Manor Studenets and park of culture and rest ''Krasnaya Presnya''. Red Presnya Park Red Presnya Park
The old noble estate Studenets is located on the left bank of the Moskva River, in the Presnensky district of the capital, on the territory of the Krasnaya Presnya recreation park. The official address of the estate: Mantulinskaya street, possession 5.
The Studenets estate, founded along the old Zvenigorodskaya road, near the Three Mountains tract, is one of the earliest Moscow estates and is a unique garden and park complex of the Petrovsky time.
Its history dates back to the 14th century. It is believed that the name "Studenets" was born from a cold spring, a stream that flowed through this area and subsequently filled the park's amazingly beautiful artificial canals and ponds with its purest waters. In the XIV century, the village of Vypryazhkovo on Studenets, which was the progenitor of the modern estate, belonged to the Serpukhov prince Vladimir Andreevich Brave, the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo, cousin of Dmitry Donskoy and grandson of Ivan Kalita. After the death of the prince, his widow, Princess Elena Olgedovna, in 1431 transferred the property to Metropolitan Photius. The same, in turn, handed it over to the Novinsky Vvedensky Monastery founded in 1430. Here, on the Studenets stream, the patriarch's ponds were built. The monastery owned the land until the first quarter of the 17th century, after which it gradually began to pass into the specific ownership of the Russian tsars and princes and was used for the needs of the palace economy.
At the end of the 17th century, the lands of the village of Vypryazhkovo were granted by Peter I to his closest associate, Prince Matvey Petrovich Gagarin, who built his country yard on them.
Gagarins - one of the oldest Russian noble families, which is a branch of the princely family of Starodubsky, the founder of which was Prince Ivan - the youngest son of Vsevolod the Big Nest. A descendant of Prince Ivan in the seventh generation, Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Golibesovsky-Starodubsky, received the worldly nickname "Gagara", which later passed to his ancestors in the form of a transformed surname. From Mikhail Ivanovich Gagara, four branches of the princes Gagarins went, one of which belonged to the owner of the Student, Prince Matvey Petrovich Gagarin, the most colorful character of the Petrine era.
Portrait of Prince Matvey Gagarin. Artist Salvator Tonchi.
The time of Peter the Great is a bright page in Russian history, an era of change and discovery, the formation of new ideas about aesthetics in art. Peter I's fascination with Europe is widely known. In 1697-1698, the young tsar made a long journey through Holland, the most advanced country of that time, the world's first bourgeois republic and the main maritime power, where he observed the way of life of the Dutch, studied shipbuilding, working at the shipyard as a simple carpenter, inspected factories, workshops, laboratories, visited theaters, museums, met with engineers, scientists and artists. The king also paid attention to park ensembles, he visited all the famous gardens of the Netherlands, and his travel notes were full of descriptions of European parks.
In Holland, on the orders of Peter, specialists from various fields of activity, including gardeners, were hired to work in Russia. Upon his return to his homeland, the tsar sent Russians abroad to study crafts and sciences, in particular, gardening and landscape art. Books were bought abroad on the improvement of parks, botany, architecture of small forms, albums with illustrations and plans of the best palace and park ensembles were purchased, which Peter personally examined and studied during his trip in order to further apply the acquired knowledge in practice. The great reformer strove for the development in Russia of exquisite tastes in gardening and the introduction of the latest techniques of decorative art. According to historians, Peter had a strong aesthetic sense and was gifted with an extraordinary sense of beauty. Attracting masters from Europe to work in Russia, he invariably opted for the best and most gifted. Peter's favorite garden master was the Dutchman Jan Roosen (Rosen), whom he invited in 1712 to create in St. Petersburg the Summer Garden conceived and designed by the tsar. With the founder of the Moscow hospital, the Dutch doctor Nikolaas (Nikolai Lambertovich) Bidloo, who arranged a garden “at his house” on the Yauza on land allocated by the tsar, Peter personally corresponded, guiding, prompting, advising how to dig canals, ponds, throw bridges and lay alleys to create a real "Dutch garden".
The classic prototype of Dutch gardens throughout the 17th century was Frederik Hendrik's "canal garden", created in 1621. A small garden unfolded on a flat area, has two main axial alleys, intersecting at right angles and dividing it into four parts. Rectangular parterres are accentuated by sheared alleys, water channels are emphatically geometric. The owner's house closes the main compositional axis of the park. It was precisely such gardens - with a strict linear composition, a simple and clear rectangular layout, a system of small decorative reservoirs - that Peter admired in Holland during his trip and subsequently sought to create ensembles in their own image and likeness in his homeland.
Matvey Petrovich Gagarin, the owner of the Studenets estate on the Moskva River, belonged to the inner circle of Peter I. One of the tsar's favorites, he accompanied him on European trips, and upon his return from them actively participated in all his affairs and undertakings. In his younger years, he served as a steward at the Moscow Court, later was a governor in Irkutsk and Nerchinsk, and for some time was an ambassador to China. According to contemporaries, Peter respected Gagarin for many excellent qualities.
After Russia's victory over Sweden and the annexation of new territories, the issue of connecting the country's interior regions with the Baltic and with the new capital under construction became topical. To solve it, Peter planned to turn the river beds with the help of canals into convenient transport arteries. The first such waterway connecting central Russia with St. Petersburg was the Tveretsky Canal in Vyshny Volochek. In 1703, M.P. was appointed head of its construction. Gagarin (that's why the channel was called Gagarinsky for a long time). During the implementation of the project for the construction of the canal, Gagarin proved to be a capable engineer who, with the assistance of the Dutch masters involved in the work, was able to skillfully use the hydrotechnical potential of the area. In 1708, immediately after the completion of the construction of the Tveretsky Canal, Peter established a governor's post in Moscow, appointing M.P. Gagarin and instructing him first of all to strengthen the ancient walls of the Kremlin and Kitay-Gorod with new bastions.
