The estates of Smolensk, like the city itself, are inextricably linked with the history of Russia. The province occupied the third place, immediately after Moscow and St. Petersburg, in terms of the number of nobles. In total, there are 253 fully or partially preserved estates. From the list, which includes only 12 estates, you can get an idea of what was once here. From the rest, only the names remained.
Smolensk estates
There is a catalog of estates, which includes the names of former owners, architects, but this is only on paper. The reality is overwhelmingly deplorable: the skeletons of churches and bell towers overgrown with moss and weeds, the empty eye sockets of dilapidated noble houses.
We used to shift all the responsibility for the destruction of churches and estates to the Soviet era, but even today mismanagement and indifference continue to destroy what is left. An example of this is the estate in the village of Vysokoe, where 3 years ago you could wander through the floors,retaining its former glory. Today you will meet the skeleton of the building.
Gerchikovo
The estate is located near Smolensk (25 km), in the village of Gerchikovo. The first owner was the Scottish general Alexander Leslie, who, for the capture of Smolensk in 1654, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich granted an estate near the city. He became the first governor of the city. The classicist stone house has two floors with a mezzanine. It was built in 1769-1774 by M. A. Korbutovsky, the husband of P. Leslie. In 1808, a stone church was built (today it is dilapidated), a park was laid in which ponds were dug.
Since 1860, the owners were the nobles Polyansky, who own 1000 acres of land and lead an exemplary economy. The last owner is the rector of the Imperial Academy of Arts, sculptor V. Beklemishev. In Soviet times, a school and a he alth camp were located here. The estate is currently privately owned. The outside of the building has been restored, the interior layout is new. Here is the hotel-estate "Lafer".
Novospassskaya
This is one of the famous estates of Smolensk, the family estate of the great Russian composer M. I. Glinka. Currently, there is a memorial museum. It is located 22 kilometers from the city of Yelnya, on the Desna River. In 1750, the composer's grandfather bought the estate. His father built a new house in it in 1810. In 1812, it was sacked by the French and became almost uninhabitable.
Had to rebuild. After the death of the owner, the estate passed to the daughter, and then to her husband, who, not wanting to deal with it, sold it to the merchant Rybakov. He dismantled and sold the timber for the construction of barracks. The manor house was restored by decision of the Union of Composers of the USSR in 1976.
In 1982, the Glinka memorial museum was opened here. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was restored only in 1990 and is operational. The decoration of the estate is a large park. It occupies the entire estate. Its creator is unknown. The natural boundary of the park is the Desna River.
Talashkino
The estate of Tenisheva in Smolensk is unique. It is located in the village of Talashkino, located 12 kilometers from the city. Since the 16th century, Polish noblemen Shupinsky owned the estates. Since 1893, the estate has belonged to Princess Maria Tenisheva, an artist and philanthropist. Struck by the beauty of these places, she decided to open an art and educational center.
At 1.5 kilometers from Talashkino, the princess acquired the Flenovo farm, where she opened art workshops. Russian painters S. Malyutin, N. Roerich, the Benois brothers, M. Vrubel, K. Korovin, I. Repin, M. Nesterov, sculptor P. Trubetskoy, famous composers I. Stravinsky and V. Andreev have been here.
Until the First World War, it was one of the famous estates in Smolensk, the center of the artistic life of Russia. An agricultural school, an embroidery, ceramic and blacksmith workshop, an apiary worked here. According to the project of S. Malyutin, a fabulous tower was erected, in which the school library was locatedand an embroidery workshop. The Church of the Holy Spirit was built on the highest hill. The project was carried out by S. Malyutin, M. Tenisheva, I. Barshchevsky. The mosaic above the entrance to the temple "The Savior Not Made by Hands", as well as the painting of the interior, were made by N. Roerich.
Hmelita
There is currently a museum-reserve "Griboyedovs' Estate". A. S. Griboyedov visited this estate, who stopped by to see his relatives. The palace was built in the Elizabethan Baroque at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. Buildings of this style are considered rare. This palace was restored thanks to the efforts of the Soviet architect P. Baranovsky. In 1967-1988, restoration was carried out and the museum of A. S. Griboedov was opened, in 1999 a museum-reserve was formed on its basis.
Estate in Aleksino
Built in 1774 according to the design of M. F. Kazakov and D. Gilardi. Today it is a dilapidated manor. The building has been completely preserved. But if you do not take action, then the loss will be irreparable.
