In this article, we will talk about the most beautiful estates in the Moscow region, as well as the 20 largest ancient castles in Russia, each of which has its own unique history. Palaces of Russia have always stood out for their majesty, so you should definitely not deprive them of attention.
winter palace
The most famous castle and cultural capital of Russia is St. It is located in St. Petersburg. The Winter Palace was built in the 18th century on the initiative of Elizabeth Petrovna. Italian architect Rastrelli worked on the Winter Palace and his work could not have been better. One of the most luxurious rooms in the castle is the malachite living room, which was used as the personal rooms of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I, and now everyone can go to where the monarchs tread, because the Russian castle is the main building. From the Hermitage.
Catherine Palace
Another Russian castle, no less famous than the previous one, is the Catherine Palace located in Tsarskoe Selo. The palace was built in 1717 by order of Peter I’s wife, Catherine I. In the future, its chambers were modified by other rulers to suit them and their interests. The decorations of the palace fascinate all visitors with their mouths open. Take a look at the Amber Room, which everyone has seen at least once, but it is undoubtedly impossible to get enough of it.
Smolensk Kremlin
Castles of Russia are also a type of castles, including Smolensk. Another name for it is the Smolensk Kremlin, and it is not just that, because it is the largest castle in Russia. The Kremlin was built to protect the western borders of the Russian state, as evidenced by the thickness of the walls up to six meters. But unfortunately to this day only parts of the castle a little more than three kilometers long have survived, and only 17 of the 38 towers are still standing.
Grand Gatchina Palace
This Russian palace clearly reflects the atmosphere not only of a distant era, but even of the Bridgerton series. It was built by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi for Grigory Orlov, a favorite of Catherine II. The whole process took 15 years (1766-1781), but the person for whom such mansions were designed lived here for only two years. After Orlov’s death, Gatchina was occupied by Paul I.
Peterhof the Great Palace
It would be a shame not to know about this castle. Palace, St. It is located in Peterhof near St. Petersburg. Peter I personally drew the outline of the project and the area was named Peter’s Court in honor of the king. But we know it as Peterhof, because in those days it was fashionable to call everything Dutch. However, we owe the current appearance of the palace to Elizaveta Petrovna, because it was she who hired the architect who transformed the castle in the Baroque style.
Mikhailovsky Castle
Mikhailovsky Castle is another wonderful creation. It was created by order of Paul I, who was very worried that enemies were waiting for him at every step. Therefore, he ordered the construction of a castle surrounded by water. Due to Paul’s haste, the project was completed in a record three years, but even the only accessible road, three guarded bridges, did not save the emperor’s life. He was killed 40 days after moving to Mikhailovsky.
Palace of Tsaritsyn the Great
This palace is located in the south of the capital. It is impossible to adequately look at Tsaritsyno; The pseudo-Gothic style of the castle fascinates everyone’s gaze. Catherine II wanted to have a residence in Moscow and the architect Bazhenov took on the job, he was soon demoted for violating the Cossack Code of Honor, so the Empress ordered all his works to be destroyed and hired the architect Matvey. Kazakov (Bazhenov’s student). However, his activities were also interrupted this time by the death of Catherine II. The palace was never completed.
Vorontsov Palace
Vorontsov Palace looks like a medieval castle, of which there are clearly not many in Russia. There is even a suspension bridge on the grounds of the palace, although it is made of cast iron. The castle was built in Crimea in 1828 for Count Mikhail Vorontsov and its construction took 20 years.
“Birdhouse”
Another castle that evokes thoughts of the Middle Ages has the unusual name “Swallow’s Nest”. The castle’s customer, oil producer F. Stengel, was looking for medieval architecture. The castle is built on Cape Ai-Todor and offers an incredible sea view. However, in 1914 Stengel left the country and a restaurant was opened in Swallow’s Nest, which continued to operate at the beginning of the 21st century.
