Crimea. Alupka. Vorontsov Palace. Where did the English palace or the amazing castle of Count Vorontsov come from in Crimea? Who lived in the Vorontsov Palace

On the Black Sea coast there is a majestic architectural monument of the 19th century - the Vorontsov Palace. Its construction took 20 years and was completed in 1848 under the guidance of the eminent British court architect Edward Blore. A masterpiece of the era of romanticism was conceived as the residence of Count Mikhail Vorontsov, Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory.

The count himself chose the place for the construction of the palace - on a beautiful cape near Mount Ai-Petri in the Crimea. The author skillfully combined English and neo-Moorish styles with Gothic and brilliantly entered the building into the existing landscape. Blore had never been there before, but according to the sketches, he “unwrapped” the building so that its outline coincides with the outline of the mountains.

In the construction of the building, diabase was used - a stone of a greenish-gray color. It was mined locally. The drawings in the design of the building were very complex, the stone could crack during processing, so the best craftsmen who built temples in Central Russia were called to carry out stonework.

So in the unremarkable and little-known until that moment, the Tatar village of Alupka appeared a castle of five buildings with numerous passages, stairs and courtyards. At the main staircase is the Lion's Terrace. Six lions "sit" on either side of a magnificent white marble staircase - one "sleeps", the other "wakes up", the rest are "awake" and "roar".

The Vorontsov Palace was the first in Russia to have a hot water supply system and a sewerage system built.

The construction of the palace complex took a huge sum for those times - about 9 million rubles in silver. But she was on the shoulder of Count Vorontsov, the richest landowner of the Russian Empire.

History of creation

The history of the Vorontsov Palace is closely connected with the events in the country. Shortly after settling in, the count had to leave his new home in connection with his assignment to the Caucasus. The palace changed its owners - in different years the count's daughter Sofya Mikhailovna, son Semyon Mikhailovich, widow Maria Vasilievna lived in it. In the 1880s the building was empty and abandoned.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the relatives of the Vorontsovs, the Dashkovs, set up sanatoriums and boarding houses there. After the revolution, the lands were nationalized. In the 1920s, as in some other large noble estates on the southern coast of Crimea, a museum was created there, called Alupkinsky. The museum's collection was badly damaged during the Great Patriotic War. The Nazis took out more than 500 works of painting and graphics, but later they managed to return not much.

After the war, the state dacha of the NKVD was located in the palace. And, finally, in 1956 the Crimean State Museum of Fine Arts was opened, which later became part of the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. Today there are collections of paintings, sculptures and applied arts, ancient documents telling about the construction of the palace.

Exhibitions and expositions

Exhibitions and expositions are located in many rooms of the Vorontsov Palace - in the halls, the Shuvalovsky wing, the Guest building, the Economic building, the conference room.

So, guests can see the expositions “Ceremonial Halls of the Main Building”, “The House of Count A.P. Shuvalov”, “Dvoretsky's Apartment”, “Sculpture of the Southern Terraces”, “Vorontsov's Kitchen”, exhibitions “Under the Plane Tree”, “Porcelain Pantry” and others.

Reasonable prices are available to all categories of visitors. The ticket price for adults is from 50 to 300 rubles, for students, pensioners and children from 16 to 18 years old - from 25 to 150 rubles. "Single ticket" costs 650 and 325 rubles, respectively.

For example, the exposition "Ceremonial Halls of the Main Building of the Vorontsov Palace" is open in the museum on a permanent basis. These premises have not changed much since ancient times. Finishing, furniture, even the portraits on the walls have retained their original appearance in a traditional English manner. During the tour, guests will see the main halls of the main building, the Chinese Cabinet, the lobby, the Blue Drawing Room, the Winter Garden, the Grand Dining Room, and the billiard room.

In the kitchen building of the Economic Yard there is an exposition "Vorontsov's Kitchen". In this part of the palace, the servants not only worked, but also lived. Three rooms of this building are open to visitors, where you can get acquainted with the interior of the palace kitchen. The first room is spacious, spread over an area of ​​60 square meters and two stories high. In the center is a cast-iron plate, decorated with a cast ornament. Antique crockery, a sink, samovars, cookbooks, pantry interior create a vivid and unforgettable impression.

The exhibition "Reserved Taurida" is open in the conference hall of the palace. It will run until March 31, 2018. Visitors will be able to see 60 works of art from the museum's funds, their authors are domestic and foreign artists. The paintings depict the unreal beauty of the nature of the Crimea and palaces, parks, city streets, archeological monuments. The works were created in the first half of the 19th century, at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, in Soviet times. All of them represent the heritage of the Crimeans, which is preserved for future generations.

Alupka- a resort town as part of Big Yalta, located at the foot of Mount Ai-Petri, 17 km southwest of the city of Yalta in the Crimea.

Vorontsov Palace and its park complex "highlight" Alupka landscape and the main attraction of the seaside town.

Rest on the Black Sea in Alupka attracts tourists with a mild climate without sharp seasonal fluctuations, healing sea and pine air, in which one can breathe easily and freely, as well as a picturesque view of the surroundings of a Russian seaside town on the southern coast of Crimea.

A particularly bewitching view of Alupka opens from the sea: in the center of the panorama on a hill flaunts the magnificent Alupka Palace (Vorontsovsky); buildings of coastal sanatoriums are stretched in a chain along the sea and are buried in the greenery of parks, and the teeth of the majestic mountain Ai-Petri dominate over them.

Ai-Petrinsky mountain range is one of the highest in the Crimea. Like a shield, it closes Alupka from the northern cold winds, and the largest number of sunny days per year (compared to the Black Sea resorts of the Caucasus) make this town on the Black Sea coast a wonderful resort - the second after Yalta on the southern coast of Crimea.

History of Alupka.

The history of Alupka begins in the 6th-5th century BC, when the first Tauri settlement was founded on these blessed lands. Archaeologists have found the remains of fortifications and a large burial ground on Mount Cross. In the 10th century, Alupka belonged to the Khazars, in the 14th century it passed into the possession of the Genoese, who built a port and fortifications here, and later became a Tatar village. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, these lands saw new owners: aristocrats and royal nobles. In the 20s of the 19th century, Alupka became the estate of the Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory, Count Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, who decided to build a palace here. Until the 1980s, Alupka was still a small village. The local population was mainly engaged in horticulture and viticulture.

At the end of the 19th century, Alupka began to develop rapidly as a resort due to the fact that the Russian "luminaries of medicine" recognize the healing properties of the local climate for the treatment of broncho-pulmonary diseases and the healing of the whole organism. Dachas of aristocrats, shops, boarding houses, hotels, post and telegraph offices appear in Alupka, and roads are also being built. In 1902, back in Tsarist Russia, in Alupka, the first sanatorium for children began to operate on voluntary donations.

During the years of Soviet power in Alupka, the construction of sanatoriums was proceeding at a rapid pace, of which by 1940 there were already more than twenty.

Alupka received city status in 1938.

- This is a narrow strip of large and small pebbles, 4 km long along the coastline. In total there are 6 beaches and 23 beaches at sanatoriums. The main beach is a free city beach, which is located under the Vorontsovsky Park. You can drive to the beach "Cote d'Azur", which is located near the bus station, by car (there is a paid parking lot).

Mild climate, dry air of Alupka with the scent of pine, the Black Sea is the best place for the treatment of lung diseases. Here is the first in Europe children's sanatorium for the treatment of bone tuberculosis (founded by Professor A.A. Bobrov). In 1982, a wine tasting room for 240 seats "Massandra" was opened in Alupka.

Vorontsov Palace in Alupka.

Vorontsov Palace(Alupka) is the former summer Crimean residence Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory Count Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov. Today is Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. It fits perfectly into the amazing landscape with a mountain range, evergreen vegetation and several narrow streets of the town rising uphill from the sea coast. It is built from diabase, a material that is twice as strong as granite and is mined on the Crimean peninsula. The gray-green color of the stone creates a single architectural composition of the Vorontsov Palace with nature.

Photos of the Vorontsov Palace.

The palace was designed by the English architect Edward Blore. Construction was carried out from 1828 to 1848. Finishing lasted until 1852. The architecture of the palace is unique. It consists in a combination of different styles:

• The North Façade is Late English Gothic;
• The Western Facade is a European medieval castle, a fortress of the 8th-12th centuries;
• Southern - elements of India and the East. The huge dome of the southern facade with Arabic inscriptions, open towards the Black Sea, has a romantic look. The "Lion's Terrace" with the gradually alert "kings" of the animals adorns the magnificent staircase leading to the entrance to the castle from the side of the park. Three pairs of Carrara white marble lions were made in the workshop of the Florentine sculptor Bonnani, but the most famous (bottom) is the Sleeping Lion.

The palace ensemble consists of 5 buildings, open and closed courtyards, terraces. The Vorontsov Palace looks both stern and elegant, stable and romantic. The western part of the palace (the so-called Shuvalovsky passage) appears to tourists in the form of a stone-paved street of a medieval city with old fortress walls with powerful towers and narrow loopholes. The southern facade is famous for its high portal with a deep niche, on the frieze of which the saying “There is no winner but Allah” is inscribed in Arabic script.

Eastern and Western architecture are united by carved stone decorations of the palace, battlements and Gothic chimneys, as well as soaring domes in the form of minarets of mosques and thin turrets on the sides. All this splendor is complemented by the natural pattern of Mount Ai-Petri.

