Thousands of tourists visit St. Petersburg every year. As a rule, they visit the popular sights of the city, such as the Hermitage or Peterhof. However, there are no less beautiful places here that have been left without due attention of travelers. For example, the "Palace of Congresses" is a garden and palace complex, which is an architectural monument of the 18th century. It is located near the city. This article will tell about the history of construction, location, current state of the palace.
Location and description of the complex
Konstantinovsky Palace is located 19 km from St. Petersburg, in the village of Strelna. It was built on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and the park area is located at the intersection of the Kikena and Strelka rivers. His address: Berezovaya alley, 3, Strelna village, St. Petersburg. Near the palace there is a vast park area leading to the Gulf of Finland. Nearby is the hotel "B altic Star" and a tour desk. The "Palace of Congresses" (Strelna) currently consists of the Konstantinovsky Palace, the park "Russian Versalia", the pavilion of negotiations andcottage settlement "Consular village".
The easiest way to get here is by taxi. You can get on it at the St. Petersburg bus station, the schedule allows you to leave in the early morning, afternoon and evening. Buses also go here. Tourists can board them near the Avtovo metro station. You can get to the complex in just 20-25 minutes, if you don't accidentally get stuck in a traffic jam. The fare is standard, and buses run every 5-10 minutes. You can also take a tram from Avtovo to the palace. True, the travel time will increase significantly and will be about 1 hour. You will need to get to the terminus of the tram route number 36.
History of occurrence
The park complex is one of the oldest buildings in St. Petersburg. Peter I had a hand in its foundation, who chose a place located in the delta of two rivers as his future residence. In 1709, he ordered to begin preparations for the construction of a new palace complex, which, according to his plans, was to surpass the beauty of the French Versailles. However, the preparation of the future project was delayed. At first, the Italian architect Sebastian Cipriani was involved in its development, but his plan turned out to be too complicated and expensive. By 1715 he was replaced by the French architect Jean-Baptiste Leblon. However, he died in 1719 before he could complete the project. He was replaced by the Italian Nicolo Michelli, who completed the architectural plan. Officially, the Konstantinovsky Palace was founded on May 22, 1720.
However, the implementation of the originally conceived project turned out to be impossible. A serious problem was the insufficiently high water level in the Strelka and Kikena rivers. Water was necessary for the operation of the fountains, which were to become the main decoration of the complex. To raise the water level to the desired level, the builders would have to flood the vast territory of the two river basins. Due to expensive work, Peter I decided to move the residence to the nearby Peterhof, which was fully suitable for the construction of a complex of fountains. By 1730, work in Strelna finally stopped. The "Palace of Congresses" remained unfinished.
Further development
The resumption of construction work began only in the 1750s. Bartolomeo Rastrelli began to build it, according to the project of which the Winter Palace was also created. The architect took up the redevelopment of the complex, and according to his plan, a large front staircase was erected. Unfortunately, the construction of the complex was not completed again. The project was completed only by the end of the 18th century. It is known that architects Luigi Ruska, A. I. Stackenschneider, A. N. Voronikhin had a hand in the creation of the Konstantinovsky Palace and nearby park buildings. Initially, the "Palace of Congresses" served as a residence for emperors, but already in 1797 it lost its status when Paul I handed over the complex to his son, Grand Duke Konstantin.
The palace buildings were badly damaged in a fire in 1803. During the renovation of the building,construction of a new belvedere and front suite. The house church was built already in the 1850s, when the palace was handed over to the youngest son of Emperor Nicholas I. Then Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich lived here. For some time, the Greek Queen Olga lived in the palace, who moved here after the murder of her husband. After the October Revolution, the building passed into the hands of the government. In 1937 a sanatorium was opened here. During the blockade of Leningrad, the palace was completely destroyed by the Germans. It was restored only by 1950. In the future, the building of the Arctic School was located here.
Modern period
In 2000, the palace was handed over to the Office of the President. In the same year, large-scale restoration work began here. The state complex "Palace of Congresses" was supposed to serve as the residence of the President of Russia, as well as for receptions of government delegations from other countries. Its grand opening took place in 2003. Already in 2006, the G8 summit was held in the palace, where the heads of France, Germany, the USA, Great Britain, Japan and other countries arrived. In 2013, the G20 meetings were held here, which includes the leaders of states with the most developed economies.
On ordinary days, the Konstantinovsky Palace is open to tourists. It is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. The day off here is Wednesday.
Tours
Today "Palace of Congresses" (Strelna) -protected area, access to which is open only for tourist groups. Excursions include viewing the main halls of the palace, artistic masterpieces located here, and the park adjacent to it. Separately, you can also look at the cottage village "Consular Village". Active games are held for children, including the search for treasures. Wine tastings are held regularly. It is worth knowing that the park is only open to visitors during the summer.
drawing conclusions
The "Palace of Congresses" complex (St. Petersburg) is worth a visit to all connoisseurs of St. Petersburg architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries. It is located very close to the center of St. Petersburg, so tourists can get to it on their own. If you are not visiting the city for the first time and do not know what else you can see, then the palace will be a great option for you.
