Vorontsovsky park and palace in Alupka. Vorontsov Palace in Crimea - tourist tips

The Vorontsov Palace is a precious decoration of Taurida. Many visit the small southern coastal town of Alupka only to take a walk in the mysterious park surrounding the famous castle. Its walls hold many unsolved mysteries. The palace was designed by the court architect of the English Queen Victoria, members of the Masonic lodge met here under the cover of mystery, the legendary Winston Churchill stopped here, the greats of this world rested, famous films were shot ...

Just some 20 years...

Starting the story about the Vorontsov Palace, it is impossible not to mention the person who created this architectural masterpiece. A descendant of an old Russian noble family, Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov was famous for his intelligence, education and refined taste. According to the traditions of his time, he was enlisted in the regiment from birth, and at the age of four he was “promoted” to ensign! From the age of 19, Vorontsov has been really fighting - with the Turks, Swedes and French. In the famous battle of Borodino, the young count is wounded. In 1815-1818 Vorontsov commanded the Russian occupation corps in France. He also takes part in the Caucasian campaigns, for which in 1845 he was elevated to princely dignity.

The activity of Prince Vorontsov was no less fruitful in peacetime. He left a significant mark on himself in Novorossia, which he ruled as a governor from 1823 to 1844. In those days, the region entrusted to him included a significant part of the Northern Black Sea region, including the Crimea. Vorontsov turned out to be an excellent business executive. During his reign, Odessa, Kherson, Nikolaev, Sevastopol grew economically. The governor orders to build roads, including the magnificent south coast highway in the Crimea. At this time, a shipping company was established along the Black Sea, the foundations of viticulture and fine-fleeced sheep breeding were laid.

“He owned great wealth - his own and his wife, Countess Branitskaya, - and a huge amount of maintenance received as a governor, and spent most of his funds on building a palace and a garden on the southern coast of Crimea,” Leo Tolstoy wrote about Count Tolstoy in “Hadji Murat” .

To build his dream, Vorontsov spares no money, no time, no human resources. The construction of the palace lasted 20 years - the work was carried out from 1828 to 1848! Edward Blore, who is the court architect of the English Queen Victoria, is invited to create the project. He owns the designs of many famous buildings - Walter Scott's Castle in Scotland and Buckingham Palace in London. It is still unknown whether Blore ever visited Alupka, but he miraculously managed to perfectly combine the architecture with the surrounding mountain landscape. Perhaps the projector was inspired, but it is possible that he still came to the Crimea to get acquainted with the local relief.

By the time Blore's project was implemented, the foundations and the first masonry of the portal niche of the central building were already ready. Initially, the palace was built according to the design of architects Francesco Boffo and Thomas Harrison.

Hereditary masons and stone-cutters who had experience in building and embossing white-stone cathedrals come to build the palace. Thus, a luxurious residence was built by quitrent serfs from the Vladimir and Moscow provinces. This beautiful piece of architecture was built by hand using primitive tools.

The canteen building was the first to grow, then the Central building was built. In 1842, a billiard room was added to the dining room. And in the years 1838-1844, the Front Courtyard was formed, the guest building, the eastern wings, all the towers of the palace, the pentagon of the outbuildings were built. The library building was built last.

The architecture of the palace contains elements of various eras of styles, but the architectural eclecticism looks very harmonious. The architects boldly combined the English style with the neo-Moorish style. A vivid example of this: Gothic chimneys, reminiscent of the minarets of a mosque. The southern entrance exhibits oriental splendor. It is very similar to the Spanish Alhambra Palace, which once belonged to the Arab rulers. On its facade, the inscription in Arabic is repeated six times, saying: "There is no winner but Allah."

The western part of the facade is made in neo-Gothic style. From the side of the mountains, the buildings of the palace resemble the harsh outlines of the castles of English aristocrats. The towers of the palace are very diverse. The building is decorated with all sorts of spiers and domes, carved cornices and openwork balustrades, stairs and chimneys... No wonder that in the 20th century Stevenson and Shakespeare were filmed here, the famous Sky Swallows, Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro and many others were filmed. paintings.

The construction of the park terrace in front of the southern facade of the palace was entrusted to the military. From 1840 to 1848, with the help of the soldiers of the sapper battalion, large-scale earthworks were carried out.

