Lower houses

At the same time as the magnificent, elegant ensemble of the Grand Palace was being built in the 1710s–1720s, modest buildings were also constructed that still exist today. These are the Lower Houses, which are part of the Grand Palace complex.

The Lower Houses are a group of five buildings located to the east of the palace. They are conventionally divided into two groups – the western and eastern wings. The western wings consist of three buildings facing Palace Avenue and connected by a common wall. The gates built between the outermost houses form an entrance to the inner courtyard. Thus, the western wings are designed as a unified composition. The two eastern wings stand separately and face inward toward the park.

Originally, the Lower Houses accommodated members of the palace staff, as well as garden and park personnel. Therefore, the historical name of these houses is “Service Houses.” However, only four of the five buildings were residential. The largest, central building of the western group housed a greenhouse.

In the 19th century, all five buildings were partially rebuilt and reconstructed. The western group’s buildings were given additional stories in the form of second floors, while the eastern houses remained single-story. All elements of the Baroque architecture of the Lower Houses were preserved during the reconstruction, so they remain an organic part of the palace and park complex, in a unified style with the main building of the Grand Palace.

After the 19th-century reconstruction, the Lower Houses have not changed their appearance. They were untouched during both the military and post-war years. Today, they are a typical example of 18th-century residential architecture.

Sources:

https://peterburg.center/maps/oranienbaum-nizhnie-doma.html

http://www.oranienbaum.org/oranienbaum/the-ensemble-of-the-grand-palace/the-lower-house/