The Kuskovo estate is one of the most beautiful noble residences in Russia. Beautiful Kuskovo Estate Kuskovo description

The Kuskovo estate is truly beautiful - the luxurious summer residence of the Sheremetyevs has a well-preserved palace and pavilions, the only regular French park in Moscow with flower beds and many sculptures, and a large pond.

The main buildings in the estate were erected in the 18th century by Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetyev. He often called the land that he inherited from his father a “piece” - hence the name of the estate. Kuskovo has another name - Versailles near Moscow.

Already from the entrance there are wonderful views of manicured lawns, neatly trimmed trees and beautiful architectural structures.

The current manor church of the All-Merciful Savior. The spire of the nearby bell tower is very reminiscent of the architectural designs of the St. Petersburg Admiralty and the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Angel on the roof of the church.

The palace in the Kuskovo estate museum, built in the style of early classicism with Baroque elements, is wooden.

Two ramps for the entry of carriages, ending with figures of sphinxes, lead to the entrance.

An intricate monogram is one of the decorations of the palace.

Both famous architects of the time and serf craftsmen were involved in the construction of the palace and pavilions.

Pyramid on the shore of a pond. I didn't really understand its purpose. Maybe a sundial?

The Dutch house was built in honor of Peter the Great. The interior decoration was brought from Holland and is completely preserved.

On a sunny day, photos in Kuskovo turn out simply beautiful.

Not far from the Dutch House, I saw a photo shoot near the Hermitage pavilion:

Classical music in a beautiful setting:

A wedding in Kuskovo is very beautiful and romantic.

The central part of the French regular park.

The statues mostly depict lions, Roman heroes and gods. There are more than 60 of them in total.

The park is decorated not only with sculptures, but also with flowers.

Stone greenhouse, built by serf architect F.S. Argunov. Balls were held in the central part, and in the glass wings of the winter gardens they walked among tropical plants.

Another park pavilion, the Italian House, looks like a small palace.

The elegant Grotto is reflected in the waters of the Italian Pond. Its interior decoration with mother-of-pearl shells is amazing.

This beautiful pavilion was the place where Empress Catherine II dined during her visit to the Sheremetyev estate in 1774.

In the summer, the hospitable Sheremetyevs often held balls that attracted the entire flower of the Moscow nobility: up to 30 thousand guests were present at especially luxurious evenings. There was a lot of entertainment: boating on the large estate pond, theatrical opera and ballet performances, parades, orchestra performances, fireworks. The Count Sheremetyev Theater was considered the best in Moscow.

In the last decade of the 18th century, the serf actress Praskovya Zhemchugova, to whom N.P. was partial, shone on the Kuskovo stage. Sheremetyev. In 1800, the count and the actress moved to Ostankino, and Kuskovo was forgotten. Only decades later did his son revive the former luxury.

After the revolution, the Sheremetyevo estate escaped the fate of most noble estates - it was declared a museum-reserve and subsequently a porcelain museum was located here. Nowadays, classical music concerts and exhibitions are regularly held here.

How to get to Kuskovo

By public transport: Ryazansky Prospekt metro station, then by bus 133 or 208 to the Kuskovo Museum stop.

By car: Moscow, Yunosti Street, building 2. On weekends, it’s better to arrive before the opening - then it will be difficult to park.

Coordinates: 55°44’11″N 37°48’34″E

Opening hours

Park territory - from 10-00 to 18-00 (the ticket office is open until 17-30)
Palace, Dutch House - from 10-00 to 16-00
Hermitage, Large stone greenhouse - from 10-00 to 18-00
Monday and Tuesday are days off.
The last Wednesday of every month is sanitary day.

Ticket prices

The estate museum takes part in the action of the Moscow Department of Culture “Museums - free on the third Sunday of every month.”

