Natural Monument "Park 'Sergievka'," Oranienbaum Highway, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 198411
Sergievka is a palace and park ensemble located in Peterhof (Petrodvorets District of Saint Petersburg) on the site of the former Leuchtenberg estate. The palace and park ensemble is a cultural heritage site, an architectural monument of the 19th century of federal significance, and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments." The park is a natural monument of regional significance.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the owner of this territory became Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev, a close associate of Peter I. From him, the estate passed to his son, Field Marshal Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky. The estate was named Sergievka after his son, Sergey Petrovich Rumyantsev.
In 1822, Rumyantsev sold the estate to Kirill Naryshkin, who, according to Sollogub, acquired "a landlord's house among various wooden pavilions where summer guests stayed." After the owner's death in 1838, the Naryshkin dacha was purchased by Nicholas I for 560 thousand rubles. Sergievka became the country residence of his daughter Maria Nikolaevna and her husband Maximilian, Duke of Leuchtenberg, and later their descendants.
The architect Stakenschneider, who built the Mariinsky Palace in Saint Petersburg for the Leuchtenberg couple, also became the author of their country palace in Sergievka. In addition to the palace, Stakenschneider built the Kitchen and Hofmeister (Steward) wings, and in 1845–1846, the Orthodox Church of Saint Catherine. The church building, like the palace, was executed in the then-popular European style of "Neo-Greek," inspired by ancient classical architecture. The church facades, which had a concise cubic form and a flat roof, were decorated with pilasters and bas-reliefs of angels embedded in the walls on the north and south sides. The most complete and reliable information about the church is contained in the works of Professor Dmitry Vladimirovich Osipov.
In the mid-19th century, the park's development continued. Benches and sculptures were carved from huge granite boulders, and the collection of plantings was expanded. A unique monument is the giant granite "Head," which provokes debate among art historians and historians.
After the revolution, the park was taken under state protection and declared a natural monument in 1921 based on a decree of the Council of People's Commissars. The Leuchtenberg estate was transferred to the Biological and Soil Faculty of Leningrad University. The Biological Research Institute of the University was located in the palace and adjacent buildings.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Leuchtenberg estate found itself on the front line of the Oranienbaum bridgehead; the park and buildings were severely damaged. After the war, Leningrad University carried out park improvement works. In 1965, the palace facades were mainly restored according to the project of architect Zeideman, and after 1969, restoration work on the park was carried out according to the project of architect Agapova.
The park's pathway drainage system is arranged so that even during the heaviest downpours, the paths always remain dry.
Sources:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Сергиевка_(дворцово-парковый_ансамбль)
