Dacha of the Yusupovs, at Tsarskoe Selo

[Jmentanko]

I remember reading somewhere (most likely on this site) that the Yussupov family had a "house" in Tsarkoe Selo. What happend to it?


Thanks

[Forum Admin]

It is still there, but (at last report a few years ago) in need of total repair.  Several different Russian owners "bought" it, each promising to restore it, but nothing had been done and the town was trying to evict them...

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

I was there last summer and although the basic structure is still standing, as well as some iron railings and facade rococo mouldings, but the building is COMPLETELY neglected. The garden is full of debris and you can even go into the rooms. Nothing in its interior has been preserved and the floor is certainly dangerous...I´ve seen many photographs of this interiors in Jacques Ferrand splendid book. They matched the rococo exteriors and were lovely(in my opinion). There´s as far as i know an official project for its restauration...we´ll see...
I use to take thousands of photos when in Russia and will try to find some friend to help me finding the way to post those related to these buildings in this forum.
Computers and me....  

[BobAtchison]

Around ten years ago Suzanne Massie and I were offered the abandoned Yussupov Pavillion if we would arrange to have it restored.  Suzanne would have had the Russian offices of her Firebird Foundation there.

There were squatters in the pavillion at the time, but the pavillion was pretty much okay - if something of a wreck.

When word got out regarding the offer the pavillion was set on fire by a jealous Russian 'businessman' whose plans to turn it into his own country datcha were about to be overturned.

Bob

[jda]

The restoration of the Yussupov dacha began in the summer of 2003.  As of August 2003 the roofing was completed and  internal work was to begin in the autumn.  The work is planned to be finished on May 2005.  This info came from the Tsarskoe Selo newspaper articles for August 8, 2003 and March 4, 2004.  These can be found by going to
http://www.pushkin-town.net/  and clicking on Tsarskoselskaya Gazeta.  This gives you a list by date  of all the articles from the Tsarskoe Selo newspaper.  Use AltaVista's Babel Fish to translate.

[Nick_Nicholson]

Dear Bob,

Was the Yussupov Villa at Tsarskoe Selo built by Rastrelli?  Please note its similarity to the Rastrelli-designed Belosselsky-Belozersky palace on Kresstovsky Island...



Nick

[Valmont]

I might be wrong, and I am sure someone will correct me if I am. I canot find the reference, but I remember reading a long time ago, the Yussupov pavilion was offered to one of the Yussupovas' princess (cannot recall which one) by one of the Tsars (cannot recall which one either) in exchange for an affair, which she denied, and got the plans from the architect, and built it hereself.
Could it be from "Lost Splendor"??.. I cannot remember.


Arturo Vega Llausás

[BobAtchison]

Nick wasn't the Pavillion designed by Stakenscheider or Moginetti?

Bob

[Nick_Nicholson]

Dear Bob,

I know that the B-B house on Krestovsky was by Rastrelli, as it was built slghtly before the original Thomas de Thomon house on the Fontanka, and I believe it was built just after the Switchback Pavillion at Oranienbaum on which it was based.

I can imagine that it was revamped extensively by Stackenschneider in the 1840-50's when the new B-B palace was built, but I know it was already there then.  Could the Yusupov house be by Monighetti?  I just don't know.

Nick

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

The Yusupov dacha was built in 1856 by I. Moniguetti for Princess Zinaida Yusupova( nee Sheremetyeva). The architect was evidently inspired in Rastrelli´s  Hermitage pavillion.  After 1917 it was used as sanatorium and children institution. The man in the photograph beside Felix is Anna Virubova´s brother.

[Forum Admin]

Our great thanks to Antonio for providing these pictures of the Yussupov dacha at Tsarkoe as it appeared in 2003:

[Louise]

I look at the ruin of these once majestic palaces/villas, and I want to cry. Thank god there are some who beleive the past should be restored.

Thanks for posting those pics. I close my eyes and I can see the villa as it once was.

Louise

[Candice]

Forum Admin, can you tell me who the two people are.

for the curious, the Yussupov Pavilion/Dacha at Tsarskoe Selo, pre 1917:

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

Hello Candice,
They are Prince Felix Yusupov and Anna Virubova´s brother, Serguey Taneyev.

[Arleen_Ristau]

I believe you are right Joanna, I have always been intrigued by Anna and think that there is a lot more to her than we know, I wish someone would do some investigating.  Her albums intrigue me, there is your proof of many things.       ..Arleen