BENOIS Alexander Nikolaevich (1870, St. Petersburg – 1960), painter, graphic artist, stage designer, art historian and critic. Son of N. L. Benois. He studied in K. I. May’s Gymnasium in 1885-90 and at the Faculty of Law in Petersburg University in 1890-94. He also studied painting under his brother Albert N. Benois. He worked in France from 1896 to1898 and 1905 to 1907. He was one of the major founders and ideologists of the association and magazine, World of Art. He founded and edited Russia’s Art Treasures, a monthly magazine, in 1901-03 and wrote for Starye Gody in 1907-1913. He also contributed to Rech Newspaper by keeping a weekly critical column, Belles Letters, in 1908-17. He was the author of the following books: The History of the Russian Painting in the 19th Century written in St. Petersburg in 1902, ten issues of The Russian Painting School written in St. Petersburg in 1904-06, and four volumes of The History of Painting of All Times and Peoples, written in St. Petersburg in 1912-17, the latter published incompletely. In his paintings, he derived inspiration from history and folklore drawing on stories from the 18th and the first quarter of the 19th centuries. He created a series of gouaches devoted to Russian history, where the bygone culture of the nobility was ironically idealised, such as Parade under Pavel I painted in 1907 and Peter the Great Walking in the Summer Garden painted in 1910, both exhibited in the State Russian Museum. He also painted landscapes of St. Petersburg and suburbs, as well as Versailles, Bretagne, Crimea, southern France, Italy, and Switzerland. He initiated, together with other members of the World of Art, a new Russian school of iconography, his most prominent works including illustrations for Alexander Pushkin’s Queen of Spades in 1899 and 1910, Bronze Horseman in 1903-22, and Captain’s Daughter in 1904 and 1919. He designed the scenery of Armida’s Pavilion composed by N. N. Cherepnin and directed by M. M. Fokine in the Mariinsky Theatre in 1907. He was the chief designer of S. P. Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1909 and the art director of the Moscow Art Theatre in 1913-15. He took part in working out a state program for protecting monuments of art and history in 1917 and worked as a curator and the head of the State Hermitage’s picture gallery in 1918-26. He painted scenes for Petrograd’s theatres, including Peter Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades for the Mariinsky Theatre in 1919-20, C. Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters for the Bolshoy Drama Theatre in 1921, etc. He settled in France in 1926 to work as the chief designer of Ida Rubinstein’s company and cooperate with Paris theatres and La Scala, Milan, in 1947-56. He wrote his memoirs and created a wide panorama of literary, artistic, and theatrical life in pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg. He lived in his father’s house at 15 Glinki Street, 56 First Line of Vasilievsky Island in 1905-07, 31 Admiralteysky Canal Embankment in 1908-14, and 38 First Line of Vasilievsky Island in 1915-17. See also Benois Family Museum.

Works: My Reminiscences written in five books, the second supplemented edition published in Moscow in 1990; My Diary: 1916-1917-1918, published in Moscow in 2003.

Reference: Александр Бенуа размышляет... М., 1968; Эткинд М. Г. Александр Николаевич Бенуа, 1870-1960. Л.; М., 1960; Его же. А. Н. Бенуа и русская художественная культура конца XIX - начала ХХ века. Л., 1989.

