Vorontsov Palace Crimea brief description. Crimea, Alupka, Vorontsov Palace. Information for tourists. Visiting rules

Greetings, friends!

All valuable architectural objects have their own complicated history; many secrets and details emerge in our time. Not an exception Vorontsov Palace in Crimea.

There you are amazing fact No. 1 – how could the museum “Count Vorontsov’s Palace” function even during the German occupation? How many of you know about the “iron room” and how did it happen that this palace was more expensive than that of the emperor himself?

I will try to cover these questions in the article. Let's start reading!

The mere fact that 20 years and 20 million in silver were spent on the construction of the palace speaks of far from being a simple estate, but a real masterpiece of architectural art. And if you add to this names of architects and craftsmen who worked on its creation .

Judge for yourself, the project and construction were supervised by English and Italian masters - Thomas Harrison and Francesco Boffo, and then Edward Blore, the famous architect, who is responsible for a number of works such as Buckingham Palace, Walter Scott's Scottish castle, and the reconstruction of London palaces.

Moreover, Blore did not come to Alupka; M. Vorontsov himself visited him in England with drawings of the local landscape, relief and landscapes.

Construction and everything related works The decoration of the palace was carried out by serfs, among whom were magnificent craftsmen, but you will see this when you personally visit the estate.

Vorontsov Palace: description

It is no wonder that the construction lasted so long, because the material was the local volcanic stone diabase, which first had to be mined (exploded), and then ground to the required size into blocks. But it is a very strong material.

The Vorontsov Palace consists of five interconnected buildings, which contain more than 150 rooms. The palace is surrounded luxury park which I will talk about in next article.

Initially, the palace was planned to be built in neoclassical style , but after the construction of the foundation and the death of one of the architects, Vorontsov changed his mind . Now we see an amazing palace-medieval castle, the architectural styles of which include English Tudor style (north side), as well as eastern Indo-Moorish (south side).

Vorontsov Castle made of dark stone, with its turrets, spiers, arches, battlements, openwork passages, domes and subtle carved patterns fits perfectly into the mountain and sea landscapes. And if you look from below, the palace, immersed in park greenery, looks like a set for an old English novel.

A little history

Count, prince, and then governor of the Novorossiysk region M. S. Vorontsov fell in love with the Crimean land and tried to improve every piece of land as much as possible - he built roads, industrial enterprises, was engaged in shipping, and developed agriculture.

This happened with Alupka, where he decided to build an estate. Construction of the palace took place from 1828 to 1848.

Until the October Revolution, the castle successfully served as the residence of the Vorontsov family. In 1921 it was nationalized and (it’s surprising how it didn’t become just another sanatorium) was used as a museum.

Crimea almost lost this amazing structure during the Second World War, for the first time just before the arrival of the German invaders, when there was no hope left, the commander-in-chief received an order to destroy the palace so that it would not become prey to the Nazis.

And the second - before the retreat of the German troops, this time the occupiers themselves planned to lift the entire palace into the air “as a farewell.”

Preservation of this unique architectural complex We are indebted to the senior researcher at the museum, Stepan Shchekoldin, who did not allow the order to be carried out and continued to serve in the museum during the capture by the Nazis, preserving valuable exhibits in a secret “iron room.”

Under pain of death, he continued his work until his liberation. As a result, he received 10 years in the camps for “service” to the Germans.

In 1945, the British delegation headed by W. Churchill, which arrived at the Yalta Conference, was stationed here.

Until 1965, the Vorntsovsky Palace served as a state dacha. Then it was reopened as a museum. Since 1990 is Alupka Palace and Park Reserve.

What will you see when visiting the palace complex

First of all, your attention will be occupied by the architecture of the palace complex itself, because no matter which side you come from, there is a unique picture everywhere. On the western side there will be watchtowers, a little to the right the Shuvalovsky building and the gate passage.

Then a shady farm yard with a giant plane tree and outbuildings.

On the northern side, the palace is crowned with neat turrets and large windows, and in front of the façade there are marble fountains, one of which a copy of the Bakhchisarai “Fountain of Tears”.

And finally, the most amazing and romantic - the southern facade in the Indo-Moorish style with magnificent arches, oriental ornaments, balconies and openwork grilles. By the way, above the door leading to the Blue Living Room there is an inscription in Arabic. As soon as you find out and see with your own eyes what is written there, write in the comments!

The place for photo shoots and selfies is the Lion's Terrace. A wide staircase with three pairs of marble lions descends to the lower park and the Tea House by the Sea.

Marble Lions - the work of the Italian sculptor Giovanni Bonanni. Predators are depicted as peacefully sleeping, waking up and belligerent guards.

Oh yes! You can also look into winter Garden with snow-white angelic sculptures and rare southern plants. Next, you will go on a tour of the inner chambers with a guide, who will tell you about everything in more detail.

How do excursions work?

Unfortunately, the tours take place only on the first floor and cover only 10 rooms, where five main exhibitions await you.

I must say that the interior of any of the rooms will lead you to complete delight. This is where you can see the perfect combination of taste and luxury. And this despite the fact that the Vorontsov Palace was nevertheless subjected to looting and barbarity during the German occupation.

Also on the territory of the palace, various thematic and seasonal exhibitions are held, and excursions around the park are provided, including by electric vehicles.

M. S. Vorontsov was a connoisseur of art, literature, and strived for science and knowledge. A library was created on the estate, which was collected for decades, and now there are more than 27,000 book copies.

The Vorontsovs could also boast a large collection of paintings - family portraits and works by famous foreign masters. You will notice them in every room.

Well, traditionally, the Vorontsov Palace was used many times as a filming site. “Hamlet”, “Stoves-Benches”, “Assa”, “Ordinary Miracle” and other films were filmed here.

Reviews from tourists

Admiration is present in every visitor review. What were the sightseers complaining about?

  • sometimes you have to wait for your excursion, but you can still take a walk in the park;
  • I want to stay longer in each room, otherwise you won’t really see anything with the group;
  • it's a long walk from the parking lot;
  • one day is not enough to enjoy exploring the palace and its surroundings, so book accommodation and stay in Alupka longer. She's worth it!
  • ticket prices are high.

Visiting information

Where is this miracle located? The Palace of Count Vorontsov is located in the city of Alupka, 17 km from Yalta. The battlements of Ai-Petri rise above the walls of the palace.

The exact address: Alupka, Dvortsovoye Shosse street, 18.

Vorontsov Palace welcomes visitors seven days a week, from 9.00 to 17.00 winter time, from 9.00 to 18.00 in spring and from 8.00 to 20.00 in summer. The ticket office closes earlier, at 16.15, 17.15 and 19.15 depending on the season!

Cost of visit:

  • visit to the Main Exhibition “The State Halls of the Main Building of the Vorontsov Palace” – 400 rubles;
  • single ticket for all expositions and exhibitions – 1050 rubles;
  • single ticket “Interiors of the Vorontsov Palace” – 600 rubles;
  • single ticket “Great Halls” and temporary exhibitions – 650 rubles;
  • individual exhibitions - from 50 to 350 rubles;
  • excursion to the park – 100 rubles;
  • for an electric car – 800 rubles;
  • children from 7 to 16 years old, students under 18 years old - separate services, discounts, benefits.

Official site: worontsovpalace.org

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace

From Simferopol, Yalta, Sevastopol and many others settlements There is a direct bus service to Alupka. I wrote about how to get out of Simferopol airport.

From the Alupka bus station it takes about 20 minutes to walk to the palace; there are information boards and signs.

Some minibuses will take you from Yalta to the Vorontsov Palace, for example, No. 32 departs from the center, and No. 102 from the bus station.

You can also go from Yalta to Alupka by sea on a boat. Read more about sea ​​walks in this one.

Another option is to purchase sightseeing tour. With groups and a guide, you won't have to worry about finding your destination or getting back.

