Zverinskaya St., 15, Saint Petersburg, Leningrad Region, Russia, 198510
Architect Eduard Lvovich Gan presented a project in August 1855 for the construction of the Feldjeger House in the "newly formed carriage yard." After the Highest approval on October 8 of the same year, the Feldjeger House was built. According to the available description, the yard was fenced on three sides with a yellow-painted fence and had a rectangular shape in plan. The entrance to the yard was on the west side—through gates, where under canopies on the right and left, coal and firewood were stored (in the northern part), as well as drinking water (in the southern part). In the storeroom, located in the center of the perimeter, winter window frames from the palace were stored for the summer period. Portable palace lamps were stored and serviced in the lamp room.
At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries and later, the house was repeatedly repaired. The main log structure and wooden decor have been preserved unchanged. The roofing is made of roofing iron with a double seam. It was partially repaired. During layer-by-layer cleaning of the walls in the valet’s room, historic wallpaper was discovered; during door cleaning, the original paintwork was revealed.
The "Feldjeger House" museum, which opened on June 2, 2014, is connected with the history of Russia’s secret Feldjeger service. It was built by order of Emperor Alexander II next to the Farmer’s Palace, which served as a summer residence for the imperial family. The house was intended for the duty feldjeger, who was to be constantly present with the emperor.
By the end of 2013, reconstruction (at least externally) was completed. The wall color changed; a fenced utility yard with gates on the western wall appeared. The toilet next to the house was also restored (the characteristic hatch behind the booth leaves no doubt about its purpose). Judging by photos taken before the reconstruction, the booth was cast from concrete, which is typical for utility buildings of the early 20th century.
The wooden structure, combining elements of Russian wooden architecture and Gothic motifs, fit perfectly into the ensemble of the romantic "Alexandria" park. A closed utility yard adjoins the main building, where water tanks stood, firewood, coal, and other household items were stored.
The museum’s exhibition is housed in two small rooms: the valet’s room and the duty feldjeger’s room—a military courier responsible for delivering secret government correspondence. The feldjeger’s duties included accompanying the emperor, his family, and high-ranking guests on any trips, as well as carrying out special assignments from the emperor. The history of the feldjeger service comes alive on the pages of a multimedia book presented in the valet’s room exhibition.
At the museum, visitors can see the uniform of an officer of the Imperial Feldjeger Corps, portable safes for valuable cargo, and a leather document bag that the courier never parted with. The feldjeger’s main motto at all times is "If I do not hurry, I lose my dignity." Today, the State Feldjeger Service ensures Russia’s information security. Under all rulers, the feldjeger’s concepts of conscience and duty remain unchanged.
The Feldjeger House is one of the few wooden historically significant buildings that survived the Great Patriotic War and were preserved in the post-war period.
Sources:
https://www.citywalls.ru/house20154.html
https://peterhofmuseum.ru/objects/aleksandriya/feldyegerskiy_dom
