Imperial farm complex description and photos - Russia - St. Petersburg: Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo) (Topic)

Imperial farm complex description and photos - Russia - St. Petersburg: Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo). Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

Initially, the most thoroughbred cattle were bred on the imperial farm to improve Russian animal husbandry. Now there is an equestrian complex of the Tsarskoe Selo Museum-Reserve with beautiful horses, which visitors of the park can ride. In the future, it is planned to form a horse museum and a family recreation center.

The farm complex is located in the Fermsky Park, now it also belongs to the Alexander Park, since the first main part belongs to the Agrarian University and is in desolation. And the reserve includes only the farm building and the adjacent land plot (about 6 hectares), which is being improved. This area is a continuation of the Aleksandrovsky Park, therefore it is attributed to it.

The first wooden buildings were built in 1810 for the imperial farm, transferred here from St. Petersburg. In 1818-1828, the architect A.A. Menelas erected a stone ensemble of buildings in the Anglogical style. All buildings - one- and two-story - are united by one fence and form a picturesque complex that has survived to this day, with the exception of buildings made of wood.

The complex included the following buildings: the pavilion of the highest presence (if the emperor arrives here) , a two-storey house of the caretaker, one-storey outhouses for various services, apartments for cattlemen and a veterinarian, a barn building (84 stalls), a dairy outhouse necessary for milk processing and storage of products (milk cellar, glacier, butter mill with separators, cheese dairy), a shed for merino , a stone bathhouse and a few more wooden buildings.

A landscape park consisting of meadows with small “oases” of trees was set up around the complex for grazing. The grass was sown using a special Western technology.

The farm was a favorite pastime of Emperor Alexander I. Here he supervised the field work, himself recorded the income from his rams, was happy and proud that the cloth of his uniform was made of their wool. At first, the main goal of the farm was to breed and select the best breeds of livestock. For this, foreign cows and sheep were purchased, but after a few years, due to illness, all these animals died. Therefore, it was decided to breed only Russian breeds.

In the 1860s-1880s, the farm passed into the hands of the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. He again began to buy livestock of various breeds from abroad and sold the offspring to private individuals. By the beginning of the 20th century, things were getting better. The task of the farm in the production of milk and dairy products for the imperial family also came to the fore, and everyone could buy the surplus. During the First World War, due to the lack of meat, pigs were raised here.

After the nationalization, the farm buildings were transferred to the Agrarian University, and for a long time were used for their intended purpose. During the Great Patriotic War, the buildings were badly damaged.

Until the early 1990s, there was a riding school on this territory, and since 1992 - the equestrian complex of the Tsarskoye Selo Museum. In 1988, the restoration of the ensemble began. The caretaker's building and the cowshed (now the stable) have been restored. Now anyone can ride in carriages drawn by Orlov trotters in the park. The coachmen have a special uniform. It is planned to open a riding club here.

A museum will soon open in the buildings of the farm, where guests can trace the history of the use of horses by humans. Carriages and sleds of the 19th-20th centuries, harnesses, and details of ammunition will be exhibited here. There will also be a hotel, playground, cafe and a small farm with real animals.

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Topic: Imperial farm complex description and photos - Russia - St. Petersburg: Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo).