Description of the attraction
The Palace Park is the main attraction of Gatchina. This landscape park ensemble was created at the end of the 18th century, has an area of 143 hectares and is located in the very center of the city. In the southwestern part of the park, there is the main park structure - the Great Gatchina Palace.
The composition of the park is suggested to the organizers of the park by the nature itself and the spatial structure of this area. The fourth part of the park area is occupied by the water surface of the White and Silver lakes. Channels of canals and small rivers, ponds. The areas along the banks of the reservoirs have a tiered layout, which creates picturesque views from various points.
The center of the Palace Park is the White Lake, through which two main compositional axes pass. The first one begins at the Great Gatchina Palace, then goes through two lakes, the Pavilion of Venus, the Birch Gate. The second axis departs from the Admiralty Gate and goes through the Long Island towards the Great Iron Gate. The palace park is made up of several parts that are interconnected: the English Garden, the Private Garden, the Lower and Upper Botanical Gardens, the Lower and Upper Dutch Gardens, Love Island, Botanical or Flower Hill, Water and Forest Labyrinths.
The Gatchina Palace Park emerged at a time when the fashion for regular gardens and parks was replaced by an addiction to the so-called "English" or landscape parks, with its layout repeating natural natural landscapes.
The history of the creation of the park is divided into two periods of time - "Orlovsky" and "Pavlovsky". The "Oryol" period of the park is associated with the owner of Gatchina, Count Orlov. Gatchina manor was bought by Catherine II in 1765 from Prince B. A. Kurakin and presented to her favorite as a token of gratitude for her help during her accession to the throne. A few years later, the new owner laid the Great Gatchina Palace on the territory of the estate, and around it the creation of a landscape park began.
The beginning of the formation of the park dates back to the 1770s. The creation of the park was supervised by John Bush, a renowned gardener. The initial work was aimed at changing and processing the forest natural massif near the Beloye Lake, planting rare and atypical trees for the forest of the northern strip. Mature trees were delivered from the Novgorod province. In addition, lakes were expanded, artificial islands were built, and walking paths were made. At this time, only a few permanent structures were installed in the park. The Chesme obelisk, the Column of the Eagle and the Echo grotto have survived to this day.
After the death of Count Orlov, the future emperor Paul I became the owner of the manor. Under him, new trees were planted in the park in large volumes, large-scale landscape redevelopment was carried out, and new park structures were erected. New structures began to be erected in the 1780s. Most likely, the first building under Paul was the Birch House in 1787, architect F. Violier. At the same time, the Great Iron Gates are being erected. The main development of the park begins in the 1790s. During this period, the garden master James Hackett worked in the park.
A building of the Admiralty was being built in the park for the construction and storage of pleasure boats of the small Gatchina fleet; in 1795, a pond was dug next to it for launching ships. In the center of the park, a canal was laid, which separated part of the coast and created an Island of Love on the White Lake, the decoration of which was the Venus Pavilion (1792-1793).
Until 1800, a regular park (Sylvia) was being set up in the northwestern part, in 1792-1793 a gate was erected on the border, after which this section became an independent park. Wooden bridges that existed earlier in the park are being replaced with stone ones.
Simultaneously with these works, the part of the park, which is adjacent to the palace, is being developed. An octagonal well is being dug and faced with granite near the Silver Lake. In 1792-1793. on the site of a deep ravine, the Karpin pond was created, in the form of a jug. In 1794, a terrace of the Own Garden was built, a regular garden "Decanter" with a Turkish gazebo was set up.
In 1797, according to the project of the architect N. A. Lvov, an amphitheater is being built for knightly performances. 13 staircases are being built in the Botanical Garden, in 1799-1801. greenhouses and greenhouses are being built here, the Humpback and Karpichny bridges are being erected.
After the death of the emperor in 1801, active work was suspended. Subsequently, only the restoration of old buildings is carried out and the maintenance of the park in good condition.