In the summer of 1848, the last spectacular touch was made. Sculptural figures of lions were installed on the central staircase leading to the main entrance. Charming animals were born in the workshop of the Italian sculptor Giovanni Bonnani.

Heaven on Earth

No matter how beautiful the palace is, without the luxurious park surrounding it, it would not be so attractive and popular. Founded about 200 years ago, the unique garden has more than 200 species of trees and shrubs from around the world.

The creator of the palace and park splendor was a real magician. German by origin, Karl Kebach skillfully used every meter of space. Erecting fountains in the park, he combined them into cascades, creating lakes and ponds. The fairy-tale surroundings are harmoniously complemented by plant compositions. A talented gardener lovingly planted each exotic bush in a specially brought black soil.

The structure of the garden ensemble is curious. It consists of the Upper and Lower landscape parks. The upper - "Alupka chaos" is an array of natural diabase, granite blocks, randomly scattered, as if by the elements. There are also caves with grottoes, and the crater of an extinct volcano. Severe landscapes made of stone are softened by views of the cozy alleys of the Lower Park. As if flowing along the slopes, the terraces are bordered by Italian pines.

The park enchants with pleasant-sounding romantic names: Tea Pavilion, Swan Lake, Maria Fountain. The latter, decorated at the base with white roses, is a copy of the Bakhchisaray fountain. Freischutz waterfall is amazing. When falling, its jets split like a transparent bridal veil. Walking in the Upper Park along Solnechnaya, Platanova, Chestnut meadows, you catch yourself thinking that you are in a real paradise, and this fairy tale is real!

Mikhail Vorontsov, by the way, like many famous and influential figures of his time, belonged to the Masonic lodge. Therefore, in his residence and in the park, one can find secret signs and symbols of a mighty brotherhood.

New story

Three generations of the Vorontsov family enjoyed life in the magnificent palace built by their grandfather. Before the October Revolution, the 150 rooms of the castle were luxurious apartments, decorated with antique sculptures, antique furniture and paintings. The canvases decorating the walls belonged to the brushes of great painters. To this day, paintings by Levitsky, Borovikovsky, Aivazovsky, as well as Italian, English and French artists, have miraculously survived. The interiors of the palace were complemented by bronze candelabra, porcelain, crystal, malachite, and antique vases. The front rooms were filled with mahogany, walnut and oak furniture made by the best Russian craftsmen.

Other times came, and the Vorontsov Palace, along with its treasures, was nationalized. In mid-1921, it began to function as a museum. During the Great Patriotic War, the exhibits of the Alupka Museum could not be evacuated. Twice the palace was threatened with destruction, and both times it was saved by the senior researcher of the museum, S. G. Shchekoldin. The Germans took out a significant part of the art treasures, including 537 works of painting and graphics, and only a small part of the paintings were found after the war and returned to the palace. The tragic episodes in the history of the Vorontsov Palace are described in the book "What the Lions Are Silent About", created on the basis of Shchekoldin's memoirs

From February 4 to February 11, 1945, the Vorontsov Palace became the residence of the British delegation headed by Winston Churchill. At this time, the epoch-making Yalta Conference took place.

From 1945 to 1955, the apartments in Alupka were used as a state dacha. In 1956, by decision of the government, the museum again began to function in the palace. And, finally, since 1990, the Alupka Palace and Park Complex has become a museum-reserve. The new status is very important, it allows the institution to protect the park area from non-core use, in particular, from cottage development. This phenomenon today is a headache for Crimea. Let's hope that the paradise called the Vorontsov Palace will remain a protected area for a long time and will delight "everyone who enters it" with beauty and nobility.

The Republic of Crimea is famous for its sights. The palaces of Crimea are glad to open their doors to lovers of history and not only. This is the Vorontsov Palace, the Palace of Countess Panina, the Dulber Palace, the Swallow's Nest Castle, the Livadia Palace, the Massandra Palace, the Yusupov Palace and many others. We offer you to plunge into a tour of the Vorontsov Palace in Yalta in more detail.