Probably, it was during this period that M.P. Gagarin, who became the Moscow governor, arranges a "canal garden" in his estate Studenets in the Dutch manner. After all, his royal patron is sincerely passionate about Holland, he dreams of creating a Russian Amsterdam. Focusing on the tastes of Peter and wanting, probably, to pleasantly impress him, Gagarin hurries to equip a Dutch garden in Studenets. It is quite possible that the creation of the park ensemble was timed to coincide with a very specific event: at the end of 1709, at the behest of Peter I, a grandiose eight-day celebration was scheduled in Moscow on the occasion of the victory of Russian troops near Poltava, and Prince Gagarin was instructed to organize the celebration. Naturally, the new governor wanted to arrange a magnificent reception for Peter in his newly built estate.
During the construction of the estate complex M.P. Gagarin benefited from the experience of working on the construction of the Tveretsky Canal, the technical knowledge and skills of Dutch specialists and the strength of Russian builders engaged in digging work turned out to be in place.
The flat nature of the land plot, the abundance of water: the Moskva River, the ponds of the former patriarchal estate that existed for a long time, streams and springs - these natural conditions created an amazing resemblance to the landscapes of Holland and provided an opportunity for the successful implementation of the planned garden project. All natural factors were taken into account and used to create a large-scale and picturesque hydropark, consisting of a whole labyrinth of water channels and islands between them, unfortunately, only partially preserved to this day. For the Russian estate culture of the 17th-18th centuries, it was considered traditional to place palace and park complexes on the banks of rivers or near ponds to maximize all the advantages of such an arrangement and develop the water resources of the area for utilitarian and decorative purposes. The Studenets park ensemble was created in the spirit of these traditions - with the active and free role of water in its landscape. But the main difference that distinguishes Studenets from a number of estate ensembles of other eras that preceded or followed Peter's is the amazing strict simplicity, clarity of planning and the vastness of the water surface in the composition. In the project implemented by Gagarin, two elements were effectively combined - water and air. The dryness of the lines of the regular composition of the ensemble is gently diluted with an airy perspective, in which distant plans disappear, and water and greenery create a picturesque, eye-pleasing picture.
Although the canals of the eastern part of the park disappeared at the end of the 19th century, elements of the park's water system that have survived to this day can be used to recreate the original structure of the Studenets layout. This is a measured regular "Dutch" garden with straight lines of canals, extensive water surfaces and clear axial alleys of short cut trees. However, in the western part of the park, several very old oaks, over 300 years old, have been preserved. As you know, Peter I loved big old trees and ordered to preserve them when forming new park ensembles. The presence of 300-year-old oaks in Studenets, apparently, indicates the desire of the creator of the garden to follow the wishes of the king in this. Perhaps other species of trees were also present here, because in addition to oaks, Peter also loved lindens, elms, larches, hornbeams, beeches, chestnuts, and several thousand seedlings of these species were brought from Holland to Russia. The Dutch garden was traditionally decorated with whimsical gazebos and galleries, trellises for climbing plants, grottoes, and sculpture. Flowers were also actively used: the gardens abounded with flower beds, mainly from “scented” flowers.
The fate of the founder of the estate Studenets, a comrade-in-arms of Peter I, Matvey Petrovich Gagarin, was tragic. Luck often spoiled him, accompanied him on the path of career growth, until one day he turned away from him and left him forever. The sovereign highly appreciated the merits and business qualities of Gagarin in the construction of the hydrotechnical complex on Tvertsa and the Moscow governorate, therefore, after the establishment of the provinces in 1708, it was he who was appointed governor of Siberia.
During his leadership of this region, Gagarin did a lot for him: he completed the stone Kremlin in Tobolsk, decorated the Siberian capital with numerous stone buildings, made rich contributions to the Tobolsk Sophia-Assumption Cathedral and other churches, donated funds to the distressed captured Swedes who were in Siberia, strengthened relations between Russia and China. Initially, Prince Gagarin followed the instructions of the sovereign, but later he began to autocratically rule a rich and vast land, not denying himself personally the luxury and pleasures, the fame of which reached the capital. At dinner, the prince served about 50 different dishes on silver and gold dishes; the horseshoes of Gagarin's horses were silver, the wheels of the carriage were also bound with silver; in Moscow, on Tverskaya Street, the prince built for himself chambers, stunning in their splendor, in which the walls were mirrored, and the ceilings were glass aquariums with live fish; among his wealth was the most precious of all the rubies known at that time, brought to him from China (later he was presented to Prince Menshikov, and from him passed to Catherine I). It seems that the prince thought less and less about the benefits of the state and more and more about his own. There is also an opinion that Gagarin did not just abuse the financial spending of state funds, but even intended to separate Siberia from Russia and create a separate state under his control.
