Messages

376

Russian Noble Families / Meshchersk(aya)y Family

« on: October 17, 2004, 11:57:23 AM »

Prince Yevgeny Meshchersky, 53, a former nuclear engineer, was living in
the Ukraine when communism collapsed. For decades his family had hidden
their aristocratic identity, with good reason. Both his randfathers, he
said, were killed during Stalin's purges in the 1930s.
In 1997 he returned with his wife and children to the family estate of Petroskoye-Alabino, south-west of Moscow. Today the family palace - where,
he sys, Napoleon stayed during his retreat from Moscow - is a ruin.

Ironically, I have just read A Russian Princess Remembers: The Journey from Tsars to  Glasnost by Ekaterina Meshcheskaya who must be a relation to Prince Yevgeny although I am not clear how.  Princess Mesherskaya tells of life at Petroskoye, but has more details about the family home Vesely Podol which she describes as being in the Khorolsk district, Poltava Province in the Ukraine.  I have been trying to track down information on the estate or the family since just reading the book and was amazed to find this reference to the Meshchersky family.  I'm not sure it this is the right thread, but does anyone have info on Vesly Podol or the Meshchersk(aya)y family?
Bob G

377

Palaces in St. Petersburg / Re: Kamennostrovsky Palace

« on: October 09, 2004, 10:02:52 AM »

Here's a picture of the palace from the water side which is at the top of Goula's plan.

378

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: Ropsha Palace

« on: October 09, 2004, 08:32:47 AM »

was it part of the Imperial property allocated to different members for their use?

Maybe Joanna was right: I had never heard of any family other than the Vladimir's using the palace.  Interesting that Alexandra Iosifovna would have rooms here with Strelna and Pavlosk being relatively close by.  The Tsar certainly had far more properties available to him and his family than we currently document.  Hence the lack of information about places like Ropsha.  Here is the only mention of it I have found on a russian web site (Translated online)

In XIX Ropsha turns to capital suburb where there came members of imperial family on hunting and fishing. Before revolution Ropsha - NikolayII's pleasure, hunting and fishing manor.

Although I don't recollect any references of Nicholas spending time here.
Bob

379

The Alexander Palace / Re: the Slide

« on: October 09, 2004, 06:18:46 AM »

Goula,
What a wonderful picture! Do you have any others of the Alexander Palace in this time period that you could post?
Thanks.
Bob

380

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: Ropsha Palace

« on: October 06, 2004, 01:50:46 PM »

Joanne,
I have read that Ropsha was Grand Duke Vladimir and Maria Pavlovna's palace (in The Grand Dukes, Divid Chavchavadze), but I'm not sure how and when it came into their possession.  I have not found any other reference of their having another palace in Peterhof and it does seem remote from there as most of the Imperial family seemed to have homes there.  

I too would love to see if anyone has any interior photos or plans of the palace.  It would also be great to get some more history on it.
Bob

381

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: The Lower Dacha (New Palace), at Peterhof

« on: October 05, 2004, 09:09:14 AM »

Joanna,
I don`t agree with the author of this link. He took many good pics (big job!), but sometimes he did mistakes in the history. Private Dacha and Sergievka - two different palace-and-park complexes. I think it will be better if I try to draw a schematic of St. Petersburg suburbs.
Bob - two miles far from St. Petersburg.

Vladimir.

Vladimir,
Thanks for helping me with the direction. I guess the Private Dacha and Sergievka are closer to Oranienbaum/Lomonosov.  I agree that the Private Dacha (belonging to Alexander II) is a different estate than Sergievka (belonging to the Leuchtenberg side of the family).  My understanding from the attached link (in Russian) is that they are adjacent to one another, so it is possible for the Wandering Camera to be confused about it.  It would still be great if you could draw the map showing these palaces in relation to one another.
Thanks,
Bob

http://al-spbphoto.narod.ru/prig/sergievka.html

382

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: Oranienbaum, Palace and Pavillions

« on: October 05, 2004, 08:40:55 AM »

Joanna,
The Palace was built by Peter the Great's advisor, Alexander Menshikov.  It became an imperial property after his treason.  It passed to Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich, and then to his daughter Catherine who married Duke George of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.  The palace remained in the Mecklenburg-Strelitz family until the revolution.
Bob

383

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: The Lower Dacha (New Palace), at Peterhof

« on: October 04, 2004, 08:41:26 AM »

Joanna,
From Coryne Hall's Little Mother of Russia:
   "Although most sources state that Dagmar and Sasha spent the (wedding) night at the Anitchkov Palace in St. Petersburg, local historians say that in fact they went to a rococo villa two miles from Peterhof.  Known locally as 'My Property', it was the privately owned dacha of the Tsar and had been built by Stakenschneider in the reign of Nicholas I."
I think it is about two miles closer to St. Petersburg.
Bob

384

The Alexander Palace / Re: Alexander Palace, August 2004, Photos online

« on: October 02, 2004, 06:59:52 AM »

I just read in the news section of Photobucket that the web site had a problem an many albums were lost.  Hopefully Paul will repost his pictures and let us know when it is back up.

385

The Alexander Palace / Re: Alexandra's Formal Reception Room

« on: September 30, 2004, 04:49:19 PM »

The first entrance was private and there are several films we have of the family leaving the palace through this door.

The second entrance was through the strange 'stag chamber' which was not very impressive.

I agree the amabssadors and most visitors were conducted through the third entrance as Daniel describes.  I have always wondered where they 'relaxed' before and after, since there was a bathroom there.  Perhaps the English suite?  Could they have used Maria's bathroom?

Bob,
I am confused as to what you are referring to as the "second entrance."  I am assuming the second entrance was the "B" entrance which leads through the libraries.  The "C" entrance leads through a Reception room.  The "D" entrance lead to the Right Wing of the Palace which is where you show the Stag Chamber on the AP Main page.  Exactly where was the Stag Chamber in relation to the Second entrance? I am always trying to figure out the exact layout of the Right Wing.
Bob G

386

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: Catherine Palace

« on: September 30, 2004, 04:37:20 PM »

Maria Pavlovna (GD Paul's Daughter) says in "The Education of a Princess" that her family stayed in the Catherine Palace when in Tsarskoe Selo, and I believe I have read about others staying there too.

387

The Yussupovs / Re: Two other former Palaces of the Yusupovs, St.Petersbourg

« on: September 16, 2004, 07:33:17 AM »

Joanna,
Yes comparing the two photos, it is the same palace.  I like the details in the URL you posted.
Now if we can only see a photo of Felix's grandmother's house at 42 Liteyny.  I have seen interior pictures in The Hidden Interiors, but I still would like to see the building itself.  It is currently used by the organization Znaniye (Knowledge),  and I wonder if anyone has a picture?
BobG

388

The Yussupovs / Re: Mansions of the Yusupovs in Europe - Finland, France etc

« on: September 16, 2004, 07:19:07 AM »

Wasn't this the Yussupov who lived in the Liteyny Palace that I asked about under the Yussupov Palaces thread?  I'm still hoping to see a picture of it.  The interiors of the Palace are shown in The Hidden Interiors which mentioned that her palace is now used by the organization Znaniye (Knowledge), but no exteriors photos were shown.

389

The Yussupovs / Two other former Palaces of the Yusupovs, St.Petersbourg

« on: September 09, 2004, 01:37:08 PM »

Antonio,
I should have known you would know the answer to my question.  Now, do you by any chance have any pictures of the other palaces?  Especially the Nevsky palace which I believe is now the House of Actors.
Bob

390

The Yussupovs / Re: Palace of the Yusupovs in Moscow

« on: September 08, 2004, 08:13:05 AM »

I wondered if anyone has a list of all the Youssoupov Palaces in St Petersburg.  I know of the ones on Moika and  Liteyny Prospect, but I recently saw a map that showed the House of Actors on Nevsky Prospect (86, I believe) as a Youssoupov Palace.  Does anyone have a list of them all.  Even better, does anyone have pictures of them?