| | -
hidden Persons of Tsarskoye Selo -
hidden Monuments of history and culture | Peter III, Emperor hidden Catherine II (1729-1796), Empress | |
Catherine II (1729-1796, St. Petersburg), Empress (from 1761), wife of Emperor Peter III (1745). Nee Sophie Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst. Lived in St. Petersburg from 1744, coming to power by dethroning her husband (1762) ... | | Catherine II (1729-1796, St. Petersburg), Empress (from 1761), wife of Emperor Peter III (1745). Nee Sophie Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst. Lived in St. Petersburg from 1744, coming to power by dethroning her husband (1762). During the reign of Catherine II, Russia was engaged in long wars with Turkey, Sweden, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, gaining large territories in the Black Sea region, Ukraine, and Belorussia. She carried out a series of national reforms. Excessive State taxes, preservation of serfdom, and an extension of nobility rights gave birth to a severe political and financial crisis, which occurred in the first half of the 19th century. Many new public and cultural institutions appeared during Catherine II's reign, which revived St. Petersburg with active and luxurious development, including the building of the Marble, Taurida, Yusupov, and Kamenoostrovsky palaces; the Maly and Sredny hermitages and the Hermitage Theatre; the Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor; the Smolny Institute; the palaces and parks of Tsarskoe Selo, Pavlovsk, Gatchina, Pella; the Fontanka and Neva (present-day Kutuzovskaya, Dvortsovaya, and Angliiskaya) embankments; and the Peter and Paul Fortress Bastions, which were dressed in stone. Government was repeatedly reformed, establishing the position of City Head (1766), reorganising the City Council (1775), and establishing a Municipal Duma (1786). In St. Petersburg, Catherine II lived in the Winter Palace; before taking the throne, she usually spent her summers in Oranienbaum, where the Sobstvenny Garden was laid out for her, and where she ordered the construction of the China Palace and the Katalnaya Gorka (the Skating Hill). From the 1760s, she preferred to live in Tsarskoe Selo. She was buried in the SS. Peter&Paul Cathedral. There are monuments to Catherine II in St. Petersburg (see Catherine II's monument) and in Tsarskoe Selo (1862, artist M.O. Mikeshin, sculptor I.N. Schroder, not preserved). References: Бильбасов В. А. История Екатерины Второй. СПб., 1890-1891. Т. 1-2; Каменский А. Б. "Под сению Екатерины": Вторая половина XVIII в. СПб., 1992; Омельченко О. А. "Законная монархия" Екатерины II: Просвещенный абсолютизм в России. М., 1993; Брикнер А. Г. История Екатерины Второй. М., 2002. G. V. Kalashnikov.
| | | | hidden Cuirassier Life Guards His Majesty’s Regiment | |
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 ... | | 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.
Persons Danini Silvio Amvrosievich Kuritsyn Vladimir Nikolaevich Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor Peter III, Emperor Volkonsky Grigory Petrovich, Duke
Addresses Artilleriiskaya Street/Pushkin, town Kadetsky Boulevard/Pushkin, town Kadetsky Boulevard/Pushkin, town, house 7 Krasnaya Zvezda Street/Pushkin, town Ogorodnaya Street/Pushkin, town
| | | | hidden Rinaldi А. (1709-1794), architect | |
RINALDI Antonio (around 1709-1794), architect of Italian descent. Studied in Naples under L. Vanvitelli. From 1752 served under Hetman K.G. Razumovsky in Malorussia (Little Russia, otherwise known as Ukraine). Since 1754 resided in St ... | | RINALDI Antonio (around 1709-1794), architect of Italian descent. Studied in Naples under L. Vanvitelli. From 1752 served under Hetman K.G. Razumovsky in Malorussia (Little Russia, otherwise known as Ukraine). Since 1754 resided in St. Petersburg, commissioned as court architect of Grand Princess Ekaterina Alexeevna, after her accession to the throne (1762) appointed Court Architect of Her Imperial Majesty. Following Rinaldi's projects, the Palace of Peter III (1758-62), the Chinese Palace (1762-68) and Tobogganing Hill (Katalnaya Gorka) Pavilion, whose adornment was still dominated by Rococo, were erected in Oranienbaum; Novoznamenka Mansion (cottage) along the Peterhof Road is also attributed to him (1750s). Rinaldi's mastery reached its peak in the 1760-70s, marked by creation of the Marble Palace (1768-85), the second St. Isaac's Cathedral and Gatchina Palace and Park Ensemble, bearing the stylistic traits of early Neoclassicism. Rinaldi skilfully integrated sculptural and pictorial fragments in interior adornment, being a virtuoso master ornamentation. Rinaldi designed the Tuchkov Buyan complex (1764-72), completed the construction of the Cathedral of Prince St. Vladimir, Holy Ascension Church (not intact) and St. Catherine's Roman Catholic Church, and erected the Bolshoy Theatre on Theatre Square (1775-83, one of the largest in Europe). Rinaldi had also devised projects for the construction of Great Gostiny Dvor and the reconstruction of SS. Peter&Paul Cathedral (not implemented). In 1772, he began the installation of the marble milestones along the roads to Tsarskoe Selo and Peterhof (partially intact). In 1779, took on the construction of the city Liflyandskie Gates beside the Fontanka River (not intact). In the 1770s, Rinaldi contributed to the planning of the landscape section of Catherine Park in Tsarskoe Selo, designed Cascade Canal there. He also erected the Chesme and Moreyskaya Rostral Columns, the Kagul obelisk, renewed the interior ornamentation of the Grotto, designed the Chinese and Gothic pavilions and built the Orlov (triumphal) Gates. In 1768-79, lived in his own house in Millionnaya Street beside the Winter Palace (not intact). In 1780, returned to Italy. Reference: Кючарианц Д. А. Антонио Ринальди. Л., 1984; Ее же. Антонио Ринальди // Зодчие Санкт-Петербурга, XVIII век. СПб., 1997. С. 379-464. V. V. Antonov.