The ill-wishers did not fail to report to the tsar about Gagarin's actions, and Peter abruptly changed his attitude towards that. The governor, who was officially fined, was put on trial for financial fraud, but many called the rebellion he was plotting the real reason for the disgrace. The Big Investigation Commission, after conducting an investigation and considering the case, accused Gagarin of embezzlement. Trying to save himself, he wrote a letter to Peter, admitting his guilt and asking for mercy. But the tsar did not forgive the excess of power given to him in Siberia and, apparently, wanting to put an end to bureaucratic embezzlement once and for all, he ordered the prince to be publicly executed. In 1721, the former Siberian governor was hanged in St. Petersburg as a warning to his contemporaries and descendants. And his body, as a sign of intimidation of corrupt officials, remained for many months hanged on the gallows for all to see. Simultaneously with the execution of the prince, all his property was confiscated, the seized estates were granted to Pashkov, Bruce, Devier, Mamonov, Moscow and country yards were transferred to Olsufiev. The closest relatives of the executed prince were also punished. His son, Alexei Gagarin, was demoted to the sailors.
During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, Studenets was returned to the grandson of M.P. Gagarin - to Matvey Alekseevich, who again equipped the estate. During the reign of Elizabeth I, "Gagarin's dacha" was a popular place for festivities, where various amusements were held: performances by magicians, tightrope walkers, numerous musicians and singers, fireworks, illumination, etc.
Despite the ups and downs in the fate of the owners of the Studenets estate, during the 18th century, the original appearance of the “water” regular park created there did not change significantly. Several plans of the estate of the second half of the 18th century have been preserved in archival materials. At that time, it was listed in the documents as the Gagarins' country house, and in unofficial sources it appeared as "Gagarin's Ponds". The plans of 1763, 1767, 1778 show that a stream flows along the western border of the park, feeding the western half of the canal. A small regular garden is marked in the western corner of the estate. The eastern part of the canals is connected to a pond dug below the spring water well. Written sources also mention “the master's wooden house, in which dug ponds with islands” and “Hay mowing is good. Forestry ".
A fragment of the village of Studenets, the property of Mr. Matvey Alekseevich Gagarin. 1763. A copy of the RGADA drawing.
In the second half of the 18th century, the noble festivities organized at the Gagarin Ponds were widely known in Moscow and enjoyed success with the honorable public. “Moskovskie Vedomosti” dated June 27, 1754 reports: “This week on Tuesday ... in the graveyard on the Three Mountains, there were so many people who rarely remember in previous years ... Finally, to the famous Prince Gagarin’s house located there for many carriages in closeness to drive up, and it was hardly possible to disperse along the ponds due to crampedness. Moreover, in the local imperial capital there is no noble and rich, beautiful and magnificent, then everything could be seen here. The same publication a year later informed readers that on June 24 "... a great meeting of the people was on the Three Mountains, where on this holiday there is usually an amusement park, and especially on the glorious ponds of Prince Gagarin located in the vicinity of this place."
In 1804, Studenets changed its owner - Count Fyodor Andreevich Tolstoy, a senator, privy councilor, landowner, bibliophile, member of the Society of Russian Literature Lovers, collector of manuscripts and old books, became its new owner. In 1818, the dacha in Studenets passed as a dowry to his daughter Agrafena Fedorovna when she married Arseny Andreevich Zakrevsky, the Minister of the Interior, and later the Governor-General of Moscow. The new owners of the Zakrevskys live in the dacha for a long time, relax, drink the three-mountain water, go boating, fish and enjoy the views of the beautiful garden.
Portrait of Count A.A. Zakrevsky. Unknown artist. 1810s
Portrait of Countess A.F. Zakrevskaya. Unknown artist. 1810s
A.A. Zakrevsky participated in the Patriotic War of 1812, and when arranging the estate devastated during the hostilities, he decided to give it a special memorial character, to turn the park into a kind of monument to the recent war. By his order, a new wooden house with outbuildings is being built (it has not survived to this day). The park is decorated with monuments, pavilions, grottoes dedicated to the war and its heroes: M.B. Barclay de Tolly, N.M. Kamensky, P.M. Volkonsky, A.P. Yermolov and others. The main symbol of patriotism in the renovated manor complex is the Studenets key, because it was here that Russian soldiers took communion before the battle with the enemy in the fall of 1812. An octagonal Octagon pavilion is being built over the Holy Spring.
Many famous people visited the Zakrevsky family in the renovated estate. It is known that one day Studenets was visited by General A.P. Yermolov, to whom the owners solemnly showed the monument erected in his honor. Perhaps D.V. also visited. Davydov - a famous poet and partisan of the war of 1812 - in any case, he often visited another estate of the Zakrevskys - Ivanovsky near Podolsk.
The wife of A.A. Zakrevsky Agrafena Fedorovna Zakrevskaya, who since girlish times was affectionately called “Grushenka Tolstaya”, was known in the world as a beautiful, brilliantly educated and well-mannered, independent woman with a lively and sharp mind. She was the object of admiration for many. E.A. dedicated poems to her. Baratynsky, admired P.A. Vyazemsky, before her marriage, A.S. was fascinated by her. Pushkin. The latter in his letters to A.I. Vyazemsky called her "copper Venus". She often inspired him, was the muse of his work. A.F. Zakrevskaya appears in one of the chapters of "Eugene Onegin" as "brilliant Nina Voronskaya", "Cleopatra of the Neva". And after his marriage, the poet did not cease to admire the beauty, intelligence and manners of Zakrevskaya, recreating her image in poetry and prose. In the unfinished stories “Egyptian Nights”, “Guests Came to the Cottage”, “We Spent the Evening at the Cottage”, Pushkin again and again refers to the plot of Cleopatra, in whose heroine the same prototype was clearly visible - the “soul of society” and the mistress of the Studenetskaya estate . Whether the great poet visited Studenets is not exactly known. But he had a close acquaintance with A.A. Zakrevsky, repeatedly turned to him, was familiar and kept in touch with many members of the family, so he could well visit the student's dacha in the late 1820s, when he lived in Moscow for a long time.
