MFP2+86 Pushkinsky District, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Family Grove is a special memorial place in Pavlovsk Park. The tradition of planting trees to commemorate important family events was established by the first owners of Pavlovsk. The first Family Grove was laid out by Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, on a small peninsula formed by the bend of the Slavyanka River. They personally planted the "family" trees, marking the most significant dates in the family chronicle – the births of children and grandchildren, weddings. Each tree had a tin plaque attached, indicating the name of the new member of the imperial family and the year of birth; in some cases, the plaque also showed the year of the wedding. A decorative vase, called the Urn of Fate, was installed in the center of the grove.
After the tragic death of Emperor Pavel I, the widowed Empress Maria Feodorovna continued this tradition. The Family Grove held special significance for her. The young trees, with the trembling of their leaves and branches, best expressed Maria Feodorovna’s tender family feelings. During the empress’s lifetime, 44 birch trees were planted in the Family Grove. After her death, no more "family" trees were planted there.
Almost nothing remains of this Family Grove, located on the peninsula near the bridge with centaurs, since birch trees live a little over a hundred years even with the best care. Now, only a large number of lindens grow on the peninsula. They were planted along the edges of the peninsula and framed the Family Grove. Linden trees live long and can reach several hundred years of age.
However, during Empress Maria Feodorovna’s time, another small Family Grove was established – in the garden of the Alexander Palace, which was built in 1796 by architect V. Brenna’s design, very close to the Pavlovsk Palace. Five trees were planted there to commemorate the birth of the children of Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, the future Emperor Nicholas I. There is no information on whether these were birches or other trees. Nothing is known about the fate of these family trees near the Alexander Palace. The palace itself was dismantled in 1851 due to "dilapidation."
Another Family Grove in Pavlovsk Park appeared under Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich on the meadow near the Stone Bridge. It was established to honor the birth of the children of his son – Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich. From his diary, we learn the location of the new Family Grove. On July 2, 1911, he writes: "Katzer arranged a gazebo in the garden below between the new Family Grove and the small bridge leading to Yelena Island, made from oak branches…". Yelena Island is located near the Stone Bridge, which spans the Slavyanka River along Fedorovskaya Road (now Sadovaya Street). In the grand duke’s diaries, it is also noted that oak trees were planted in the new Family Grove to commemorate the birth of sons: the first was planted in 1886, when the firstborn, Prince Ioann Konstantinovich of imperial blood, was born. By tradition, commemorative plaques were attached to the trees.
Before the Great Patriotic War, the bronze collection of the Pavlovsk Palace Museum held four copper commemorative plaques, which were lost during the years of occupation. In the inventory records, they are listed as: "Oval copper plaques from the trees of the Family Grove: 1. To Christopher – Prince of Hellas. 2. To Prince Oleg Konstantinovich. 3. Wedding day of Her Highness Tatiana Konstantinovna and Prince Konstantin Bagration-Mukhransky. 4. Birthday of Taimuraz Konstantinovich."
The 1935 inventory data of Pavlovsk Park confirm that on the meadow between the Private Garden and the Slavyanka River there grew two cedars, six larches, nine firs, six oaks, four maples, one Schwedler maple, one Engelmann spruce, eight lindens, and one elm. Comparing these data with the grand duke’s diary entries, it can be assumed that these six oaks were part of the new Family Grove and were planted to honor the birth of the six sons of Konstantin Konstantinovich.
Today, at the foot of the steep hill on which the Pavlovsk Palace stands, on a large meadow bordered by the Slavyanka River, isolated from other plantings, grows a group of old trees – five oaks, two lindens, and one maple. Without any doubt, this is the part of the new Family Grove that has survived to this day. It can be considered another memorial monument of Pavlovsk Park.
Sources:
https://pavlovskmuseum.ru/news/calendar/2397/