Vorontsov Palace - history

It is not for nothing that Yalta is called the “showcase of the capitalist society” of Tsarist Russia. After the royal family acquired the Livadia estate near Yalta in 1861, this coast became the most fashionable resort for the entire Russian nobility. Relatives of the tsar, members of the Romanov dynasty, aspired here, courtiers and characters close to the emperor drove here in droves. It has become prestigious to have your own villa on the southern coast of Crimea.

Thanks to the boom that broke out, Yalta, which until recently was an inconspicuous village of several dozen houses with a mosque and a church, rapidly grew and improved. Land became more expensive literally before our eyes, in a matter of years gas lighting was installed, hotels, apartment buildings, restaurants and shops grew. Every self-respecting aristocratic family spent their summers in Yalta and its environs, and merchants, officials, and creative intelligentsia followed representatives of the nobility here.

Historically, it so happened that a provincial village of 300 inhabitants, devoid of roads, squeezed on all sides by mountains, which even sea vessels could not approach - they had to anchor in the open sea and cross to the shore by boats - suddenly turned into the center of aristocratic summer life.

The main merit, no doubt, belongs to Count Vorontsov, who in 1823 became Governor-General of Novorossiya. Crimea also belonged to this region. The talented and enterprising earl, who owns considerable wealth, immediately appreciated the potential of the southern coast and developed a vigorous activity. Work began to boil: the construction of roads began, a pier was arranged in Yalta, a convenient port appeared.

It is Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov who is credited with transforming Yalta into a prestigious resort. It was at his suggestion and insistence that Tsar Nicholas I granted Yalta the status of a county town. And, perhaps, few people in those days did more for the development of the Tauride Peninsula than Vorontsov.

The city of Alupka, on the territory of which the famous Vorontsov Palace is located today, has long been a part of Big Yalta, like Livadia, Gurzuf, Simeiz and other resort towns and villages.

Vorontsov Palace-Residence in Crimea - Excursion

Fascinated by the magical climate and the picturesque beauty of Taurida, Vorontsov decided to set up his summer residence here - a representative palace, in order to take his family on vacation and receive distinguished guests.

Edward Blore, who served as the court architect of the English Queen Victoria, and the author of Buckingham Palace, was invited to create the project. William Gunt, also an Englishman, supervised the construction on the site. It was decided to use diabase as a building material - this stone is stronger than granite and as valuable as marble. Diabase was taken directly from natural placers - Gunt liked it very much for its greenish-gray color, which almost exactly matches the color of the surrounding mountains and evergreens.

Specialists unanimously admire the amazing idea of ​​the architect, who guessed not to argue with the capricious Crimean nature, but to “fit” the palace into the surrounding landscape. The teeth of the building almost exactly repeat the teeth of Mount Ai-Petri, against which the palace rises and which, according to the architect, is visible from every glade of the palace park.

The southern facade of the residence is decorated in the Moorish style: a deep niche, from which a wide staircase descends down to the sea, decorated with six magnificent marble lions. At the lower steps, the lions sleep sweetly, in the middle of the way they wake up, and the upper sculptures are already ready to defend the palace - they rise menacingly and, it seems, their formidable royal roar is heard.

The northern facade of the palace looks completely different, it is made in the neo-Gothic style: strict turrets, sharp spiers, narrow loophole windows, carved cornices... All this magnificence just begs to be shown on the screen - where else to shoot historical costume films, if not here, in natural settings? This, of course, was used by directors in the days of the USSR with might and main: the Vorontsov Palace and the park surrounding it became participants in many films - "The Three Musketeers", "Scarlet Sails", "Ordinary Miracle", "Sky Swallows" ...

Hundreds of serfs - masons, carpenters, masons, sculptors, carvers, furniture makers - worked on the creation and decoration of the palace. It is hard to imagine how at that time, working with primitive tools, it was possible to create such a strong, beautiful and surprisingly livable building. In total, the construction of the palace took 20 years - from 1828 to 1848.

Vorontsov Palace inside - Halls and rooms

Despite the fact that the entire palace complex includes one and a half hundred rooms, today only a few halls on the ground floor are open to tourists. The main reason, according to the guides, is the dilapidation of the remaining rooms and rotten floors on the second floor - they say it is simply dangerous to enter there.

But the halls accessible to the public are so beautiful and unusual that the impressions received will last for a long time. By the way, a tour of the palace as part of a group and accompanied by a guide will cost you 300 rubles - for about 40 minutes of an entertaining story and a walk through the old rooms.

