Oranienbaum

After the founding of St. Petersburg, Peter the Great decided to divide the land on the southern shore of the Gulf into several parts and give them to his companions. 

So this place has several mansions, oneofwhich - Oranienbaum (ger. Oranienbaum - «Pomerantsevoe tree"), belonged to Alexander Menshikov.

In this place Menshikov A.D.   ordered to put the palace and a park.

Menshikov Palace in Oranienbaum was built by architects J. Fontana and JB Leblon.

 The name of this place - Oranienbaum, contains something mysterious and unexplained.

 Orange or Pomerantsevoe tree is grown in Menshikov's greenhouses in abundance, gave the name of the manor.

Pomerantsevo trees used to decorate ceremonial receptions, inside the palace and on the terraces.

Menshikov Palace - the pearl of the Petrine Baroque - has a curved facade, repeating natural relief of terrain.

There is an imparting that Menshikov built this palace - at the request of Catherine I.

Peter the Great often went to Kronstadt to ship affairs.

To sail from St. Petersburg to Kronstadt on a small sailing ship is unsafe, because of the violent storms that are on the Baltic Sea.

Empress persuaded Menshikov to built palace on the way to Kronstadt, convinced that Peter, returning to St. Petersburg, certainly will call for  his inseparable friend, who must under all sorts of pretexts to persuade the king to return home beach on horseback.

For this purpose, it was necessary not only to build a palace, but dig a channel in the marshes, which would allow the ship to reach the palace wharf.

Nine thousand  Menshikov's serfs dug a channel length of 474 meters, a width of 10 meters and a half in three days.

This place is a scene of grand reception which, Menshikov organized in honor of the first arrival of Peter the Great  in Oranienbaum.

After the death of Peter the Great, the owner of the estate fell into disgrace and did not finish the construction of the palace.

From the middle of the XVIII century begins a new era of Oranienbaum - the era of Peter III. 

Empress Elizabeth establishes in Oranienbaum yard for the heir to the throne, Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich.

Peter III (the son of one of the daughters of Peter I and the Duke of Holstein) was brought up in Holstein (historical region in Germany) and in 1761 occupied the Russian throne.

All Russian was alien to him, he liked to military affairs and spent much time in the community of soldiers.

In his new residence, he tried to recreate his small home. The construction begins in Oranienbaum, a large palace rebuilt on the draft of Rastrelli, and here was built Peterstadt fortress.

Peter was musically gifted. He was a master of the violin, had a talent for conductor.

On the terrace presented a scene where he directs the orchestra and performs the role of a solo violin.

In parterre you can see aunt of violinist - Empress Elizabeth and his wife - the Grand Duchess Catherine.

The concert took place in 21 August, 1756 in honor of the eleventh wedding anniversary couple grand.

In a remote corner of the park you can see one of the most famous street theater of Elizabethan time.

Here, in Oranienbaum, you can see a scene of the Elizabethan era - a hunting scene.

Hunting was the main attraction of our rulers at all times of the Russian state.

Here is a hunting scene, where Elizabeth hunts hares with hounds.

After dinner, right here, dancing began.

Entertainment scene represented in the park, also ships battle played out on the territory of the pond.

Many viewers, including Peter III, located on the shore.

Two sailing vessels - the frigate "St. Andrew" and the frigate "Orienbaum" galleys "Elizabeth" and "Catherine" were comic flotilla.

Frigate "Orienbaum" leads cannon fire galleys "Catherine".

Celebratory picnic in honor of the victory of Peter Fedorovich in this battle shown on the bank.