On normal days, entrance to the territory and museums is paid:

Entrance to the park - 50 rubles
Palace - 250 rubles
Large stone greenhouse with exhibitions - 150 rubles
Dutch house - 100 rubles
Italian house - 100 rubles
Hermitage - 50 rubles
Single ticket for all pavilions - 700 rubles

Kuskovo estate. Dutch house

The Kuskovo estate is also called “Versailles near Moscow”. It’s as if an unknown force moved a corner of France to Moscow, to the territory of the Veshnyaki district. Walking through the park with marble sculptures, exquisite pavilions and quiet ponds, you can feel like you are somewhere in Paris. Near the reservoir lies a palace in the style of early classicism with hints of baroque. The luxurious decoration of the building has been preserved - during the revolution, the property was not affected by the bitter fate of most estates. Today, tourists can admire the heritage of the past.

"Moscow Versailles" is one of the most beautiful noble residences of the Russian Empire. Tourists can explore about 20 large objects of the Kuskovo estate. Among them are a palace, a Grotto, a greenhouse, an Italian house, and an ancient church. In the last century, the estate was combined with a ceramics museum. Now one of the largest collections of products made from this material is stored here.

From idea to implementation: the history of Kuskovo

The name of the estate is sonorous - the name was given to the property by Peter Sheremetev. He inherited land from his father. “A piece,” the new owner said. The area was small. The Sheremetevs owned this territory since the end of the 16th century. In the 17th century, there was already a boyar courtyard, serf housing and a church here. In the 18th century, Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev took over the inheritance and was actively involved in the construction of buildings. True, there was not much space - the owner of Kuskovo was looking at the wide open spaces of the neighboring estate. The remaining lands in the district belonged to State Chancellor Cherkassky.

Peter showed no less interest in the heiress of Cherkassky’s fortune, Varenka. The young people knew each other from a young age. Varya was friends with Peter’s sister, Natalya, and often visited Kuskovo. The young charmer charmed young Sheremetev with her liveliness, cheerful and easy-going disposition. Peter and Varya were already heading towards a wedding, but before that Natalya married Ivan Dolgorukov. After the death of Emperor Peter II, the entire Dolgorukov family fell into disgrace. Varenka’s father did not like this relationship - he did not want to fall out of favor with Anna Ioannovna. The lovers had to wait for the right time. Varvara became the empress's maid of honor and fought off all the suitors. Peter waited ten years until Elizaveta Petrovna came to power. Then the couple got married.

Varya was an enviable heiress, one of the richest brides. Sheremetev's fortune doubled - now the couple owned 44 estates in 28 provinces. 140 thousand serfs worked for them. The marriage was happy, husband and wife lived in perfect harmony. They did not forget to equip the family nest. Peter Sheremetev decided to build a new palace. The old one was built by his father and then collapsed due to disrepair. At the same time as the palace, it was decided to build other intricate buildings, and at the same time lay out a garden.

The creation of the palace was carried out by the architect Karl Blank according to the design of the French specialist Charles De-Vailly. The count had another large estate - Ostankino. But Peter paid much less attention to other possessions. Here he tried his best: he built a whole ensemble of buildings. And the territory of the Kuskovo estate exceeded Ostankino - 230 hectares. Both estates are surrounded by forested areas and have ponds. In addition to famous architects, serf craftsmen were also involved in the creation of the palace and other architectural objects.

The couple did not create a cozy palace complex for privacy - they were attracted by lavish receptions and crowded festivities. Large-scale construction covered the years 1750-1770. The palace became the center of the composition. A park with a large pond was created nearby. For entertainment, they set up a greenhouse, a billiard room, and a menagerie. A hunting lodge was also built on the territory. The space was decorated with pavilions, gazebos, and marble sculptures. The architectural complex was created in the Baroque-Rocaille style.

The Sheremetev family was famous for its hospitality. During the warm period, the Kuskovo estate was filled with cheerful voices and laughter - the Moscow nobility came to visit. Sometimes the count organized especially luxurious balls, inviting up to 30 thousand people to the celebration. The Sheremetevs had no time to be bored: they rode boats on a huge reservoir near the palace, watched ballet performances and listened to orchestra performances. The owner of the Kuskovo estate spoiled the nobles with fireworks. The Count Sheremetev Theater received applause - it was considered the best in Moscow. From the marriage of Varya and Peter, six children appeared - three sons and three daughters.