O. L. Leikind, D. Y. Severyukhin.

CUIRASSIER LIFE GUARDS HIS MAJESTY’S REGIMENT, Cavalry Guards Regiment, raised in 1702 as the Dragoon Prince Grigory Volkonsky’s Regiment, from 1708 Yaroslavsky Dragoon Regiment, from 1733 Cuirassier Bevernsky Regiment (in honour of Duke Anton Ulrich Brunswick-Bevern, from 1738 the Braunshvaygsky Cuirassier Regiment, from 1761 His Majesty’s Life Guards Regiment (patron – Emperor Peter III), from 1762 the Cuirassier the Heir’s Regiment (patron – Grand Prince Pavel Petrovich), from 1796 His Majesty’s Life Cuirassier Regiment (patron – Emperor Pavel I). In 1813 was assigned to the Guards, was bestowed the privilege of the Old Guards and named the Cuirassier Life Guards Regiment. In 1831 it was united with the Podolsky Cuirassier Life Guards Regiment and named the His Majesty’s Cuirassier Life Guards Regiment. The Regiment took part in the wars with Sweden 1700-21, 1741-43, and 1788-90, in the Prut Campaign of 1711, in the Seven Years War of 1756-63, the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-74, wars with France in 1805, 1806-07, and 1812-14, in the suppressing of the Polish Uprising of 1830-31. From 1831 was stationed in Tsarskoe Selo (hence the informal name Tsarskoselsky Cuirassiers). In contrast to Her Majesty’s Life Guards Regiment (blue cuirassiers), this regiment was called the yellow cuirassiers (for the colour of their uniform cloth). The quarters of the regiment were located in the neighbourhood bordered by Stesselevskaya (present-day Krasnoy Zvezdy), Ogorodnaya, and Artilleriyskaya Streets and Cadetsky Boulevard. The regiment’s church was St. Julian of Tarsus Church (7 Kadetsky Boulevard; 1896-99, architects V.N. Kuritsyn, S.A. Danini). During WW I the regiment within the 1st Guards Cavalry Division was dispatched to the North-Western front. In early 1918 the regiment was disbanded.

Reference: Туган-Мирза-Барановский А. А. История Лейб-гвардии Кирасирского Его Величества полка. СПб., 1872.

A. N. Lukirsky. Danini Silvio Amvrosievich
Kuritsyn Vladimir Nikolaevich
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor
Peter III, Emperor
Volkonsky Grigory Petrovich, Duke
Artilleriiskaya Street/Pushkin, town
Kadetsky Boulevard/Pushkin, town
Kadetsky Boulevard/Pushkin, town, house 7
Krasnaya Zvezda Street/Pushkin, town
Ogorodnaya Street/Pushkin, town