Each of the 150 rooms that make up the palace ensemble is unique: the Print Room, the Blue Living Room, the Grand Dining Room, the Winter Garden, the Chinese Study, the Billiard Room, and the Lobby. Everywhere you can see the luxury and love of the owners for their home. A special pride of the Alupka Palace is the luxurious gothic-style fireplaces made of marble-like limestone and polished diabase stone.
"Front Dining Room"- the most majestic hall of the Vorontsov Palace. Its interior is made in the style of knight's castles. Tourists are impressed by: a decorative marble fountain, with a balcony for musicians rising above it; walls decorated with wood carvings; Ural malachite candelabra. The solemnity of the hall is added by high ceilings, bog oak doors, strict furniture and oak panels.
"Blue Living Room"- This is a bright elegant hall with a stucco openwork pattern of leaves and flowers, covering the walls and ceiling with a blue bliss. It has Turkish furnishings and luxurious fabrics.
"Winter Garden"- a combination of marble sculpture with rare evergreens. Copies of ancient sculptures and portraits of the Vorontsov family, made in marble, make up the main interior of the Winter Garden.

Winter Garden in the Vorontsov Palace Photo.

5 terraces of the Vorontsov Palace park- These are stylized five stages of medieval gardens with flower beds and clipped plants. The Upper Terrace has many marble vases, fountains, benches among rose gardens, while the Lower Terrace is distinguished by an abundance of wall fountains.

In 1921 the Vorontsov Palace became a museum. Since 1990, it has been the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. Excursions, exhibitions are held here, including the Vorontsov Family Gallery. In 2007, a new exposition “The House of Count A.P. Shuvalov.

The Vorontsov Palace stands apart in Alupka - one of the most impressive on the coast. The palace was built over 20 years, since 1830, as the summer residence of the Governor-General of Novorossia M.S. Vorontsov.

Designed by the English architect Edward Blore (1789-1879), one of the authors of Buckingham Palace and Westiminster Abbey. The Vorontsov Palace amazingly subtly absorbed the features of Eastern and Western styles. On the southern façade of the building there is a horseshoe-shaped arch, a two-tier vault, a magnificent plaster carving in a niche depicting a lotus.

On the fresco of the niche there is an inscription with a saying from the Koran: "And there is no god but Allah." Near the walls of the southern facade of the Vorontsov Palace there are marble sculptures of lions, made in the workshop of the Italian sculptor V. Bonanni. The northern part of the palace impresses with the severity of the style typical of 16th century England.

It is also a monument of landscape gardening art. In 1824-1851, the German gardener Karl Antonovich Kebach worked on its creation. In 1956, by decision of the government, a museum was located in the palace.

Since 1990, it has been the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve. Alupka Park has a unique system of lakes, roads and waterfalls. The park is built on the principle of an ancient amphitheater descending from the palace to the tea house on the seashore. The park has two levels - lower and upper.

Vorontsov Palace - address and phone

The address of the Vorontsov Palace is Crimea, Alupka, Palace Highway, 18.

Phone of the organizer on duty at the Vorontsov Palace (for information about the museum's working hours): +7 978 018 56 74.

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka?

You can get to the Vorontsov Palace from the Yalta bus station: bus number 115 (Yalta - Simeiz), bus number 107 (Yalta - Katsiveli) to the stop "Alupka, bus station"; bus number 102 (Yalta - Alupka Park) to the final stop.

From the Clothing Market of Yalta (city center) you can get by bus number 132 (Yalta - Alupka) to the final stop.

From Sevastopol (central bus station): by regular bus to the stop "Alupka, Pitomnik", then by city bus No. 1-A to the stop "Tsentr. Lenin Square”, from here walk down the stairs to the palace.

Vorontsov Palace - the history of creation

Alupka is famous for its palace and park ensemble, consisting of five buildings (Main, Library, Canteen, Household and Guest with a one-story Shuvalov wing), a Tea House located by the sea and a park surrounding the entire complex.

This ensemble was created in the 20-40s of the 19th century, during the period of strong influence of romanticism on literature and art.

Romanticism is a whole era in the development of culture. His ideological prerequisites in Russia were the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Decembrist uprising.

Originating in the early 19th century, it gained popularity in the 1820s. In the late 30s, romantic trends become dominant. In accordance with this, the attitude towards classicism is changing, which for romantics turns into the personification of dogmatism, external form, normativity, excluding free creativity and development. The aesthetic ideal has also changed. Romantics associated beauty not with clarity, simplicity and harmony, as in classicism, but with diversity, contrast, and dynamism.

Talented architects of the era of romanticism turned to the architectural elements of the styles of past eras and, having subjected them to creative rethinking, used them in modern construction. They showed special attention to the architecture of the Middle Ages (Gothic, Romanesque, Moorish, Indo-Muslim, etc.).

The distinctive features of romanticism in architecture are picturesqueness and asymmetry of compositions. Architectural romanticism, unlike classicism, did not create large public buildings, majestic urban ensembles, but found wide application in manor and park construction.

Starting from the 20s of the 19th century, buildings created in the romantic style prevailed on the South Coast. The Crimean mountains, exotic vegetation, the sea with intricately indented coasts and bays, picturesque rocks were a bright, expressive backdrop for romantic architecture. Here, the connection between the architectural structure and the surrounding nature was especially clearly manifested.

A. Demidov, traveling around the Crimea in 1837, noted in his notes: “Alternately you see a small house in Asian style, whose windows are covered with curtains, the pipes look like minarets; either a beautiful Gothic castle, or a cozy dacha like English "cottages", completely immersed in a sea of ​​greenery and flowers, or a light wooden building with extensive galleries.

Unfortunately, under the influence of inexorable time, many estates and buildings of the 1st half of the 19th century disappeared from the face of the Crimean land. But the most valuable, most interesting monument of that era has been preserved - the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, now a palace-museum.

It was built with a predominant focus on the architectural style of England in the 16th century, combined with the forms of the style of Indo-Muslim architecture of the 16th-17th centuries.

The western facade of the palace is very reminiscent of a medieval castle-fortress. Here the viewer is greeted by monumental round towers with slit-like embrasure windows. High severe walls are crowned with stone battlements-cremalers. The walls are supported by powerful buttresses. The impression of the gloomy Middle Ages is reinforced by Shuvalovsky passage. Its broken line with a number of closed perspectives seems to promise something mysterious to the viewer somewhere around the corner.

At the top there is an openwork bridge connecting the service buildings with the Main Dining Building. This air bridge is really very romantic. He, like the entire western part of the palace, is able to take us into the atmosphere of medieval novels by Walter Scott or other contemporary romantic writers.

Architecture of outbuildings of the Vorontsov Palace

The household courtyard, which includes extensive services and living quarters for servants, is part of a single palace complex without violating the architectural, artistic and compositional integrity of the ensemble. Construction period 1838-1842.

Service buildings are located on the northern side of the site, parallel to the canteen building and the Shuvalovsky (guest) wing. They form a separate closed courtyard in the form of an irregular polygon elongated horizontally.

The isolation and isolation of the courtyard, the general character of the architecture of the outbuildings will remind us of medieval English castles with towers, narrow windows - loopholes of high outer walls.

At the heart of the decorative design of the facades is a clear rhythm of geometrically simple door and window openings. Here, textured processing of the walls with “torn” stone is applied.

The southern part of the economic buildings under the Vorontsovs was divided according to its functional purpose into three parts: the central part was occupied by carriage sheds with three wide doorways, the right part was occupied by stables, in the left wing there was a kitchen with utility rooms and pantries.

Various household services were also located in the northern part of the household yard. Regarding the lower floor, there is an assumption that in its right wing there could be a dining room for the servants, and in the left, a vast room with three large arched openings that were not closed by gates (since the openings do not have quarters for installing gates) could be located forge serving stable services. On the second floors there were living rooms and apartments for palace servants.

The outer wall of the northern building of the utility yard, facing the park, is reinforced with flat buttresses. Chimneys stylized as phials give a special picturesqueness to the silhouette of the walls.

Two gates lead to the courtyard. At the western entrance is a round tower. The eastern gate, overlooking the front courtyard, is flanked by two rectangular three-tiered towers, one of which - the Sentry - is completed with a turret with a flagpole. The towers are identical in proportion and shape, designed in the style of English architecture of the 16th century. Their upper tier is crowned with a high jagged cornice. The gates of the towers connect the main courtyard with the service buildings and at the same time constitute the architectural frame of the “clean” courtyard from the west.

Northern facade of the Vorontsov Palace

In the northern façade, we see a new aspect of architecture, no longer identical to a medieval fortress, but to a country English palace of the 16th century, which is characterized by large window openings (bay windows), tall chimneys, which, in addition to their utilitarian purpose, play a large decorative role. Rising above the palace as a whole slender colonnade with finials in the form of buds of some fantastic flowers (fleurons), they give a special decorative effect to the entire architectural and decorative appearance of the main building of the palace.

The architect achieves great expressiveness here by the rhythmic alternation of smooth planes of walls and risalits, graceful pinnacle turrets and massive battlements-cremaliers.

Looking at the palace, we admire the virtuosity of stone cutters, who skilfully executed its structural and decorative details: stone blocks, carved pediments, domes. Here, many architectural details typical of England in the 16th century (towers, arches, domes) are similar in outline to elements of oriental architecture. This is another feature of romantic architecture, when another is guessed in the forms of one style.

The elements of oriental architecture that take place in the palace reached their strongest development in the architecture of the southern facade of the palace, which we will get to know later.

The presence of two styles in one building was by no means a mechanical combination here. The architect found details close to both the East and Gothic, dispersed them in a certain rhythm throughout the complex and thus achieved an amazing stylistic unity.

So, in the northern facade we see the majestic and austere palace of the late English Middle Ages.

The author of the palace project was the famous architect Edward Blore (1789-1879), one of the founders of the romantic trend in English architecture. E. Blore is known in England as a draftsman and engraver, illustrator of publications on the history of British architecture. In 1816-1823 he was involved in the design and decoration of Abbotsford Castle for W. Scott in Scotland. In 1820 - 1850 he carried out restoration work in the royal palaces, was a brilliant connoisseur of Tudor style architecture. In total, he built and reconstructed 40 public buildings and estates and the same number of churches and chapels. Blore is one of the founders of the Royal Archaeological Institute.