The heir to the Kuskovo estate was Nikolai. He had extensive travel experience in Europe. Abroad, he picked up revolutionary ideas and decided to organize life in Kuskovo according to European canons. Even during his father’s life, Nikolai became fascinated by the actress of the Sheremetev serf theater, Praskovya Zhemchugova. Peter's death turned out to be a strong blow for young Sheremetev, but Zhemchugova supported him. Soon the couple got married and moved to Ostankino. The Kuskovo estate was forgotten. Only several decades later, Nikolai’s son restored the past luxury.

For three centuries the estate was owned by the Sheremetevs. After the revolution, the estate was declared a museum, and two decades later it was combined with a ceramic exhibition. During the war, barracks were located in the Kuskovo estate. Today tourists come to see the estate. In this place, it seems, you can hear the echo of antiquity, when classical music concerts and exhibitions were held in the estate.

The charm of the Sheremetev Palace

Already at the entrance to the palace complex a magnificent view opens up. Lush green lawns, carefully trimmed trees, architectural buildings - all objects with French charm. In Kuskovo, a palace and pavilions, a park with flower beds and sculptures, and a pond have been preserved. There is an ancient church and a ceramics museum on the site.

The palace is the central building of the Kuskovo estate. In the 18th century, the owners modestly called the building “The Big House.” The palace was created in the traditions of Russian architecture. It didn’t take long to build – six years. Wood was chosen as the main material, and the style was early classicism with baroque elements. It was decided to extend the palace along the reservoir. The “Big House” was originally designed to allow guests to enjoy their holidays in the summer. It united two floors: the front floor with majestic halls and the mezzanine with a wine cellar and utility rooms.

Sheremetev did not skimp when creating the palace in Kuskovo. The Count invited the best artists and sculptors from abroad. Russian craftsmen took part - both serfs and freemen. Tourists today notice echoes of the past: an intricate monogram, an inclined surface for entering the palace at the entrance, figures of sphinxes. On the front there is a family coat of arms with the inscription “God protects everything.” A spectacular white stone staircase leads to the main entrance.

The Count wanted to show off in front of the guests, so he chose the then fashionable enfilade arrangement of rooms. The rooms were sequentially adjacent to each other, and the doorways were located on the same axis. Mirrors were placed on the walls to create the feeling of an endless corridor.

The palace was equipped with both state halls and cozy chamber rooms. During balls, guests hurried to the dance room. For entertainment there were billiards and card rooms. Family evenings were spent in a trellis room decorated with tapestries. Musical evenings were also organized in this room. The palace contained an art gallery, a library and a living room with a mechanical organ. The decoration of the halls is different, but it is in harmony with each other and creates a common artistic idea.

Plank floors, fireplaces and stoves, stucco molding, mirrors and lighting fixtures have remained to this day. Some of the furnishings have been recreated according to ancient descriptions. The fabric surface of the walls and furniture was restored. Following the fashion trend, Sheremetev decided to decorate each hall in different colors. The rooms were named by the color of the upholstery: white, blue, crimson... The front bedroom, decorated in green silk with roses, had to be completely restored. This room was created especially for Catherine II, when the majestic lady decided to visit the Kuskovo estate. The fine upholstery was lost in the 19th century - it was recreated from pictures and scraps found behind skirting boards and furniture.

Historians consider the count a joker, because he used various tricks to decorate the palace. Many design elements are fake. You can consider papier-mâché, grisaille patterns for volume, artificial marble, mirrors to visually enlarge the corridors.

Ancient paintings have also come down to us from the past: Russian and European paintings, portraits of emperors, images of the owners of the palace, Count Sheremetev. One of the most interesting exhibits of the palace is the organ. The musical instrument simultaneously served as a clock mechanism. At a certain time, a programmed melody sounded. There were ten compositions in total, which were used at different times of the day.

Blooming paradise of the Kuskovo estate

A walk through the park brings no less pleasant emotions to tourists. Straight paths create a neat geometric pattern, dividing the space into parts. The interlacing paths are “guarded” by pavilions and statues. In the center of the park in Kuskovo there is a figure of the goddess Minerva. She is known as a champion of the arts and crafts. When creating the park, every detail was taken into account, down to the height of the plants and the color of the foliage. Foreign gardeners worked on the arrangement.

