Using the fact that this album is the first one in the summer series I'll include several spring pictures in it - these very pictures seem to be appropriate here, in my opinion. Today we'll head for Znamenka which was already mentioned once -
in album 42.
Palace and Park complex "Znamenka" is situated between Peterhof and Strelna -it's on your right when going from Petersburg.
Long ago the owner of this territory was B.K. Minikh or A.D. Menshikov (it's not clear), then main solicitor I.I. Rzhevsky, admiral N.F. Golovin, his heirs, then general-field-marshal A.G. Razumovsky, earl P.I. Shuvalov, senator I.V. Myatlev. Finally village and surrounding settlements became the property of emperor's family.
Palace was built (construction started in XVIII century) by the following one after another: A.F. Kokorinov, A.I. Shtakenshneider, A.I. Kvasov, G.A. Bosse. After war it was restored by M.M. Plotnikov.
It's interesting that one of the sources of information mentions authorship by F.-B. Rastrelli.
Palace was destroyed during the war. Since post-war times and till nowadays there is a pension.
Small river and a group of children - excursion, probably. It's still spring..
Peter-and-Paul's church near the palace was built in 1761. There was a library in the soviet times, what's now is not clear (source of information says that "It's vacant", in reality it does not seem so).
These two pictures(the following two as well) were made in April and June of this year. It's interesting to observe how nature changed..
Former grand princes' stables (Stabling building). It's a very large building, and former beautiful. Premises for servants were in the corner towers. It was built by architect G.A. Bosse in 1852-1860.
Now there are ruins.
As far as I know, they planned to restore the building - first to make a cinema hall, later to make a hotel. But looks like they changed their mind for now.
That's how stables look inside. Straight away obviously it's meant for horses of noble
birth :-)
Rows of columns, twilight, desolation - all that reminds me of the basement from "Guest from the future" movie, - if anyone remembers there was disguised time machine there.
Ceiling is in a very bad condition. Bricks drop down from above sensu stricto - recommend to walk carefully and in the
helmet :-)
Climbed out to the roof..
…and looked from there in the direction of pond and bridge over the rapid river, which was in the picture in the beginning of the album.
There is one more rarely visited suburb situated further along Peterhofskoye highway in the next album.
