The Hermitage pavilion, hidden in green foliage of the grove, with the Hermitage Canal, encircled it, was built in 1744-1746 to the design of the architect M.G. Zemtsov, it was not completed. The pavilion decoration was completed by F.-B. Rastrelli in 1749-1754. The sculpture decoration was made by I. Dunker, sculptors D.B. Djani and G.F. Partir. The rich wood engraving decorating doors, windows, mirror frames was made by wood-carvers P. Valyukhin, D. Sakulisny, I. Kanayev. The great hall plafond “The Feast on Olimp” and eight decorative compositions placed above the doors were painted by the artist D. Valeriani and his assistant A.I. Belsky, painting plafonds in side study-rooms and galleries were made by A. Perezinotti. Two wooden bridges across the Hermitage Canal were constructed by the sluice master I. Schmidt. Refined architecture of the Hermitage, opening suddenly for eyes, which dome was crowned with the sculpture group “The Abduction of Proserpina”, rich decorated with gilded scultures outside and with painting inside, was typical for pleasure constructions of Baroque style gardens. Wonders were prepared for visitors inside the pavilion where lifting tables with special serving mechanisms made it possible to laid the table without servants and to transform the dining room in the dance hall. Banquets for noble foreigners, balls for courtiers and children’s festivals for the Empress’s grand sons were held here.
Interiors and historical lift mechanisms of the pavilion were survived and now they are accessible for visitors after the restoration completed in 2010 for the 300-years anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo. Belsky, Aleksey Ivanovich
Dunker Johann Franz
Kanayev, I.
Partir, G.-F.
Rastrelli Francesco de
Sakulisny, D.
Shmit, I.
Valeriani Giuseppe
Valyukhin, P.
Zemtsov Mikhail Grigorievich