The lobby welcomes visitors with the unique atmosphere of a typical English hall: fireplaces, wooden ceilings, simple furniture, family portraits on the walls...

The Chinese office attracts attention with thin rice straw mats that decorate the upper part of the walls, while the lower part is finished with solid oak panels. There is also a unique little thing - a jewelry box, covered with a dozen layers of varnish. It is said that each layer had to dry for months before the next could be applied, and therefore it took years to make such a box. The last layer of varnish was applied only on the high seas in calm weather - so as not to spoil the skillful work with a single speck of dust. In this study, the talent of woodcarvers manifested itself in all its glory - the cabinet doors and mirror frames are decorated with the finest hand carvings.

The blue living room is so charming that you don't want to leave it. An amazing masterful stucco molding covers the walls and ceiling: a snow-white ornament of flowers and leaves was created by hand by a talented serf craftsman Roman Furtunov, a snow-white marble fireplace harmoniously combines with it. In the living room there are golden cozy sofas and soft armchairs, in the depths there is a white piano, generous sunlight pours through the high windows...

The winter garden amazes with a multitude of tropical plants: most of them, of course, were planted after the era of the Vorontsovs, but the ficus-repin, which covers the walls with curly lashes, has remained since those times. Among the marble sculptures stands out "Girl" - a sweet and touching sculpture. A very expressive face and eyes - a rarity for marble sculptures, the finest lace of a nightgown, a lively, relaxed pose ... It seems that the child has just jumped out of bed, rushed to the fountain or to the pond with goldfish, and froze, pressing his shirt to his knees not to splash.

The Main Dining Room evokes completely different feelings. Everything here breathes grandeur, reminiscent of medieval knights' halls.

Tables rest on legs in the form of lion paws, symbolizing the power of the mighty of this world. What at first glance seems like a fireplace is actually a fountain and a container for cooling bottles of wine, and at the top there is a scarlet carved balcony for musicians, whose duty it was to delight the ears of diners with pleasant music. There are luxurious panels on the walls, carved sideboards lined with Chinese vases.

The next room looks just as pompous - a billiard room, decorated with canvases by Dutch, German, Italian artists.

Vorontsov Palace Park

When planning a visit to the Vorontsov Palace, be sure to set aside at least two to three hours for this event. A relatively short tour of the ceremonial halls is far from all that awaits you. Firstly, if you wish, you can also see other premises - for example, the House of Count Shuvalov or the Butler's Apartment (for a fee). And secondly, once you get into the huge park of the Vorontsov Palace, in the middle of which the palace itself is built, you will not regret the time spent, because you can wander around it for at least a whole day, marveling at the imagination and skill of its creators.

The upper park is made in the English style, implying maximum naturalness. Each glade here has its own name - Sunny, Contrasting, Chestnut ... Here you can see the real Swan Lake - and today beautiful birds swim majestically on it, admire the waterfall, relax on comfortable benches.

The lower park is conceived as Italian. The Vorontsov family loved to celebrate holidays in a small tea house built here. In general, a surprisingly fabulous atmosphere reigns here: every tree, every stone is a witness to history.

Vorontsov Palace - opening hours

If you are going to the Crimea and plan to visit the Vorontsov Palace, pay attention to some points.

• From April 1 to October 30, the palace and park are open for the visitor every day, the rest of the time - with one day off, on Monday.
• The exposition is open from 9.00 to 17.00.

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace

• To safely get to the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea, you need to go from the Yalta bus station on the 27th minibus, or by private car through the central part of Alupka.
• The park area is free to enter.
• At the entrance you will be offered to drive around the park in an electric car. If you find it difficult to make long walks - agree!
• You will definitely need comfortable shoes. The park is a harmonious continuation of the wild rocky landscape, the paths are steep, rocky and slippery in places.
• Take water, a couple of sandwiches or a bun with you: not only have a snack yourself, but also feed the swans.
  By the way, I'll give you a little secret: one of the swans, Gosha, is not indifferent to fresh cucumbers. If you give him a treat, he won't mind taking a selfie. Otherwise, it may become indignant and pinch.
• One last thing: don't be tempted by the souvenirs that are sold here in abundance. Elsewhere in Yalta you can buy the same thing several times cheaper...

