Elephant House

[JStorey]

May be an odd question, but would be very grateful to anyone who could provide the following detail:

Does anyone know the NAME of the elephant living at the Elephant House around 1912?  Did the Romanov children call it by a specific name?

"Finally a young elephant, brought by His Imperial Majesty from his travels round the world, arrived at Tsarskoe Selo in 1891 and in 1896 another elephant, which was sent as a present to His Majesty from Abyssinia, was also brought here. One of these elephants (the Siamese) died in 1902, but the other is still alive and is looked after by a Tartar, who is very willing to show it to visitors. This elephant is remarkable for its good temper and its obedience to its keeper; in summer it has its freedom and bathes daily in the nearest pond of the Alexander Park."

[Ortino]

No, sorry, I don't. Maybe it didn't have a name because I've never seen it be referred to by a name anywhere. I didn't even know there were two elephants. I just knew that he received one as a present from Siam.

[JStorey]

Thanks very much for the reply!

[Joanna]

From history of zoo in St. Petersburg:

"...As to history of the maintenance of elephants in Tsarskoe Selo, that the first of them, according to S.N.Vilchkovskogo (1911), " apparently, soon were lost ". In 1828 architect A.Menelasom for the maintenance of elephants had been constructed the special pavilion which has received the name "Elephants". It has been built in Aleksandrovsk park. This pavilion was wooden, in the "Indian" style, with intricate turrets, extensions and the xxtensive "court yard" enclosed by a metal fencing.
In 1832 there were in a menagerie one elephant with two attendants. Another elephant has been presented to tsar by emir Bukhara and delivered to Tsarskoe Selo in 1849. Later, in 1860, these elephants have transferred to Petersburg. With 1870 -1872 in Tsarskoe Selo one more elephant was presented by emir and had transferred to Petersburg Zoo.  According to S.N.Vilchkovskogo (1911), elephants lived in Tsarskoe Selo in the beginning of the twentieth century. Last elephant in Tsarskoe Selo has been shot in 1917 by revolutionary sailors..."

http://www.lenzoo.ru/russian/history/ind13.html

In reading the early years of Nicholas II's diaries, I have come across entries such as Tuesday, March 21, 1895: "...went for walk with Alix and visited elephant..." but no name as yet. During the years 1913-1916, Alexei often visited the elephants and I may find a name in N's diaries.

Joanna

[JStorey]

Thank you so very much Joanna - I really do appreciate it.  The description of the elephant house helps a great deal, as well as the information about Alexei visiting the elephant often.  If it peaked his interest I imagine he would have called it by some pet name.

On another note, what a sad demise.

If you find anything from N's diaries I am immensely grateful.  

Thanks again!

[Joanna]

Hello JStorey

Further entries from Nicholas' diaries:

"Monday 9 June 1914 ...After changing clothes, I went for walk. Day radiant. I led with Alexei elephant to our pond and watched its bathing ..."

"Tuesday 10 June 1914 ...There was again bathing of elephant, this time Alix and all children were present ..."

Joanna

[JStorey]

Thanks Joanna!

[Joanna]

Hello JStorey

From my notes I have found the names of the Tartars who accompanied the elephant on July 14, 1891 to Tsarskoe Selo - Alexei and his assistant Simeon. They were awarded with 50 roubles and gold and silver chains. It is possible that Alexei remained with the elephant and is the one quoted above.

From archival documents of 1914 of the Ministry of the Imperial Court, there are itemized monthly costs of supplies for the feed of the elephant. This was supplied by the merchant Malyshev who had various stores within Tsarskoe Selo.

Joanna

[Scott]

Has anyone attempted to locate ruins relating to the Elephant House?  It's my understanding that it was mostly wooden construction and, therefore, nothing may remain.

From the map below, it appears at though the Elephant house was located near the Llama House, in the direction of a fairly major road:



I took this photo (looking back toward the Llama House) in the general area where the Elephant House should have been located:



This photo was taken in approximately the same location, looking 180 degrees from the first photo.  You can see the road in the distance:



In any event, I spent about 30 - 45 minutes looking around the area, in weeds up to my shoulders, and I could find nothing that looked like the remains of a structure.  The only thing I did see were a couple of small pits in the ground (about 10-15 feet in diameter).

[Mike]

Unlike the Llama House, the Elephant Pavillion was a wooden structure, of which nothing has survived.

[Romanov_Fan19]

interesting   any pics of the  Elephant   what  was its name

[hikaru]

I know that there were two elephants which Nicholas bought during his voyage of 1891. But one
died in Japan or before arriving to Japan.
I glad to know that one of them could arrive to the Tsarskoe Selo safely.

[Eddie_uk]

"Finally a young elephant, brought by His Imperial Majesty from his travels round the world, arrived at Tsarskoe Selo in 1891 and in 1896 another elephant, which was sent as a present to His Majesty from Abyssinia, was also brought here. One of these elephants (the Siamese) died in 1902, but the other is still alive and is looked after by a Tartar, who is very willing to show it to visitors. This elephant is remarkable for its good temper and its obedience to its keeper; in summer it has its freedom and bathes daily in the nearest pond of the Alexander Park."

Hey J, Can you tell me the reference for this? I

I know Elephants can live a long time, but it's not still alive is it?!

[hikaru]

I have found in our russian internet an article about elephants in Petersburg.
there is reference to the memoirs of the russian famouse ballet teacher - Agrippina Vaganova.
She said that they (Ballet pupils ) spent the summer at the dacha of Tsarskoe selo, where they often went to see the well trained elephant, which was the present to the  NIcholas when he was a prince.
In this article it is also said that the last elephant in Tsarskoe Selo was shooted by revotutional sailors in 1917.
Such a sad story.

[Eddie_uk]

What an awful thing to do, weren't they just barbaric?

I would love to have shot them.