Kolomenskoye is the oldest village in the Moscow region. Previously, this place was the patrimonial possession of the Russian tsars, which housed the grand ducal and royal residences. The most visited of them is the palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye. During his reign, he repeatedly carried out work to rebuild and expand the Kolomna residence.
Tsar Alexei treated Kolomensky with trepidation and often spent time in the palace. As a big fan of hunting, while on a country estate, he went falconry. The royal residence was also a favorite place for official events and receptions. Large-scale construction of the royal monastery in Kolomenskoye began in 1660. At the beginning of May 1667, the foundation of the new building was laid. The solemn event was accompanied by prayers.
History of construction
The wooden palace was erected according to sketches and drawings by a team of carpenters, led by the head of the Streltsy Ivan Mikhailov and the headman Semyon Petrov. In the winter-spring period of 1667-1668. Carving and door trim work was carried out in the palace. After this, the building was prepared for painting, and already in the summer of 1669, painting and sketching of icons were completed. After the completion of the work by blacksmiths, ironworkers and locksmiths in the summer of 1670, Alexey Mikhailovich, having examined his property, considered it necessary to decorate the building with picturesque images, which were carried out over almost 2 years, in the distant years 1670-1671.
Completion of construction
Throughout the entire construction period, Tsar Alexy Mikhailovich very often visited his residence in Kolomenskoye, delved into construction issues, and carefully monitored the repair work. In the fall of 1673, the palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye was completed. Almost immediately it was consecrated by Patriarch Pitirim. At the solemn consecration ceremony, Hieromonk Simeon of Polotsk gave a speech in honor of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who loved Kolomenskoye so much.
Alexei's Palace is a magnificent building with an asymmetrical layout, with many different sized cells, which were decorated in accordance with the hierarchical traditions of the family foundation. The cages of the palace were connected to each other using vestibules and passages. The palace consisted of 26 towers, varying in height - from 2 to 4 floors, and about three hundred rooms, which were illuminated by several thousand small windows.
Housing stock
The living quarters were mostly located on the top floor of the building. During construction, the palace premises were divided into several territorial zones: men's and women's. The men's part of the buildings included the mansion of the king, his sons and the front vestibule. And the women's part included the chambers of the queen and princesses. The Palace of Tsar Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye is one of the first Russian buildings made almost entirely of wood. The elegant facades and interiors of the palace, created using the principle of symmetry and decorated with multi-colored carved elements and figured compositions, amaze with their splendor even today.
The fate of the palace under the new ruler
At the end of the 17th century, the magnificent residence was a favorite place of entertainment for Alexy Mikhailovich and his family, and was also often used for diplomatic events. After the enthronement of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich in 1676 - 1682, significant changes occurred in the village of Kolomenskoye. The palace of Tsar Alexei was radically rebuilt.
Dining Chamber
In the spring of 1681, carpenter Semyon Dementyev, a peasant of the nobleman P.V. Sheremetev, began the construction of a luxurious Dining Chamber, which was combined with the ruler’s mansion with a vestibule. The dining chamber is a large castle building in ceremonial decoration. It was within its walls that important palace ceremonies took place. As usual, any reception was crowned with an invitation to the royal table and the ceremony of serving the “sovereign cup”. At the end of the official part and completion of all preparations, a feast followed. Before the feast began, the suppliers decorated with silk fabrics. The canopy in front of the Dining Chamber consisted of 2 small buildings, which were connected to each other by a passage in the wall. It was from this building that the royal feasts were served. Exquisite delicacies were placed on the sideboard counters, jugs with various drinks were placed on other stands, and fragrant baked goods were placed in the Bread Yard; In the Feed Yard, before the start of the feast, jugs with unusual drinks were brought out for the guests.
front gate
The Grand Entrance or Red Porch is the main entrance to any royal residence. The Tsar's Palace in Kolomenskoye is no exception. According to the rules of existing etiquette, only the king had the opportunity to arrive at the entrance on horseback or in a cart. Those who dared not follow the established rule were punished. In Kolomna Castle, during diplomatic meetings, even revered foreign guests dismounted from their horses in front of the main gate. The reception procedure was very complex and required special pomp when welcoming distinguished, honored guests. A clergyman or a boyar with a steward always walked towards visitors. Foreign guests or especially close gentlemen were greeted more than once - first at the entrance near the stairs, then on the porch and the last time at the door of the chamber.