Good to know

If you are planning a walk in the park, you will have to walk a lot, but the terrain is still mountainous. Therefore, girls, wear comfortable shoes without heels - many people complain later!

If you want to know where to stay in Alupka, where to have a snack, which beach to go to with your family - read here .

And one more thing

You can become a member "Club of Friends of the Vorontsov Palace" . What it is?

Numerous exhibits of the palace are unique and priceless evidence of history. Unfortunately, they do not last forever and over time require expensive restoration work, otherwise the palace collections may become significantly thinner.

In addition, the maintenance of the palace and park, the organization of exhibitions, scientific and research papers, educational program and visitor services - all this requires huge costs.

“Club of Friends of Vorontsov Park” is a project of financial support from organizations and individuals, in other words, patronage. Membership conditions and detailed information posted on the official website of the museum:

worontsovpalace.org/?page_id=7766

And finally I'll ask

p.s. You know, I consider this palace not only the most magnificent and worthy of a visit (from the “balls on the forehead” category), but also the most mysterious. If you look closely at the interior decoration, you will notice some kind of uncomfortable feeling. Of course, the guides will carry you through the rooms at the speed of the flow of water in the Wuchang-su waterfall, but you still try to look around and answer my question. What the hell is this around!!?? Or is it just me who seems inappropriate among such beauty?

I'm waiting for your answers...

Palace M.S. Vorontsov in Alupka is one of the most famous attractions Crimean peninsula. It is at the foot of mountain range Ai-Petri. The beautiful park surrounding it, like the palace itself, has been a museum since 1956.

Photo of Vorontsov Palace:



Palace architecture

The style in which the building was built is a combination of English and neo-Moorish styles; they not only combine perfectly with each other, but also perfectly take into account the surrounding terrain. The author of the project, the English architect Edward Blore, managed to organically combine elements of the English style from the ancient period to the 16th century, which is observed in its western part. Oriental elements are presented at the South Entrance, where the horseshoe arch and two-tiered vault are richly decorated with carvings. There is even an Arabic text that says: “and there is no winner but Allah.” The chimneys in this part resemble the towers of minarets.


Historical reference

The Vorontsov Palace took 20 years to build, in 1828 - 48. for Count M.S. Vorontsov, who was at that time the governor of the Novorossiysk region. Architects F. Boro and T. Harrison began construction. The English architect E. Blore replaced them after the sudden death of Harrison. He never came, he only studied the area well, on the basis of which he created his masterpiece. The construction was supervised by U. Gunt, his student.

Interesting:
The palace was built by serfs from the Moscow and Vladimir provinces. When performing the most complex relief decoration, only manual labor and primitive tools were used.

The first was in 1830 - 34. a dining building was erected, construction was completed in 1840 - 46. library building. At the same time, in 1840 - 48 Large-scale work was carried out to build the park. Even sapper soldiers were involved in the construction of terraces at the southern facade.

The park was created by the German K.A. from 1824 to 1851. Kebakh, who was the main gardener of the entire South Coast. The park area is 40 hectares. More than 200 plant species are represented here.

Interesting:
20 bags of semi-precious stones were poured into the bottom of Swan Lake, which adorns the park, to create an extraordinary play of light in sunny weather.

The final point in the creation of a magnificent garden and park ensemble was the installation of marble lions created by Italian masters on the central staircase at the main entrance.


A little about the customer and the first owner

Count Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov is best known to us from a not very flattering side. And this, thanks to the caustic epigrams of A.S. Pushkin, who was under his supervision during his southern exile. And really, how can you treat someone whose wife you are in love with without reciprocity? So our great poet took it out on Elizaveta Ksaveryevna’s husband with all his fervor. Every schoolchild is familiar with Pushkin’s characterization of the general:

Half my lord, half merchant,
Half-sage, half-ignorant,
Semi-scoundrel, but there is hope
Which will be complete at last.