The oldest part of the park, founded as the Menagerie, occupied more than a half of the Alexander Park territory. The area for the Menagerie has been chosen as early as 1710, the date coincides with the first visit of Peter I and Catherine to “Saari Mois”. During 1718-1723 gardendesigners Ya. Roozen and I. Fokht laid out the area of the Menagerie. According to the landscape design the Menagerie can be named the second “wild grove” in the Tsarskoye Selo escape. The Menagerie area was three times greater than the regular garden of that time. A square plot of spruce forest with sides about 1 verst (3500 ft. ) was enclosed with a wooden palisade and ditch. The Menagerie was located on the central axis of the stone mansion but in the distance 400 sazhens (852 metres) from it. A vista road, with lime tree planted along it, led to it. In the middle of every Menagerie sides there were lattice cabinet-work gates with wickets. In the center there was an open lattice garden-house which was set on an artificial hill. Under the garden-house there was covered up with earth stone cellar where stores for hunting were saved. Clearings (so-called “Plezir”) led from the garden-house to the gates and corners. The Zverinochny Pond, where there were pikes, was dug on the Kioke River (or Kuzminka) which flowed there. A mill dam was constructed and a mill shed and granary were built on the dam. Deer, elks, Siberian deer, wild boars were placed in the Menagerie from the beginning, sometimes hares were added. Special workers were responsible for supervising animals as far as the palisade. They worked under the direction of the senior forester. In addition the senior forester supervised forests in all country-houses of Tsarskoye Selo. The Palace sloboda peasants were contracted to supply moss for feeding up animals, hay was brought from the palace stables. In autumn black grouse hunting, using stuffed birds from disguised with fir branches boxes on sledge, was the most attractive amusement. Catherine I, Peter II, Princess Elizabeth with courtiers liked hunting elks, deer, foxes, hares and stuffed birds in Tsarskoye Selo.
In 1750-1752 according to the design of Rastrelli the hunting lands were fenced with the stone fence of 4.5 arshine (about 3.2 metres) instead of the wooden palisade. In the middles of the fence sides there were passages, two fronts crossed the Kuzminka River. So called Menagerie (Zverinets) line of the Upper hothouses, been here from 1722, bordered with the south-eastern front from the outside. According to rules of military engineering the engineer Pyetr Ostrovsky built four bulwarks crowned with lusthauses in the corners of the stone fence. Diagonal clearings which were begun at the Monbijow ground to the lusthauses. The Tsarskoye Selo Menagerie was used for presentations . According to the court ceremonial hunting for the diplomatic corps and other guests of high rank were organized in the Tsarskoye Selo Menagerie. Empress Elisabeth received ambassadors of France and Austria in the pavilion Monbijow that was richly decorated with pictures of hunting plots.
. Keeping wild animals in captivity, hunting and high perimeter fence was unacceptable for ideas of landscape parks which became popular and it changed the attitude to menageries. New landscape parks were often begun to create on these areas. The Alexander Park is one of example of this. During the rule of Catherine II, who herself was a lover of hunting, the hunting grounds were located in Tsarskoye Selo environments in forests on the Slavyanka River banks and then in Gatchina Town. Gradually the Menagerie fell into neglect and only in 1799 Emperor Paul I ordered to introduce order in the forest, to repair the Monbijow, the Menagerie roads and clearings, but works were stopped in 1801.
In 1803 Alexander I ordered to give a part of the Menagerie area for experiments of The Forestry School organized in Sophia Town. In March 1814 a gardening school or a nursery for trees, that were needed for planting on the vast territory of the creating Alexander Park, was opened. In addition to old clearings landscape roads and paths were paved in the Menagerie during 1819-1823. The east bulwark, surrounded with a ditch, was preserved and included in the new landscape composition of the park. The Menagerie wall and three bulwarks were knocked down, their places were laid out, ditches were filled up. Bricks and stones, remained after dismantling, were used for constructing new buildings: the White Tower, the Chapelle, the Farm group, the Menagerie line of Green Houses, pavilions for llamas and elephants. These pavilions served as the peculiar marking of the borders of the Menagerie territory. Alexander I, Emperor
Catherine I, Empress
Catherine II, Empress
Elizaveta Petrovna, Empress
Foсht I.
Ostrovsky, Pyetr
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor
Peter I, Emperor
Rastrelli Francesco de
Roozen Yan
Pushkin, town

SUVOROV Alexander Vasilyevich (1729-1800, St. Petersburg), military leader, Count of Rymnik (1789), Prince of Italy (1799), Generalissimo (1799). Received home education. In 1742 was enrolled in the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment, on 1 January 1748 arrived in St. Petersburg and commenced active service. On 25 April 1754 was promoted to officer rank and transferred to the Ingermanland Infantry Regiment (regimental settlement (sloboda) - on Goloday Island). Participated in the Seven Year War 1756-63. In 1762 returned to St. Petersburg and was appointed Commander of the Astrakhansky Infantry Regiment (regimental settlement (sloboda) - on Vasilievsky Island), in 1763 - assumed the command of the Suzdalsky Infantry Regiment in St. Petersburg and New Ladoga. In June 1765 took part in manoeuvres in Krasnoe Selo. In 1768-72 battled against the Polish confederates. In 1772-73 was assigned to the St. Petersburg Division, was sent on a secret mission to the Swedish border. In 1773-74 fought against Turks. In the first half of 1776 held command of the St. Petersburg Division, in 1776-84 commanded the troops in the south of Russia. In 1786 was assigned for several months to the St. Petersburg Division. In the course of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-91 inflicted a series of defeats on the Turkish army, attained fame through the storming of Ismail; for distinguished achievements was created Count of Russia and the Holy Roman Empire (1789). Upon returning to St. Petersburg on 3.3.1791, was conferred the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment, a medal had been struck in his honour, and the Senate was entrusted with a task of issuing an honorary diploma listing all of his accomplishments. In 1791-92 commanded troops on the Finnish border, in 1792-94 oversaw military operations in the south of Russia. In 1794 when uppressing the Polish uprising took by storm the outskirts of Warsaw. In Prague, for distinguished accomplishments, Suvorov was promoted to Field Marshal General. In December 1795 returned to St. Petersburg, stayed in the Tauride Palace. In 1796-97 assumed command of the troops in the south of Russia again. In February 1797 by a decree of Emperor Pavel I was discharged, lived in exile in his estate of Konchanskoe (village of Konchanskoe) near Novgorod. In the beginning of 1798 was summoned to St. Petersburg, took part in the development of operational plans of war against France. In the course of the Italian campaign of 1799 inflicted a series of defeats on the French troops (conferred the title of Prince and rank of Generalissimo), next set out for the Swiss campaign. Upon returning to Russia got seriously sick, 20.4.1800 arrived to St. Petersburg, died at the apartment of his nephew, Count D.I. Khvostov (23 Kryukov Canal - memorial plaque). Buried in the Annunciation Burial Vault of Alexander Nevsky Monastery. In 1801 a monument to Suvorov was erected on the Field of Mars (see Suvorov A.V. monument; the square, surrounding it was in 1818 named Suvorovskaya Square). In 1900 Suvorov's Museum was founded (see Suvorov A.V. Memorial Museum). In 1900 an avenue was named after him (see Suvorovsky Avenue. Suvorov Military Academy was named in his honour.