All along the way, there were two rows of courtyard and service people in luxurious clothes and with ceremonial weapons, which were specially issued from the royal treasury for receptions. The sovereign always approached his subjects through the front porch. Here the king gave an audience, listened to reports, and accepted all kinds of offerings. An obligatory and important part of the state ceremony was the ceremonial distribution of festive pies, which were baked especially for members of the royal family in honor of Angel Day. The magnificent architecture of the building and the decoration of the porch, which used state symbols, gave a feeling of solemnity. The main entrance to the palace was overshadowed by icons of the Savior, the Mother of God and John the Baptist. After completion of construction, the majestic building with new buildings was repeatedly depicted in various engravings and paintings. In the period from 1682 to 1696, Kolomenskoye (Alexy's Palace) was visited by Tsars Peter and Ivan and Princess Sofya Alekseevna. Peter I and his mother Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina spent a lot of time in the palace and controlled the condition of the building. During the emperor's visit to the estate, a new foundation of the palace was built. And in subsequent years, emperors and empresses of the Romanov boyar family often visited Kolomenskoye. The palace at that time was filled with life.
Destruction and dismantling of the palace
Despite the efforts made to maintain the buildings and structures of the palace, during the 18th century its decoration became old, and gradually the palace was almost completely destroyed. In the 18th century, despite all attempts at preservation, the buildings were destroyed. In 1767, Catherine II issued a decree on dismantling the palace, and for 3 years, from 1767 to 1770. Dismantling work was carried out, during which a detailed plan for the new building was drawn up. Along with 18th-century inventories and other materials, he recreated a complete picture of the magnificent architectural monument of the 17th century. In the 1990s, the idea arose to rebuild the Kolomna Palace, which was approved and supported by the Moscow government.
Reconstruction of the royal residence
The best specialists were sent to work on recreating the royal residence. More than two hundred people of various specialties: weavers, sculptors, artists, carpenters, and many others. Basically, all manual work was carried out in workshops in Moscow. But some of them were also performed by craftsmen from other large cities of Russia. Before construction began, archaeological work was carried out and the surviving foundations were studied. As a result of the fact that centuries-old trees had been standing on the site of the palace for many years, they decided to move the construction. And the territory of the once existing village of Dyakovskoye became the place for recreating the palace. The modern building has been recreated in life-size, which the palace had during the time of Alexei Mikhailovich.
Alexey's Palace today
Work to recreate the palace was carried out according to the surviving drawings. But many changes were made during the construction of the new building. The palace was built not from wood, but from reinforced concrete structures covered with logs. Also, it was not possible to recreate the original structure due to a change in the orientation of the cardinal directions, which was intentionally disrupted as a result of the fact that the building model was turned in the other direction. What we managed to recreate inside the palace were the ancient interiors and paintings from the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. The total area of the entire building is more than 5 thousand square meters. m., and the area of all premises is more than 7 thousand square meters. m. As a result of all the work carried out to reconstruct the palace, the palace interiors of the Romanov era were recreated. A huge number of visitors visit the palace with pleasure to plunge into the reign of the emperors of the Romanov family, to see interior items that recreate the image of the era and tell the story of the foundations of the royal family. Today the residence is not only a museum, but also a wedding palace. You can have an unforgettable wedding in Kolomenskoye. All conditions have been created for this here. All this beauty is located at the address: Moscow, Andropov Ave., 39, building 69.
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The Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye is a unique example of a historical building, completely recreated literally from scratch. The fact is that the original Kolomna Palace, built in the 17th century as the hunting residence of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, literally fell apart in less than a century due to lack of government funding: the stairs and roofs collapsed, and the unsightly ruins were soon completely dismantled.