In reality, M.S. Vorontsov is an intelligent, respectable person and a true hero. It is no coincidence that his figure is presented on the monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russia. He was born into a famous family, Catherine II became his godmother. The young man received his (brilliant!) education in London, where his father served as an envoy.

Having started military service at the age of 21, he participated in many battles. Here are just a few of them:

  • - 1804 - storming of the Ganja fortress in the Caucasus;
  • - 1809 - storming of the Bazardzhik fortress in the Balkans;
  • - 1812 - Borodino (bayonet wound in hand-to-hand combat);
  • - 1813 - battle near Leipzig;
  • - 1814 - capture of Paris.

M.S. Vorontsov led the occupation forces in Paris, and when they left France, he collected information about the debts of officers and soldiers to the local population and compensated for everything from personal funds (almost 1,500,000 of those rubles), selling one of his estates for this.

He did a lot for economic development Bessarabia, Odessa, Crimea, Novorossiysk region, all of Southern Russia.

Military service M.S. Vorontsov continued in the Caucasus in 1844. For his successes he received the title of prince, then, his Serene Highness, the rank of field marshal general, the position of the Caucasian governor.

Personal qualities of M.S. Vorontsova.

He was a bibliophile and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He had a unique library, which his father and his own aunt E.R. began to collect. Dashkova.

His awards for military and public services make up a huge list, among them

  • St. George Cross of three degrees (for personal courage);
  • - 2 golden swords (for bravery),
  • — Order of St. Vladimir;
  • — Alexander Nevsky;
  • — Andrew the First-Called and many more Russian and foreign orders and awards.

He was loved by the soldiers, for whom he abolished physical punishment, was easy to handle and approachable with them, and was loved and respected by the officers. After his death, a sad saying was born among the military: “God is high, the Tsar is far away, but Vorontsov died.”

There are several monuments to the general, created with money collected by people grateful to him. He died in 1856 and was buried in Odessa. In 2005, with military honors, his ashes and the ashes of his wife were transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral.
In general, the great poet was wrong.

Governor General's Palace

Today the Southern Coast of Crimea is luxurious and popular resort place, and in the first years of the 19th century. he was just gaining fame. Russian landowners developed fertile places, and M.S. was no exception. Vorontsov is one of the richest people of his time. His choice fell on the small Tatar village of Alupka.

What attracted the Novorossiysk Governor-General? Of course, the same thing that is highly valued modern tourists:

  • - healing climate;
  • — luxurious landscapes;
  • - warm sea;
  • - surrounding springs.

The architects paid tribute to the love of M.S. Vorontsov to everything English, but at the same time they emphasized the recent Turkish influence that remained in Crimea. All this is taken into account in a harmonious mixture of English and oriental styles, participation in the formation of the image of the palace of the Ai-Petri mountain range has not been forgotten.

Interesting:
To increase seismic resistance, lead is poured into the foundation slabs.

Continuation of a story

After the death of the owner, the palace passed to his nephews, Pavel Andreevich Shuvalov, then Mikhail Andreevich. The last owner was the granddaughter of M.S. Vorontsova Elizaveta Andreevna Vorontsova-Dashkova.

During the Soviet period, the estate was nationalized. At first there was a NKVD dacha here, and in 1921 a museum began operating in the palace.

During the Great Patriotic War, the exhibits did not have time to be evacuated; 4,980,000 rubles worth of rarities were exported to Germany (in 1945 terms)

Interesting:
The museum was twice saved from destruction by S.G. Shchekoldin, a museum employee appointed by the Germans as its director. He prevented an explosion from dynamite planted by the NKVD. He managed to save the building from air bombs. He also provided a list of stolen items. BUT! He was sentenced “for collaboration with the occupiers” to 10 years. Rehabilitated only in 1991.

In February 1945, during the Yalta Conference, a British delegation led by W. Churchill lived in the palace. Until 1955 there was a state dacha here.

Since 1956 it has been a museum, and since 1990 a museum-reserve, including a park and a palace.

