Alupka Park is an unsurpassed work of art, with exotic vegetation, wonderful grottoes, springs, ponds. What is the history of this park? What attractions are in it?
Alupka Park: attractions, description
The palace and park complex fits perfectly into the southern coastal landscape, against the backdrop of the overhanging and impregnable wall of Ai-Petri. Alupka Park covers an area of 40 hectares. It was founded at the beginning of the 19th century. The park was created on the principle of an amphitheater, in order to complement the surrounding nature. On its territory there are many different types of exotic plants.
The area of the park is divided into two zones: Upper and Lower Park. The northern part of the Upper Park is represented by large and small chaos, between which there are three beautiful ponds. From the ponds, paths lead to the Vorontsov Palace. On the way to the palace there is a ten-meter rock, called the "Moonstone".
The western part of the park is decorated with the Trilby fountain. The composition of the upper part of the park is made up of Chestnut, Sunny, Contrasting and Plane meadows.
Lower Parkis part of the palace. There are several terraces and marble fountains. There is also an alley with Chinese fan palms, roses, quince, forsythia. Below, a completely different story begins - the landscape part of the park, which descends directly to the sea. Tall cypresses and plane trees grow on the slopes, and below, waves break against stone blocks.
History of the park
Even in the 18th century, instead of a park, there were human settlements near the sea coast. They were located right among the stones, which often served as roofs for houses. Even then, travelers romanticized these places, with mulberry, peach and pomegranate gardens that bordered on the rocky cliffs of the seashore.
At the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th, landscape art was popular, and Count Vorontsov was looking for a place to found a grandiose park. The choice, of course, settled on Alupka with many springs and picturesque landscapes.
In 1824 the foundation of the park was laid. German Karl Kebach was chosen as the chief gardener of the park. A very complex and lengthy work began, which, under the leadership of Kebakh, was carried out by the peasants. The site of the future park was cleared of stones and shrubs, and in their place black soil was brought from the southern part of Ukraine.
Exotic plants were actively brought from foreign regions. Most of the plants brought to the Nikitinsky Botanical Garden were immediately sent for planting in Alupka Park. Not all of the trees and shrubs growing in these places were uprooted. Many of them have been transplanted to other parts of the park. Remained in the park and oak, andCrimean pine, dull pistachio, pomegranate tree. And old and hollow plants were used as a support for climbing plants.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the pattern of the park began to take shape, but that was only the beginning. Plants evolved and their growth required careful monitoring. After his death, the formation of the park continued for another 40 years, by gardeners Bishchenkovitch and Galushchenko.
Park style
Alupka park was planned as a landscape park. This means that it had to be significantly different from classic parks with trimmed lawns and shrubs, flowerbeds and zones of geometric shapes. The main desire was to show the harmonious relationship between man and nature, their interaction and coexistence with each other.
The park was not supposed to contrast with the surrounding area. The paths that had existed here for a long time turned into park paths, and new plants neatly interspersed among the native trees. Ponds, fountains, lawns grew where the landscape and the trails allowed. Not nature obeyed the park, but the park obeyed her.
Mountain terrain has greatly contributed to the design of the park. The rugged terrain made it possible to divide the park into several landscape zones, each of which was different from the other. The upper park has a rather steep relief. This part of the park has a more natural and natural look. Huge trees, shady paths, ponds, mysterious grottoes, blowing cool.
Lower park starts more gentlyrelief. The lower part of the park borders the Vorontsov Palace and is decorated in a classic park style. There are even terraces here, with an abundance of flowers and evenly trimmed shrubs - in the best traditions of European parks. Terraces and alleys grow into paths with springs and waterfalls, surrounded by tall pines. The relief becomes rocky and steep, and the style of the park returns to naturalness.
Plant world
The plants of Alupka Park were brought from different parts of the world, today about 200 species of heat-loving plants grow here. Trees were brought from the Mediterranean, North America and East Asia.
In order to purchase a tree for the park, the conditions for its cultivation were studied, and most importantly, the features of its appearance. Each tree had to be perfectly matched in terms of height, size and type of crown.
Japanese Sophora, persimmon, palm trees grow in the park. Indian lilac pleases with small pale pink flowers in August, and in June you can see orange flowers of a coral tree brought from South America. From there, the Chilean araucaria also arrived in the park.