The construction was exceptional: the palace was entirely wooden, designed in the spirit of ancient Russian towers and cages and fantastically richly decorated.
Meanwhile, the construction was exceptional: the palace was entirely wooden, designed in the spirit of ancient Russian cage towers and fantastically richly decorated: gilded doors, painted scaly roofing, sculptures of “roaring” lions near the throne and other attributes of “simple luxury.”
The reconstruction of the palace lasted more than 15 years - from the 1990s until 2010, when the building was officially opened to visitors. In the 24 halls of the Kolomna Palace, historical interiors of the 17th century were painstakingly recreated: the Tsar's Mansion (10 halls), the Study, the Bedchamber, the Dining Room, the Duma and Throne Chambers, the Front Porch and the richly decorated Mansion of the Queen, as well as the Mansion of the Tsarevichs and Princesses. Excursions and exhibitions are held.
Practical information
Address: Moscow, Andropova Ave., 39 (Kolomenskaya metro station). Web site .
Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday, Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00. Closed on Monday.
Cost of visiting: Comprehensive ticket - 350 RUB, discounted ticket - 100 RUB. Prices on the page are for October 2018.
The village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow was once the patrimony of the Russian tsars. Now this place is the territory of the State Architectural Reserve. On a huge area of almost four hundred hectares there are country monasteries and churches, as well as palaces: the house of Peter the Great, transported here from Arkhangelsk, and, in fact, the mansions of the Russian tsars - Alexei Mikhailovich, nicknamed the Quietest, and Fyodor Alekseevich. Most of the reserve is a park and untouched nature: ravines, forest. In the south-eastern part it goes out to So you can sail to the Tsar’s palace in Kolomenskoye by pleasure boat. It’s good to come here during folk festivities at Christmas or Maslenitsa. Then Kolomenskoye hosts theatrical performances, sleigh rides and other entertainment. There are also several ancient churches on the territory of the reserve. But in this article we will focus specifically on the palace of the Russian Tsars.
A little history
Russian princes loved Kolomenskoye. The palace stood in this place back in the fourteenth century. Therefore, the surroundings of the village were decorated with churches of “metropolitan scale”. For example, Vasily III erected the Ascension in 1532. Ivan the Terrible also lived in Kolomenskoye. Chronicles report that here, in his palace, he celebrated his name day. But Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich especially loved this place. He ordered to expand the mansions, in fact, to build a new palace on the old site. On September 17, 1640, the tsar celebrated a housewarming with the boyars. The heir, Alexei Mikhailovich, also fell in love with this place. An avid hunter, he repeatedly visited this country residence. Upon his accession to the throne, he started new construction.
Kolomenskoye: Palace of Alexei Mikhailovich
Back in 1649-1650, as well as in 1657, the king added new premises to the old ones - on the occasion of the birth of children. But that was not it. The king wanted to create a complete ensemble, and not a system of huts connected by passages. In 1667, the first stone was laid for the construction of what contemporaries would later call the “eighth wonder of the world.” It should be noted that the palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye was built by ordinary people - carpenters Semyon Petrov and Ivan Mikhailov. A year later, the decoration of wooden walls, windows and facades with skillful carvings began. In the spring of 1669, finishing materials and paints were ordered from abroad, and the master himself, an Armenian from Persia, Bogdan Saltanov. The finishing work was supervised by icon painter Simeon Ushakov. and walls, gilding the tents lasted about two years. Finally, in 1673, the master of the Armory, Pyotr Vysotsky, installed a clock on the gate tower and installed the mechanics of the roaring lions.
Perestroika by Fedor Alekseevich
After the death of the Quiet One, the new tsar took up Kolomenskoye. The palace was rebuilt again. Fyodor Alekseevich ordered the construction of a new refectory, which was connected to the tsar’s personal chambers by a gallery. This dining room was built by Semyon Dementyev, a serf of the boyar Sheremetyev. The “Gilded Gate” was also erected, which in the absence of the Tsar in Kolomenskoye was covered with cloth so as not to fade. Repairs were made to the roaring lions at the throne, the exterior decorations and the interior. The restoration was completed in the spring of 1682. For about two more years, work continued on repairing outbuildings, decorating roofs and painting premises. As a result of the mutiny of the archers, barracks were erected for personal security - a total of sixteen huts. In 1685, they were reinforced with English tin and iron, and a new clock was installed.
