Meiendorf Castle. Moscow region. Village of Mayendorf Gardens (former territory of the Barvikha sanatorium) More detailed facts from the history of the reconstruction of the castle
I didn’t know that the new President Medvedev chose such a beautiful castle for his residence. This indicates his very good taste. Our government officials have never seen anything like this before. Then I read how he received Sarkozy in this castle and decided to find out what kind of castle it was. Well, I’ll tell you, it’s just rubbish. There has never been such a stylish residence before. There are a lot of his photos here: http://www.meiendorf.ru/o_zamke.htm
Against the backdrop of the classical style of noble estates of the 19th century, the castle of the barons Mayendorf, built near Barvikha near Moscow, became bright and unexpected. The basis of the unusual image is neo-Gothic, romantic and luxurious. Nowadays, elements restored from ancient engravings and photographs are combined with careful stylization of interiors. It does not have a museum atmosphere; it is operational, since it was reconstructed for state purposes - meetings, receptions and other official events are regularly held here. Despite its official status as a government residence, Meiendorf Castle is not an area closed to visitors. Its beauty is accessible not only to the head of state and his guests - the castle regularly hosts private corporate and festive events, the organizers of which invariably note the high level of hospitality and goodwill from the outside staff and administration of the castle. The history of the castle begins in 1874, when the romantic daughter of General Kazakov, Nadezhda Aleksandrovna, convinced her father to build a castle in the spirit of medieval knightly romances. It was then that, away from the small village of Podushkino (the future Barvikha), a miniature wooden castle was erected, located on the shore of a pond. Outlandish trees, which could only be obtained at that time, were planted in the nearby park. In 1886, the young lady got married, and her husband, Colonel of the General Staff Evgeny Aleksandrovich Verigin, began remodeling the building together with the architect Pyotr Boytsov, who played an important role in the architectural history of Barvikha. However, a fatal incident interrupts Verigin's life. Nadezhda Alexandrovna marries again - to Mayendorff, a descendant of an ancient baronial family. At his direction, the castle was rebuilt, acquiring new towers and a brick wall around it. On the ground floor, in the fireplace room, there is a tapestry on the theme of the Great Flood, presumably the work of Benoit. The tapestry is surrounded by monograms, on one of which is written in Latin Diluvium (“flood”), and on the other - H and X - “House of Iskulei” (the Mayendorffs traced their history back to this ancient family).
Until 1904, careful work on the castle continued. In 1914, having left Russia, the Meiendorff couple never returned to their family home. After the October Revolution, V.I. lived and worked in the castle for some time. Lenin, and in 1935, on the territory of the former noble estate, the Barvikha sanatorium of the USSR Council of Ministers was organized, where Mikhail Bulgakov, Sergei Korolev and Yuri Gagarin were treated and rested at different times.
My friends and I decided to go on a short excursion trip. We chose objects that are located not far from Moscow, because in winter it gets dark early, and in order to see everything well, it is better not to spend a lot of time on the road. As a result, we found the most interesting trip along the so-called “royal road”, which runs along the Rublevo-Uspenskoye Highway. The program stated a visit to several noble estates, namely: Ilyinskoye, Petrovo-Dalneye, Ubory, Uspenskoye. All these estates have their own interesting history. The final destination of the excursion was the Savvino-Strozhevsky Monastery in Zvenigorod, where I had never been. So I was anticipating quite an exciting trip.
We started our journey from the Park Pobedy metro station. Just the day before, I read about the estates that we were to visit, and I was a little upset: it turned out that all of them are now owned by some institutions and access to their territory is closed. Only temple complexes will be allowed to be visited freely. While we were driving through the places where the richest people in our country live, I kept waiting for us to see something beautiful, and I could not understand what caused the excitement around this destination. Yes, once upon a time there really were quite picturesque places here: hills covered with pine trees, winding banks of the Moscow River. However, now all this beauty is blocked by high fences, some modern glass shopping centers and concert halls. Quite quickly we reached the first stop in Barvikha, where we walked to the castle of Baroness Mayendorff.