According to Blore's design, the palace was built by William Gunt, also an English architect. Construction lasted 20 years, from 1828 to 1848. mainly by the forces of serf masters. Of great interest is the fact that Vladimir stone-cutters worked here, who glorified themselves by the art of erecting white-stone Russian churches with artistically executed decorations.

The main building material was the local diabase stone, the strength of which is higher than that of granite. Thanks to the beautiful greenish-gray color of the stone, the palace organically blended into the color scheme of the local landscape. The peak of Mount Ai-Petri, crowning the entire landscape of Alupka and with its outlines similar to the ruins of some ancient fantastic castle, became a wonderful background for him.

From huge shapeless blocks of diabase, which was processed by hand, blocks for walls were cut out, thin and complex architectural details were cut out. Diabase was carefully polished for interior decoration.

From a hundred to a thousand people worked here at different times, among them Vorontsov's serfs. They were used as civilian workers, received a salary from which they had to pay dues. At present, on the basis of archival documents, it was possible to establish the names of more than 300 serfs, among whom were sculptors, cabinet makers, wood and stone carvers, painters, and embroiderers.

Among these talented craftsmen, the skill of the sculptor Roman Furtunov from the Moshensky estate of the Kyiv province deserves special attention. Joiners worked from the same estate in Alupka, many of them worked up to 10 years, finishing the interiors of the palace and making furniture.

And now, admiring the skill of the serfs and civilian craftsmen who built this palace, we pay tribute to the numerous craftsmen whose talent manifested itself in the decoration of the main halls of the palace, made with great taste and perfection.

A palace was built for the count, and later Prince M.S. Vorontsov (1782-1856), one of the largest Russian landowners of the 1st half of the 19th century. In 1823, he was appointed governor-general of the Novorossiysk Territory and plenipotentiary governor of the Bessarabia region.

In the first half of the 19th century, the colonization of new lands in Russia intensified. The overcrowding of estates in the central zone forced the landowners to look for new lands in order to be able to fully utilize the labor of their serfs. At that time, the lands of Novorossia and Crimea were especially valued. They were acquired and developed, since the proximity of the Black Sea to them created favorable conditions for the export and sale of various agricultural products. Therefore, Vorontsov seeks his appointment to the post of Governor-General of Novorossia.

Having visited the Crimea for the first time in 1822 and seeing what enormous riches this rich, almost undeveloped land conceals, Vorontsov begins to acquire land here. Massandra, Ai-Danil, Ai-Vasil, Martyan, Gurzuf, Alupka - one after another become the property of Vorontsov. In the 30s, he already owned about 2 thousand acres of land. Vorontsov tries to use his estates as profitably as possible. On the South Coast, he creates extensive vineyards, one of the first to start industrial winemaking here. Under him, the first cellars were laid in Massandra. Sheep breeding developed in the steppe regions of Crimea, a stud farm was developed in Ak-Mechet, and salt was mined in two lakes in this region.

Thanks to the construction of a road that connected Simferopol with Sevastopol and Yalta, agricultural products and wine were exported from the Crimean estates of Vorontsov, which undoubtedly contributed to an increase in the owner's income. From the Crimean estates, Vorontsov had an income of up to 56 thousand rubles. in year.

Having 400 thousand acres of land and about 80 thousand serfs in 16 provinces of Russia, Vorontsov received huge incomes. Only the income from the dues, excluding the Crimean estates, amounted to 800 thousand rubles in banknotes. The owner of such wealth had the opportunity to build luxurious palaces for himself.

The former Vorontsov Palace became a museum in 1921 after the liberation of the Crimea from the White Guards. On February 20 of the same year, V.I. Lenin, who paid great attention to cultural construction in the country, sent a telegram to the chairman of the Crimean Revolutionary Committee: “Take decisive measures to protect the artistic values ​​located in the Yalta palaces and private buildings, now assigned to the sanatoriums of the People's Commissariat of Health. All responsibility rests with you."

Fulfilling the instructions of the commissions for the protection of artistic monuments and other works of art created by the revolutionary committee, all the most artistically interesting works of art from the nationalized estates were selected for the creation of the first Soviet museums in the Crimea.

The Vorontsov Palace was nationalized, the remaining property was supplemented with collections from other southern coast palaces, and in 1921 a historical and household museum was opened here.

During the Patriotic War, when the Crimea was occupied by the German fascists, works of art could not be evacuated from here, and the palace functioned as a museum. Its director was Stepan Grigoryevich Shchekoldin (1904-2002). During the retreat, the Germans wanted to blow up the palace, a large amount of explosive was prepared. However, the explosion could not be carried out, this was prevented by museum workers. In April 1944, the rapid offensive of the Soviet troops liberated the Crimea.

In February 1945, during the Crimean Conference, the Alupka Palace was given to the British delegation headed by W. Churchill. In the next decade, there was a State Dacha, referred to in the documents as “special object No. 3”.

The palace was reopened to visitors in 1956. Currently, it is an architectural and art museum. It is located in the central and dining buildings, where the main rooms of the palace are located. In the premises of the Guest Building and the Shuvalov Wing, various exhibitions from the funds of the museum-reserve are exhibited, including the Vorontsov Family Gallery, which displays portraits of numerous representatives of this famous family.

One of the main features of the Vorontsov Palace is a combination of English architecture of the 16th century (Tudor style) and Eastern, Indo-Muslim 16th century. Moreover, the combination of these styles is done so skillfully, with such artistic taste, that the result is a new artistic image, harmonious, integral, executed in a romantic style.

Speaking about the romantic architecture of the palace, about its exterior, we noted that its main stylistic motive is the orientation towards the English architecture of the 16th century. We can note the same when characterizing the interiors, i.e. interior spaces, in the decorative design of which the great influence of the palace interiors of England of the 16th century also affects.

In the 16th century, in English palaces, the interiors were finished with carved wooden decor. From here in the front office - oak profiled panels; a large amount of wood was used to decorate the bay window. It was in the 16th century that bay windows appeared in English architecture, protruding beyond the wall, increasing the lighting and area of ​​​​the room.

Four symmetrically placed oak doors reinforce the impression of the woodwork; one of the doors is purely decorative. Details of decoration, typical for England of the 16th century, in all the halls of the palace (to a greater or lesser extent) are intertwined with elements typical of the decoration of the 2nd quarter of the 16th century, when imitation became fashionable. Here it is used in the decoration of the ceiling, where alabaster molding and coloring imitate wood.

A characteristic detail of English interiors is fireplaces. In the damp climate of England, the fireplace is not only warm, but also a powerful fan. We will see fireplaces in all the front rooms of the palace, and in each of them the decoration has its own characteristics, combined with the general decoration of the hall. Here, a limestone marble fireplace in grayish-brown hues goes well with the tone of the wood and wallpaper, which has not been preserved and has been replaced with new ones. Their coloring and drawing completely correspond to the old samples.

In the front office there is furniture, mainly of English work of the 1st quarter of the 19th century, made of different types of wood. Its rich finishes: metal inlay, lush wood carving, skillful polishing enhance the impression of solemnity and splendor of this room.

The decor of the room is typical for front rooms of the 30-40s of the 16th century. It not only characterizes the era, but each individual item is of great artistic value. Of particular interest is an ebony cabinet bookcase made by French craftsmen in the Boulle style (Charles Boulle /1642-1732/ worked at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries). It can be called the creator of artistic furniture. Skillfully mastering the technique of set, using applied bronze, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell to decorate furniture, he achieved great color richness and created his own style "Boule".

The set of cabinet furniture: a round table, walnut chairs and armchairs, made by English craftsmen of the 1st quarter of the 19th century, attracts attention with the skill of metal inlay on wood, the ability to show the beauty of wood.

The front rooms often housed portraiture, vividly characterizing the era. Looking at the images of people placed in this office, one can say with confidence that they were touched by the breath of the war of 1812. The growing ideas of patriotism in Russian society prompted artists to look for and find in a person those features that were associated with the concept of "a sense of civic duty." The military gallery of 1812 in the Winter Palace can be considered the artistic standard of such a work. The English artist George Doe (1781-1829) worked on its creation for a number of years with his assistants Golike and Polyakov. The portraits presented here by Fyodor Petrovich Uvarov (1770-1824), Lev Aleksandrovich Naryshkin (1781-1829), Alexander Khristoforovich Benkendorf, a participant in the Russian-French campaign, are the author's repetitions of the gallery's works. A sharp turn of the head, a fiery color in uniforms, a stormy sky in the background are techniques typical of Dow's work. They give the painting a romantic coloring.

The ceremonial portrait of the first owner of the Alupka Palace, Count MS Vorontsov (1782-1856), was solved in the same pictorial vein.

When, in 1821, the Englishman Thomas Lawrence began to paint a portrait that later became famous, Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov was in the halo of his military glory, demonstrating personal courage and extraordinary abilities as a commander in the battles of Borodino, Krasnoe, and Craon. In 1848, by order of the Vorontsov family, Louise Desseme made a copy quite worthy of the original. Successfully imitating the brush of Lawrence, his mother-of-pearl gray and black tones, the artist managed to preserve the romantic pathos characteristic of the original.

A worthy place in the exposition is occupied by a portrait of Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov. Small bronze sculptures are also presented here: the Duke of Wellington (a copy from the work of Koter, an English sculptor of the first half of the 19th century) and the Prussian commander Field Marshal Blucher by the German sculptor H. Rauch (1777-1857).

Complementing the decoration of the Front Room is a gilded bronze clock on the cabinet by the French master Peter-Philippe Thomire (1741-1843). They are decorated with figures of Minin and Pozharsky - they repeat the composition of the famous monument on Red Square by sculptor I.P. Martos.