The French park was divided into three parts. The center was occupied by open space - with flower beds, paths and lawns, and various sculptures. The statues mainly depict Greek gods, Roman heroes and lions. In total there are more than 60 sculptures in the park. The right and left parts are occupied by pavilions and alleys. The four sculptures depicted morning, day, evening and night. The figures were placed so that the sun illuminated them in turn (except for the last one). The side pieces include "perspective writing." This is the name given to decorative images in the form of an architectural object. A feeling of volume was created - it seemed that there were ruins, a mill or a gazebo very close by. Some garden trompe l'oeil structures have survived to this day.

French park of the Kuskovo estate

In addition to the French park, there was an English park on the north side. There were also many attractions there: a temple of silence, an Indian hut, a retreat house and a lion's cave. When creating the green zone, trees were selected according to their shape and shades, and alleys were cut.

Walking through the center of the French park, tourists find themselves in the Large Stone Greenhouse. Could Sheremetev manage without a collection of plants? Indeed, in the 18th century, noble people raced to collect tropical species. Once on the site of a stone greenhouse there was a wooden one, but the serf architect transformed the space. This is how a house with a central octagonal pavilion appeared in the Kuskovo estate. It was located between two glass galleries. In the greenhouse, guests not only walked among tropical plants, but also held balls. They danced in the central part. A bright “flower ball” was organized for the arrival of Catherine II. Dance tunes flowed from the inner balcony where the musicians were located. The guests, tired of the noise, rested among the trees of the winter garden: laurel, coffee, lemon, orange.

Thanks to the greenhouse, the owners of the Kuskovo estate were supplied with fresh fruit all year round. Peaches, oranges, lemons and pineapples were served at the table. The winter garden allowed Count Sheremetev to shine in front of the empress. In severe frosts, he would pass a basket of the freshest peaches to the table of a noble person.

Amazing park objects

The elegant Grotto is considered the most exotic structure on the territory of the Kuskovo estate. The stone pavilion is made in Baroque style. According to the serf architect's idea, the Grotto should be associated with the elements of stone and water. The appearance of the pavilion is attractive: statues in niches, images of lions above the windows, wall decorations in the form of water streams. Inside, the Grotto is framed with mother-of-pearl shells, colored glass, pieces of mirrors and plaster stucco. Patterns of strange animals, birds and fish are laid out from the shells.

A curious object of the Kuskovo estate is the Hermitage pavilion. Its furnishings were kept from prying eyes. Only a select few, friends of the count, could get inside. The first floor was reserved for servants. Using a lifting mechanism, servants served drinks and snacks to guests. We went up to the second floor by mechanical elevator.

The Dutch house and neighboring buildings were also designed to entertain the public. This object was created in memory of the reign of Peter I and his interest in Holland. The house was “trusted” to welcome guests who came to the estate through the drawbridge. Near the elegant pavilion there was a pond with carps. The fish swam to the sound of the bell. Nearby there is a garden with tulips and hyacinths, as well as a vegetable garden with cabbage. On the other hand, the property has recreated the Italian atmosphere. An elegant house for modest receptions, rare works of art, a pond, cages for birds - the combination of several objects created the spirit of Italy.

On the site of the Kuskovo estate there was also a Swiss house, an Air Theater, a manager's building, a kitchen outbuilding, a place for carriages and a drying room. The oldest building is considered to be the Church of the All-Merciful Savior. It is still in effect today. Next to the temple there is a bell tower - a new building of the estate.

Pride of Kuskovo: collection of ceramics

Tourists also visit the Kuskovo estate for the ceramics museum. The extensive collection was located in the basement of the palace. Entrance is on the southwest side, near the church. Guests can see samples of Meissen porcelain, Venetian glass, and Italian majolica. The total fund of the museum is 50 thousand items. Some of them are occupied in the palace setting. The museum has a ceramics workshop where original works by contemporary artists are sold.

Visit to an old manor

Getting to Kuskovo is easy by public transport. First, take the metro to Ryazansky Prospekt, and from there take bus No. 133 or 208. The stop is called “Kuskovo Estate”. Travelers with their own vehicle need to find the address: st. Yunosti, 2. It’s worth driving up on weekends when it opens, otherwise there will be nowhere to leave the car.

The Kuskovo estate is open in warm weather from 10 am to 6 pm. From mid-October to mid-spring - until 16:00. But the ticket office always closes an hour earlier. The facility is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Also unavailable on the last Wednesday of the month. You can explore the estate park until 20:00 (purchase tickets until 19:30). Every third Sunday of the month the museum is open free of charge.

Some visitors book excursions around Kuskovo - in advance or on the day of the visit. The routes last 1.5 hours. An additional bonus when visiting is regular stock exhibitions. Museum staff organize 3-4 exhibitions a year. In summer, concerts and music festivals are held in the palace dance hall. In an ancient luxurious setting you can listen to the organ, harp, and piano.

An interesting way to get to know the Kuskovo estate is to take part in a quest. For an exciting game you need a mobile device with the Internet. Participation is paid, but the amount is divided among everyone. The number of participants is not limited. On average, the quest takes two hours. The whole team needs to answer questions, notice unexpected details and unravel the tangle of mysteries.

Historical reference:
Kuskovo, Moscow district (now within Moscow), from the 16th century. and until 1917 belonged to the Sheremetevs.
One of the most famous representatives of this family was the boyar (from 1682), field marshal general (from 1701) B. P. Sheremetev. His merits in the military and public fields were appreciated by Peter I: in 1706 he became the first Russian count (F.A. Golovin and A.D. Menshikov were counts of the Roman Empire) and received 2,400 peasant households.
The founder of the count branch of the Sheremetevs was distinguished by his ease of use, generosity and generosity towards the poor. After the death of the field marshal, all his estates, including Kuskovo, were received by gr. Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev (1713-1788). Marriage in 1743 to Varvara Alekseevna Cherkasskaya (1714-1767), the only heiress of the Chancellor Prince. A. M. Cherkassky, made P. B. Sheremetev the richest man in Russia: the number of serfs reached 160 thousand people.
Perovo, Ostankino, Veshnyaki and other villages joined the Sheremetevs' possessions near Moscow. However, Kuskovo became the main estate of P.B. and V.A. Sheremetev near Moscow, on the construction of which they spent huge amounts of money.
The location of the buildings of the architectural complex developed mainly by the mid-1750s.
The ensemble included a wooden palace, a park with 17 ponds, numerous fountains, waterfalls, grottoes, drawbridges, park structures: “Italian” and “Dutch” houses, “Grotto”, “Greenhouse”, etc.
The pride of Kuskov was a huge theater, which surpassed the Moscow one in wealth and was the first among the other serf theaters. Kuskovo was famous for its magnificent holidays, which attracted up to 50 thousand walking visitors, not counting invited guests with tickets, the number of which exceeded 2 thousand people. The celebrations organized by the owners in honor of the arrival of noble guests were particularly pompous. Empress Catherine II visited here more than once; in 1775 she came with the Austrian Emperor Joseph, and in 1787, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of her reign, with the entire court and retinue.
The brilliant era of Kuskov did not end with the death of his organizer. At gr. Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev (1751-1809), a great connoisseur of music and art, the theater in Kuskovo flourished even more than under his father.
In subsequent years, the estate belonged to his son Dmitry Nikolaevich (1803-1871), then the grandson of Count. Sergei Dmitrievich Sheremetev (1844-1918).
After the October Revolution of 1917, the Kuskovo estate of the Counts Sheremetevs was nationalized. In accordance with the resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of October 23, 1918, the State Museum-Estate "Kuskovo" was created, which was open to the public from May 1, 1919. This decision of the Soviet government made it possible to preserve intact the unique estate complex with monuments of architecture and landscape art, as well as extensive art, library and archival funds.