Maendorf Castle
Maendorf Castle
Now this palace houses the residence of the President of the Russian Federation. In this regard, the castle, surrounded by a powerful fence, and the vast territory around it became inaccessible to mere mortals. This unusual palace was built in 1885 on the estate of the daughter of Colonel A.B. Kazakova Nadezhda Alexandrovna. She entrusted the design of the house to her good friend, the architect P. Boytsov, who created a house that looked like a Gothic medieval castle. Shortly before the completion of construction, Nadezhda Alexandrovna married Colonel E. Verigin. Unfortunately, a few years later, while returning from a trip abroad, he dropped important papers into the sea. Verigin tried to save the package and dived into the sea to get the documents. Already at home he became very ill and died suddenly of a cold. He was buried near the temple near the castle in Barvikha, and for some time the Podushkinskoe highway was called Veriginsky in his honor. A few years later, Nadezhda Alexandrovna married again, this time to a representative of the ancient German family of Baron Mayendorff. The new husband fell in love with this castle very much, expanded the pond, ordered the construction of a dam and a mill, and erected a stone fence around the estate. The castle was surrounded by a huge regular park in which rare trees were planted. Flowering flower beds were fragrant everywhere. The Mayendorff family spent every summer on this wonderful estate. Felix Yusupov, who owned the neighboring Arkhangelskoye estate, recalled that his neighbor had an ideal figure and was a famous fidget. At the same time, the grandson of the gardener who served with the Mayendorffs shared his memories of the baroness’s ugly appearance, and that this family couple, bathed in luxury, was extremely cruel to the poor people who lived in the neighborhood and even to their subordinates.
Before the First World War, the Meiendorffs went abroad and never returned to Russia. Immediately after the revolution, a colony for minors was located in the castle, as often happened at that time. Then, in the thirties, the elite sanatorium “Barvikha” was opened here, where M. Prishvin, M. Bulgakov, A. Tolstoy, D. Shostakovich, Yu. Gagarin and many other famous personalities rested.
During the Great Patriotic War, the castle housed a hospital. One of the mass graves has still been preserved, and people are even allowed to go to it every May 9th. In the early 2000s, a grandiose reconstruction began at the castle, on which, according to rumors, more than 250 thousand dollars were spent. Some lucky guests managed to admire the recreated palace and its magnificent interiors. However, very soon the territory was closed, and now the castle of Baroness Mayendorff can only be seen from behind the fence. You can freely visit the territory of the Nativity Church, built in the 18th century by order of the landowner A. Voeikov, who owned the estate at that time.
Church of the Nativity
This church was recently restored and pleases the eye with its bright azure color. It must be said that all the churches in this direction are in the best condition; here you probably won’t find dilapidated ruins, as in other areas of the Moscow region. At least, on our way we came across only perfectly restored churches.
The next stop on our route is the former royal residence Ilyinskoye, which is located next to the famous Yusupov estate Arkhangelskoye. Ilyinsky was owned at various times by the Streshnevs, Count Osterman-Tolstoy, and the Golitsyns, until it was acquired by the royal family in the mid-19th century.
Ilyinskoye
From now on, Ilyinskoye became the residence of the wife of Alexander II, Maria Alexandrovna, near Moscow. At this time, a beautiful house and numerous pavilions were built on the estate. It is known that at the end of his life the emperor had an affair with Princess Ekaterina Dolgoruka, which is perhaps why the pavilions in Ilyinsky had such strange names as “Understand Me” and “Don’t Feel the Grief.”
The most famous guests came here. After the death of Maria Alexandrovna, the estate was inherited by her son Sergei, who later became the Moscow governor. He was married to the sister of the last Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Elizabeth. Their marriage was childless, since most likely Sergei Alexandrovich was gay and preferred men.