In 1823, the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Count Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, became the governor-general of the Novorossiysk Territory, which at that time included Crimea. The development of Crimea owes much to this strong-willed and energetic person. Under his leadership, a highway is being built on the southern coast of Crimea, the agricultural and especially the wine industry is developing rapidly, and the number of industrial enterprises is growing rapidly. In 1828, the history of the Black Sea Shipping Company begins. In the same years, the count actively buys land from the local Tatar population and dreams of creating his own palace.

The construction of the palace lasted for 20 years.

After the death in 1829 of Thomas Harrison in 1831, Count Vorontsov unexpectedly orders to stop the construction of the palace and radically change the style of the neoclassical style of the palace. The count invites one of the most talented architect of that time - Edward Blore. As conceived by the architect, the palace is being built in the English Gothic style. In the same year, the construction of the main building began. The building material for the construction of the walls was diabase - a rock of volcanic origin, which is several times stronger than granite. Deposits of this stone are in abundance nearby. Diabase is very difficult to process, but this does not stop Count Vorontsov, because he was the richest man in the country and more than 60,000 serfs worked under him. Even a sapper battalion took part in earthworks, whose soldiers worked on the construction of terraces on the south side of the facade.

An interesting fact: the architect Blore never visited the construction site. He got all the idea of ​​the terrain from numerous drawings and engravings.

In 1948, the construction of the palace came to an end. The Vorontsov Palace consists of five buildings, decorated with towers, which are interconnected by various passages, stairs and courtyards. The architect managed to organically fit the buildings elongated from west to east into the mountainous landscape of the area. Outwardly, the palace is very much like a family feudal castle in England.

Palace interiors

The interiors of the Vorontsov Palace are in no way inferior to the Livadia Palace in the luxury of their decoration. The decoration of the rooms is almost completely preserved. Each room, and there are only about 150 of them, is made in a personal style. The materials that were used in the decoration are reflected in the names of the rooms. The Chinese cabinet is trimmed with the finest rice straws, decor elements are embroidered with beads and silk. The decoration of the Chintz Room is skillfully made from this fabric. The brightest room in the Vorontsov Palace is the Blue Drawing Room, the highlight of which is a stucco ornament in the form of petals and leaves. There are about three thousand of them in total, and each of them is not like the other. The fireplaces of the palace are a separate masterpiece of architectural art. In each room they are unique and made of different materials.

Alupka park

The Vorontsov Palace is located on the territory of Alupka Park, which is a pearl of landscape design. This masterpiece was created by the Chief Gardener of the Southern Coast of Crimea, Karl Antonovich Kebakh, for 25 years. The park is spread over an area of ​​40 hectares. More than two hundred species of plants grow here, which were brought from the regions of North and South America, the Mediterranean. Geographically divided into Upper and Lower parks. The park is designed in such a way that it complements the local nature. Three reservoirs have been artificially created on the territory of the park.

An interesting fact: To decorate the bottom of Swan Lake, Count Vorontsov ordered 20 bags of semi-precious stones, which were delivered by ship. In sunny weather, they created an indescribably beautiful play of light.

The attraction of the park is the piles of stones from solidified magma, thrown out by the volcano in ancient times, called "Big Chaos" and "Small Chaos". Also, a large number of fountains were built in the park.

glade in the park

Interesting facts about the Vorontsov Palace

The palace was owned by three generations of the Vorontsov family. The cost of laying out the parks is twice as high as the construction of the palace itself. Up to 36,000 rubles were spent on the maintenance of the park in 1910, a huge amount at that time. The Vorontsov Palace is one of the first buildings in Russia, where sewerage and water supply were built for the comfort of living. A museum has been functioning in the palace complex since 1921. Only after the Great Patriotic War, for about 10 years, the territory of the Vorontsov Palace was a secret object and there was a dacha for the party leadership. During the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the British delegation headed by W. Churchill lived in the Vorontsov Palace. A curious story is connected with him, which happened during a walk in the park of Churchill and Stalin. The fact is that the staircase on the side of the facade, which faces the sea, is decorated with sculptures of guarding lions. Churchill, who really liked the sculpture of the sleeping lion, said that he looked like himself and suggested that Stalin buy him. Stalin refused this offer, but suggested to Churchill that if he answered his question correctly, then Stalin would present a sleeping lion. "Which finger on the hand is the main one?" - such was Stalin's question. Churchill replied, "Of course, index." “Wrong,” Stalin replied and twisted the figure from his fingers, which is popularly called the figurine.

