Alexander Palace Landscaping and Gardening...

[BobAtchison]

Oh my goodness - Christine - Kedrinsky is dead, how horrible... when, where - how did he die?  I don't have your phone number anymore - can you email me so we can reconnect?

Bob

[BobAtchison]

I remember when I met Kedrinsky in the 80's.  When he met me I told him that I had written the Catherine Palace when I was a kid many times asking about the Alexander palace but never had a reply.  I mentioned some of the things I had written - he laughed and said "You were that crazy kid?  We always wondered if you were for real and now here you are, amazing!"  Then he hugged me.

Bob

[christine martin]

Dear Bob
I am so sorry to break the news of Kedrinskys death to you.   He died suddenly of a heart attack last September.   Father Markel looked after everything.   (Kedrinsky was of unsurpassable help with the drainage at the Feodorovsky Sobor - without his knowledge we would not have the restored cave church of St Serafim)   A memorial was held in his honour in the Silver Hall of the Catherine Palace.  It was packed - attended by all the staff and everyone who cares about Tsarskoe Selo.   His widow lives in Orangery Street.   My friend keeps and eye on her.   She does have family.
Please send me your personal e-mail and I will e-mail you my telephone number.   Alternatively you can contact me on - christinemartin@hotmail.com
I think we might have a lot to talk about!!!
Best wishes,  Christine.

[BobAtchison]

My email is boba@pallasweb.com

[Cathy]

Hi Christine and Bob
Sorry to interupt your sadness; I feel as if I'm evesdropping on two old friends but that I am welcome to do so.
Back to the A. Park - where did the debris go after the war - was it buried.  The grounds are lovely now but I wonder what is underneath the mounds!  And what happened to the mines that were laid during the war?  Were they detonated first?
I would love to see the grounds in the summer, in full bloom .
Thanks Cathy

[Sarai_Porretta]

Joanna,
I tried your link but it doesn't work

[Allison]

Joanna,

Thanks for sharing!  

[Sarai_Porretta]

I cliqued on the link and it worked for me. I do not know why it is not for you. Did you try the link on Znamenskaya Church if you can get in? Or you can copy the link to the address field?

Joanna,
I got the link to work, thanks.

[Sunny]

Joanna,

Brilliant photos...as ever, you "come bearing gifts"...
Thanks so much.

Sunny

[BobAtchison]

Joanna - that is VERY interesting - I wonder if we could write someone there and find out more about the railings!  Perhaps we can ask one of our Russian friends - I will add this to a list of questions!

[Arleen_Ristau]

So Bob, does this mean that the railings of the Alexander Palace are CAST iron as opposed to WROUGHT iron?       ..Arleen

[BobAtchison]

I meant cast in a mold rather than pounded or forged.  I didn't realize cast iron and wrought iron were different types of the metal:

Wrought Iron: n:  having a low carbon content that is tough and malleable and so can be forged and welded.

Cast iron (Metal.), an impure variety of iron, containing from three to six percent of carbon, part of which is united with a part of the iron, as a carbide, and the rest is uncombined, as graphite. It there is little free carbon, the product is white iron; if much of the carbon has separated as graphite, it is called gray iron.

[Arleen_Ristau]

Thanks Bob, I didn't know all that either.....I just knew CAST as in a mold and Wrought as made by hand.  The wrought being the most desirable where I am from, the most expensive.  I am "wild" about iron work, I wish these railings could be found.       Arleen

[BobAtchison]

You guys find the best things!!!!!!

This pictures are great but so, so slow in loading - we are going to contact the photographer and see if they will put an english version of the page on our site....

[BobAtchison]

My descriptions of the construction of the balcony only say that it was designed by Danini in 1896 and was made by the St. Petersburg Metal Factory.  Other cast iron balconies around the palace were made of cast iron by Berd in 1846.