In Soviet times, a sanatorium was opened in the estate, where, they say, V.V.’s grandfather even worked. Putin. Now in Ilyinsky there is an elite holiday home, which has surrounded the territory with a high fence and is slowly destroying historical buildings. Naturally, ordinary people are not allowed inside either. We were able to visit only the Church of Elijah the Prophet, which previously also belonged to the Ilyinskoye estate.
Then we go to the village of Ubory. Since the 17th century, it was the patrimony of the Sheremetev boyars. It was they who commissioned the self-taught serf architect Yakov Bukhvostov to build a stone church of the Savior Not Made by Hands in Ubory.
Temple in Ubory
It was recently restored and from the outside it simply amazes with its beauty. Contrasting colors, stone columns and stucco, it all looks very unusual. This temple is one of the brightest examples of “Naryshkin baroque”.
Temple in Ubory
Temple in Ubory
Everything inside is still quite modest, the frescoes have not yet been restored, but services are already underway in the church and it is clear that it is very popular among local parishioners.
Temple in Ubory
Nearby, a parable house was built in a similar style; presumably, the main manor house used to stand in its place.
House Parable
Then we head to the village of Uspenskoye. It was in honor of him that Rublevo-Uspenskoe Highway received the second part of its name. The temple complex of the Assumption Church, which was founded back in the 18th century by order of the owner of the estate, Pyotr Matveevich Apraksin, has also been restored here.
Temple in Assumption
The temple stands on a hill; you can imagine how beautiful it was here when the surrounding area was not built up with cottages. Next to the church there is a castle built for Prince B.V. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky by the same architect P. Boytsov, who built the castle for Baroness Mayendorff.
Uspenskoe
Indeed, there is a similarity in the appearance of these two buildings. At the end of the 19th century, this castle was acquired by the younger brother of the famous Savva Morozov, who took the artist I. Levitan under his patronage. It was in Uspensky that he lived for some time and even created several landscapes depicting both the house-palace and the surrounding expanses. A.P. came to visit Levitan in Uspenskoye. Chekhov, but he did not like either the house or the owner of the home. Now the castle territory is surrounded by a fence; the clinical hospital of the Academy of Sciences is located inside, and the entrance to the territory is not accessible.
Uspenskoe
We had to admire this architectural miracle from behind the fence. Almost all of these closed estates are guarded by dogs, so there is practically no chance of getting inside. Because of the angry dogs, we even drove past the Petrovo-Dalnee estate, which was also included in the program. Not so long ago it stood in disrepair, but now it houses some kind of department for the State Drug Control Service, and it is closed to visitors. And for greater intimidation, dogs were brought into the estate to drive away curious tourists. The final destination of our program was the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery in Zvenigorod.
Savvino-Strozhevsky Monastery
Here a guide was waiting for our group, who showed us the territory and told us what we could do in our free time. Since we really wanted to eat, we decided to have lunch at the Provision Tower cafe, which was located in the corner tower of the monastery.
Cafe in the monastery
Cafe in the monastery
On the ground floor of this cafe there is a shop selling local baked goods, while the top two floors are dedicated to the cafe. Prices here are quite modest (soup costs 160 rubles, cakes 40-80 rubles), but the choice of food is very small. Then you can leave the cafe and walk along the gallery of the fortress wall. Time flew by very quickly, so we didn’t even have time to go into any temple or museum, but only examined them from the outside.
Monastery in Zvenigorod
Monastery in Zvenigorod
Monastery in Zvenigorod
Unfortunately, the weather was not the best and was not conducive to long walks. Therefore, we decided not to go to the Skete, which is very popular among tourists. Free time passed very quickly and we headed home. In general, this excursion caused some disappointment, since the program did not include a single estate where we could freely explore at least the territory with a park. It’s once again frustrating that our access to cultural heritage sites is being slowly blocked. Nevertheless, I really liked the restored magnificent churches, especially the Spassky Cathedral in Ubory. Just for this reason, it’s worth a drive in this direction and perhaps add a few more objects to the program.