Palace interiors

The building has 150 rooms located in 5 buildings. It also combines elements of English style and oriental motifs.

The rooms are symmetrical, their doors are opposite each other. Each room has a fireplace and there are portraits on the walls. famous people and landscapes. The sculptures in the greenhouse are depictions of family members of the first owner.

In 1914, electricity appeared in the palace.

Currently, 10 rooms on the ground floor are available to visitors. They have practically preserved the original interior. These are the ceremonial rooms where the owners received guests, and the greenhouse. Some of the furniture is original. The rest were selected with such skill that they do not violate big picture.


Interesting:
The parquet flooring of the palace is authentic - it is almost 200 years old.

Video review of the palace:

Tourist information

In addition to the main exhibition, visitors are offered the following exhibitions:

  • - butler's apartment;
  • — Vorontsov’s kitchen;
  • - Shuvalov's house;
  • - park sculpture
  • and a number of others.
Important:
You can buy tickets for each exhibition separately, but it is more profitable to buy a single ticket for 650 rubles. Children under 16 years old visit the palace for free. Students, pensioners and citizens 16-18 years old for 325 rubles.

You can ride around the park in an electric car. The cost of such an excursion is 800 rubles for the entire group (from 4 to 20 people.) Excursion services are also provided in the museum.

The main exhibition is open seven days a week from 8:00 to 20:00. The remaining exhibitions are closed on Monday and Wednesday.

Detailed and most actual information on the palace website: http://worontsovpalace.org (official website)

How to get to Vorontsov Palace

Buses go here from Yalta central bus station. Go to the Alupka Palace stop. Continue through the park on foot. You can take a minibus to the local bus station and, following the signs, walk 850 m. You can take a boat on the sea - this is an additional pleasure and experience. Then from the beach uphill. Address: Alupka, Dvortsovoye Highway, 18.

Vorontsov Palace on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 44.419861, E 34.055972 Latitude/Longitude

A holiday in Crimea can turn into an interesting adventure that will remain in your memory forever. The main thing is to properly plan your visit to the most interesting and exciting attractions. One of them is the noble Vorontsov Palace, which definitely deserves attention. The building is located in picturesque place by the sea and the foot of Ai-Petri. It is surrounded by a magnificent park, which harmoniously complements the amazing view. A visit to the palace will give you truly unforgettable emotions and the opportunity to feel like a guest of an eminent prince.

Vorontsov Palace in Crimea: history

The exquisite Vorontsov Palace combines the rigor of English architecture and the luxury of Indian palaces. The building is in harmony with the local landscape and mountain-sea panorama. It also has interesting story, which dates back to 1828.

Construction of the palace began by order of Count Mikhail Vorontsov, known for his courage and participation in many military events. He personally chose perfect place for his estate and invited an Englishman, Edward Blore, as an architect. The architect supervised the process remotely and never came to the construction site. The process of constructing the palace itself was quite lengthy and took 20 long years - from 1828 to 1848.

The count's estate was built from a very strong stone that must be handled confidently and skillfully - diabase. It was he who magnificently decorated the exterior of the building. The stone was processed manually by specialist stone cutters who were called from central Russia. The costs of building the palace reached a tidy sum - 9 million silver rubles.

Vorontsov himself did not live in the palace for a very long time, as he had to leave for an assignment in the Caucasus. However, his daughter and her children settled there. Then, after the count's death, the estate was inherited by his son. After the revolution and change of power, the palace and its lands were nationalized. In 1945, Vorontsov's estate became the residence of the British delegation for some time. The heads of allied states – Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt – met in the State Dining Room.

Later, the palace acted both as a state dacha for the NKVD and as a sanatorium. Only in 1956 did it become a museum. Nowadays, it is very popular among tourists who come even from abroad. Here you can see various works of painting, applied art, and sculpture. Also ancient documents, lithographs, drawings.

What else is interesting about the Vorontsov Palace in Yalta?

