Mysterious Tower in Villozy

Old buildings in Villosi, created at the beginning of the 20th century, are a water pumping station, the predecessor of the current Dudergof station of the "Vodokanal" on the shore of the lake. It was intended to supply water from the Orlovsky springs to military camps and Krasnoye Selo.

The history of the architectural complex located in the village of Villosi remained unknown for a long time: there were assumptions that there was an inn, an officer cavalry school, a monastery farmstead... Archival research made it possible to establish that the purpose of the buildings was more prosaic – this is a water supply complex. The first clue was found on a Finnish Internet portal, where a photo of the familiar buildings was labeled as "Tuuterin keisarinaikaiset vesisailiot" ("Dudergof Imperial Water Reservoir").

The severe epidemic of typhoid and paratyphoid fever that broke out in the Life Guards Semenovsky Regiment in the summer of 1911, which claimed about 300 lives, once again raised the old and pressing issue of the extremely unsatisfactory sanitary condition of the Krasnoselsky camp. All previously implemented sanitary measures were recognized as insufficiently effective, as Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (the younger) personally reported to Nicholas II. The emperor's written response was as follows: "I consider it impossible to leave the Krasnoselsky camp in such an unsanitary condition any longer. I am confident that the Grand Duke Commander-in-Chief and the military department will energetically take up this vital matter."

After that, a special Economic and Construction Commission was formed to improve the health conditions of the Krasnoselsky camp area. The main task of the commission was set as the arrangement of sewage in the Krasnoselsky camp and the improvement of water supply.

On the latter issue, a special meeting was held at the District Headquarters under the chairmanship of Baron von der Brinken. After hearing the report of the well-known specialist in water supply and sewage, engineer Altukhov, the meeting unanimously concluded to cease the use of local water sources (springs), which at that time supplied both Krasnoselsky camps and the Krasnoselsky palaces, due to the fact that "these springs provide surface water—top water, water completely contaminated by the infected soil of Krasnoye Selo." Not only the poor quality of the water was noted but also its shortage. For example, the Cavalry Guards Regiment of Her Majesty Empress Maria Feodorovna sometimes went out to training "without drinking tea," and horses were watered "all over Pavlovskaya Sloboda, collecting water by buckets from dirty civilian wells." The question even arose about the liquidation of the Krasnoselsky camps and their relocation to another place, which would cause huge economic losses. The only reasonable solution recognized by the meeting was to bring water from the Orlovsky springs area.

With funds allocated by the Military Department, engineer of the 7th class of the Petersburg District of Communications Keler prepared a preliminary water supply project in less than three months. From the Orlovskaya water lifting station, a cast-iron pipeline was to be laid, ending near the village of Villosi with a reserve reservoir and service buildings. On the engineer's diagram, this place is marked exactly opposite the preserved architectural complex (on the other side of the Gatchina highway). Supplying water only to Villosi required from the Military Department "the construction of a new, second water lifting station near this village." It is this second station that has survived to this day, and the water supply designed by Keler is part of the modern "Greater Neva Water Supply."

There were also court intrigues. For example, in the summer of 1912, a situation occurred that was reflected in the memoirs of the disgraced War Minister Sukhomlinov: "The Grand Duke [Nikolai Nikolaevich] demanded significant funds for the arrangement of water supply and sewage in the Krasnoselsky camp... General Polivanov [who later became War Minister] reported this demand to me with a refusal in mind. But then, after reporting the War Minister's decision to the Grand Duke, he nevertheless, behind my back, secured the credits for this. I learned about his trick only by chance—later, at a parade, when after the Grand Duke's report, the sovereign thanked Polivanov, who was standing next to me."

However, as a result, the project was approved by all parties, and its implementation began in 1913. At that time, there were also those wishing to "join" the new water supply: among them were residents of Krasnoye Selo and the Commission responsible for building the church in Taitsy, whose petition was rejected.

In 1914, construction began on the "new palace stone water lifting building with a tank, with services and an intake on iron posts near the village of Villosi."

The water supply complex included a water tower building with tanks (today there is a "Pyaterochka" store), a boiler room with a chimney (today a cultural center), an administrative building (administration of JSC "Mozhayskoye"), a service building (former cardboard production), and an icehouse. There are also mentions of a machine building and a machine well of the underground gallery. Special attention was paid to the signaling system during construction.

The construction was carried out during the First World War under the supervision of the head of the suburban palaces, Major General Leonid Pavlovich Vasilyev, and the architect of the Suburban Palaces Administration, State Councilor Nikolai Nikolaevich Tamm (the younger).

The works on the installation of the iron framework, the frame for the tent (or dome, as it was also called) over the water tower are described in detail. The tent also had a hatch for access to the roof. There is a preserved image of the dome that exactly matches the structure we see in historical photographs.

In 1917, Keler was replaced by engineer von der Flaas. On February 25, 1917, he noted that the Krasnoselsky water supply was not yet completed, water was supplied only to the military camps, and "in case of the need to supply water to the Krasnoselsky palaces, special appropriations would be required." On October 23, 1917, he asked the Board of the Petrograd District of Communications to "give instructions regarding the transfer of the water supply to the city or the military department in case of enemy approach." The last sheet in the archival file is dated January 1918. It can be assumed that the water supply complex operated in the pre-war years – the 1931 "telephone directory" lists the phone number of the water pumping station in the Frunze camp in Krasnoye Selo.

Sources:

https://www.krasnosel.com/2-news/5225-tajna-villozevskoj-bashni