There are a huge number of interesting places in the Moscow region. Some of them are known to everyone, others are in the shadows. Some are easy to get to, while others are inaccessible to mere mortals. A few years ago, few people had heard of Meiendorf Castle, but many saw it while driving along Podushkinskoye Highway past the Barvikha state farm. Now the castle is surrounded by a high fence - because after a large-scale restoration it became the official residence of the President of Russia. Now the whole country periodically hears about it, but not everyone manages to see all its beauty.
This photo series was made by me in 2006, when the castle had already been restored, but did not yet have such great national importance as it does now. Surely something in the castle’s decor has changed, but you can get a general impression of the castle and its interior from these photos.
The castle was built in 1885-1887 under the leadership of Pyotr Samoilovich Boytsov for the daughter of General A.B. Kazakov, Nadezhda Alexandrovna.
In 1904, Nadezhda Alexandrovna married a retired officer, Baron Bogdan Egorovich Mayendorff. So she became a baroness, and the castle received the name “Castle of Baroness Mayendorff,” which it still bears.
The castle was visited by many famous people. A memorial sign installed on the walls of the castle states that Emperor Nicholas II came to the castle.
In 1914, the baron and baroness left the castle - they went abroad for treatment and never returned to Russia.
The new Soviet government, during the troubled times of the civil war, managed to preserve the castle, placing guards around it and then... organized a colony in it for the orphans of dead Red Army soldiers.
In 1935, the elite sanatorium "Barvikha" was created in the castle, where such people as M. A. Bulgakov, M. M. Prishvin, S. P. Korolev, Yu. A. Gagarin and many others were treated and rested. Later the castle became the house of culture of the Barvikha state farm trade union.
In 2003-2004, the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation carried out a large-scale reconstruction of the castle.
The interiors of the castle, stained glass windows and wooden panels on the walls were restored.
The unique tapestry “The Flood”, placed on the ceiling of the large fireplace room, has been restored.
Meiendorf Castle consists of a main house and an outbuilding, connected by a passage. Both buildings are 3-storey with an attic and a basement.
In the main house on the ground floor there are three fireplace rooms, as well as rooms for banquets and meetings.
This interior now periodically appears in various news during reports of the president’s meetings with other government officials in Meiendorf.
In general, the interiors of the castle are impressive
Indescribable knightly romance, wonderful decoration, serious Italian and English furniture.
One billiard room is worth...
In general, I suggest a few more Meiendorf interiors.
There are a huge number of interesting places in the Moscow region. Some of them are known to everyone, others are in the shadows. Some are easy to get to, while others are inaccessible to mere mortals. A few years ago, few people had heard of Meiendorf Castle, but many saw it while driving along Podushkinskoye Highway past the Barvikha state farm. Now the castle is surrounded by a high fence - because after a large-scale restoration it became the official residence of the President of Russia. Now the whole country periodically hears about it, but not everyone manages to see all its beauty.
This photo series was made by me in 2006, when the castle had already been restored, but did not yet have such great national importance as it does now. Surely something in the castle’s decor has changed, but you can get a general impression of the castle and its interior from these photos.
The castle was built in 1885-1887 under the leadership of Pyotr Samoilovich Boytsov for the daughter of General A.B. Kazakov, Nadezhda Alexandrovna.
In 1904, Nadezhda Alexandrovna married a retired officer, Baron Bogdan Egorovich Mayendorff. So she became a baroness, and the castle received the name “Castle of Baroness Mayendorff,” which it still bears.
The castle was visited by many famous people. A memorial sign installed on the walls of the castle states that Emperor Nicholas II came to the castle.
In 1914, the baron and baroness left the castle - they went abroad for treatment and never returned to Russia.
The new Soviet government, during the troubled times of the civil war, managed to preserve the castle, placing guards around it and then... organized a colony in it for the orphans of dead Red Army soldiers.