G The living room got its name from the decoration of the walls, covered with chintz fabric. Chintz, a fabric of oriental origin, became widespread in Western Europe and Russia in the middle of the 19th century and at the same time became such a fashionable material that it was valued at the level of velvet, silk, and brocade. It was used for decoration in palaces and rich mansions. This chintz is of English work, with a fine decorative pattern. Its coloring successfully harmonizes with the lining of the fireplace, made of pinkish marble.

Massive walnut sofa, classical forms, with side bookcases, richly inlaid with bronze. The living room displays works by Russian academic artists.

All Russian artists who graduated from the Academy of Arts with a gold medal were certainly sent to Italy. Among them was S.F. Shchedrin (1791-1830), who devoted his work to depicting Italian nature. He worked a lot on the problem of transmitting sunlight, space, and air in a picture, and he was one of the first to paint nature from nature. S. Shchedrin painted landscapes in the vicinity of Naples, Sorrento, on the island of Capri. "View of Sorrento" is his favorite motif. The bright rays of the southern sun illuminate the waters of the Gulf of Naples, picturesque coastal cliffs. The landscape seems to be shrouded in a transparent haze of a hot summer day. In his canvases, the artist was able to directly and poetically convey the charm of real nature, to show the beauty of reality.

A prominent place among the masters of the Russian landscape belongs to N.G. Chernetsov (1805-1879), who devoted himself to depicting Russian nature. Chernetsov traveled a lot. In 1838, together with his brother, he traveled along the Volga. Yuryevets Povolsky is one of the many paintings that appeared as a result of this trip. A small work captures the architecture of the ancient town. In the 1850s, the artist made a pilgrimage to the Holy Places; the painting “View of Nazareth near Galilee” belongs to this period of his work.

Above the fireplace are two paintings:

1. "Ruins near Rome" , Canvas, oil. Artist Sternberg Vasily Ivanovich (1818-1845). Landscape painter and genre painter. In 1835-1838. studied at the Academy of Arts with M.N. Vorobyov. In the summer he lived in Ukraine, depicted scenes of folk life and Ukrainian nature. A close friend of T.G. Shevchenko. In 1839 he received the title of artist, in 1840 he was sent to Italy as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts. Died in Rome.
2. "Bacchante". 1856 Canvas, oil. The painting was originally in the collection of the Vorontsovs. Artist Maykov Nikolai Apollonovich (1794-1873). Historical painter of the academic direction. He was brought up in the cadet corps, a participant in the Patriotic War of 1812. He became a self-taught painter. Since 1835 - academician.

The very name of the hall testifies to oriental influences. This is no coincidence: the room is facing south, where the architecture is oriental.

The room got its name "Chinese Cabinet" from the mats that trimmed the upper part of the walls. The mats are embroidered with silk and beads; the nature of the embroidery indicates that they were made by Russian craftswomen, apparently serf embroiderers.

In some details of the decor there are signs of a wide variety of styles. The embroideries on Chinese mats and wood carvings are in the style of the Italian Renaissance of the 16th century, the framing of mirror frames and their decorations of mirrors are of a Gothic character. Turned columns on the walls, carved garlands with tassels at the bottom are typical of the Baroque.

But above all this, the atmosphere of oriental art reigns almost imperceptibly. This is expressed in the general splendor of the entire decorative decoration of the hall, in the intricate ornamentation of carving and molding, in the color combination of black, brown and cream, inherent in many works of Chinese applied art.

The art and talent of various craftsmen who worked on the decoration of the palace of sculptors, embroiderers, furniture makers and furniture carvers were especially clearly manifested in the Chinese cabinet. These high-class craftsmen perfectly executed the high paneled panels of light oak, fine wood carvings. The carving adorning the doors of the wall cupboard is distinguished by a special elegance, the ornament of which includes the first letter of the owner of this cabinet "E" - ELIZABETH.

Among the craftsmen who worked in the palace were talented furniture makers. It had its own furniture workshop, which produced chairs and armchairs located in this hall (on the backs - stylized Vorontsov monograms), tables made of wavy birch (round living room and ladies' table - worker). It is known from the Vorontsov archives that serf carpenters worked in Alupka for many years: Naum Mukhin, Maxim Tislenko, Yakim Lapshin, a colonist from a German colony near Odessa Martyn Goltsman.

A small wall-mounted cabinet of French work, unusual in form, close to the Boulle style, fits well into the interior of the office. In its decoration, a tortoise shell is used, along which there is an ornament with copper and light metal. The locker is almost entirely decorative and could hold a small amount of papers or letters inside.

Consonant with him in color is a locker intended for storing jewelry. It was made in England in the second half of the 18th century using the painted lacquer technique (the lacquer tree grows in China and Japan). The varnish that protects the tree from damage can be tinted in different tones. The drawing is made by applying colored varnish layer by layer and is convex.

A genuine piece of decorative and applied art in Italy is a table with views of Roman architectural monuments. This smalt mosaic set was made in the papal workshops of the famous Italian artist Michelangelo Barberi (1787-1867) with the participation of Russian masters. (Smalt is a set of tiny pieces of wax-based colored glass).

The portrait of Elizaveta Ksaveryevna Vorontsova was painted by an unknown artist based on the original by D. Dow. She is depicted in a Venetian, according to the fashion of those years, dress. The image of a woman once sung by A.S. Pushkin, unusually attractive. The portrait is dominated by warm olive tones. On the western wall (where there is a portrait of E.K. Vorontsova) there are color engravings by F. Bartalozzi from the originals of the English portrait painter D. Reynolds (1723-1792): on the right is a portrait of Lavinia Spencer (1787), on the left is a portrait of her sister Anna Bingham (1787) .

On the north wall:

• on the left is a portrait of Mary Spencer. Mezzotint by William Dickinson from an original by D. Reynolds (1723-1792)
• in the middle - "Meditation", color engraving from a drawing by Countess Spencer
• on the right is the Duchess Caroline of Marlborough with her daughter Caroline Spencer
• north wall panel - views of English castles
• left and right (under the shelves) - views of the old castle in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. In the middle - views of Blenheim Castle (built on the site of the old castle in Woodstock).

During the Crimean (Yalta) conference of the leaders of the three allied powers (February 4-11, 1945), the palace in Alupka was given to the British delegation headed by Churchill. The Prime Minister's private apartments were the Front Room and the Chinese Room, connected by the Chintz Room. The Chinese Cabinet houses a small exposition dedicated to an outstanding political figure of the 20th century.

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) belonged to the famous family of the Dukes of Marlborough, who were among the twenty ducal families of England. The founder of the dynasty, John Churchill (1650-1722), a former page of the Duke of York (later King James II) from 1702 was the commander-in-chief of the English army. Queen Anne elevated him to ducal dignity, and for the brilliant victory at Blenheim on August 13, 1704, in whose memory a medal was struck, she granted the duke lands in the royal lands of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. On the site of the old castle from the time of Elizabeth Tudor, designed by John Vanbrough (1664-1726) in 1705-1719. a huge palace was built, outwardly resembling Versailles. The family estate was called "Blenheim". On November 30, 1874, Winston Churchill was born here.

More than a hundred years belonged to the family of the dukes in London "Marlborough House". Built in 1709-1711. C. Ren (1632-1723) in the Palladian style, the palace was distinguished by the luxury of interior decoration and the richness of the interiors. In 1817, the heirs sold it to the royal treasury. Over the years, members of the royal family of England and their Russian relatives lived in the palace: Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II, Empress Maria Feodorovna.

In the middle of the 18th century, the title and possessions of the Dukes of Marlborough passed through the female line to Charles Spencer, Earl of Senderland (3rd Duke of Marlborough). His grandson, Count George Pembroke, was married in 1808 by his sister, Count. M.S. Vorontsova - Ekaterina.

The decoration of the office is complemented by views of medieval castles in England, the romantic interpretation of which is the architecture of the Vorontsov Palace (1820-1840s, architect E. Blore) and engraved portraits of representatives of the Spencer family, executed according to the originals of D. Reynolds.

A separate showcase presents documentary photographs (copies) taken during the conference and books dedicated to W. Churchill.

It served as the main entrance to the palace. Of all the interiors, it most of all resembles the ceremonial halls of English palaces of the 16th century, in which a hall-hall was built in the center of the building, from where doors led to all other ceremonial and living quarters. The lobby is very similar to an English hall.

Its entrance doors are located on the side of the northern facade, the architecture of which is restrained and strict, typical of English buildings of the 16th century. This austerity and simplicity, as it were, gets its development in the interior decoration of the lobby. Its proportions are harmonious and majestic. Almost all architectural processing is given in wood: a massive oak ceiling is symmetrically divided by profiled decorative squares imitating ribs that once played a supporting role. High oak panels are decorated with stylized Gothic arches.

The strict and somewhat gloomy color of the lobby is perfectly matched with diabase gray fireplaces. The upper part of the fireplaces is made from one single piece in the form of a sloping Tudor arch, on which a Gothic crucifer is masterfully carved. The diabase is polished so finely here that it has a mirror shine.

The nature of the paintings in this hall corresponds to its splendor and monumentality. These features are more characteristic of ceremonial portraits, the purpose of which is to glorify and idealize the person portrayed in every possible way, to emphasize his social superiority, high position in society. Such portraits, as a rule, are large in size, clothes, jewelry, orders, ribbons are carefully written out in them. In the ceremonial portrait, the task of revealing the inner world of a person was not set.

Ceremonial, coronation portrait of Catherine II, created by one of the best portrait painters of the 18th century Fyodor Rokotov (1736-1809). In his best portraits, which embodied the image of an enlightened representative of the Russian society of his era, Rokotov gives a poetic idea of ​​​​a person, inspires him. But, creating ceremonial portraits, he had to follow certain traditions, which were mentioned above. In the portrait of Catherine, the artist seeks to emphasize the power and greatness of the empress, carefully writes out luxurious royal clothes and furnishings. Catherine's face is impenetrable.

