Text 5. A Pearl Necklace of Suburbs

Almost immediately after St. Petersburg’s foundation numerous out-of-town residences began to spring up around the city. Now they encircle the Northern Capital like a pearl necklace adding to its charm and beauty.

The Exquisite Delight of Oranienbaum. The town of Lomonosov (originally Oranienbaum) is 40 km from St. Petersburg on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. The origin of it name is connected with an episode in the Northern war: a small orangery with Seville orange trees was found on the site for the future manor house. And on each tree there was an inscription “Oranienbaum”. In 1948 the estate was named after M. Lomonosov.

The ensemble includes the Grand (Menshikov) Palace, an amusing “fortress” named Peterstadt, and the personal Dacha with the Chinese Palace and the Sliding Hill Pavilion. This summer residence had once belonged to A. Menshikov. Then it was presented to Grand Duke Pert Fedorovich after announcing him heir to the throne.

Oranienbaum is the only suburb which was not occupied during the WWII.

Inspired by victories in the Northern War Peter I decided to construct a new summer residence named Peterhof though he had such a residence in Strelna. Peter’s dream was to build his own “ Versailles on the Sea ”, so he himself designed an ensemble including palaces, pavilions and parks and his famous fountains and cascades. In 1723 the opening of the new residence was celebrated. Peter himself led a small fleet along the canal, and more than one hundred boats were tied up along its walls. Unfortunately, Peter did not live to see his dreams put into practice, and his daughter Elizabeth did her best to emulate her father in every possible way. The Peterhof Palace was extended, its interior decorations considerably changed, galleries, wings a church and a pavilion were added, and finally the statue of Samson tearing apart the jaws of a lion was placed in the center of a huge basin. Sicne the middle of the 18^th century Peterhof has become the favourite retreat for the Tsar’s family. State receptions and celebrations were held there until the October revolt of 1917.

The town of Pushkin (the former Tsar’s Village) occupies a special place among the suburbs of St. Petersburg not only because of its magnificent Catherine Palace with a legendary Amber Room and splendid parks with romantic sculptures, mirror-like ponds, and elegant pavilions, but also because it is connected with the youth of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

Another place of interest in Pushkin is the Alexander Park and the Alexander Palace. The Palace is associated with the last page in the history of the Russian Empire: it was from here that Nicholas II and his family set of to meet their cruel death in Ekaterinburg.

Pavlovsk is also a unique ensemble that continues to impress visitors with its natural and man-made beauty and its collections of Russian and European art. A tract on the banks of a beautiful Slavyanka River was presented by Catherine II to her son Paul and his wife Maria on the birth of their fist son – the future Alexander I. Two modest two-storey palaces soon went up – Paullust (Paul’s Pleasure) and Marienthal (Maria’s Valley). Charles. Cameron designed the Grand Palace, the Temple of Friendship, the Apollo Colonnade, the Cold Baths, a hanging garden, and the gallery that bears his name.

For many years Pavlovsk witnessed the growth and domestic life of Paul’s family for Paul had never really felt his mother’s love or affection and he had never trusted Catherine.

After Paul’s accession to the throne Pavlovsk became an official Imperial residence. The Grand Palace and the park were significantly reconstructed by such outstanding architects as Vincenzio Brenna and Andrei Voronikhin. Maria bequeathed Pavlovsk to her youngest son Michael because she believed that he would never become Emperor and would never remodel or change it. This was indeed the case. Her descendants carefully preserved Pavlovsk, and despite revolutions and wars its priceless collections survived almost intact.. Today the museum in Pavlovsk remains a wonderful tribute to Paul and Maria’s epoch.

Gatchina is one of the most picturesque places in the North-West of Russia. The abundance of water and vegetation, the severity of northern nature and magnificent ensembles of the 18^th and 19^th centuries give the town its specific charm.

Catherine II gave Gatchina to her favourite, Count Grigory Orlov; it was for him that architect Antonio Rinaldi built a majestic and mysterious Palace with romantically styled towers and a huge park on the shore of the White Lake. This building is reminiscent of a medieval English castle surrounded by the waters of the Silver Lake. Its massive proportions make it quite different from other suburban residences.

Later Gatchina became Paul I’s possession, and on his request it was redesigned by Vincenzio Brenna who added it the romanticism of English and Italian castles. There appeared gardens on specially built terraces, the Silvia Park, the artificial Island of Love, the water labyrinth and the Botanical Gardens.

Today Gatchina is a museum of palace decorations; it conducts concerts of ancient music and bell-ringing performances, military parades and fireworks. Many presentations and festivals are also held here.

Commentary: orangery – апельсиновый сад; manor – помещичий дом, поместье; Sliding Hill – катальная горка; heir to the throne – наследник престола; estate – поместье; favourite – фаворит; chandelier – люстра; to emulate – стремиться превзойти; retreat – убежище, приют; affection – привязанность, любовь; to bequeath – завещать, передавать потомкам; a descendant – потомок; intact – нетронутый, целый; tribute – дань, должное