In 1935, the elite sanatorium "Barvikha" was created in the castle, where such people as M. A. Bulgakov, M. M. Prishvin, S. P. Korolev, Yu. A. Gagarin and many others were treated and rested. Later the castle became the house of culture of the Barvikha state farm trade union.
In 2003-2004, the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation carried out a large-scale reconstruction of the castle.
The interiors of the castle, stained glass windows and wooden panels on the walls were restored.
The unique tapestry “The Flood”, placed on the ceiling of the large fireplace room, has been restored.
Meiendorf Castle consists of a main house and an outbuilding, connected by a passage. Both buildings are 3-storey with an attic and a basement.
In the main house on the ground floor there are three fireplace rooms, as well as rooms for banquets and meetings.
This interior now periodically appears in various news during reports of the president’s meetings with other government officials in Meiendorf.
In general, the interiors of the castle are impressive
Indescribable knightly romance, wonderful decoration, serious Italian and English furniture.
One billiard room is worth...
In general, I suggest a few more Meiendorf interiors.
| At the end of the 19th century, in the Moscow region, on the territory of the estate of Baroness Meyendorff, west of Moscow, a castle was built, stylized as a French chateau of the early 16th century. Construction of the castle took 9 years, from 1874 to 1885, the architect and construction manager was Pyotr Samoilovich Boytsov. In 1914, the Meyendorffs went abroad for treatment and never returned to their estate.
| After the October Revolution, Vladimir Lenin lived and worked in the castle for some time, and in 1930, next to the castle, on the territory of a protected forest in the Moscow region, construction began on the Kremlin sanatorium Barvikha, named after a nearby village, and intended for the treatment of executives and senior officials persons of the state. View of the main building of the sanatorium.
| The sanatorium project was developed by one of the leading representatives of Stalinist architecture - Boris Iofan, who created the famous “House on the Embankment” in Moscow and the author of the unrealized project of the Palace of the Soviets. Construction ended in 1935, but the sanatorium began operating only in 1937, when work was completed to equip the hospital with the latest physiotherapeutic equipment at that time. View from the main entrance.
| During the war, the sanatorium operated as a military hospital. In 1965, its reconstruction began, and a couple of years before that, the monument to Stalin at the entrance to the main building was dismantled, for the creation of which materials from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, destroyed in 1931, were used. Interior.
| Sanatorium Museum
| The museum archive contains a collection of gratitude from patients, including Leonid Brezhnev and Boris Yeltsin, Semyon Budyonny and Georgy Zhukov, Mikhail Bulgakov and Sergei Mikhalkov, Faina Ranevskaya and John Reed, Sergei Korolev and Igor Kurchatov and others.
| After modernization, the building was rebuilt and lost its Stalinist Empire style of the 30s. In 1969, in front of the main building of the sanatorium, a monument to Lenin was unveiled, a sculpture by V. B. Pinchuk - a copy of the monument to Lenin, installed in 1967 in the Tainitsky Garden of the Moscow Kremlin. By the way, the monument from the Kremlin was dismantled in 1995 and moved to Gorki.
| There is also a copy of another famous monument on the territory of the sanatorium - a sculpture by Yevgeny Vuchetich “Mourning Mother” was installed at the soldier’s memorial cemetery - a copy from the “Battle of Stalingrad” memorial in Volgograd. And also many other monumental sculptures of the Soviet era.
| There is not much entertainment here - still the specifics are not the same. One of the places of leisure is a pond where hundreds of birds live - ducks, swans, geese. Judging by the photographs from the sanatorium museum, entertainment in the form of feeding has been practiced here since the 60s, as captured in TASS photo chronicles.
| Currently, both the castle and the sanatorium belong to the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. In "Meiendorf" there is the "State Residence Barvikha", where some official events are held.
| There are also interesting artifacts from the Soviet era.
| The nameplate on the device is L. M. Ericsson.
| Church of the Nativity in the village of Barvikha, opposite Meyendorff Castle.