Reference: Меерович Г. И., Буданов Ф. В. Суворов в Петербурге. Л., 1978.

A. N. Lukirsky.

The Lower stables with a fodder yard, fences and a wing with dwelling flats for stablemen were built in 1756-1762 to the design of F.-B. Rastrelli and under the direction of S.I. Chevakinsky. The Baroque style facades held their splendid appearance. In the main building of the U-shaped complex of three building firstly there were stables for two hundred horses and carriage sheds for the court coaches. The old one-storied stone house of the clothes attendant Chulkov was enlarged and rebuilt for flats of a non-commissioned Master of the Horse and riding-master. In 1770 according to the design and estimate of the architect V.I. Neyelov the new building was constructed which formed the complex like a square. Under Emperor Paul the Hussar Stables were placed here. By the middle of the 19th century the building became dilapidated. More then one inner reconstructions were made by architects P.S. Sadovnikov, A.F. Vidov who built a carriage shed in the yard centre. In 1911 expositions of the agriculture and fire department, the Society of Trusteeship about Sobriety of the Tsarskoye Selo Jubilee exhibition were placed here. After 1917 the Stables were used by The Detskoye Selo department of the Leningrad Agriculture Institute. In the 1930s here there was a mechanical depot, later – the repair and engineering works of Lenobldortrans of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs. From 1944 until 1947 here there was a prisoner-of-war camp. Then the building was restored and adapted for a improved hostel and sanatorium of the Agriculture Institute (now it is the Saint Petersburg Agrarian University). Works were done in 1947-1959 according to the design of the architect T.M. Belorusova (planning and restoring workshop No.3 of the State Institute of the Protection of Monuments). Belorusova, T.M.
Chevakinsky Savva Ivanovich
Chulkov
Neelov Vasily Ivanovich
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor
Rastrelli Francesco de
Vidov Alexander Fomich
Konyushennaya Street/Pushkin, town
Naberezhnaya Street/Pushkin, town
Sadovaya Street/Pushkin, town
Sadovaya Street/Pushkin, town

3 September. The ball in the honour of Princess Sophia Dorothea of Wurttemberg, the future wife of Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, was held at Tsarskoye Selo. Alexandra Fedorovna, Empress
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor

6 July. Ceremony of the baptism of Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich, the future Emperor Nicholas I, took place in the Palace Church of the Resurrection of Christ.

12 June. Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich and his wife moved into the Alexander Palace which was reconstructed.

6 November. Empress Catherine II died and her 42 -year- old son ascended the throne as Paul I. Alexander I, Emperor
Catherine II, Empress
Nicholas I, Emperor
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor