Peter 1's house in St. Petersburg

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:46

The personality of Peter I occupies a significant place in the history of Russia. And today his memory lives on. All places associated with the stay of the reformer tsar are of interest to historians and ordinary citizens of the country.

The first building in the new capital of Russia

The appearance of the building, which later was called the House of Peter the 1st, is connected with the historical events of 1703. At that time, Russia was strengthening its positions in the B altic, there was a war with Sweden, the construction of the Peter and Paul Fortress and a new city on the banks of the Neva began.

A log house was erected by order of the king. Its location was very convenient: from the surroundings it was possible to observe the progress of the construction of the fortress, the conduct of hostilities, the launching of ships into the water. Peter I lived in the house when he considered it necessary to be personally present in the events described.

Visiting the house and living in it continued until the time when the first residence of the king in St. Petersburg was built. Since 1708, the summer house of Peter the Great has ceased to be used for its original purpose.

Architecture

Construction was carried out by carpenters from among the soldiers. The house of Peter 1 was erectedin a very short period of time. According to eyewitness accounts, it took only three days.

It was cut from hewn pine logs that were taken for construction nearby. The carpenters during the construction of the building were guided by the old traditions associated with the construction of Russian huts. However, in some details of the building one can notice the presence of elements of Dutch architecture. The king at that time was very passionate about the architecture of this country.

By order of the king, the logs were hewn and painted to look like red brick. The high roof was covered in such a way as to give the appearance of a tiled roof. The windows seemed unusually large for Russian architecture.

Interior Arrangement

Peter 1's house has a very simple interior layout. The entire space of the room is divided into two parts, interconnected by a vestibule. The king's office, dining room and bedroom were equipped there. There are no stoves or chimneys. This again indicates that the house was not used during the winter.

Preservation of the house by descendants

St. Petersburg was settling down and gaining power every year. The house of Peter 1, despite the modesty of architecture, was decided to be preserved as an expensive relic. Thanks to the efforts of descendants, the building has survived to this day in its original form.

In 1731, a roof was erected over the house, which protected it from bad weather until 1784. It was then that the building was placed inside a stone "case". And in 1844, the "case" was replaced by a new one. It was built of stone and glass, shelterediron roof. This is how the building looks now.

The area around the place where the house of Peter the Great is located was transformed. In 1852, the site was surrounded by a cast-iron fence. A small square was laid out in front of the building, enclosing it with a metal grate. The work was carried out in 1875. At the same time, a bust of Peter was installed in the square.

Museum

A chapel operated in the house for a short time. For this, changes were made to its architecture and internal arrangement. But later they were removed, and the building was given its original appearance again.

In 1930, the summer house of Peter the Great underwent another transformation: a museum was opened here. His exhibits were the personal belongings of the king, household items, documents related to that era.

Special efforts were required from the workers of the memorial museum during the Great Patriotic War. Peter's house had to be carefully camouflaged, saving him in a similar way from devastating bombing. After the blockade was lifted, this museum was one of the first to be restored. In 1944, he was already receiving his visitors.

In the post-war years, during the existence of the USSR, the house itself, the dome and the metal lattice around the building were overhauled. In addition, scientific restoration of all structures was carried out.

For more than fifty years, the museum has been able to work year-round, as the building has been heated. The expositions are located inside the house and in the room of the cover.

House in Kolomenskoye

There is anotherinteresting building connected with the life of the king. The Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve can tell the story about it. The house of Peter the Great was moved here in 1934. This happened thanks to the efforts of Pyotr Dmitrievich Baranovsky, the first director of the memorial complex in Kolomenskoye. It was he who saved the house from destruction (the decision to demolish the building had already been made by the authorities of Arkhangelsk).

Construction dates back to 1702, and the place of construction was the mouth of the Northern Dvina. The house was built specifically for the king. He came to these parts to personally supervise the construction of the fortress on the newly annexed lands and assess its strategic importance in protecting Arkhangelsk from the attack of the Swedes.

Peter I lived in the house for only two months, but later the locals were very proud of his stay here. It was they who made efforts to save the historical building more than once.

In 1710, it was moved from a low wetland to a safer area for a wooden building.

According to contemporaries, in the period from 1723 to 1730 (historians have not established the exact date), a fire broke out in the house, but it was quickly extinguished.

In 1800 the building was restored, after which it stood for another 77 years. In 1877, the house was transported to Arkhangelsk, for safety it was covered with a wooden "case", which was later replaced by a stone one. In this form, the house stood on the embankment of the Northern Dvina until it was transported to Kolomenskoye.

Peter's house was in a new placeassembled in violation of the rules of restoration work. Only in 2008 was the architecture of the building and its interior decoration authentically recreated.

The house was built in the traditional Russian style, but elements of innovation are also visible here. According to historians, they could appear on the personal orders of the king.

The modern exposition of the museum acquaints visitors with the historical events of Peter the Great's time, the outstanding personality of the Tsar-Transformer, and his diverse interests. This is the only museum in Moscow dedicated to the life of Peter I.