The first half of the 19th century is the period of a new bright heyday of the Studenets estate. Many art historians attribute the merit of creating a new main house and other buildings in the park to the famous architect Domenico Gilardi (although some call the authors V.P. Stasov and A.G. Grigoriev). The drawings of the buildings are close in their execution technique to the style of Gilardi, and some strongly resemble his other buildings, however, accurate evidence of the work of D.I. Gilardi on the project of the updated Student is not present at the moment. Two monuments of that era have survived to our time - the Octagon Pavilion and the Monument-Column in the park, which was restored in the 1960s, and previously had a completion in the form of a winged figure with a sword. During the reconstruction of the Zakrevsky estate in the park, a landscape layout appeared between the columns with picturesque paths and paths among asymmetrically placed monuments and pavilions; channels were cleared and filled with clean running water; The islands are connected by wooden footbridges. The Dutch motifs of the time of Peter the Great, which were previously traced in the construction and design of the park complex, were replaced by Italian ones. Contemporaries enthusiastically called the Zakrevsky's dacha "absolute Venice with Gardens." In general, A.A. Zakrevsky did not seek to change the foundations laid down in the composition of the park during construction at the beginning of the 18th century, the park retained the features of the original image, but under Zakrevsky its design was updated, and the idea of \u200b\u200bthis renewal acquired a memorial character, introducing additional semantic meaning to individual architectural elements of the ensemble and making the park is a kind of monument to the heroes of the war of 1812.
General plan of the estate Studenets. 1830s - 1840s. A copy of the RGADA drawing. Schubert's plan of Moscow.
Main manor building with outbuildings. RGIA. 1830s
Main manor house with outbuildings.
Pavilion Octagon. RGIA. 1830s
Pavilion in the garden. RGIA.
Arbor in the garden. Monument on the grave of the horse A.A. Zakrevsky, so-called. "Tomb of Zakrevsky's horse".
The Studenets estate in the 19th century enjoyed no less interest from the public than when it was owned by the Gagarins. On holidays, the Zakrevskys' dacha was open to the public, various events were held on its territory, and performances were given. So, for example, on August 19, 1828, a balloon was launched in Studenets, but in which “aeronaut Mrs. Ilyinskaya undauntedly rose quite high under a huge balloon on a fragile boat, lit several rockets at her zenith and landed very happily on a meadow near the dacha. There were a lot of curious people."
Student. General view of the estate. Painting by an unknown artist. 1820s
Student. View in the park. Painting by an unknown artist. 1820s
Around 1834, after the resignation of A.A. Zakrevsky from the post of Minister of the Interior, Pavel Nikolayevich Demidov, the richest nobleman, the owner of the Ural iron-smelting plants, a well-known philanthropist and philanthropist, acquired Studenets for 400 thousand rubles. The new owner, however, did not use the estate for personal purposes, but as another of his acts of charity, for which he was very famous, he presented it at the beginning of 1834 to the state to establish a public institution, adding another 15 thousand rubles to the gift for repairs main house. The wife of Emperor Nicholas I, Alexandra Feodorovna, ranked Studenets among the charitable institutions of the Office of Empress Maria Feodorovna, and in 1835 allowed the Society of Horticultural Lovers to open a gardening school in the estate "in order to train experienced gardeners."
Portrait of Pavel Nikolaevich Demidov. Artist P.P. Vedenetsky.
The school of horticulture set up extensive flower nurseries and greenhouses on the estate, in which plants were grown for sale. Studenetsky standard roses more than a sazhen high were very famous, collections of dahlias repeatedly received first prizes at exhibitions. Seedlings of various species of trees and shrubs were grown on the islands of the park. Grapes and peaches ripened successfully in greenhouses, and there were 60 varieties of pears and 15 plums in the garden. Pupils of the school were taught the theoretical and practical foundations of gardening, were engaged in the acclimatization of plants.
During the period when the school of gardening was located in Studenets, visitors also constantly gathered in the manor. In the summer, every Sunday, festivities, musical evenings, performances, dinners were organized here, boating and boat rides along the canals of the garden, fireworks and other spectacular spectacles were organized.
Studenets was still famous for its springs and springs. Studenetskaya water, in which there were no organic impurities, was highly valued in Moscow: it was used for the preparation of artificial mineral waters, taken to the imperial court when he was in the capital, and to the houses of the nobility and wealthy merchants, "used" in the production at the nearby Trekhgorny brewery.
In the new period, the estate continued to be reconstructed, some restructuring took place in it, which was not of a global nature. Art critic E.I. Kirichenko gives information about the participation in construction work in Studenets in the second half of the 19th century by the architect M.D. Bykovsky. The CIAM archives contain interesting plans for the northern part of the park dating back to 1908, which show a very peculiar landscape structure and layout of a small garden in the Art Nouveau style, and the assortment list of the garden is rich in various ornamental plants.
Manor Studenets on the topographical plan of Moscow in 1838.
Studenets estate on the Khotevsky plan of Moscow in 1852.
Manor Studenets on the plan of the capital city of Moscow in 1878.