Toponymy:
Kuskovo is an architectural and artistic ensemble of the 18th century. in the east of Moscow.
Brief description of interesting objects located on the territory:
The palace is the main building in the country pleasure estate of Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev in Kuskovo. The “Big House,” as the Palace was called in the 18th century, was built in 1769-1775 under the leadership of the Moscow architect Karl Blank and was intended for the ceremonial reception of guests in the summer.
The Dutch House is the earliest surviving entertainment pavilion of the Kuskovo estate. It was built in 1749 in memory of the era of Peter I and his passion for Holland. This “architectural souvenir” was the first to greet guests entering Kuskovo across the drawbridge. During the heyday of the estate, it was the center of a small ensemble on the shore of the bay-pond
Of the numerous “undertakings” of the brilliant Kuskov of the 18th century, only the architectural ensemble of the Italian Pond has been preserved with the greatest completeness. It was built in 1754-1755 under the leadership of Yu.I. Kologrivova. The Italian house served as a palace for “small receptions.” In the southwestern part of the Kuskovo regular park there is the Hermitage pavilion. It was built in 1765-67, under the “supervision” of Karl Ivanovich Blank, a famous Moscow architect. The peculiarity of this building is the close interweaving of several styles. The smooth, rounded shapes of the facades are superimposed on a strict, precise order system of classicism, which, however, also contains baroque features, for example, alabaster busts of Roman Caesars located in special niches under the cornice.
Over time and in the events of history, its decorative decoration, carving details, wall panels, and mirrors were almost completely lost. Only the typesetting parquet in the round offices, as well as fragments of the ceiling painting on the second floor, have survived to this day.
Front and hothouse greenhouses were an indispensable element in Russian gardening ensembles of the 2nd half of the 18th century. Exotic heat-loving plants were kept and grown in them. In summer, plants were displayed in tubs in the open air, decorating the park's stalls and alleys. Their crowns were cut in the form of geometric shapes, ships, human figures and fantastic animals, which harmoniously combined with the architectural and sculptural decoration of the park.
The Air Theater is a rare example of the synthesis of architectural, park and stage art. Similar theaters spread in Russia in rich Russian estates of the 18th century, along with terraces and grottoes. It consisted of an amphitheater for spectators and a stage area. The stage, located on an artificial hill 1.5 m high, surrounded by birch bosquets, inside of which strawberries and wild strawberries were grown, was decorated along the edges with a high wall of trimmed barberries. Six pairs of wings were made up of a spruce trellis, the maintenance of which was difficult, but justified by its excellent acoustics. The top of the stage was covered with a grass carpet, and during theatrical performances - with a wooden flooring. The turf amphitheater, consisting of three semicircular benches with a passage in the center, was designed for 80-100 spectators.
Interesting facts related to the history and modernity of the territory:
Currently, the State Museum of Ceramics and the Kuskovo Estate of the 18th Century is one of the largest Moscow museums, possessing historically established collections of a high artistic level. The total art, library and archival collection of the museum currently amounts to more than 50 thousand items.
The harmonious symbiosis of the architectural and park ensemble and various art collections is ensured by both traditional museum activities - storage, exhibition, study and popularization of historical monuments, and the revival of theatrical, entertainment, concert, and festival forms within the framework of the museum's estate culture.
With the onset of the summer season, the Kuskovo estate opens its state rooms not only for tourists, but also for lovers of classical music. The museum hosts already traditional concerts and festivals, where the best Russian and foreign performers consider it an honor to perform.
There is a special charm in such concerts - the audience is surrounded not only by live classical music, but also by music frozen in the beauty of architectural monuments and a regular French park. In 1932, the Moscow Porcelain Museum with the richest nationalized collections of Russian, Western, Eastern porcelain, ceramics and glass by famous patrons A.V. Morozov, L.K. Zubalov, D.I. Shchukin and others was located on the territory of the museum. their official unification took place under the name “State Museum of Ceramics and “Kuskovo Estate of the 18th Century”. In subsequent years, the museum's collections were completed by acquiring antiques, works of contemporary ceramic artists and glassmakers, as well as exhibits donated by the owners.
Area and length of the territory:
Forest park with an area of 310.6 hectares.

The Kuskovo estate is one of the main attractions of Moscow. Its owners were the counts of the famous Sheremetev family. It is located in the east of Moscow, and represents not only the main palace and the buildings adjacent to it, but also a landscaped and landscaped park area, along which we went for a walk on one fine summer day.