A striking example of ceremonial portraits is the work of foreign artists who worked in Russia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In the portrait of the English artist Richard Brompton (1734-1783), depicting A.V. Branitskaya, a ceremonial dress made of rustling dense silk, jewelry made of precious stones, a sash, indicating that Branitskaya is a court lady of Catherine II, is carefully written out. therefore, a marble bust of the empress is also depicted here. We can note the wonderful technique of the portrait: the texture of various materials is perfectly conveyed, the hands are well drawn, but the face with a slight smile on the lips is somewhat idealized.

A similar description can be given to the portrait of K.P. Branitsky, the work of the Austrian artist Johann Baptist Lampi (1751-1830). Depicting Branitsky in a pompous pose, in knightly armor, which was no longer worn during the life of the person portrayed, the artist sought to create a heroic image, to emphasize the antiquity of the Polish magnate's family.

On the northern wall are portraits of M.S. Vorontsov by L. Desseme: Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov, Russian envoy in England (copy from the original by R. Evans) and Ekaterina Alekseevna Vorontsova. It is based on a bust image made by D.G. Levitsky (the original is in the Russian Museum). The rest of the stage setting: a figure sitting in an armchair, hanging tails of a curtain, a beloved Tibetan dog against the background of a beautifully drawn satin dress - was invented by Louise Desseme and compositionally linked with the portrait of her husband. The portrait impresses with its decorative effect.

Among the ceremonial portraits of the Vestibule is the image of His Serene Highness Prince G.A. Potemkin - Tauride (1739-1791). The portrait entered the museum relatively recently in 1989 - this is a gift from Baron E.A. Von Falz-Fein.

The figure of Potemkin, as if on a pedestal, rises against the backdrop of a mountainous Crimean slope and a stormy sky. The ceremonial general's uniform - white with gold embroidery, is decorated with sashes and the highest awards. A saber hilt is visible at the belt. Despite the idealization of the image, the features of his face have not lost their individuality, they can be seen as a direct and proud character, a broad mind and fearlessness of the person being portrayed.

The attributes and gestures of the hands are symbolic in the portrait: a spyglass, an open map entitled "Pont Euxinus" (the old name for the Black Sea). The pointing finger of the right hand is turned towards Sevastopol - the future stronghold of the Black Sea Fleet, its whitening buildings and bays are distinguishable in the distance.

The palace was illuminated in the middle of 19 with candles, so there are a lot of candelabra, sconces. Dark bronze chandeliers in the form of majestic female figures in ancient Greek clothes, made by French masters of the early 19th century, look good in the strict interior of the lobby. Lantern made in pseudo-Gothic style in the second half of the 19th century.

A kind of transition from this harsh, somewhat gloomy room to the bright southern side of the palace was a small tambour covered with Persian embroideries, which is an embroidered pair portrait of the late 18th century Persian Shah Feth-Ali. The author of the embroidery is Aga Bozorkh, a Persian craftsman from the city of Rasht. He made them at the beginning of the 19th century in the technique of figured sewing. This is a unique work of applied art of its time. The technique of their execution is fine scrupulous work: the connection of individual very small curly pieces of fabric with the help of chain and stalk seams. The execution of such figured sewing has its own secret, which is currently lost, so we have before us rare unique things.

These elegant oriental decorations, as it were, prepare the viewer for the perception of new architectural forms associated with the east, in which the decoration of the central part of the southern facade is sustained.

Very different in its decoration from all other rooms. She is bright and pretty. After the gloomy lobby, the abundance of light is striking here: most of the living room faces south, light pours in through huge windows from ceiling to floor and through a bay window on the north side. The light blue walls and ceiling are covered with white stucco ornaments in the form of garlands of flowers and leaves. It seems that this vegetation has penetrated through the numerous windows from the park and intertwined into a kind of gazebo.

The molding was made by hand without stamping by the serf craftsmen of Vorontsov. The name of the wonderful serf sculptor Roman Furtunov, a native of the village of Moshen, Kyiv province, is known. It was he who supervised all the stucco work in the palace. The fireplace made of white Italian Carrara marble, decorated with floral ornaments, goes very well with the wall decoration.

Successfully presented here is a set of light living room furniture, made in the style of late Russian classicism in the 20-30s of the 19th century, also by the serf masters of Vorontsov. The furniture is decorated with ornaments of vines and ears of wheat, which indicates its manufacture in the south.

Porcelain decorative vases in the form of craters perfectly complement the decoration of the hall, the work of the imperial porcelain factory in St. Petersburg (now the factory named after Lomonosov). They are painted by master Shchetinin.

The blue drawing room could also serve as a theater. The ledges in the wall divide it into two unequal parts: the smaller one was the stage, the larger one was the auditorium. A wooden retractable curtain is hidden in the ledges. For the last time in his life, the great actor Mikhail Semenovich Shchepkin (1788-1863), the founder of the Russian realistic theater, performed in the home theater.

In 1863 he came on tour to the Crimea. His health was very upset, but he hoped to be treated here. At the invitation of the Vorontsovs, Shchepkin came from Yalta to the palace to speak to their guests, among whom he hoped to find patronage for a meeting with the queen, he wanted to talk with her about the plight of the artistic youth of that time. During the speech, Shchepkin became ill. After some time, he died in Yalta, where he was buried, and then his remains were transported to Moscow.

In 1896, Chaliapin sang in the palace, Rachmaninov played. In the 80s, the scene "In the Tavern" from the opera "Boris Godunov" was staged by the artists of the Mammoth Opera. Among the cultural figures of the past who visited the palace in the 80s of the XIX century, the Ukrainian poet-democrat Rudansky Stepan Vasilyevich should be especially noted. He worked in Yalta as a county doctor. But neither medical practice nor literary activity provided Rudansky with the necessary subsistence level, and he was forced at one time to work as a personal doctor for the Vorontsovs. And, it can be assumed that the comparison of the luxurious life of nobles like the Vorontsovs with the life of the working people gave the poet rich material for creating satirical works on this topic.

The palace is surrounded by a beautiful park, which was also created in the first half of the 19th century under the guidance of the talented gardener Kebach. But in order to maintain the character of the northern castle-palace, they decided to arrange a winter garden here.

Tender heat-loving plants grew in the winter garden, which could not stand even the southern winter and had to grow under a roof. At present, rare araucaria, tall with spreading branches and delicate needles, are represented here - the birthplace of Norfolk Island near Australia. From the same edges, the cycad is recurved. Creeping ficus-repens climbing the walls (homeland Japan, China) - a plant that has been preserved from the 1st floor. 19th century.

White marble sculpture is a traditional decoration of gardens and parks. It goes well with the lush greenery of plants, with the mirror-like surface of park ponds and with the sparkling of fountains.

In the center, near the fountain, there are three copies made by Russian masters of the 1st floor. 19th century. "Apollo Belvedere" - a copy from Leokhar (Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC). It is notable for its thin plastic copy from the work of a Greek sculptor of the 3rd c. BC Doydals "Aphrodite bathing." Unknown author - "Urania" - the muse of astronomy. Here is the work of the French sculptor L. Marquest "First Steps", depicting a mother and a child who is starting to walk, and "Girl" by an Italian sculptor of the 1st floor. 19th century Quintilian Corbellini.

Sculptural portraits along the southern wall are the work of Western European sculptors of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The author of the German school, Johann Esterreich (1747-1801), faithfully executed a portrait of Empress Catherine II (1729-1796). It is distinguished by the fine craftsmanship of rendering openwork lace, ermine fur, curled hair and other details in marble.

The French sculptor Denis Foitiers (1793-1863), is known in France for his classicist works that adorn the Tuileries Garden and St. Madeleine in Paris. He is also the author of numerous sculptural portraits. Portraits of the Vorontsovs were executed by him in Paris in 1821. In the portrait of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov (1744-1832), the observant artist managed to convey the individual features and nobility of the Russian aristocrat. The portraits of Mikhail Semenovich and Elizaveta Ksaveryevna are executed in the classical tradition, their faces are greatly idealized.

Perhaps the most expressive sculptural portrait of this small gallery is the “Portrait of William Pitt Jr.” in the 18th century turned to the realistic depiction of their contemporaries. In this work, the author realistically and convincingly showed the proud and arrogant English lord.

The most majestic room of the palace. Proportions are perfectly found in this hall: the ratio of length, height and width. A mass of light pours from a huge bay window and windows-doors located on both sides of it.

The interior decoration of the Main Dining Room, as well as the Vestibule, is the most striking orientation to the English palace interiors of the 16th century. Carved wood is widely used in decoration. The decoration of the ceiling, reminiscent of medieval Gothic vaults, is more decorative than in the Lobby and ends with carved padlocks. The railing of the balcony for musicians, which is connected by a bridge to the service building, is decorated with fine carvings.

The light brown tone of the wood harmonizes well with the olive color of the walls and gives the interior a strict, solemn sound.

Four panels by the French artist Hubert Robert (1733-1808), a great master of the monumental architectural landscape, are an integral part of the decoration of the walls of the Main Dining Room. During the construction of the palace, they were tightly fixed into carved frames. These decorative works, with their restrained brownish-greenish coloring, with vertical obelisks, poplars and cypresses, with the ruins of ancient architectural monuments, romantic semi-fantastic nature, harmoniously fit into the interior. The best of them "Basilica" and "Terrace", dated 1802, are distinguished by a wonderful transmission of the air environment and perspective, soft coloring.

Between two diabase fireplaces, a fountain is made of the same material, processed in the form of a fireplace. Here we once again meet with the wonderful work of stone carvers, who finely executed the turrets flanking the jagged cornice of the fountain and other decorations. Inside the fountain is finished with majolica tiles.