The School of Horticulture of the Department of Institutions of Empress Maria Feodorovna existed in Studenets until the 1917 revolution. After the estate was nationalized, and in troubled times, the park complex had a hard time. The cultural heritage of tsarism suffered seriously as part of the ideological struggle of the new Soviet system with the traditional order. The canal park, which turned out to be in the center of the district of revolutionary workers, was no exception. Disorders, misuse and mismanagement did not have the best effect on its appearance and condition. In 1931, the park was transferred to the Trekhgornaya Manufactory, and in 1932 it was decided to create the Krasnaya Presnya Park of Culture and Leisure on its basis. It would seem that this could save the park from destruction. But the desire of the new government to change everything in its own way exceeded the limits of reason. Transformations began: part of the ponds were covered up, the banks of the canals were dressed in concrete, which adversely affected the state of the waters, many old picturesque bridges were destroyed, and new ones were built, not distinguished by sophistication and harmony of style, most of the monuments in memory of the heroes of the war of 1812 disappeared forever. Of the memorial objects of the park, only the Tuscan column on the island has survived to this day, however, the winged figure that once adorned it has been lost. The old manor house was actually destroyed in the first half of the 20th century, by the 60s only the foundation and one outbuilding remained from it. The beautiful Empire gates that formed the entrance to the park were dismantled. In 1955, on the site of the demolished buildings of the horticultural school, the Krasnaya Presnya cinema building was built.
Manor Studenets on the plan of Moscow in 1952.
In 1975, the preserved pavilion-water tower Oktagon was moved 22 meters to the side due to the construction of high-rise buildings of the World Trade Center and lost its original meaning of arranging the spring key of the Holy Spring, and the key itself was removed into an underground collector overlooking the Moscow River. On the territory of the former estate, some outbuildings and sports facilities were also erected, breaking into the park and violating its original structure and layout.
Movement of the Octagon pavilion. Copy of E.M. Handel. 1975
Nowadays, the former country cottage continues its life in the urban environment, being almost in the very center of the noisy metropolis. In 1960, the central part of the park (about 18 hectares) was declared a monument of history and culture of federal significance and taken under state protection. True, in 2011 the status of a protected object was lowered to regional significance. Since the 1990s, attempts have been made to partially restore the estate complex.
Gate pylon restoration project. Mosproekt-2, Workshop-13. 1993
Based on archival photographs of the 1930s in 1998 by restorers N.F. Zhurina and A.S. The entrance gates of the park were recreated by the Queen. The memorial traditions of the estate were supported by Afghan soldiers who planted an alley of horse chestnut in the park. The choice of tree species was not accidental: it is known that horse chestnut grew in Studenets before, it was planted on one of the islands between the canals by A.A. Zakrevsky on the third anniversary of the birth of his daughter Lydia (in 1829). Since 2010, work began on the restoration of the main house of the estate with outbuildings. In the near future, they should be completed, and Muscovites, I want to believe, will finally have the opportunity to see the recreated historical appearance of the magnificent estate in the past.
Restoration project of the main manor house with outbuildings in the Studenets estate. Front view. 2006-2008 years.
Restoration project of the main manor house with outbuildings in the Studenets estate. Isometric view. 2006-2008 years.
Restoration project of the main manor house with outbuildings in the Studenets estate. Additional types. 2006-2008 years.
Summing up and looking back at the historical past of the Studenets estate, it is worth noting that Peter I's passion for the example of progressive Holland and his active work to promote the ideas he noted abroad in landscape art laid such strong foundations and traditions in this area that in the future Russia gave world culture truly magnificent examples of park landscapes that can compete with their European prototypes. And the “canal garden” of M.P. Gagarin in the Studenets estate is one of the earliest such specimens and is completely unique for Moscow and Russia.
Pavilion Octagon. Photo by Evgeny Chesnokov / yamoskva.com
Tuscan column. Photo by Evgeny Chesnokov / yamoskva.com
To relax in nature, it is not necessary to travel outside the city - just visit the cozy park of culture and recreation Krasnaya Presnya, located in the Presnensky district. This is one of the favorite vacation spots for Muscovites and guests of the capital. Each visitor will be able to find something interesting and attractive just for himself: wander along well-groomed paths, enjoy the singing of many-voiced birds, enjoy the sun on free sunbeds and ottomans on a small island, walk barefoot on soft grass or feed voracious ducks in one of numerous channels of the park.
What else is interesting in the park "Krasnaya Presnya"
At the sports equipment rental, for a small fee, you can rent bicycles, roller skates, electric cars for young children. Shooting enthusiasts can hone their skills in a small shooting range. Films are shown for free on a neat open-air stage, here you can also see performances by folk groups and famous performers.
On the territory of the park there is an artificial ice skating rink, which can be visited both in winter and summer. Skates can be rented or you can bring your own. Diskobot - a small pool with inflatable radio-controlled boats, is waiting for its little brave visitors. For thrill-seekers, a skate park offers its services: tricks performed by professionals are mesmerizing.
How to get to Krasnaya Presnya Park by metro
This place is located on Mantulinskaya street, house 5. You can easily get to it by private car. How to get to Krasnaya Presnya Park by metro? The fastest and best option would be to get to the Vystavochnaya station along the Filevskaya blue line, then walk about 800 meters at a walking pace, which will take about 15 minutes. More picturesque will be the passage along the embankment of the Moscow River. To do this, at the exit you need to turn right and go along the glass buildings. On the left hand there will be the Expocentre, behind which the park itself is located.
