Estate "Bykovo"
In the Ramensky district of the Moscow region, on a hill among the treetops, the silhouette of a castle with a tower appears, reminiscent of the fortresses of the feudal lords. And a little to the side, an even more impressive building has stood since 1789 - a church in a pseudo-Gothic style. All this together is the Bykovo estate.
Main manor house
It is not known for certain who designed the temple itself, the original version of the main house, the gazebo and the park with clean ponds. But art historians have reason to believe that it was Vasily Bazhenov, an architect who built palaces for Tsarina Catherine II herself. The brick house with lavish white stone decoration was built using part of the walls of the original building at the end of the 19th century under the direction of the architect B. de Simone.
This Renaissance-style palace house stands on top of a hill. A grand staircase descends into the forest park. The building is united by terraces and balconies with the surrounding landscape. The most outstanding of them is the terrace on the park side with the original broken outline. It ends near the river in a gentle slope, surrounded on the sides by a forest park, which, unfortunately, is now in a neglected state. This is where the tale of Sleeping Beauty comes to mind. It seems that she is sleeping somewhere here, and her sleep is guarded by this forest.
The general plan of the building resembles a rectangle with end projections having a spectacular tower with a clock-chime. In the central part of the house there is a vestibule, which is surrounded along the perimeter by a grand staircase with arched flights. The ceiling is decorated with fine molded ornaments. Other rooms are decorated with oak panels, which are decorated with beautiful wall paintings.
Church
The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has two floors. It is small in size, but feels like a grandiose structure thanks to its sky-piercing spiers, sharp as giant needles. The church looks more like a magical castle rather than a religious temple. A separate bell tower of a later construction is consonant with the church. Together they create a harmonious architectural ensemble, as intended by the architect Tamansky I.T., the creator of the bell tower.
A park
A walk through the forest park of the Bykovo estate will bring true pleasure.
Centuries-old trees, a web of paths and paths, the silvery surface of ponds and the ribbon of a river running into the distance - all this is incredibly picturesque. Paths and paths go around ponds, meet and diverge from each other, go along a river with islands and secluded creeks. Sometimes the paths meet at one point and again run off alone into the park, beckoning the traveler to its hidden corners.
Once upon a time, in the calm waters of one of the ponds of the estate, the graceful reflection of the Hermitage pavilion with a staircase near the very edge of the water shimmered. But time made its own adjustments, and the pavilion was not preserved, like other intricate small architectural forms. The only small building that has survived the merciless time was the rotunda gazebo on the small island. It has perfect proportional forms and, looking through the foliage, attracts the eyes of travelers.
Also noteworthy is the huge oak tree – three times the size – growing between two ponds. He leaned a little towards the gazebo, his contemporary. The bottom of the giant's trunk was completely overgrown with moss, and the wood was furrowed with deep wrinkles. This oak tree has long outlived the skilled gardener who cherished it in his youth, and more than one generation of owners of the Bykovo estate. Numerous guests were hiding under the oak tree from the scorching summer rays and from the unexpected spring rain. Lovers made secret dates near him, and romantics from many generations enjoyed a volume of poetry in his canopy.
Even in winter, the landscape park of the Bykovo estate is not at all boring. Its winter gray palette is enlivened by lush, malachite-like splashes of green spruce and larches. These trees were once specially grown by a gardener, and now they enliven the estate in dull times with their cheerful tones.
For many years, a sanatorium was located on the territory of the Bykovo estate; many beauties were lost. Now the temple in the estate has been completely restored. The park is also well preserved, thanks to its own lust for life. Throughout the estate one can feel the sweet charm of antiquity; it is a green oasis of life among the faceless village buildings.
Address: Moscow region, Bykovo village.