Epoch and Kolomenskoye
The palace, with the transfer of the capital to St. Petersburg, gradually began to fall into disrepair. Wood is not a very durable material. Subsequent empresses also did not pay enough attention to this country residence. Anna Ioannovna, however, ordered to keep her “in good care,” but did not deign to allocate funds for this. In the fall of 1762, Catherine II visited Kolomenskoye. She ordered a repair estimate to be drawn up. The document was presented in 1764. But the empress, instead of reconstruction, ordered the construction of a new palace on the site of the destroyed outbuildings. In May 1767, Catherine was informed that the stairs and roofs in the old mansions began to collapse. Then the Empress ordered the palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye to be dismantled and the place cleared. The exact date of destruction is unknown. Karamzin in “Poor Liza” (1792) mentions the village of Kolomenskoye with a high palace. In place of the wooden mansion, a four-story building in the classicist style was erected. But it, too, was destroyed a century later.
Kolomenskoye Museum
The restoration of the historical site began with the initiative of the famous restoration artist P. Baranovsky. In 1923, he proposed to establish an open-air museum dedicated to the wooden architecture of Russia on the territory of the former estate of the Russian tsars. This explains the presence of the tsar-reformer in Kolomenskoye. There, the tsar-reformer lived on Markov Island for about two months, personally supervising the construction of the defensive fortress of Arkhangelsk. Baranovsky restored the interior of the house, the Mokhovaya Tower of the Sumy fort, the passage gates of the Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery, the Church of St. George the Victorious and other monuments of wooden architecture. Gradually, they began to reconstruct other buildings related directly to Kolomenskoye: the Vodovzvodnaya tower, the Fryazhsky cellar and the Church of St. George with a bell tower. And in 1990, the idea arose to recreate the summer palace of Alexei Mikhailovich.
Reconstruction
Although the royal mansions of the seventeenth century were completely erased from the face of the earth, many lithographs and drawings remained that depict in detail the interiors and exterior decoration of this “eighth wonder of the world.” In addition, the drawings of the builders themselves have been preserved. Since centuries-old oaks and linden trees had already grown on the site of the palace, it was decided to reconstruct the building in another place, nearby, in the village of Dyakovskoye. Construction was completed in 2010. The wooden palace of Alexei Mikhailovich was replaced by a reinforced concrete structure lined with logs. Despite the fact that it has changed its original orientation to the cardinal points, tourists can see the chambers of the king and empress, the chambers of the prince and princesses. A special impression is left by the state dining room, into which covered galleries lead from different wings of the palace.
Museum: opening hours, cost
Despite the fact that the entire palace was built in the first years of our century, an excursion to Kolomenskoye will not disappoint anyone. After all, all the interiors were recreated with extreme care, completely copying the surviving drawings and drawings. The chambers are equipped with unique lamps, mica windows and furniture. In twenty-four interiors of the palace, the personal life and officialdom of Russian sovereigns of the pre-Petrine era appears before the eyes of tourists.
Entrance to the park is free. But at exhibitions there is an additional fee. If you come to Kolomenskoye for the whole day, it is better to purchase a single ticket - it costs 400 rubles and gives you the right to visit various premises. The exhibition is open every day except Monday. Entrance to the palace costs 250 rubles.
Driving along Andropov Avenue in the Kashirskaya metro area, I repeatedly noticed the fabulous turrets. This is the restored palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye. On a beautiful May day, I had the opportunity to walk near the palace and even look into the royal chambers.