Another route for those who are wondering how to get to the Krasnaya Presnya park by metro starts from the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line. First you need to get to the station "Ulitsa 1905 Goda" then transfer to bus No12 and drive three stops to "Ulitsa Mantulinskaya". The walk will take 15-20 minutes.
Walking along the well-groomed paths of the park, I suddenly caught myself thinking: there is something else very pleasant and comfortable in the atmosphere. It was quiet, unobtrusive music pouring from the speakers. She was echoed by the numerous voices of the birds living in the park. It was very strange, but harmonious. All this set up for relaxation, rest and solitude.
Carefully preserved nature and picturesque views of the park contribute to this lyrical mood. In autumn, the old linden alley is well preserved, along which, oddly enough, champignons grow under the canopy of trees.
Having crossed to the island along the oval bridge, I ended up in a real recreation area. There are also free comfortable sun loungers and ottomans. People sunbathe right in the center of the city. The beauty!
Mothers with strollers, children running barefoot on the soft grass - what could be better for those who do not have the opportunity to go out of town in the summer?! Right there, nearby, on the island, there is a huge white tent, where, probably, you can hide from the unexpected rain. But at that moment there was some kind of seminar or training of the design school. Nobody interfered with anyone: some sunbathed, others nursed children, others were trained.
By the way, for children in the park they made a wonderful playground with a special coating, various swings and a trampoline. The kids don't want to go home.
Nearby is a small stage. Obviously, interesting performances and holidays take place here. Yes, they still play films for free right in the open air. There is a poster at the entrance.
Sports activities in the park
Pleasantly surprised by the rental of sports equipment. What is there just not - bicycles, roller skates, velomobiles, electric cars for children. The prices are quite reasonable.
I also noticed a playground for basketball and mini-football. But the most interesting thing is a skate park for fans of extreme sports. Teenagers here make different tricks on roller skates, bicycles and skateboards. An exciting action.
Five times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday) at 10.00 everyone can practice ancient Chinese breathing exercises with instructors. Entrance is completely free.
History of the park
The small park "Krasnaya Presnya", located on 16.5 hectares right in the center of Moscow, is rightfully considered unique in the capital. This is due to the only picturesque "Dutch" ponds in Moscow, which have been preserved on the site of the old manor of the 18th century "Studenets".
The estate belonged to the princes Gagarin. M.A. Gagarin laid out a garden in this place in the so-called "Dutch style", suggesting the presence of artificial ponds. The very name of the estate comes from the Studenets stream that once flowed here, which was famous for its pure springs. Residents of the area have always come here for the beautiful water, which was considered healing.
Subsequently, in the 20s of the 19th century, the estate passed into the hands of the Moscow Governor-General A.A. Zakrevsky, who built a beautiful house here and arranged the park together with the architect G. Gilardi. Now the estate is being restored, but they say that this has nothing to do with a real historical reconstruction. It is expected that there will be a regular remake.
In addition, the would-be restorers a few years ago, while carrying out work, broke the vein of the key that supplied the ponds with water. They began to dry up. At the moment they are somehow filled with water, but in some places it blooms very strongly. Obviously, the water-biological balance was disturbed.
In 1932, a recreation park for Muscovites was created on the site of the estate. Part of the ponds were filled up, but new bridges in the Empire style were thrown over.
The cast-iron front gates of the park, recreated by architects in 1998 from photographs of the 30s of the 20th century, are very interesting in appearance.
At the entrance to the park, you are immediately greeted by Lenin, whose monument was erected here in 1976. He looks very sad and dilapidated. He sits, thinks, writes something in his copper notebook...
Since it was time for a lunch break, the few alleys of the park were filled with "white collars", or in other words - "office plankton", who "floated" here to breathe fresh Moscow air, forgetting about all their business affairs. In general, the park is, as it were, in the arms of the business life of Moscow - it is surrounded by the World Trade Center and the Expocentre. Yes, and Moscow City is very close.
Come to the park to feel in solitude and tranquility, to relax and unwind.
Some more photos of the park:
How to get there:
The park is located at the address - Mantulinskaya street, house 5. How to get there: you can walk from the metro as follows:
- from the metro station "Vystavochnaya" - 751 m;
- from the metro station "Ulitsa 1905 Goda" - 1288 m;
- from the metro station "Mezhdunarodnaya" - 1331 m.
Entrance. 1950-1960: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/1477
Front gate recreated in 1998
History reference:
In the 14th century, the “village of Vypryazhkovo on Studenets” lay here, which belonged to the grandson of Ivan Kalita, the Serpukhov prince Vladimir Andreevich the Brave, the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo. His yard was nearby - on the "Three Mountains".
"Every centimeter of the huge (16.5 hectares) protected park breathes history. At the beginning of the 18th century, on the banks of the Studenets stream, the country palace of the princes Gagarins was located. The water from Studenets had such healing power that the owners of the estate built a well from which all the suffering could quench their thirst .
Later, already in the 19th century, the new owner of the Studenets estate, Arseniy Zakrevsky, Adjutant General of Alexander I and hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, reconstructed the territory. The author of innovative ideas was the outstanding architect Domenico Gilardi. The estate made such an impression on contemporaries that it was deservedly called "absolute Venice in the gardens."
Then a lot has changed. Unfortunately, during the Soviet period, the park lost its original charm. Many sculptures and several beautiful gardens have disappeared without a trace. But today, constant, careful and painstaking work is underway to restore the lost. This is how the debt of history is returned to Muscovites," the official website of the park http://p-kp.ru/ reports.