Vyborg Castle
In 1293 the Swedes built one of the oldest castles in Russia. Vyborg Castle, unlike previous palaces, is truly a monument of the Middle Ages. The Swedes, who captured the outpost during the Third Crusade, built a wall around it and a stone watchtower in the center. Later, a city with warehouses, a prison and craft workshops emerged. The tower achieved its current appearance only after many reconstructions at the end of the 19th century.
Beep Castle
Bip castle attracts attention not only with its name, but also with its architecture, reminiscent of a fairy-tale entrance into the territory of a royal castle. This tower castle was also built on the site of Paul I’s Swedish outpost in the 18th century. The two towers of the castle are decorated in different styles: one is Gothic, the second is Romantic. The castle was a real castle with all that it contained, but it was designed to host guests. As for the funny name of the castle, there are several versions of its origin. One of them says it’s an abbreviation for “Paul’s big toy.”
Ivangorod Castle
Ivangorod Castle was built by Alexander III, who wanted to open new exits to the Baltic Sea. It was founded in 1492 by order of Ivan. A castle was needed here and the king ordered it to be built on Kız Dağı. The feature of the castle is that it was built right opposite the enemy Livonian castle and the distance between them is only 150 meters.
Novgorod castle
Otherwise, the people called it Novgorod Detinets, and for the first time the wooden castle, which was later rebuilt in stone, was mentioned in the chronicle in 1044. By the way, it is the first Russian castle made of red brick.
Koporskaya Castle
From a certain angle, Koporye Castle resembles a mini version of the Great Wall of China. Interestingly, it was originally wooden and built by knights of the Livonian Order in 1237. But Alexander Nevsky was not content with this and four years later he conquered and destroyed it, after which it was rebuilt in stone. During the attack in 1241, the hero Gavrila Aleksich died here.
Pskov Fortress
The Pskov fortress was first mentioned in 903, when the city of Pskov arose. Due to the city’s location on river trade routes, a fortress was needed and therefore raids here became a constant occurrence. And all this was not in vain: the castle withstood many sieges and in the 16th century was considered one of the strongest in Europe.
Preussisch Eylau Castle
The castle is located in the Kaliningrad region, which already says a lot about the style of construction. This is one of the oldest stone castles in Russia. It was built in 1325 by the order of Werner von Orseln, master of the Teutonic Order. Five years later, the building itself and the suspension bridge surrounded by a moat were ready.
Oldenburg Palace
The palace looks quite unusual for its time, and for good reason. This is how Princess EM Romanovskaya of Oldenburg planned everything in 1878. The original castle was built of red brick in neo-Gothic style. Balls were held in the palace, and a zoo was located in the basement.
Sheremetev Castle
The owner of the castle, Nizhny Novgorod landowner VP Sheremetev, did not know what he wanted his house to look like, so construction took place from 1874 to 1915. In 1893, the owner of the property died and his son took over the business. Perhaps he got the idea from the Princess of Oldenburg… Her scope was even wider, so as many as six architects worked on his project. The castle has more than 60 rooms, and for a moment there is a luxurious landscape park on the territory located on the banks of the Volga.
Alexei Mikhailovich Palace
This palace will take everyone to a real Russian fairy tale. An example of 17th-century wooden architecture in Kolomenskoye, the capital St. It belonged to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich until he moved to St. Petersburg and demolished it as unnecessary. In other words, if it had not been restored in 2000 according to the architectural plans of those years, we would not have been able to see this work.
Palace of the Emirate of Bukhara
Probably one of the most unusual castles in Russian history, it was built by the Russian general, the ninth emir of Bukhara, whose name was Seyid Abdulahad Khan. A palace in the oriental style was built in Zheleznovodsk, but its owner did not have time to live in it, as he died before the completion of construction. The castle passed to the royal dynasty and was later used as a sanatorium and military hospital.
Source: People Talk
Errol Villanueva is an author and lifestyle journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for exploring the latest trends in fashion, food, travel, and wellness, Errol’s articles are a must-read for anyone interested in living a stylish and fulfilling life.
