The Lower Dacha (New Palace), at Peterhof

[Cody]

I was wondering if anyone knew what was/is the Italian House at Peterhof where the then-Tsarevich Nicholas wrote in his diary how he and Alix carved their names in the rear window of the Italian House?

[Tasia]

Wow, I haven't known that!! How Interesting!! ^^
Does anyone know it better?

[Janet Ashton]

I was wondering if anyone knew what was/is the Italian House at Peterhof where the then-Tsarevich Nicholas wrote in his diary how he and Alix carved their names in the rear window of the Italian House?

I have always taken "the Italian House" to be the one which became the Lower Dacha (after remodelling). It was originally Italian in style; rather less so when they had finished with it. Even in 1884 it was earmarked as Nicholas's future home, as far as I recall, and the remodeling may even have started. But there is a long thread here about it in the palace section.

[NAOTMAA Fan]

That's incredibly sad to see : (

[Constantinople]

I think that with all the natural resources money flowing into russia now, a certain protion of this should be used for reconstructing alll Imperial Buildings and Palaces that were destroyed.  By this i don't mean sheds or ones that were not well known and documented.  I think the more that Russia does this, the greater the flow of tourists into Russia and more currency.

[richard_1990]

They've done that significantly already. Over the last 20 years they've restored the entire Moscow Kremlin, Peterhof, Catherine Palace, Winter Palace (where needed), Kolomenskoye Palace, Pavlosk Palace, Mikhailovich Palace, the Engineers palace, Constantine Palace and others that I can't think of. There's been billions of dollars spent of palace restoration.

[Margot]

Ropsha is another being 'restored' and will apparently be an hotel! The Russian government does seem to be trying to save the Imperial heritage it has left which is fantastic IMHO!

[PAVLOV]

I really hope they save Ropsha. But when renovated as hotels, these old buildings lose their character completely. But rather something than nothing. There is not very much to lose at Ropsha anyway I suppose. They have left it so late, there is almost nothing left.

[lilianna]

A book about the Lower Palace, and photos of the bedrooms of the book.

http://img805.imageshack.us/i/bookofpeterhof1932.png/

http://img62.imageshack.us/i/imperialbedroom.png/

[lilianna]

Photos of Lower Palace in 1944:

http://img215.imageshack.us/i/39304656.jpg/

http://img24.imageshack.us/i/97177855.png/

[PAVLOV]

Actually if one compares what remained after the Germans had their little temper tantrum by destoying everything, to Pavlovsk, it could probably have been restored. I think they destoyed what was left because the building had such personal links with the last imperial family, and was not a Baroque extravaganza like the  others. A style to which the Soviets identified with more easily. Also I dont think they wanted to restore what was essentially an "Arts and Crafts" / "Style moderne"  building.
I dont think they understood the architecture sufficiently to make the effort. So it was just easier to flatten it.

[lilianna]

At that time, nobody did not think about the Emperor and no one thought that will restore the imperial palaces. But now President of the Peterhof Palace Museum Znamenov wants to restore the Lower Palace.

[Robert_Hall]

Strickly  my opinion,  I think it a waste of resources and effort to restore a talentless  creation of no real historical value. It would not even be a a restoration, but moire a reconstruction.

[Ian (UK)]

   The footprint of the building is still there & by the look of that great mound of earth in recent pictures most of the rubble too. It's just a matter of putting it all back together again. I think the building is of great historical importance considering the events that took place there. Also I would put it in my top 10 of Romanov buildings along with Ropsha. Any rebuild would take time and money I know but I feel a future restoration would be possible. Anyway all this can be put on hold until the current economic crisis is over, as the ruins are not particularly going anywhere.

[I-TsarevichAlexei13]

Very much so Carisbrooke, I agree. The New Palace, or Lower Dacha was of historical and great importance during Nicholas II, and Alexandra's reign in Imperial Russia. When one looks at the fotographs of the Villa before the 1940s, Its a beautiful structure, and the furniture "cozy corners" and the pieces were so delicate, it takes real arts and skills to recreate a mansion/palace like that

I believe that The curators saved tons of things from the Lower Dacha, yes? It would be a great thing to restore it to its former potential and glory, plus its what the tourists want to see, the recreated, paradise of Nicholas & Alexandra. I do not think it is a talentless or arts-and-crafts building, It shows the personal ways and styles of the Last Emperor and Empress, and plus

Most of the children were born there, Alexei especially in August of 1904. So why would they not restore it? If They are going to fully restore the Alexander Palace, completely, then why stop there? Restore The Lower Dacha, and I also agree Ropsha should be too, It is a beautiful building as well

So that's my thoughts!

God Bless! Slava Bogu!

~I-TsarevichAlexei13