In fairness, it must be clarified that Student's troubles began not in the Soviet period, but long before the revolution. Both the estate and the Garden of the Studenets School of Horticulture were pretty dilapidated at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. According to the commission's report, "the buildings were found in an extremely unsatisfactory condition. The property is not fenced, access is open to wandering people. One of the buildings is uninhabited due to dilapidation." Over the years, the estate suffered from fires and floods. As of 1908, the main house of the estate was destroyed, but outbuildings were preserved, part of the canals was filled up, greenhouses and greenhouses occupied the island. In 1915, the gardening school was going to be relocated to the vicinity of the city of Sochi, and the territory of the estate was to be adapted for industrial needs.
These plans were interrupted by the First World War and revolutionary cataclysms. After the revolution, the manor park became a resting place for workers and their families. The revival of the park began in earnest in the 1930s, when the railway line leading to the Tryokhgornaya manufactory was liquidated. In 1932, on the site of the Studenets estate and the Garden of the Studenets School of Horticulture, the Krasnaya Presnya Culture and Leisure Park was created with a concert stage, attractions, a children's town, and a boat pier. Festive festivities ended with fireworks on the water. There is no need to idealize Stalin's Moscow either - there were vegetable gardens, dumps and wastelands in the neighborhood.
1951: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/84424
Portrait of I.V. Stalin from carpet flowers (Krasnaya Presnya Park of Culture and Leisure, Moscow). Made according to the sketch and under the guidance of the decorator A. Belyaev. Magazine "Spark" No. 47 November 1951
According to the General Plan for the Reconstruction of Moscow in 1935, the territory was included in the huge Krasnopresnensky Park from the Kamer-Kollezhsky Val to the line of the Belarusian Railway (in this case, the Vagankovsky cemetery would have been destroyed). As an option, it was planned to create a Hydrotechpark in Studenets with canals, locks and other structures. These ideas were buried by a new war - the Great Patriotic War. Railway tracks were again laid to Trekhgorka.
Although projects to improve the park and recreate the historic estate emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, work on the reconstruction of the main building began only in 2006 and should be completed in the second quarter of 2014. It seems that the builders are not in a hurry (not an Olympic facility), and the deadlines may move.
The name of the estate on the banks of the Moscow River comes from the Studenets stream. Before the construction of the Mytishchi water pipeline to Moscow, the wells on the Three Mountains had the best drinking water in the city, for which rich people sent water carriers even several kilometers away.
Pavilion "Octagon", 1904: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/11041
The Oktagon well pavilion, built in the 1820s by the famous architect Domenico Gilardi in the Empire style, has been preserved on Mantulinskaya Street. The pavilion is decorated in the ancient Roman spirit of the times of the first Roman emperor Augustus and topped with a small dome. The building got its name from the Latin word meaning octagon.
There were bronze lion masks on the walls, and natural spring water flowed from the mouths of predators. Around 1974, the masks were dismantled, and in 1975, in connection with the redevelopment of the territory, the pavilion was moved with winches and can now be seen in the park near the World Trade Center.
In 1955, on the site of the demolished buildings of the gardening school, a new cinema "Krasnaya Presnya" was opened (architect A. Raport). According to the Decree of the Government of Moscow, in 2001 the building of the cinema, which had become unprofitable, was leased "for educational and entertainment activities" to the International Fund for the Development of Film and Television for Children and Youth (Rolan Bykov Fund). Now there are no signs on it, the original stucco decorations and lanterns near the entrance have been preserved on the facade, although the building itself was repainted from light yellow to dark brown over time.
Reconstructed administrative buildings and cafes
Opposite the entrance to the park there is a monument to Lenin
Manor Studenets under reconstruction
The banner contains the necessary information about the construction, and on the fence there is a useful text about the history of the Studenets estate (which was used when compiling the text of this story).
Fountain, 1987-1990: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/95107
The Tuscan column has been preserved on the island, the pedestal of which is decorated with swords in scabbards and wreaths. But the sculptures of commanders - the heroes of the war of 1812 - created according to the designs of V. Stasov, have been lost. These monuments were erected in 1820-1830 on the initiative of the then owner of the estate, Count A.A. Zakrevsky. Each of the islands of the park was dedicated to the memory of one of the heroes under whose command Zakrevsky served: Kamensky, Barclay, Volkonsky.
Until recently, the park housed a gallery of Russian ice sculpture with a permanent year-round exhibition. To prevent visitors from freezing in summer, warm fur coats were given out at the entrance.
Among the numerous cultural events held in the Krasnaya Presnya park, the Street of History festival was remembered: Russian soldiers from different eras, domino players over a glass of beer, a dissident samizdat activist and other characters from the ancient and recent past appeared before the townspeople.
There is a dance floor in front of the concert stage, ballet and dance circles work in the park. And you can get acquainted with ethnic foreign dances at the festival "Latinofest".
In the capital, it was once an old noble estate. This place was called "Studenets". It originally belonged to the Gagarins. However, the estate was glorified by its later owner - Arseniy Zakrevsky. Being a hero of the war of 1812, during the reign of Nicholas I, he became the governor-general of the capital.
Story
Established in 1932 on the site of the estate and the neighboring garden of the Studenetsky horticultural school, the Krasnaya Presnya park has a very interesting history. In the estate "Studenets" special orders for that time always dominated. This landowner took special care of his serfs.
Zakrevsky turned his estate, in which he settled after leaving the service, into a unique memorial complex in Moscow, and in Russia as well, telling about the victory of Russia. To do this, he invited the architect Gilardi to the estate.