The overall impression of the grandeur and sophistication of the palace is complemented by the unique Vorontsov Park, which arouses the same interest of tourists as the estate itself. It allows you to enjoy unique plants that have been carefully selected, taking into account local climate and relief. They were brought to Crimea from different parts of the world; in total there are about 200 in the park various types vegetation.

The park was created by a German gardener, Karl Kebach, who happily set to work. He planned the area according to the principle of an amphitheater with a clear structure. The park itself had to maintain its connection with the palace and complement the chosen style of architecture. Karl Kebach managed to achieve his goal, because the park fits perfectly into the overall concept.

The park is conventionally divided into lower and upper. Its lower territory is decorated in the style of Renaissance gardens. There are elegant fountains, stone benches, Byzantine columns, beautiful vases, and marble sculptures. There is also access to the beach.

The upper territory was created in the English style of romanticism, which was characterized by naturalness and naturalness. Here you can find shady ponds, a well-thought-out system of lakes, picturesque meadows, sections of the Crimean forest, rocky debris, grottoes, and small waterfalls. This part of the park was conceived as an ideal place for contemplating the mountains and the sea.

The park almost always remains green, as pines, spruces, cypresses, cedars, and firs grow here. In the warm season, delicate magnolias, amazing cercis, and various exotic shrubs bloom here. The territory of the park is captivating with its beauty and elegance; many guests of the peninsula often visit only the park and enjoy the exterior of the palace. Photos of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea and its original park will be an excellent souvenir that will remind you of an unforgettable vacation.

How to get to the Vorontsov Palace in Yalta?

The exact address where the Vorontsov Palace is located in Crimea: Alupka, Palace Highway 18. You can get there in several ways:

  1. Take advantage public transport. If you get from the Yalta bus station, you should take buses No. 107 or No. 115. The stop where you will need to get off is called “Bus Station” and is located in Alupka. Then you need to go to the western gate and through it enter the palace territory. You can also get to the complex from the city center. To do this, you should use minibus No. 132, which will take you to final stop called "Vorontsov Palace". Then you need to go to the northern main entrance of the building.
  2. Get there by car. This travel option is the most comfortable and fastest. From Yalta you should take the Yalta-Sevastopol highway and move to the Alupka sign. Travel time may take 15-20 minutes.
  3. Use taxi services. In Yalta, you can order a taxi directly to your hotel and from there get to the palace. Such a trip will be as comfortable as possible, but its cost is more expensive than other options.
  4. Take a ride on a regular boat. The journey starts from the sea station in Yalta, from which a boat departs every 2 hours. Travel time will take about 35 minutes. A ticket costs 100 rubles, the price is quite affordable. You will need to get off the boat in Alupka and go up a little towards Vorontsovsky Park.

The ticket price to visit the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea is 350 rubles for adults and 200 for children. This price includes sightseeing tour. Visiting thematic exhibitions in the palace is paid separately if you want to see them. A tour of the complex's park is also paid separately. There is a souvenir shop in the palace where you can buy small souvenirs.

Where to relax after visiting the sights of Yalta?

The best choice for a perfect holiday will be the unique Villa Elena Hotel & Residences. Here guests can enjoy an atmosphere of luxury that gives incredible home comfort. You can stay in a magnificent historical building, having its own unusual story since 1912. A modern building is also available, which will delight you with rooms with a refined interior. On the territory of Villa Elena you can visit the restaurant, relax near the pool, and spend time in the spa center.

In 1823, the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Count Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, became governor-general of the Novorossiysk region, which at that time included Crimea. The development of Crimea owes a lot to this strong-willed and energetic person. Under his leadership, a highway is being built on the southern coast of Crimea, the agricultural and especially wine industries are rapidly developing, and the number of industrial enterprises is rapidly growing. The history of the Black Sea shipping company began in 1828. During these same years, the count was actively buying land from the local Tatar population and dreaming of creating his own palace.

Construction of the palace lasted for 20 years.