I admit, I really love walking in Kolomenskoye. However, somehow it was not possible to visit Kashirskaya’s side. And recently, a friend invited me to take an annual promenade along the spring Kolomenskoye, to walk through the park from the Kashirskaya metro station to the Kolomenskaya metro station. In May, the gardens of Kolomenskoye are especially spectacular: the famous apple orchards are in bloom, the lawns are dotted with colorful tulips. Naturally, I agreed! In addition, the weather was May: warm, sunny.
Palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye
We agreed to meet near the Kashirskaya metro station. Coming out of the subway, I called my friend. It turned out that she went to a nearby store and offered to meet at the palace. Well, ok, to the palace, then to the palace.
How to find the palace of Alexei Mikhailovich
Finding the palace is quite simple, but the main thing is to exit the Kashirskaya metro station correctly. We look at the signs in the metro and look for “To Kolomenskoye Park, Andropov Avenue.” Next, you need to get to Andropov Avenue and cross it through the underground passage. As a result, we get straight to the central entrance to Kolomenskoye Park. It’s already a stone’s throw from the palace.
Once you enter the territory, the beauty will take your breath away. Firstly, the palace itself (especially from a distance) is very nice, like a fairy tale, and secondly, these are the gardens and tulips blooming in Kolomenskoye.
Young trees were planted around the palace and bloomed profusely. What caused the children who came on the excursion to be no less delighted than the palace itself.
Flowering of young trees near the Palace
Fairytale Palace
Palace in Kolomenskoye
Here it is, a fabulous beauty - the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The opening of the first palace in Kolomenskoye took place in 1672. In the seventeenth century, the original palace in Kolomenskoye aroused great delight among contemporaries; foreign guests called it “the eighth wonder of the world.” He was so beautiful and unusual. However, the palace was made of wood, so it only stood for about 100 years. Catherine the Second ordered the palace to be dismantled and careful measurements of the palace to be taken. The woman was wise, maybe they will come in handy!
And so, almost 300 years later, at the beginning of the 21st century, it was decided to restore the palace of Alexei Mikhailovich. The official opening took place in September 2010.
We must pay tribute to the creators of this museum: Alexei Mikhailovich’s palace was placed a little further away from the original masterpieces of Kolomensky, which emphasizes its certain “foreignness” to this place. Of course, the building gives the impression of being unreal and artificial. Although beautiful.
Windows of the royal chambers in the palace
There is a lot of controversy about the restored palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich: most experts consider it a very approximate copy of what it was, a falsification of history. Muscovites consider it a “terrible remake.” There are many opinions, both negative and positive. However, why not have such a museum in Moscow? After all, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and other churches and buildings were restored. Looking at the sparkling eyes of the children walking around here, you understand that this is primarily their day. Why not tell them in such chambers about the ancient pages of our history?
Porch of the Palace in Kolomenskoye
Calling a friend, I heard her trying to find out from passers-by how to get to the palace. There were no people who knew. But Anya, being a stubborn girl, didn’t give up trying.
Realizing that I had a little time, I decided to walk around the perimeter of the palace. Externally, the building looks like a wooden tower, but in fact, it stands on a concrete foundation, the walls are also made of concrete. Only externally the palace is decorated with wood. Let's hope it lasts for a long time.
The palace is actually several towers connected by passages: the chambers of the king, queen, junior princes and princesses. The king's tower is located in front of all other towers. The spiers of some towers are decorated with lions - symbols of royal power.
You can walk right through the palace. In the courtyards there are children's carousels, recreated from ancient drawings, benches, and flowers growing. It's very nice there and not hot.
Baby swing
There were a lot of children's excursion groups near the palace. It's great that history is interactive today. The palace hosts thematic lectures and classes for schoolchildren. Tours inside the palace are led by real princesses, wearing the clothes of Marfa Vasilievna from the film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession.” Children listen with interest, so it’s still possible to tear them away from the computer?
Having studied the external decoration of the palace, as well as the internal courtyards, I again decided to call my friend. However, through the phone I heard that she had mixed up the station... and got off at Varshavskaya. But Anya decided not to give up and still get to me by bus.
I realized that I had at least another hour left, and decided to go inside the palace.
