Strelna is a small village, which is actually a suburb of St. Petersburg and one of its main sights . It has a rich history, in particular thanks to the famous Konstantinovsky Palace located here. Peter the Great founded it, and today his building is part of the state complex called the "Palace of Congresses". So, what is the famous Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg?
History of the Konstantinovsky Palace
According to the idea of the Emperor Peter Strelninsky Palace was supposed to surpass French Versailles thanks to a complex complex of fountains. However, the plan for this "water extravaganza" was not implemented due to geographical and hydraulic features of the terrain: the territory of the palace and park complex, located on the rivers Strelka and Kikenka, is below the required level. Charged in 1720 by the Italian architect Michetti, the design of the future palace was completed, but never implemented. The case was continued in 1750 by the architect Rastrelli, having undergone considerable redevelopment.
In 1797, the estate passes to the son of Emperor Paul I, Constantine, becoming a private estate. It was in honor of him that the famous palace was named. In the first half of the XIX century with the palace there are great changes, it is completed and reconstructed, namely:
- interiors are remodeled to antique style (A. Voronikhin);
- the building is restored after a fire;
- L. Ruska makes decorative changes: the front suite and belvedere are being completed;
- the palace halls are painted by artists J. Ferrari and F. Scherbakov;
- The facades are complemented by balconies and bay windows (I. Stakenschneider and H. Meyer);
- a house church is under construction.
If in the XIX century the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, you can say, was experiencing its heyday, the 20th century became for this monument of architecture an epoch of decline. After the October Revolution, a colony school, a sanatorium, skills upgrading courses for naval officers, and the Leningrad Arctic School were located here at different times. During the war the palace was so destroyed that only a stone frame remained of it. Then the building was partially rebuilt.
For a long time the palace was unclaimed until in 2000 it was transferred to the Office of the President. Using ancient drawings from the time of Peter, modern architects and builders have completely restored the Konstantinovsky Palace, built fountains and bridges. All this was done with the aim of further ensuring receptions at the highest level, and in 2003 the official opening of a very modern Congress Palace took place.
Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna: what to see and how to get there?
Konstantinovsky Palace is akin to a large museum. In addition to his own historical interiors, various works of art from public and private collections were brought here. Visitors to the palace can get acquainted with the collections of Lobanov-Rostovsky, Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya, with pictures returned from Germany within the framework of the program for the return of cultural valuables exported from the Soviet Union in wartime. Being on an excursion in the Konstantinovsky Palace, you can see wonderful works of porcelain and bronze, glass and malachite, masterpieces of folk handicrafts, paintings and graphics. There is also an opportunity to visit the famous wine cellars of the palace.
The Konstantinovsky Palace, also the Palace of Congresses, is open daily from 9 to 18 hours. For excursion groups it is open from 10 to 16 hours on any day, except Wednesday - this is a day off. The operating mode of the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna differs from the work schedule of other historical architectural monuments in that the palace closes in those days when government events and meetings are held here.