The decor of the front dining room is consistent with the nature of its decoration. Mahogany dining tables with massive, artistically executed underframes of English work of the 1st half of the 19th century sparkle with a mirror shine of polishing ceremonially and solemnly.

The sideboard with legs made in the form of powerful lion paws, with curls, decorated with stylized palm leaves and acanthus along the edge of the tabletop, is distinguished by the richness of decorative finishes. A unit with a sideboard is an open lead-lined wine cellar for cooling wines.

Among the bronze decorating the dining room, the most interesting exhibits are candelabra trimmed with Ural malachite, where one can note both fine workmanship and a beautiful combination of bronze with bright green stone.

The principles of decoration of this room are the same as in the lobby and dining room: focus on the English palace interiors of the 16th century. The room was intended for games and entertainment. The billiard table was made of mahogany by the English firm Barrow and Watt in the middle of the 19th century. Walnut wood set (sofa, table, chairs) with metal inlay and carving - English work of the middle of the 19th century.

In the palaces of the 18th - the first half of the 19th century, as a rule, there were collections of paintings. Sometimes special art galleries were arranged for them, but more often the paintings were placed in the main halls.

The walls of the billiard room were convenient for placing paintings, so here they are presented in large numbers. These are works by Western European artists of different times and schools.

First of all, two large still life paintings by the 18th century Flemish painter Peter Sneyers (1681-1752) attract attention. With their monumental size, dynamics of composition and colorful decorativeness, they are very characteristic of the Flemish school of this time, as well as for the work of the artist himself. The still lifes are painted with great love and skill, so vividly that in the "Pantry of Vegetables" we seem to feel the juiciness of cabbage, the silkiness of the bulbs, we note how skillfully the texture of various materials is conveyed: the metal of a copper basin, sonorous with a bright sheen, next to it is dull, fragile jug ceramics. The “Pantry of Fishes” is interesting for its dynamic composition, sonorous coloring and sculptural rendering of fish.

In the center above the fireplace is the work of the Italian artist of the Venetian school of the 18th century Bernardo Belotto (1720-1730) “Pirna. Upper gate. The artist worked a lot in Poland and Germany. Before us is one of his German architectural landscapes with a severe and gloomy medieval castle and a modest street contrasting with it.

The Politician is a work by the English artist William Hoggart (1697-1764). This is a painting by an outstanding realist artist of his time. The author of satirical pictures, he castigated the mores of the bourgeoisie. The "Politics" ridicules the merchant Mr. Tibson, who seeks to become famous as a connoisseur of politics. Reading a newspaper, he does not want to notice anything around him, not even the hat that is burning on his head, which he accidentally set on fire with a candle. The canvas is written in a free manner, very lively.

"Portrait of a Man" by F. Pourbus Sr. (1545-1581) is one of the best paintings in this room. It conveys the character of an intelligent strong-willed person with realistic depth. Masterfully painted face, executed in subtle colors, expressive serious penetrating eyes.

Dutch painting reached its peak in the 17th century. She was distinguished by democracy, truthfulness and high artistic skill. The "Portrait of a Woman in Black" presented in the exposition was painted in 1664 in the best realistic traditions of this school.

The nature of Alupka is distinguished by contrasts. If its northern mountainous part is harsh, static, which affected the architecture of the facades of the palace facing it, then the southern part of the city (locality) is of a completely different character - its landscape is dynamic, bright in color. The vast expanses of the sea open up here, the waters of which sparkle in the sun and shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. And above the sea, to the very horizon, there is boundless sky blueness. Lush vegetation contains a lot of blooming exotics.

The whole landscape, full of major sounds, suggests other forms of architecture than in the northwestern part of the palace. E. Blore finds a good solution, referring to the elegant forms and light colors of the Indo-Muslim architecture of the 16-17 centuries, combining them with the motifs of the English Tudor style. Moreover, such a combination in the history of the development of architecture is not accidental: in a number of forms and elements of Gothic, one can catch similarities with the forms of oriental architecture. Europe got acquainted with Arab architecture even before the emergence of Gothic - during the Crusades - and borrowed arches and towers in the form of minarets from the Arabs.

Inspired by such superb works of Indo-Muslim architecture as the famous Taj Mahal in Agra, Humayun's mausoleum in Delhi or the fabulous Alhambra Palace in Grenada, the architect creates the South Facade. It is in the Alupka palace complex - another new aspect of architecture so characteristic of romantic architecture, giving an idea of ​​some kind of oriental palace, evoking associations with Indo-Muslim mosques of the 16-17th centuries.

A huge portal opens here, the top of which is flanked by turrets resembling minarets. A deep semi-circular niche, two stories high, is framed by a carved horseshoe-shaped arch; its vaulted ceiling is decorated with alabaster carvings.

The oriental character of the central portal is emphasized by the inscription on the frieze of the niche in Arabic: "And there is no winner but Allah."

A typical detail of oriental architecture is the verandas encircling the entire southern façade along with the Shuvalov building, as well as a wide extension of the roof over the cornice, decorated with carved overhangs. These details play an important functional role in protecting the premises from heat and blinding sunlight.

Openwork lattices of verandahs and balustrades give a special elegance to this part of the palace. A stylized Indian lotus flower is woven into the decor of thin metal columns, rhythmically repeating along the facade from the Chinese office to the dining room. The presence of the forms of this flower in the decor of the architecture of the Southern facade strengthens its connection with the local exotic flora.

Thanks to its asymmetric silhouette, the skyward details, the palace on the south side organically fits into the panorama of Alupka. And the horizontal placement of the buildings of the entire palace complex, its broken line, as if repeating the line of the mountain range, the local diabase stone from which all the buildings are built, the surroundings with exotic vegetation, make the entire palace and park ensemble an integral part of the Crimean mountain landscape, harmoniously merging with it.

A diabase staircase leads from the palace towards the sea, decorated with marble sculptures of lions, made in the workshop of the Italian sculptor Bonanni. The best of them is the Sleeping Lion. The sculptor magnificently carved this mighty animal in a state of absolute rest, every line in it breathes life, muscles are relaxed, everything in it expresses the pleasure of a sweet dream.

Nearby is the "Awakening Lion", ready to roar. The next pair are the "Rising" and "Roaring Lions", guarding the entrance to the palace.

Around the palace there is a vast park, which is a work of high landscape gardening art (it deserves separate consideration). The park is divided into two parts: upper and lower. The upper park is landscape. Breaking it, the gardeners tried to make it look like a forest. The southern part of the palace faces the lower park, which is built on the principle of regular Italian parks. Here, the skillful hand of the gardener is visible in everything: both in the arrangement of vegetation and in its curly haircut. Near the palace, the park is decorated with cascading fountains and decorative vases artistically made of white marble.

The library building was built specifically for the Vorontsov library, which was created over decades, passed down from generation to generation and had over 25,000 books. The content of the library is wide and multifaceted, it has an encyclopedic character. In addition to books in Russian, there are a lot of books in foreign languages: English, French, Italian, etc.

The library characterizes Vorontsov as a practical figure who clearly understands the importance of deep theoretical knowledge for practice. The library contains books on various branches of science and production (on medicine, sheep breeding, shipping, winemaking, legal proceedings). Memoirs, books on philosophy, history, natural science, politics, reference books, catalogs, reports, statutes, codes of laws, archives are stored in this library. It quite fully reflects the state of not only Russian, but also European culture of the mid-19th century. Inspection of the library is not provided, these are the funds of the museum.

Why is it worth visiting the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka?

Alupka Palace is a complex and interesting phenomenon in architecture. Built from local material by the hands of fortress stone cutters, it has become an integral part of the southern coast landscape. Comparison with other manor complexes in Russia and Ukraine, as well as Western Europe in the first half of the 19th century, allows us to rightly consider it an outstanding monument of palace and park architecture.

If you have chosen Alupka for a holiday in Crimea in 2020, you will definitely see the Vorontsov Palace in photographs, postcards, paintings, signs throughout the city. The most majestic in the Crimea, it has become a real decoration of this seaside town and one of the main attractions of the South Coast, which millions of tourists come to see every year. The magnificent architecture of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, a luxurious park, stunning views of the slopes of the Crimean Mountains and the Black Sea will not leave anyone indifferent.

Location: Alupka, Palace highway, 10.

What is the most convenient way to get there: the easiest way to come to Alupka is from Yalta: minibuses No. 102, 115, 107 go here. From Simferopol and Sevastopol, you can get to the Vorontsov Palace from the bus station.

What is the best time of the year to visit A: any time of the year in good weather.

The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka was built as the residence of the Governor-General of the Novorossiysk Territory, Count M.S. Vorontsov. It must be said that the very choice of Crimea for the construction of this majestic structure should have flattered our peninsula: in those days, Novorossia included a vast territory from Odessa to the Don.

The palace was built according to the project of the English architect Edward Blore, who "had a hand" in the construction of Buckingham Palace in London and Walter Scott's castle in Scotland. Until now, there are disputes as to whether the architect was personally in the Crimea or created his masterpiece, guided solely by stories about the surrounding landscapes. The first is more believable, because the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka fits perfectly into the landscape: its sharp turrets seem to repeat the peaks of the Crimean mountains, and the combination of several architectural styles, including eastern ones, perfectly reflects the fate of the Crimea.

The palace was built in 1828-1848 under the guidance of another English architect, William Gunt. In parallel with the building, work was also carried out on the creation of the park: Karl Kebach, a gardener, to whom Crimea owes the appearance of magnificent gardens and parks of Foros, Gaspra, Oreanda, Massandra, Miskhor, was responsible for them.

Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov did not have long to own the palace: he died in Odessa in 1856. After him, the estate passed to his son, and then to his relatives, the wealthy noblemen Vorontsov-Dashkov. In 1917, the Vorontsov Palace was nationalized. He was much more fortunate than other cultural sites in the Crimea: since 1921, a historical and household museum has been set up here, since 1956 - an art museum. In 1990, the Vorontsov Palace became the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve.

architectural masterpiece

The first thing you pay attention to when you see a photo of the Vorontsov Palace is the unusual color of the stone from which it was built. All other estates of Russian aristocrats in Crimea delight with light, white facades, while the residence of Count Vorontsov looks like a gray block, lost in dense greenery. The building was erected from diorite, a grayish-greenish stone of volcanic origin. It was mined here, in Alupka, and each block was processed manually.

The Vorontsov Palace welcomes tourists with the Shuvalovsky Passage. Walking along the cobblestone pavement, surrounded by high walls, it seems that now you will find yourself in a real medieval castle. However, one glance at the frivolous turrets is enough to understand that the Vorontsov Palace is not so simple.

Blore combined Neo-Gothic and Neo-Moorish styles in the design of the palace. In England, such a mixture would be called romanticism, but in Russia - eclecticism. The northern facade of the Vorontsov Palace with strict lines resembles the residences of English aristocrats. But the southern one, facing the sea, is decorated in an oriental style: experts say that Blore was inspired by the Alhambra Palace, the residence of the Arab rulers of Spain in Grenada. The Lion Terrace leads to the park - a staircase decorated with marble figures of lions - analogues of sculptures from the tomb of Pope Clement XII in Rome.

The interior decoration, as is easy to understand from the photo of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea, has remained almost unchanged since the 19th century. Each room has its own individual design - for example, the Chinese Study, the Winter Garden, the Blue Living Room, the Chintz Room. The main dining room in the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is very original: it resembles the hall of a medieval palace. The halls are decorated with sculptures and works by famous painters - Italian, French, English and, of course, Russian masters. In total, there are about 150 rooms in the Vorontsov Palace, including utility rooms, but, of course, only a part is open to the public.

Vorontsov Palace - movie star

If, when looking at a photo of the Vorontsov Palace, you get the feeling that it is familiar to you, it means that you are a connoisseur of the classics of Soviet cinema. It is unlikely that there is another one that would "light up" in so many films! The Vorontsov Palace in Crimea depicted the royal residence in The Ordinary Miracle and Hamlet, The Three Musketeers and The Heavenly Swallows. Scarlet Sails, Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro and Sappho were filmed here. There is a high probability of running into a film crew in the summer of 2020: the halls and landscapes of the palace-museum are constantly used when shooting feature films and documentaries.

Expositions of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea

In 2020, in the Vorontsov Palace you can visit the following expositions:

• "Ceremonial halls of the Main building of the Vorontsov Palace".
• Southern terraces.
• "Dvoretsky's Apartment" in the Economic Building.
• House of Count Shuvalov.
• Vorontsovskaya kitchen.
• Interior expositions “Count I.I. Vorontsov-Dashkov "and" Office of the commandant of the State. Summer cottages.
• "Paris Archive" (paintings and photographic materials - a gift from the Comstadius family).
• “The gift of Professor V.N. Golubev” (paintings by artists of the 20th century).

Ticket price to the Vorontsov Palace

Most of the expositions of the Vorontsov Palace are open seven days a week. On any day of the week, you can come and enjoy the luxurious park. Please note that one-day excursions, which can be bought in almost any resort town in Crimea, usually do not include visiting the halls, so if you want to enjoy the interior decoration of the Vorontsov Palace, you will have to think about this moment in advance. However, an examination of the exterior of this stunning building and a huge park (its area is more than 40 hectares!) Will leave an unforgettable impression! In general, it is worth allocating at least 3-4 hours to visit this attraction, as well as the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Crimea, and if you want to listen to a tour and walk through all the expositions, and then also swim on the Alupka beach, then plan a trip for a whole day!

On the first Tuesday of each month, free excursions are organized for schoolchildren and students. You can take a photo in the Vorontsov Palace by paying an additional 30 rubles. By the way, the museum has its own price list for on-site registration and professional photography, so if you wish, you can arrange a real photo shoot against the backdrop of a magnificent palace!

A lot of romantic stories are connected with the Vorontsov Palace, which could well become the basis for a dozen ladies' novels. I will say more - Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was involved in a love affair. But first things first.

The palace in Alupka is so harmoniously inscribed in the surrounding landscape, repeating with its Moorish turrets and Gothic facades the outlines of the Ai-Petri mountain range located in the immediate vicinity, that it seems as if this entire architectural and natural ensemble has always been here.

Governor-General of Novorossia Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov began construction of a representative residence in the Crimea in 1824. In addition to Alupka in the south of Crimea, Vorontsov owned Massandra (I showed the Massandra Palace here), Ai-Danil and Gurzuf. But it was the Alupka estate that the count decided to turn into a summer residence.

Simultaneously with the construction of the palace, the laying of a road from Simferopol to the southern coast of Crimea began.

In the world, Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov was known as an Angloman, so it is not surprising that he entrusted the creation of the palace project to the court architect of the English Queen, Edward Blore. It was he who designed Buckingham Palace in London. It is noteworthy that in twenty years of construction, Blore never came to look at his brainchild. The work was supervised by his assistant and student William Gunt, thanks to whom some amendments were made to the drawings in accordance with the characteristics of the area.

They didn’t go far for the stone for construction - they took the Crimean volcanic rock dolerite (diabase) right from under their feet: the central, dining, guest, library and utility buildings of the palace complex were made of dolerite. By the way, Red Square in Moscow is paved with Crimean dolerite.

The Vorontsov Palace was designed in the style of the late English Gothic (Tudor era style), but with elements of oriental architecture, which makes it look like a medieval castle from different angles, or like the residence of a Mohammedan ruler.

The reason for such an unexpected combination of styles in the appearance of the palace lies in the personalities of the architect and the customer. Edward Blore was well acquainted with the architecture of the British colony - with the architecture of India. Therefore, it was not difficult for him to combine the Tudor style with variations on the theme of Indian architecture of the Mughal period in one project. Probably, in his view, such a mixture should correspond to the Crimea, given that for a long time the peninsula was Muslim. In addition, romantic trends prevailed in architectural fashion, which was also to the taste of Count Vorontsov.

Portrait of Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov by Lawrence, 1823

On the western side is the main entrance to the palace complex. This part of the Vorontsov Palace resembles a medieval castle with round watchtowers, narrow loopholes and blank fortress walls.

Here we see the Shuvalovsky building and the Shuvalovsky gate passage. The daughter of Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, having married, became Countess Shuvalova, and her apartments were located in the right building.

Shuvalovsky passage between two rough masonry walls made of gray diabase blocks, with round battlements and narrow lancet windows, makes us believe that we are in a medieval castle.

Shuvalovsky passage

Separate gates lead to the utility yard. In the center of the courtyard grows a plane tree planted during the construction of the palace. There is also a museum ticket office, where instead of a paper ticket you will be given a metal token.

Passing the outbuildings, we find ourselves in the main courtyard in front of the northern facade of the palace, facing Ai-Petri and the upper park.

Northern facade of the palace

According to experts, the architecture of the northern façade, with its vertical ledges, miniature decorative turrets and large bay windows, harmoniously combines elements of 16th-century Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

In front of the palace there are two stalls with marble fountains in the center of each. In a shady pergola of flowering wisteria, the Selsibile fountain was hidden - a copy of the "Fountain of Tears" from the Khan's Palace in Bakhchisarai, sung by Pushkin.

Nearby, at the left wing of the palace, there is a white marble fountain "Source of Amur".

Let's go around the palace on the east side to look at the south facade facing the sea, made according to Indian architecture.

The white-blue squadron with two tiers of arched windows is decorated with a double jagged horseshoe-shaped arch and covered with stucco alabaster ornament made in the Eastern tradition. At the level of the second floor, along its decorative frieze, there are three balconies with openwork lattices and a relief Arabic inscription - a praise to the prophet repeated six times: "And there is no winner but Allah." At the back of the exedra is a wide lancet door leading to the Blue Drawing Room of the palace, where we will go a little later.

To the left and right of the exedra stretch two symmetrical wings of an open terrace on the second floor, resting on cast-iron columns with capitals in the form of lotus buds. To the west of the squadron are the Winter Garden, behind it is the dining room, and further the southern facade of the Shuvalov building.

A wide staircase with three pairs of lions descends from the eskeda to the sea - the Lion's Terrace. At the entrance to the palace, the lions are awake, standing guard, on the middle platform the stairs wake up or fall asleep, and those closer to the sea sleep peacefully, putting their muzzles on their paws. The Lion's Terrace ends with a platform with exits to the lower park, to Aivazovsky's rock and the Tea House on the seashore.

Fountain "Bowl" in the lower park

The south terrace is a favorite place for taking pictures in beautiful poses and beautiful outfits.

From here the paths diverge to the Lower Vorontsovsky Park.

After examining the palace facade, it is interesting to look at the count's chambers. We immediately found out that the second floor and mezzanines were closed for inspection: there was a time when the tourists went up to the rooms on the second floor, but the ceilings of the first floor suffered from this. In the end, the museum decided to leave only nine halls on the ground floor accessible to tourists.

Like many other Crimean palaces, after the revolution of 1917, the Vorontsov Castle was nationalized, but not turned into a health resort, but became a museum of noble life. Perhaps this happy circumstance played an important role in the preservation of palace interiors. During the Great Patriotic War, the palace was looted, but not destroyed. From 1945 to 1955, a state dacha was located here. And finally, in 1956, the museum was reopened here.

