Construction of Tsaritsyno Park began in 18th century to end in 2007
For nearly 250 years building and renovation have been continuing in Tsaritsyno Park, which is called a champion of long-lasting construction works. In 2007, the construction could be completed at last
The construction in southeastern Moscow began in the middle of the 18th century. The Russian media recently noted that nobody has cancelled the decision of Catherine II to develop the place and no one has managed to fulfill her plans either. The Moscow authorities have undertaken to fulfill the task themselves, by acquiring Tsaritsyno from federal holdings in exchange for the building of the former Lenin Museum. More than 400 million rubles were allocated form the city budget for the reconstruction project.
Grand Scope
Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov seems willing to reconstruct buildings in the State Historical, Architectural and Landscape Museum-Reserve Tsaritsyno by the time his term of office expires: 29 architectural monuments built for Catherine II occupy 550 hectares of land, making it the largest museum-reserve of Moscow.
In Soviet times, Tsaritsyno palaces and other buildings housed specialized schools and rest houses. Now the Great Palace is being restored in accordance with architect Matvei Kazakov`s design. Tsaritsyno is also famous for its ponds, Patterned Bridge (Figurny Most) and Large Bridge, as well as Church of St. Nicholas, Bread Gate (Khlebnye Vorota), Opera House (Operny Dom), Artificial Ruin and other buildings that make it one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Moscow. Many Muscovites like going to Tsaritsyno to feed ducks on the ponds and walk in the forest.
Viktor Yegorychev, director of the museum-reserve, told The Moscow News that Tsaritsyno has been fully transferred from federal property into Moscow`s possession. Tsaritsyno has been the city`s museum for a year and a half.
Yegorychev said that a sculptural gallery dedicated to emperors and architects who were connected to the construction of Tsaritsyno will soon decorate the new path from the metro station of the same name. The sculpture of Catherine II will be the center of the composition together with her favorite - Duke Grigory Potemkin-Tavrichesky. The empress and the duke pondered here over the project of the Tsaritsyno ensemble. "We also want to erect a monument to Paul I, who ordered to stop developing the estate and to some extent turned it into a memorial to his mother," Yegorychev said. Monuments to Bazhenov, Kazakov and other architects will also be erected there. So far only the approach to Tsaritsyno from the Orekhovo metro station has been improved.
MoscowNews
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