After the death of Thomas Harisson in 1829 in 1831, Count Vorontsov suddenly ordered to stop the construction of the palace and radically change the neoclassical style of the palace. The Count invites one of the most talented architects of that time, Edward Blore. According to the architect's idea, the palace is being built in the English Gothic style. In the same year, construction of the main building begins. Construction material For the construction of the walls, diabase was used - a rock of volcanic origin, which is several times stronger than granite. Deposits of this stone are found nearby in abundance. Diabase is very difficult to process, but this does not stop Count Vorontsov, because he was the richest man in the country and more than 60,000 serfs worked under his leadership. Even a sapper battalion took part in the excavation work, whose soldiers worked on the construction of terraces on the southern side of the facade.


Interesting fact: the architect Blore never visited a construction site. He got his entire idea of ​​the terrain from numerous drawings and engravings.

In 1948, construction of the palace came to an end. The Vorontsov Palace consists of five buildings, decorated with towers, which are connected by various passages, stairs and courtyards. The architect managed to organically fit the buildings stretched from west to east into the mountainous landscape of the area. Externally, the palace very much resembles a family feudal castle in England.

Palace interiors

The interiors of the Vorontsov Palace are in no way inferior to the Livadia Palace in the luxury of its decoration. The decoration of the rooms has been almost completely preserved. Each room, and there are about 150 of them, is designed in a personal style. The materials that were used in the decoration are reflected in the names of the rooms. The Chinese cabinet is decorated with the finest rice straw, decorative elements are embroidered with beads and silk. The decoration of the Chintz room is skillfully made from this fabric. The brightest room of the Vorontsov Palace is the Blue Living Room, the highlight of which is the stucco ornament in the form of petals and leaves. There are about three thousand of them in total and each of them is different from the other. The fireplaces of the palace are a separate masterpiece of architectural art. In each room they are unique and made of different materials.

Alupka Park

The Vorontsov Palace is located on the territory of Alupka Park, which is a pearl of landscape design. This masterpiece was created by the Chief Gardener South Bank Crimea Karl Antonovich Kebakh for 25 years. The park spreads over an area of ​​40 hectares. More than two hundred species of plants grow here, which were brought from the regions of Northern and South America, Mediterranean. Geographically it is divided into Upper and Lower parks. The park is designed in such a way that it complements the local nature. Three reservoirs have been artificially created in the park.

Interesting fact: To decorate the bottom of Swan Lake, Count Vorontsov ordered 20 bags of semi-precious stones, which were delivered by ship. In sunny weather they created an indescribably beautiful play of light.

The attraction of the park is the piles of stones from solidified magma, thrown out by the volcano back in time immemorial, called “Great Chaos” and “Little Chaos”. Also built in the park a large number of fountains.




clearing in the park




Interesting facts about Vorontsov Palace

The palace was owned by three generations of the Vorontsov family. The cost of laying out the park is twice as high as the construction of the palace itself. In 1910, up to 36,000 rubles were spent on maintaining the park, a huge amount at that time. The Vorontsov Palace is one of the first buildings in Russia where sewerage and water supply were built for comfortable living. Since 1921 in palace complex there is a museum. Only after the Great Patriotic War, for about 10 years, the territory of the Vorontsov Palace was secret object and here was a dacha for the party leadership. During the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the British delegation led by William Churchill lived in the Vorontsov Palace. There is an interesting story connected with it that happened during a walk in Churchill and Stalin Park. The fact is that the staircase on the side of the facade, which faces the sea, is decorated with sculptures of guarding lions. Churchill, who really liked the sculpture of the sleeping lion, said that it looked like himself and offered Stalin to buy it. Stalin refused this proposal, but suggested to Churchill that if he answered his question correctly, Stalin would give him a sleeping lion. “Which finger on your hand is the main one?” - that was Stalin’s question. Churchill replied, “Of course the index finger.” “Wrong,” Stalin answered and twisted a figure from his fingers, which is popularly called a fig.