The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka (Crimea) is rightfully considered one of the pearls of the peninsula. An elegant and, at the same time, majestic building is located at the foot of Mount Ai-Petri. It is surrounded by a unique park complex, and an amazing view of the Black Sea opens from the main staircase.

The palace complex organically fits into the surrounding landscape due to the fact that its location corresponds to the mountainous terrain. That is why the palace has such an original image. The Vorontsov Palace in Crimea and the park adjacent to it often became a film set. At least 17 films received recognition from the general public.

Ticket prices at the Vorontsov Palace in 2019

Ticket prices are listed on the official website of the complex. They depend on the selected expositions and excursions.

• Separate expositions and exhibitions: adults - from 50 to 350 rubles, students, pensioners and teenagers 16-18 years old - from 25 to 200 rubles.
• Walking tours of the park: adults - 100 rubles, students, pensioners and teenagers 16-18 years old - 70 rubles.
• Excursions in the park on an electric car: 800 rubles. from a group of 4-20 people.
• For preferential and free categories of visitors, as well as for children from 7 to 16 years old: a fee of 70 rubles is charged. for the use of audio guides.
• "Single ticket" (all expositions and exhibitions): adults - 830 rubles, students, pensioners and teenagers 16-18 years old - 450 rubles.

Opening hours of the Vorontsov Palace

You can visit expositions, temporary and permanent exhibitions daily from 09:00 to 17:00. At the same time, the State Halls and the South Terraces are open until 20:00 on Saturdays. There are guided tours of the palace park at 11:00; 13:00 and 15:00, but only if there is a group of 15 to 20 people. There are hiking and electric vehicle options. "Single ticket" can be purchased on any day except Monday and Wednesday.

History of the Vorontsov Palace

The first owner of the palace was His Serene Highness Prince Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, a descendant of an ancient family known since the 14th century, a hero-order bearer who participated in many military campaigns and retired with the rank of field marshal general, Governor-General of Novorossiysk and Bessarabia, an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences . After his death in 1856, close relatives of the prince alternately owned the palace. After the revolution, the object was nationalized.

The period of construction of the Vorontsov Palace in the Crimea refers to the period 1828-1848. The quitrent serfs were involved in the hard work, and the relief decoration was carried out by hereditary masons, and by hand. At first, the Dining Building was erected, then the Central Building. Already in the forties of the 19th century, a billiard room, outbuildings, towers, guest and utility buildings, as well as a library appeared. Sappers worked diligently over the ledges of the South Terrace. Thanks to them, the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka acquired a chic front staircase, on the pedestals of which in 1948 lions were erected, made by the Italian master Giovanni Bonnani. This was the final chord in the design of the overall ensemble of the palace complex.

Already in 1921, the Vorontsov Palace in the Crimea, which had not changed its common name, turned into a museum. During the Second World War, the exhibits did not have time to hide, so many of them were taken away by the occupiers. The amounts stolen were enormous. During the Yalta Conference (February 1945), the palace temporarily turned into the residence of W. Churchill and his retinue. Until 1956, a government dacha was located here. Subsequently, a decision was made to reopen the museum, which is still functioning, but in a new status. In the 90s of the last century, the complex began to be called the palace and park museum-reserve.

Architecture

In the appearance of the building, elements of various eras and a successful combination of architectural styles are visible - strict English, with a direction towards neo-Gothic, and magnificent oriental, neo-Moorish. An interesting fact is that the palace began to be built according to one project (Italian Francesco Boffo and Englishman Thomas Harrison), and ended according to another (the famous British eclectic architect Edward Blore). By the way, the latter, while working on the project, did not visit Alupka, as he was too busy with orders from the royal family in his homeland.