| | | | hidden The Palace Church of the Resurrection | |
In the Tsarskoye Selo Palace of Tsarina Catherine Alexeyevna at first there was an camp private chapel of St. Catherine the Great Martyr. The main sight of this church was a carved iconostasis of dark blue colour ... | | In the Tsarskoye Selo Palace of Tsarina Catherine Alexeyevna at first there was an camp private chapel of St. Catherine the Great Martyr. The main sight of this church was a carved iconostasis of dark blue colour. Building the palace church, being now, was begun in spring of 1746 to the design and under direction of S.I. Chevakinsky. The ceremonial laying of the Church of the Resurrection, performed by the Eminent Theodosius, Archbishop of Saint Petersburg and Schlusselburg, was been on 8 August of the same year in the presence of Empress Elisabeth, Heir Tsesarevich Pyetr Fiodorivich and his wife Catherine Alexeyevna. During bulding Elisabeth Petrovna ordered to remake a piece of done work and continue building under the direction of the chief-architect F.-B. Rastrelli. Court painters G.-K. Grot, L. Karavak, B. Tarsia, I.Ya. Vishnyakov, A. Perezinotti were recruited to painting icons. In total in the church there were 114 icons, 59 of them were painted and 14 were corrected by famous icon-painter Fedot Kolokolnikov and Mina Kolokolnikov. The painting plafond with the image of the Ascension of Our Lord was painted by the painter G. Valeriani with assistants. Carving work was made by I.F. Dunker. The decoration of the interior was completed and Eminent Sylvester, Archbishop of Saint Petersburg and Schlusselburg, consecrated the Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord on 30 July in 1756 . Religious services in the Palace Church of the Resurrection were performed by the court clergy during staying the Imperial court in Tsarskoye Selo. The Imperial retinue, ministers, diplomats, courtiers, officers of Life Guards regiments are present at the services. On Sundays and holidays the pupil of the Lyceum could be seen near Alexander I during liturgies. The historian Karamzin with his family visited the church. Weddings of the Imperial family members and courtiers, christening of the Imperial family babies, who were born in Tsarskoye Selo, took place in the church. The future emperors Nicholas I and Nicholas II were among them. The church parish included the palace officials, lived in Tsarskoye Selo permanently. In 1917 public religious services were stopped and the church interior was included in the museum exposition. The church interior had magnificent forms in the Baroque style. It was not subjected to considerable changes although the building experienced fires in 1820 and 1863. After the first fire the artist V.K. Shebuyev restored the lost in fire plafond, the church domes were restored to the design of the architect V.P. Stasov, their silhouettes were changed. The restoration of the original view of domes in the Baroque style were made by the architect A.F. Vidov after the second fire. During World War II the church inside decoration was plundered and got considerable damages, 97 icons were robbed, only some fragments were survived. After war restored repair of facades was made during 1957-1963 to the design of the architect A.A. Kedrinsky . But the church interior of the Palace Church has not been restored yet.
Persons Alexander I, Emperor Catherine II, Empress Chevakinsky Savva Ivanovich Dunker Johann Franz Elizaveta Petrovna, Empress Grot, G.-K. Karamzin Nikolay Mikhailovich Kedrinsky Alexander Alexandrovich Kvasov Andrey Vasilievich Nicholas I, Emperor Nicholas II, Emperor Peter III, Emperor Rastrelli Francesco de Stasov Vasily Petrovich Tarsia, B. Valeriani Giuseppe Vidov Alexander Fomich
| | | | hidden | | |
10 February. The Emperor III celebrated his birthday and he left Tsarskoye Selo on 13 February. He has never returned ... | | 10 February. The Emperor III celebrated his birthday and he left Tsarskoye Selo on 13 February. He has never returned here.
Persons Peter III, Emperor
| | | | | |
