Peterhof. Alexandria

Peterhof. Alexandria
In the 19th century, in the deserted area to the east of the Lower Park where once Menshikov's Moncourage palace had stood and Anna Ioannovna had later had her hunting grounds, a new park was laid out separated from its neighbour by a wall with three gateways. The estate became the private dacha (summer home) of Nicholas I, which in 1829 he presented to his wife, Empress Alexandra Fiodorovna (1798-1860). It became known as Alexandria and the house - a fairly small building with twenty rooms - put up there in the English Gothic style as "the Cottage". An immense, 115-hectare park was laid out around the Cottage.
All the construction work at Alexandria was directed by the elderly Scottish architect Adam Menelaws (late 1740s/early 1750s - 1831), an exponent of the Neo-Gothic style, then extremely popular in Europe (people were evidently tired of Classicism that was "running out of steam"). In 1826 Menelaws reported to the Emperor that 2,000 large trees, 10,000 small ones and 3,000 bushes had been bought and planted in the park. In all, by 1828 there were over 30,000 plants of 30 species in Alexandria. Such colossal efforts made the shore of the Gulf of Finland resemble the Riviera, but with "a Russian character".

Alexandria Park Farm Palace Hot Night Cottage Gothic chapel Gothic chapel

The park is adorned by a number of buildings - the Arsenal, White Tower and others. It also had a Church of St Alexander Nevsky, designed by the Berlin architect Schinkel and known as "the Gothic Chapel". In 1832 forty-three statues were chased for it from copper sheeting to models by Vasily Demuth-Malinovsky: figures of angels, apostles, the evangelists and the Virgin and Child. The St Petersburg Glassworks produced glass for its stained-glass windows.

Alexander Nevsky Church Alexander Nevsky Church Fire Tower Capella Capella Entrance to the park Alexandria
Farm palace played a prominent role in the public life of Russia - there were signed the documents, determine the fate of the country, in particular, created a historical decree on the peasant reform.
Palace Farm is open from 10:30 to 18:00.
Cash works: 10:30 - 17:00.
Closed on Monday.
Cleaning Day: no.
Key dates.
1826 - laying and construction of the park Alexandria.
1826 - 1829 GG - Farm building of the palace, a cottage.
1920 -1930 year - the park turned into a museum complex.
1978 - Restoration of Farm palace restoration work continued.
2010 - after the restoration of the palace is open to visitors Farm.