We are looking for the ticket office and entrance to the Palace
There are two ticket offices to the palace. The first is located directly next to the entrance to the park. To get to the king's mansion, you need to go around the palace. It was not possible to purchase a ticket at one box office because the equipment froze. Honestly, only in our museums can you come across something like this.
At the second ticket office, near the main entrance to the royal chambers, they sold me a general ticket for 300 rubles. A ticket for photography cost 70 rubles, and photography is only allowed in the palace without a flash. Total 370 rubles for pleasure. Not cheap, it should be noted.
I decided to go around the palace on my own, although there was an opportunity to rent 150 rubles audio guide.
By the way, here is the price menu for visiting the palace. Preferential prices are a little lit up, for those who are interested - the price is up to 100 rubles.
Cost of tickets to the palace
In the mansions of the palace
The inspection of the interior chambers begins with the Tsar’s state chambers. The first thing that greets visitors is the carved front porch and a massive door with the coats of arms of various regions.
Door leading to the royal chambers
The most richly decorated are the throne room and the ceremonial hall. In all rooms you can find a detailed description of the purpose of the rooms in Russian and English.
Tour of the refectory
Elegantly decorated ceiling in the refectory.
Ceiling in the refectory
The halls also contain furniture, lamps and other antiques. Some things were brought here from other museums, and some were recreated from drawings of that time.
One of the halls of the Palace
The painting of the walls and ceilings reminded me very much of the decoration of the halls of the Yusupov Palace in Moscow. Perhaps the same people were involved in the restoration?
Directly, the royal throne.
Royal throne
A tour of the palace is a kind of quest, where all sorts of secret doors, passages and beautiful halls await you. Moreover, it gives museum curators special pleasure to watch how a tourist cannot find a way out. Can you imagine how many times a day they see this?
Transition from one tower to another
The king's chambers end in a room called "soap room", that is, a bathhouse. From the “soap shop” there is a passage to the Queen’s chambers. Everything is logical, in general.
Queen's mansion
I wandered around in splendid isolation in the queen’s chambers, since I had little time. All groups were left behind.
While walking near the palace I saw this advertisement. in case it comes in handy for someone. I think that wedding photos inside the palace should turn out very beautiful.
Marriage registration in Kolomensky Palace
Overall, I liked the inside of Alexei Mikhailovich’s palace. I would recommend it to parents with children and those interested in history. Here the history of the first Romanovs is collected bit by bit.
Just when I finished exploring the Palace, my friend finally arrived. And we went for a walk in the park together.
How to get there
Address of the Alexey Mikhailovich Palace in Kolomenskoye: m. Kashirskaya, prospect Yu.V. Andropova, 39, building 69.
Opening hours of the palace in Kolomenskoye: from 10-00 to 17-30. (ticket office until 16-45), Monday - closed.
Audio guide cost: 100 rubles - on the territory of "Mansion of the Tsar and Princes" (sounding - 45 minutes), 150 rubles on the territory of "Mansion of the Tsar and Princes. Mansion of the Queen" (recording 1 hour 15 minutes), deposit 1000 rubles. The audio guide can be rented directly at the Palace, in the lobby of the Royal Chambers. Pick-up time is from 12-00 to 17-00.
Exhibits: palace interiors, “Treasures of Russian art of the 17th century”
For groups, museum guides offer excursions:“The female half of the Kolomensky Palace”, “The male half of the Palace”, “The state chambers and private chambers of the Kolomensky Palace” and others.
If you still like to visit such objects with a tour, we recommend purchasing a tour to the Kolomna Palace from our partners. Details - here >>>
"The king looks like a morel, has a head like a fist,
And the amount of malice in him is enormous." (L. Filatov)
Alexei Mikhailovich Quiet is the second Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty (1645 - 1676), son of Mikhail Fedorovich and his second wife Evdokia, father of Peter the Great.
The palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye is a monument to the art and life of the last, most vibrant period of the Muscovite kingdom, in which modern Russia has its roots.
In 1667-1668. Alexey Mikhailovich built a magnificent wooden palace (100 meters long, 80 meters wide and 50 meters high), which became the personification of all the achievements of Russian architecture of that time.