The question “How to spend a day in Moscow?” can easily confuse both visiting tourists and local residents, but not because there is nowhere to go in Moscow. On the contrary, there are so many attractions in the capital that it will not be possible to choose the most worthy of them right away. For example, to get to know Moscow, you can choose . But to be fair, it should be noted that the walk will only take a few hours, and you will most likely spend the rest of the day on Kremlin Square, Tverskaya and Arbat, but what to do if you have more than one day in Moscow, but say three or four. So we have compiled an impromptu rating of the most popular tourist places in Moscow. The rating is very conditional and not even formed in thoughts, so it will not appear here, but one of its points will appear. This is the Kuskovo estate.

Kuskovo Estate - how to get there

The Kuskovo estate is located in the east of Moscow in the Vishnyaki district. The easiest way to get to the estate is by metro.

Metro Ryazansky Prospekt. From the metro straight to the stop "Museum of Kuskovo" walk buses No. 133 and No. 208.
Metro Vykhino. Bus number 620 will take you to the stop "Museum of Kuskovo"
Metro Novogireevo. From the metro to trolleybus No. 77, bus number 64 and many minibuses need to go to the Yunosti Street stop, from where you will have to walk about 600 meters to the entrance to Kuskovo Park.

The easiest option is to get to the Kuskovo estate from the Ryazansky Prospekt metro station; there are more buses here and the journey is short. The opening hours of the Kuskovo Museum can be found on the official website of the Kuskovo Museum, but remember that the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Kuskovo Estate

Once you enter the park, you immediately feel as if you have stepped into the past with the help of a time machine. You immediately imagine how noble people are strolling along this very linden alley, ladies are walking with dogs, and gentlemen are galloping on horses.

The first question that comes to mind when mentioning Kuskovo is related to the name. Why Kuskovo? Everything is very prosaic. The first mention of Kuskovo dates back to 1623; until that moment, Count Boris Petrovich Sheremetev owned only one small plot, the count himself called it a “piece,” while the rest of the lands belonged to Alexei Mikhailovich Cherkassky, the future state chancellor. Count Sheremetev became related to him by marrying his son to the chancellor’s daughter. After this, the Sheremetevs became the sole owners of Kuskovo, but the name remained.

The palace appeared here much later, only in 1774. An interesting fact is that serf architects Fyodor Argunov and Alexey Mironov worked on the entire architectural ensemble of the estate.

In front of the palace lies the Great Palace Pond, and behind the pond the territory of the Kuskovo Dam Park is visible.

Entrance to the palace is paid; at the entrance to the territory of the Kuskovo Museum we bought a comprehensive ticket, which includes a visit to all pavilions of the estate and the palace.

The exposition of the palace is the interiors. You can admire for a long time the beauty of the interiors and the uniqueness of the construction and arrangement of the rooms. The rooms go one after another, the doors in them are made on the same axis, so the exit from the previous room is the entrance to the next. The rooms themselves are located opposite the window, thus letting in the maximum amount of light into the room.

The “Big House,” as the palace was called in the 18th century, was built in the classicist style. It was the pleasure residence of Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev.

The Sheremetev Palace is one of the few architectural heritages in which everything has been preserved in its original form, right down to the plank floors, fireplaces and stoves.

A walk through the palace takes us to a large hall, intended for ceremonies and balls, from here symmetrical entrance doors lead us out of the palace into Kuskovo Park.

Kuskovo Estate Park

Symmetry, which always distinguishes buildings of the 18th century, is here the main element of the architectural style and opposite the main palace at the other end of the park we see the building of a large stone greenhouse.

The view is covered by an obelisk erected in the park at the end of the 18th century in honor of Empress Catherine II’s visit to the estate.

You can walk around the park itself much longer than around the palace; of course, it will be difficult to get lost, but it will take some time to figure out the directions, especially since symmetry here laughs and plays with the visitor, confusing him.

We started our exploration of the park from the Dutch House.

The house is called Dutch because of the motifs that were central to the construction of the structure. The house was built in the Dutch style of the 17th century, and the interiors are also designed in the Dutch style. True, one can notice Russian redundancy here. The tiles that the Dutch used to decorate their houses were very expensive, so they were used to a minimum in decoration, only to emphasize the beauty of the interior. Here the kitchen is entirely tiled, as a sign of the high cost of finishing.

In the same part of the park as the Dutch house there is the Hermitage pavilion. The pavilion has been restored, but we were not able to visit it, it was temporarily closed. It houses an exhibition of porcelain.

