrt Courage in Pctcrhof (nowadays -the Park Alexandria), in Ust'-lzhora and in front of Krondstadt - Oranienhaum.The construction of the state Palace and Park Hnsemble in Oranienbamn started soon after the Poltava battle. The name given to the residence comes from the German words: orange and haum - tree. The Hnsemble is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, forty kilometers from Saint-Petersburg. On the spot of a small wooden palace a vast gala residence was erected by G. KonUma and G. Schadcl. The Grand Palace is the compositional ecmre of the Hnscmble and includes the main building with a huge crown on the top. two semi-circular galleries and two side pavilions - the Japanese and the Church, A regular Lower Garden decorated with fountains and sculpture was laid out in front of it being connected to the Palace by a system of terraces and staircases. The Orange Comervainty and the Picture Gallery were erected on the sides of the Lower Garden. The Upper and the Lower Ponds were created on the banks of the Karosi' River, The Lower Pond was also called a small entertainment sea and was used for all kinds of entertainment and boating by numerous guests coming to the most gorgeous summer residences of the Petrine epoch.

On 3 September 1727 the Oranienbaum Chimb was consecrated, five days later A. Menshikov was arrested and afterwards sent to exile. By order of Peter П all Menshikov's properties were confiscated. In 1728 - 1743 the former residence belonged to the Office of Construction that organized repair works fulfilled by M. Zemtsov and I. Mordvinov. Since 1736 the Grand Palace and adjacent constructions were rebuilt for the Sea Hospital to the design by M. Zomtsov and I. Korobov.However thai project was not accomplished, and in 1743 the former Menshikov's residence became the property of Grand Duke Pyotr Kyodorovich (future Peler 111) whom Elizabeth Petrovna proclaimed heir to the Russian throne. Since 1746 he and his wife (future Catherine II) had been spending every summer in the estate. F.-B. Rastrelli was commissioned to reconstruct the Ensemble. The architect added the eastern wing to the Palace in conformity with an existing western one. decorated the interiors of the Grand Palace and erected the Concert Halt (ihe Entertainment House).In 1756 A. Rinaldi was appointed Archiieci-in-Chief having introduced features of Rococo and Classicism to the Oranienbaum Ensemble. In 1756 - 1761 the second original ensemble of Oranienbaum - Peterstadt with a Fortress, the Palace and the Gale of Honour was created by A. Rinaldi. Only a two-storey Palace of Peter Ml and the Gate of Honour crowned with a gilded spire and a weather-vane have survived up to nowadays.In 1762 - 1774 A. Rinaldi constructed the third ensemble in Oranienbaum -Her Majesty's Own Dacha with the Chinese Palace, the Coasting Hill Pavilion (have come down to our day) and a great number oi" smaller structures. The Chinese Palace is of high value. The plafonds were executed by the best painters of the Venetian Academic School. The Palace parquetry (to the sketches by A. Rinaldi) is made of 15 species of wood. A slate enfilade of the Palace consists of 7 apartments: the Hall of Muses, ihe Blue Silting-Room, ihe Glass-Beaded Study, the Grand Hall, the Plaster Study, the Small and the Grand Chinese Studies.The Coasting Hill Pavilion (Kaial'naya Gorka) having no analogues in the European architecture, is adorned with columns and vases well seen from the Gulf. and ihc interiors decoraied with ornamental paintings and moulding, the floors lined with an artificial marble. The only compositional element of that ensemble that has survived up to nowadays is a slone pavilion - nearby there was a wooden ramp for skating on special figured carriages.The Palaee and Park Ensemble of Oranienbaum served as a summer residence of the Royal Family: since 1796 - Grand Duke Alcxandr (future Alexander 1); since 1832 - Grand Duke Mikhail: later on - Duchess Maklenburg-Strlitskaya. Their descendants owned the Ensemble up to 1917. In vicinity of the Palace and Park Ensemble, along the road there gradually formed a little town later named Lumonusov &$ well as the Palace Ensemble.