The single complex of the Sovereign's courtyard included wooden mansions with the house Kazan Church, Sytny, Kormovoy, Khlebny or Khlebenny courtyards or palaces, Order Chambers, Colonel's Chambers and guardhouses.
The sovereign's courtyard was surrounded by a fence with 3 gates: Front, Back and Garden. Gardens were laid out around it, surrounded by a high fence.
This intricately decorated system of buildings was erected not for the convenience of the royal family, but to impress foreign guests with its pomp. And this was a success, and Simeon of Polotsk even called the Kolomna Palace “the most marvelous,” that is, the eighth wonder of the world.
But after the death of Alexei Mikhailovich and the transfer of the capital to St. Petersburg, Kolomenskoye fell into decay. Under Catherine II, the dilapidated palace was dismantled. Catherine wanted to restore the palace, but 56,934 gold rubles turned out to be too much for her. Then careful measurements and inventories of the building were made. It was they who helped in the recent reconstruction of the palace.
It is interesting that the place where Alexei Mikhailovich’s palace stood stood untouched for 300 years. Nothing was built there. And in 2010, the recreated palace of Alexei Mikhailovich was opened. At the same time, the only deviation from the original was the use of a reinforced concrete frame in order to protect the building from fire.
In total, there were 270 chambers in the palace, which were illuminated by 3000 windows. The Kolomna Palace had an asymmetrical layout and consisted of independent and different-sized cells, the size and design of which corresponded to the hierarchical traditions of the family way of life.
On the Front Porch, birthday cakes were distributed on the day of the angel of one of the members of the royal family - an obligatory, important part of the state ceremony, demonstrating the unity of the ruler and his subjects. The decoration of the porch and its architecture enhanced the feeling of solemnity.
The outside facades are decorated with carved platbands with many multi-colored details. When decorating the Kolomna Palace, for the first time in Russian wooden architecture, carved platbands and planking imitating stone were used.
The idea of recreating the palace arose in the museum-reserve back in the 1990s, and was eventually supported by the Moscow Government. But since over the past time a natural complex has formed on the site of the former palace and centuries-old oaks and linden trees have already grown, it was decided to move the construction to the territory of the former village of Dyakovskoye, beyond Golosov ravine.
The current building is a life-size model of the Alexei Mikhailovich Palace. Construction was carried out according to drawings made at the behest of Catherine II. However, the new building is not entirely wooden: all structures are monolithic, reinforced concrete, then covered with logs.
The orientation relative to the cardinal points is also broken - the model was rotated 90 degrees around the vertical axis, which completely violated the sacred meaning of the original structure.
The Red, or Front, porch is the main entrance to any royal palace. According to etiquette, only the king could ride up to him on horseback or in a cart; Violation was punishable by severe punishment. In Kolomenskoye, even foreign ambassadors and boyars dismounted in front of the Front Gate of the Sovereign's Court. An elaborate reception ceremony was developed. He demanded that distinguished guests be greeted with due solemnity outside, in front of the house, on one of the platforms of the Red Staircase.
At that time, the palace was simply huge. The total building area is over five thousand square meters, and the total area of premises is more than seven thousand square meters.
At the entrance to the palace there are two cannons from the times of the Northern War. The presence of cannons a few meters from a completely wooden palace, which could catch fire from one match, left me bewildered. Perhaps they did not have a combat significance, but gave some kind of solemn signal?
"The king does not sleep and dances until he drops,
And he drinks and carouses until the morning,
And he will barely master the new cup with the Rhine,
The thunder of timpani and trumpets announces
About this feat...." (W. Shakespeare)
Near the palace there is a statue of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. This is a model of a monument made for the city of Baltiysk in 2004 by sculptor Georgy Frangulyan. The Empress looks at Europe and points to Russia with her hand. Elizaveta Petrovna was a brilliant horsewoman, she loved horse riding and even took part in parades on horseback.
To be able to estimate the size of the palace, I am attaching someone else’s photograph from a helicopter.