Entering the palace from the north side, you find yourself in a corridor where the dressing room used to be. Now, in cabinets made of bog oak, completely covering one of the walls from floor to ceiling, the books of the Alupka Library of Count Vorontsov, who was a famous bibliophile, are stored.

Another wall is decorated with old engravings depicting the construction of the palace and Alupka landscapes.

Landscape Carlo Bossoli "Palace of Prince Vorontsov in Alupka"

Through the corridor we enter the front office of the owner of the palace.

The central place on the western wall of the study is occupied by a portrait of Count Vorontsov by Louise Desseme. Mikhail Semyonovich was one of the most famous heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812. Nearby are portraits of the heroes of Borodino, Lev Aleksandrovich Naryshkin and Fedor Semyonovich Uvarov, painted by the famous portrait painter George Doe.

The walls of the office are covered with painted wallpaper, which was specially ordered in England. Massive wooden doors are complemented by oak paneling on the walls and a wood-effect stucco ceiling.

Against the wall is an antique ebony bookcase in the Boule style, bought by the owner of the palace himself. The cabinet is decorated with tortoise shell and complex carved bronze inlay.

Next to the bookcase, a round table, English chairs and armchairs with Gothic carvings were comfortably attached. This arrangement of furniture gives the office an atmosphere conducive not only to business conversations, but also to friendly meetings.

Another reminder of Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov's Anglomania is a window in the form of a bay window. This element, often found in English architecture, visually enlarges the space of the office and gives more light. A table covered with green cloth and two armchairs were placed in the bay window. Sitting in an armchair, you can admire the upper park, and in clear weather, the peaks of Ai-Petri.

From the office we get into the Chintz room. It is called chintz because the walls of the room are really covered with chintz.

There is original fabric on the walls, the only flaw of which is the faded color. Initially, the chintz was a crimson shade with small splashes of blue, which was combined with a fireplace made of pink Ural marble and a basket-shaped chandelier. The pinkish-blue reflections of the pendants on the chandelier echoed the color of the chintz on the walls.

Through the Chintz Room we pass into the Chinese study of the mistress of the house, Elizaveta Ksaveryevna Vorontsova, whose portrait by George Doe can be seen on the right wall from the entrance.

The room is decorated in the then fashionable oriental style, but without any specific references to China, India or the countries of the East in general. Oak panels, high lancet windows and doors leading to the southern terrace, to the sea, unexpectedly but successfully combine with rice mats embroidered with silk and beads on the walls and wooden carved details in the interior.

The ceiling in the room is not wooden, as it may seem, but stucco. Russian peasant Roman Furtunov skillfully made a plaster ceiling, imitating wood carving.

Near the window there is a round table made of Karelian birch. Nearby, behind the curtain, there is a small corner cabinet, presented by Vorontsov to Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, wife of Nicholas I, as a token of gratitude for the hospitality shown to him.

And a few lyrical digressions. From the school bench, many people know that Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was carried away by the wife of the Novorossiysk Governor-General. It is believed that it was Elizabeth Vorontsova who Pushkin dedicated the poems "The Burnt Letter", "The Stormy Day Has Extinct...", "The Desire for Glory", "The Talisman", "Keep Me, My Talisman...". In addition, according to the number of Vorontsova's portrait drawings performed by Pushkin, her image surpasses all others - 17 portraits were counted in total.

There were rumors that it was Pushkin who was the father of one of the daughters of Elizabeth Ksaveryevna. However, researchers of the poet's biography have reason to assume that Pushkin was only a cover for the novel by Elizaveta Ksaveryevna with her relative and Pushkin's friend Alexander Raevsky. In any case, one can say thanks to Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov, who "contributed" to the change of the poet's southern exile to an exile in Mikhailovskoye. Because it was there that Alexander Sergeevich wrote not only the novel "Eugene Onegin", but also his other poetic works, which became the pride of Russian literature. And by the way, the same researchers claim that Vorontsov himself had an illegitimate daughter with his wife's best friend, Olga Stanislavovna Naryshkina. Portraits of Olga Stanislavovna and her daughter were always kept among Vorontsov's personal belongings and even stood on the desktop of the front office.

But let's not linger in the Chinese Cabinet, but let's go further - to the Main lobby.

The front vestibule is located in the center of the palace. From the south and north, two small vestibules adjoin symmetrically to it, and from the west and east there are offices and lounges. The northern vestibule, like the northern facade of the palace, is made in the English style. In contrast to the Englishness, the southern vestibule is decorated with carpets depicting the Persian Shah Fath-Ali.

Following the traditions of the English style, the architect connected the vestibule with the chambers of the second floor with stairs, but hid them behind the wall, which is why at first glance you can’t understand how the owners got from the first floor to their bedrooms.

Portraits of eminent ancestors of the owners of the residence are hung on the walls of the vestibule, so that from the threshold entering the palace he has an idea of ​​the nobility of the family and the origin of the owners of the house. The parents of Elizaveta Ksaveryevna Vorontsova, Countess Alexandra Vasilievna Branitskaya and her husband, Crown Hetman of Poland Xavier Branitsky, are looking at us from the walls. The largest canvas is the ceremonial portrait of Empress Catherine II by Rokotov.

From the vestibule, we will proceed to the eastern palace wing, which begins with the Blue Drawing Room. It is impossible not to notice the contrast between the adjoining front lobby and this sunlit room. The pale blue walls and ceiling are covered with a stucco pattern of leaves and flowers. Like the ceiling in the Chinese Cabinet, the skillful stucco molding of the living room was made by Roman Furtunov and his assistants.

The living room is divided into southern and northern parts by retractable wooden curtains, which are almost invisible when folded. In the southern part there was an "auditorium", which housed a furniture set, transported to Alupka at the end of the 19th century from the Odessa Palace. The interior is complemented by a carved fireplace made of white Carrara marble and huge crater vases painted in blue tones.

For musical evenings and theatrical performances, a grand piano is installed in the northern part of the Blue Living Room. In 1863, one of the founders of the Russian realistic theater, Mikhail Semenovich Shchepkin, performed here. In 1898, Fyodor Chaliapin sang in the Vorontsov Palace to the accompaniment of Sergei Rachmaninov.

From the Blue Drawing Room, the guests of the Vorontsovs went out into the Winter Garden. In the 19th century, almost every European palace had its own winter garden, which was used for reading and relaxing.

The winter garden serves as a transition from the central building to the dining room. Initially, it was a loggia, which was subsequently glazed, having constructed a large lantern on top for better illumination. The walls of the winter garden are entwined with ficus-repens. The fountain and marble sculptures are surrounded by araucaria, cycads, date palms and monstera.

Near the glazed wall, consisting of huge French windows, there is a row of marble busts, among which are sculptural portraits of representatives of the Vorontsov family - Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov, Mikhail Semenovich himself and his wife Elizaveta Ksarievna. Next to them is a marble bust of Catherine II by Johann Esterreich. They say that for the excessive realism of her image in stone, the aging empress not only did not pay for the work, but also sent the sculptor from Russia within a day.

Passing the Winter Garden, not forgetting to admire the view of the South Terrace and the sea from the windows, we get into the next room - the Grand Dining Room. This is the largest and most pompous part of the palace.

The area of ​​the dining room is about 150 sq.m., the height of the ceiling is 8 m. Under the Vorontsovs, it was illuminated by dozens of candelabra and chandeliers. An enormous table, composed of four offset pieces with polished mahogany tops, rises on pedestals with animal paws and occupies a large part of the room. By the window there is a massive sideboard on the same lion's paws as the tables, and under the sideboard there is an Egyptian-style tub for cooling wine, which was filled with crushed ice.

In the center of the northern wall of the main dining room, between the fireplaces, there is a fountain, the niche of which is decorated with a majolica panel depicting fantastic birds and dragons. Above the fountain is a carved wooden balcony for musicians.

The Billiard Room adjoins the Dining Room from the east. The closeness of this room to the Dining Room is reminded by two large still life paintings by the Flemish artist Peter Sneyers, "Pantry of Vegetables" and "Pantry with Fish", located opposite each other.

The Vorontsovs, like many other aristocrats, collected paintings. Especially at that time the canvases of the painters of Holland, Flanders, Italy of the 16th-18th centuries were valued.

This is the last room of the Vorontsovs' quarters accessible for inspection. Now we can walk through the Upper Park.

The work on the creation of the park, which began even a little earlier than the construction of the palace, in 1820, was entrusted to the chief gardener of the southern coast of Crimea, Karl Antonovich Kebakh. When laying the park, the abundance of mountain springs was taken into account, which were used to create artificial lakes, numerous cascades and small waterfalls. In this part of the park, the murmur of water is constantly heard.

Most of the paths of the Upper Park lead to the lakes and the Great Chaos - a huge stone blockage of natural origin.

The largest of the park's lakes is Swan Lake. The gardener deliberately gave it an irregular shape to create the illusion of its natural rather than artificial origin. Under the Vorontsovs, the bottom of the lake was strewn with semi-precious "Koktebel pebbles" - jasper, carnelian, chalcedony, which were found in abundance in Koktebel.

Near Swan Lake - Trout Pond and even further - Mirror. On the Mirror Pond, the water seems to be still, which is why the trees and the sky are reflected on its surface as in a mirror.

To the east of the lakes in the landscape part of the park there are four picturesque glades - Platanovaya, Solnechnaya, Contrasting, where Himalayan cedar and yew berry, and Kashtanovaya rise in the middle of the lawn.

Above the ponds, along the path through the Hall of Grottoes, between skillfully placed rock fragments, the path leads to the Great and Lesser Chaos. Millions of years ago, as a result of earthquakes and landslides, frozen magma turned into a placer of huge debris. The creators of the park left the boulders untouched, only removed small fragments and planted the top with pines. This is how the famous "Alupka chaos" turned out.

At this point, we will interrupt the walk through the Vorontsovsky Park, so that there is a reason to come back here again.