The main material for the construction of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is diabase, which is superior in strength to granite stones. The museum-reserve includes five separate buildings, courtyards, a terrace, a front and additional stairs, as well as a park area.

palace inside

The official website of the Vorontsov Palace offers several interesting expositions to visit. The main exposition of the complex is the Ceremonial Halls located in the Main Building of the complex. Their decoration has been preserved almost in its original form. The design and decoration of the Front Office are made in accordance with all the rules of the English style. There are portraits of the first owner, as well as his associates who participated in the battle of Borodino. The Chinese cabinet is able to surprise visitors with elaborately decorated furniture and rice straw mats that occupy most of the wall surface. The vestibule with wooden profiled ceilings, austere furniture and fireplaces decorated with diabase portals is adjacent to the vestibule, which has an embroidered image of the Persian Shah. The blue living room impresses with its sophistication and amazing stucco decoration, once made by a serf craftsman.

In the Winter Garden, you can see climbing ficus, preserved since 1838, and rare exotic plants. There are interesting sculptures and a fountain here. The main dining room of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka (Crimea) resembles a knight's castle. It attracts the attention of the original balcony for musicians and a fountain, shaped like a fireplace. The Ceremonial Halls are completed by a billiard room with artistic canvases placed on the walls.

The next exposition includes the one-story Shuvalov wing, which was accessible only to people close to the family of the daughter of M. S. Vorontsov. The cozy house has several rooms, each of which is interesting in its own way. Then you can go to the butler's apartment, located in the Economic Building, and see how the prince's attendants lived, receiving full board, and even a salary. Here you can look into Vorontsov's kitchen. And, finally, another exposition of the "South Terraces" includes the main staircase itself, sculptures of lions, flowering flower beds and cascading fountains.

In addition to the main objects of the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, temporary and permanent exhibitions are located on its territory. Among them are Russian and Western European porcelain-faias, paintings by artists of different periods, including the second half of the 20th century, sculptures, graphics, etc.

Vorontsov Palace Park

The lower part of the park is characterized by the Italian regular style. Mostly coniferous trees grow around the palace complex - spruces, firs, cedars, pines and cypresses, so the territory always remains green. In spring and summer, magnolias, exotic shrubs and amazing cercis bloom in the park, the trunks of which in April are densely covered with purple-crimson flowers resembling moths. The park of the Vorontsov Palace is incredibly beautiful, and walking along it is an incredible pleasure.

Vorontsov Palace - how to get there

There are several options for visiting the palace and park complex in Alupka. Two highways pass through the city - the upper and lower ones, so you can get here from different settlements of the peninsula, connected by the South Coast and Sevastopol highways.

From Yalta

On the route Yalta - Vorontsov Palace, two buses regularly run - No. 132 from the center and No. 102 from the bus station. They stop within walking distance of the attraction - just a 10-minute walk. The stop of fixed-route taxis running between Yalta and Alupka (No. 107 and 115) is located a little further from the complex - a 15-minute walk.

From Sevastopol

You can get to the Vorontsov Palace by direct bus "Sevastopol - Alupka" either to the "Avtostanciya" stop and walk on foot, or to the "Pitomnik" stop with a transfer to the city bus number 1A, which runs along a circular route. Exit - at the stop "Center".

From Alushta

The path Alushta - Vorontsov Palace consists of two stages. First you need to get on the Crimean trolley bus number 53 to Yalta, and then transfer to a bus or fixed-route taxi (description above).

From Simferopol

From Simferopol, the Yalta trolleybus station, located near the "Bus Station", can be reached directly from Simferopol Airport by trolleybus number 55 or from the railway station by flight number 52. Another option provides for a transfer connection in Alushta from trolleybus number 51, coming from the railway station of Simferopol , or No. 54, departing from the airport, to trolleybus No. 53, next to Yalta. Then the way to the Vorontsov Palace - how to get there is described above. Faster to Yalta can be reached by intercity transport.

Crimean taxi drivers and private cab drivers know very well where the Vorontsov Palace is located, so they deliver passengers not only from Yalta, but also from Foros, Gurzuf, Alushta and even Simferopol. When traveling by car, you will have to take care of the navigator in advance.

Important information Until October 2017, the Vorontsov Palace could be reached by sea. Alupka pier is currently closed due to its destruction

If you chose Alupka for a holiday in Crimea in 2016, 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.

History of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea

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 encountering a film crew in the summer of 2015: 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 2016 in the Vorontsov Palace you will be able to 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!