Own Dacha (until 1740 — Primorskaya Dacha) is a palace and park ensemble in Old Peterhof near Saint Petersburg, belonging to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. It belongs to the type of small travel palaces. The private nature of the palace was emphasized by the fact that no one was admitted there without a report.

Own Dacha is located three kilometers west of the Lower Park of Peterhof. This place was gifted by Emperor Peter I to the famous scholar, political and spiritual figure, and the emperor’s associate in church affairs — Theophan Prokopovich.

The construction of the stone dacha began in 1727, during the reign of Emperor Peter II. The author of the architectural project is considered to be Carlo Giuseppe Trezzini, nephew and son-in-law of Domenico Trezzini. Initially, the palace and park ensemble, centered around a two-story stone house, was called the Primorsky House, Primorskaya Dacha, or Primorskaya Myza. It changed owners several times and eventually passed into the state treasury. In 1741, the estate was gifted to Elizabeth Petrovna, and the Primorsky House received the name “Own Dacha of Her Imperial Majesty.” Elizabeth visited here almost every year, but after her death, the dacha lost its former significance. Due to its close proximity to the sea, the dacha was called “Primorskaya”; Empresses and Grand Duchesses Anna Ioannovna and Elizabeth Petrovna visited here. After Theophan’s death in 1736, the dacha became Elizabeth’s property. Having become Empress, Elizabeth named her estate “Own Dacha.” Under Catherine the Great, the building deteriorated. In the 1770s, architect Felten rebuilt the dilapidated palace, demolishing many structures and reconstructing the main facade.

In 1843, Nicholas I gifted the dacha to the heir, Prince Alexander Nikolaevich, the future Emperor Alexander II. Alexander II spent his honeymoon here. From 1844 to 1846, using the walls of the old, rather modestly decorated building, architect Stakenschneider completely changed its appearance, rebuilding it in the Neo-Baroque style. The palace was newly finished, and later a third mansard floor was added above it. The building was adorned with a new balcony supported by four Tuscan columns. Four atlantes appeared on the facades. The rooms in the palace were decorated in the Rococo style. Unfortunately, all the interior decoration of the building has been lost; it can only be judged by drawings and photographs. One can fully agree with the opinion of lady-in-waiting Tyutcheva that Own Dacha is a “precious trinket of luxury and elegance,” for which a great deal of money was paid.

Own Dacha occupies a very significant place in the history of mid-19th-century Russian architecture. This building marks the beginning of a new direction in Russian architecture — the stylized “Second Baroque.” The “Second Baroque” became one of the most widespread styles for mansions and palaces of that time.

Unfortunately, all the interior decoration of the building has been lost; it can only be judged by drawings and photographs. Furniture, paintings, and dinnerware were made in imitation of 18th-century art. One can fully agree with the opinion of lady-in-waiting Tyutcheva that Own Dacha is a “precious trinket of luxury and elegance,” for which a great deal of money was paid.

At the northern sea-facing facade, a slope with a wide stone staircase descending to the pond was arranged. Several landings were built on the staircase, on which cast-iron flower baskets once stood. Descending, one could see a vast parterre with a statue of marble Cupid holding a fish, created by sculptor Pimenov. In the middle of the garden, in front of the palace, there was a rectangular pond, with garlands of flowers of various shades along the slopes of the banks. Two beautiful fountains were arranged here below. The garden extended to the Oranienbaum highway and ended right at the sea.

At the opposite, southern facade of the palace was a flower parterre surrounded by shady trees. Along the main path of the garden stood eight marble statues depicting court cavaliers in 18th-century costumes with various musical instruments. In the middle of the park grew a centuries-old branching oak, on which a tortoiseshell shield with the initials of Alexander II and his wife Maria Alexandrovna was affixed.

On the eastern side of the palace was a side entrance, flanked by marble lions — copies of the original by sculptor Canova. On the right and left sides of the palace, bridges spanned ravines. At the opposite, southern facade of the palace was a flower parterre surrounded by shady trees. Along the main path of the garden stood eight marble statues depicting court cavaliers in 18th-century costumes with various musical instruments. In the middle of the park grew a centuries-old branching oak, on which a tortoiseshell shield with the initials of Alexander II and his wife Maria Alexandrovna was affixed.

On the eastern side of the palace were ravines. One of them led to the palace’s Trinity Church, which both outside and inside was designed in the same style as the palace. It was built in 1858 to replace the previous wooden one by the same architect — Andrey Ivanovich Stakenschneider. Services in this church were held once a year, on the day of the church’s feast.

Own Dacha was intended for the heir, the Tsesarevich, and opened a new direction in mid-19th-century Russian architecture, the so-called Second Baroque (Neo-Baroque). This was one of the most widespread neo-styles in the 1840s–1850s and became very popular in the construction of mansions. Stakenschneider chose for this country palace the style of Louis XV (then called the Rococo style), reminiscent to the heir of the golden age of the nobility.

The wall decoration, furniture, paintings, porcelain sets, and figurines — all were made in the Rococo style. Even the dishes stored in the palace strictly conformed to the overall interior style. Especially fine was the Sevres tea set with images of famous favorites of French kings. The palace was perceived, in the words of lady-in-waiting Tyutcheva, as a “precious trinket of luxury and elegance.”

The vestibule at the entrance was paneled with carved beech. On the first floor were the chamberlain’s room, Alexander II’s toilet, his study, dining room, “yellow” and “blue” rooms. The study resembled Peter I’s study in the Grand Peterhof Palace: floors of parquetry, doors of ebony and other precious woods with inlays, Sevres and Saxon vases, finely carved furniture, Boulle cabinets and étagères. On the walls hung paintings by Jacob van Loo and Antoine Watteau.

A staircase with carved beech railings, similar to the central staircase of the Grand Peterhof Palace, led to the upper floor. The rooms on this floor included a library, Maria Alexandrovna’s study, a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and maid’s room. In the living room were portraits of Paul I and his family by Neff. The bedroom contained a luxurious canopy bed; above it was an elegant ivory carving of the Virgin Mary. There was also a display case with antique toilet items said to have belonged to Empress Elizabeth. The bathroom with a marble pool was decorated with a large wall fresco “The Triumph of Galatea.”

The palace, church, and garden were destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. Only between 1955 and 1960, according to Stakenschneider’s original drawings, architect Benois restored the building’s facades, adapting it as a recreation base for the Leningrad Engineering and Construction Institute, and the destroyed historic bridges were replaced with temporary ones.

In 1980, the building’s facades were restored again, and a project for further restoration of the park ensemble was developed. However, in the post-Soviet period, the building was abandoned. In 2014, architectural restoration and repair work began in the building but has been practically halted.

Sources:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Own_Dacha