The majestic redwoods, cypresses, and Montezuma pines were brought from North America. Plane trees and cork oaks, laurel, holm oak and strawberries also grow here. Large-flowered magnolias and chimananthus grow in the lower part of the park. The palm alley is dotted with roses of various varieties.
Fountains and ponds
The Fountain of Tears is the most famous in the park located onterrace near the library building. This is a small cascading fountain, in the bloom of lilac, laurel, photini and viburnum bushes. Water flows calmly and evenly from one bowl to another. At the retaining walls of the terraces there are two more marble fountains "Sink" and "Fountain of Cupids".
Ponds are the highlights of the park. These are artificially created ponds, quite similar to natural ones. Stone blocks are scattered around, and swampy cypresses surround it with a wall. Because of their beauty and atmosphere of peace and tranquility, they were often described in poetic lines.
A tree trunk hangs over one pond, almost adjoining the water and reflected in its mirror surface. Swans and ducks live on another lake. And in the middle of the largest pond is a stone, from under which streams of water break through.
"Cats" of the park
The park of the Vorontsov Palace is inhabited by cats, but not alive. A diabase staircase leads directly to the main entrance to the palace, on both sides of which there are sculptures of lions. I often refer to this place as "Lion's Terrace".
Three pairs of lions are made of white marble. Every couple has a different mood. At the very bottom of the stairs are sleeping lions. Putting paw on paw, they buried their muzzles in them, and indulge in dreams.
Further there are lions waking up. They rest their paws on the ground, raising their heads up, and greet visitors to the park with a proud lion's eye.
Near the entrance to the palace isa pair of awake "kittens". With one paw they rest on a marble ball. Their claws are out, their open mouth shows fangs, and their gaze is directed towards the stairs, as if waiting for new guests.
Park glades
Alupka park, in its upper part is decorated with picturesque glades. Plane glade is located next to the ponds. Not only plane trees grow in the clearing, but also sequoias 40 meters high. Here you can see walking peacocks, which were once brought to the park.
Immediately after Platanovaya begins Sunny Meadow,. It contrasts significantly with the previous glade and lake terrain in terms of the abundance of sunlight. From here you have the best view of Ai-Petri in the park. The sunny meadow is surrounded by pyramidal cypresses, Italian and Montezuma pines.
Further along are Chestnut and Contrasting glades. A chestnut meadow completes the Upper Park area with Italian pines. Next to it is a holm oak grove that is over 120 years old.
The Contrasting Glade got its name because of the abrupt change in vegetation after Sunny Meadow. In the center of the clearing grow two types of strawberries, which show either olive or coral trunks, depending on the season. The Himalayan cedar with a spreading dark green crown is also located here. The clearing is surrounded by silver fir trees, cypresses and oaks.
Chaos
In the northern and western parts of the Upper Park there are amazing natural formations - Small and Big Chaos. They look like heaps of stone boulders. ita work of nature created with the help of solidified volcanic magma, which collapsed under the influence of earthquakes more than 150 years ago.
Karl Kebach brought the boundaries of the park to the chaos, inscribing them into the park composition. Ancient legends are embodied here, telling about the creation of the world from chaos.
Small chaos adjoins the palace and is located on the hills with its descents and ascents. Moss-covered stone blocks, grottoes and lianas winding along them evoke romantic and sublime feelings in notorious snobs and skeptics.
You can get to the Great Chaos along the path that leads from one of the lakes. Here, stone steps and small viewing platforms are laid out by the hands of gardeners. Strawberries and creepers make their way through the stone cracks, and Apennine pines rise on top. From here you can observe the wonderful landscapes of the sea, the palace and the entire park.
Alupka park: address
The park is located on Palace Highway, 10.
The park can be reached by regular Alupka buses 102, 107, 115.
From the city of Y alta, you can get to the park through the Alupka bus station, transferring to regular buses, or by minibus number 27, which departs from the upper platform of the Y alta bus station.
Entrance to the park is free, but the entrance to the Vorontsov Palace is paid.
Vorontsov Palace is open to visitors from 9.00 to 17.00.
Conclusion
Alupka Park is a real masterpiece of landscape art. Every day he proves to his guests that nature andman-made work can coexist in complete harmony and understanding.