Thanks to joint efforts in the Studenets, on the site of which the Krasnaya Presnya park is located today, the only complex of Dutch ponds and artificial islands was created at that time. Each of them bore the name of Zakrevsky's military commanders and was decorated with their bronze busts.
Historical heritage
The capital is famous for many places where people go to relax. But this monument of architecture and history is one of the oldest. Every resident of the capital or a guest has the opportunity, by entering the park "Krasnaya Presnya" in Moscow and walking along its alleys, to admire its canals with bridges. They are called a masterpiece of landscape architecture of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, "the absolute Venice in the gardens." At one time, Pushkin, Baratynsky walked here,
Park today
History breathes in every corner here. The park "Krasnaya Presnya" (every metropolitan resident knows how to get to it) has an area of sixteen and a half hectares. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, on the banks of the small river Studenets, which, according to legend, has healing powers, was still located the majestic palace of the princely family of Gagarins. But today, very little of this historical splendor remains. Busts of war heroes were destroyed during the revolution. And later, the socialist regime also destroyed the system of reservoirs for which the Gagarin Ponds were so famous, around which the Krasnaya Presnya park sprawled.
How to get there - information for tourists
This place for recreation and entertainment is located at: Mantulinskaya street, 5. Indigenous people who often come to the Krasnaya Presnya park know very well how to get to it. But tourists can take the metro and then go on foot. The nearest station to the park is the Vystavochnaya station - just seven hundred meters away. From the stations "Ulitsa 1905 Goda" and "Mezhdunarodnaya" twenty minutes walk.
Krasnaya Presnya Park, the photo of which is evidence that everyone will find entertainment to their liking here, is open to everyone from nine in the morning until ten in the evening. Each visitor will be able to discover something special and interesting.
Those who come here to relax should definitely go to the Tuscan Column, which was erected in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of the twelfth year. It came to us from the estate "Studenets" and is made of white stone. The column is decorated with scabbards and wreaths, and once it was crowned with a winged figure holding a sword in its hand, but it disappeared over time.
Other masterpieces of antiquity have survived to this day, for example, "Octagon" - an octagonal fountain - a water pump, created by Gilardi and survived the Soviet era.
In recent years, Krasnaya Presnya Park has acquired various fashionable innovations: workout grounds, a skate park. According to the memoirs of old-timers, although it used to be considered a picturesque place, in the Soviet years it was quite "wild". Today, it offers entertainment for every taste: from bike rental to an open library. Entrance to the park is free.
On summer days, children with their parents and the elderly come here. In the evenings, you can meet young people - companies and couples in love, who have chosen benches and secluded corners for themselves, which are so abundant in the Krasnaya Presnya park.
Events
The former estate "Studenets" today is replete with entertainment, most of which is provided free of charge. It hosts activities such as qigong and fitness classes and competitions. The management of the park pleases guests and residents of the capital with a variety of posters of events. Every weekend, dances and programs for children, chess tournaments, author's evenings, festivals and animation programs, markets are organized here. Celebrations in honor of Victory Day are always held here, etc.
For the little ones
For parents, this is a great playground. Krasnaya Presnya is equipped with such a popular skatepark among teenagers, made in an unconventional format for our country. The bends or skate plazas of this site completely repeat the natural landscape, and numerous obstacles are made as an imitation of the street.
In the park, you can rent bicycles, which have become especially popular with Muscovites this season. Their rental point is located directly next to the skatepark. In addition, here you can drive velomobiles and electric cars, many ride ATVs and roller skates. The rental price ranges from fifty to four hundred rubles, depending on the vehicle and time.
reading room
Another innovation that was added to the park "Krasnaya Presnya" this year is an open-air reading room. It works on the bookcrossing system, which is very common in the world today. The principle is as follows: the one who has read the book passes it on to another. Such a system has already been introduced in the capital's parks - this is the "Books in parks" project. Literature can be picked up in a special stall. And although it is possible to enjoy literature in the fresh air only in clear, cloudless weather, since this is hardly possible on a rainy day, nevertheless, there are always a lot of people who want to.
It is not easy to find this open reading room in the park, rugged by canals intersecting with "humped" bridges. You just need to focus on the wooden houses located on the central alley, as well as on the sun loungers that are visible from afar and are placed here especially for those who like to read.
Summer cinema
In the best traditions, the park "Krasnaya Presnya" also has its own summer cinema. For this purpose, a stage is equipped here. And numerous spectators are located for viewing directly on the wooden floor or on ottomans and chairs. An excellent view also opens from the benches placed on the sides. Movie screenings are free. The schedule of the summer cinema can be found on the official website of the park, as well as at the entrance, where a huge stand hangs. In their free time from big film screenings, creative meetings or performances of musicians, actors and directors are held on the variety stage.
Lecture hall
"Krasnaya Presnya" was also chosen by the International School of Design for its summer lectures and classes, located under a tent on a small island in the very center of the park. Everyone who comes here at twelve o'clock can attend seminars of school teachers on a variety of topics, including graphic and
Food
Many visitors admit that the situation in the park today is not very good with this issue. The only existing restaurant at the main entrance was closed for renovation. Therefore, you can have a bite to eat at the Vienna Sausages kiosk, where, having spent about two hundred rubles, you can eat well. Nearby there is also a vending machine with food and drinks - with chocolates, soda, juices and coffee. And next to the stage there is a tent selling coffee to go, various snacks and homemade lemonade.