So, walking through the park, we came to the Big Stone Greenhouse.

The greenhouse houses two exhibitions at once. The first is a portrait exhibition of all representatives of the Sheremetev dynasty, the second is an exhibition of ceramics and porcelain. The greenhouse offers a beautiful view of the main palace.

In another part of the park there is an American greenhouse, which also houses a collection of porcelain and an aviary for birds. Both buildings are modern reconstructions.

The park of the Kuskovo Museum is very beautiful and diverse. In addition to the pavilions themselves, it is decorated with numerous marble statues, trimmed hedges and covered walkways.

Pavilion Grotto, Kuskovo Estate

So we got to the most beautiful of the pavilions. The Grotto Pavilion was built in the Baroque style and is the only pavilion in Russia that has retained its original “grotto” decoration of the premises.

The interior is decorated with glass and limestone, thus creating the atmosphere of a real grotto, embodying the combination of the elements of stone and water. Behind the Grotto pavilion there is a fish pond and Menagerie, although this is also a modern reconstruction.

Not far from the Grotto pavilion is an Italian house.

So we again reached the main palace and the buildings located nearby. Such as the kitchen outbuilding.

There is also a church next to the palace, but at the time of visiting the estate it was under reconstruction, so there was nothing to photograph nearby. In the photo she is to the right of the palace.

Praskovya Zhemchugova

There is another exhibition in the palace building. The entrance to it is located at the end of the palace, the staircase takes us to the second floor and immerses us in the amazing life of one simple young lady, or rather a peasant woman who became a young lady - Praskovya Zhemchugova.

Praskovya was born into the family of the serf blacksmith Kovalev. Along with other serfs, she was given to Peter Sheremetev as a dowry from his wife Varvara Cherkasskaya. At the age of seven, Praskovya Kovaleva was taken into care in Kuskovo by Countess Marfa Mikhailovna, then married to Princess Dolgorukaya. The girl early discovered a talent for music and began to prepare her for the estate’s theater troupe, in which she achieved amazing success, impressing Empress Catherine II during her visit to Kuskovo, and receiving a diamond ring from her. During her performances, Praskovya acquired a stage name and became Zhemchugova.

The heir of Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev, Nikolai, was captivated by the beauty of Praskovya. But the count's origins forbade him to connect his fate with a serf girl. In 1797, Emperor Paul I granted Count Nikolai Petrovich the title of Chief Marshal, which obliges him to stay in St. Petersburg. Nikolai leaves there, taking Praskovya with him. But in St. Petersburg, her tuberculosis worsens due to the damp metropolitan climate. Under Paul I, Nicholas again did not dare to formalize his relationship with Praskovya. A year later, he gives freedom to her entire family, and only in 1801, with the permission of Emperor Alexander I, he marries Praskovya Zhemchugova. In 1803, they had a son, Dmitry, who would become the only heir of the Sheremetev family. Three weeks after giving birth, Praskovya Sheremeteva passes away at the age of 35. This story excited the minds and feelings of their contemporaries and excites the feelings of everyone who just gets acquainted with it.

Places like the Kuskovo estate should be visited not only to have a good and useful day, here you can also learn to love the history of the whole state and its individual members. Or if you have already developed a love for history, then learn something new for yourself and visit the places where historical figures lived. The Kuskovo Estate Museum is exactly the place where history is intertwined, where you can travel back two hundred years and walk along those corridors and alleys where the Sheremetev counts and countesses walked.

The Kuskovo estate is located in the South-East of Moscow, not far from the Vykhino metro station at Yunosti Street, building 2. The easiest way to get to the estate is by trolleybus from the metro - to the Yunosti Street stop and then - a short walk along Yunosti Street - to the gates of the estate.

If you are planning to go to Kuskovo, arrive early. In summer the museum is open only until 18:00, and in winter only until 16:00. On Monday and Tuesday the estate is not open at all.

In order to get to the estate, you need to take a ticket to one of the estate's pavilions or a ticket to enter the park. The ticket price depends on the pavilion. In 2014, a ticket to enter the park cost 40 rubles.

Kuskovo was built as a summer country residence for the Sheremetevs. Initially, in this area, the Sheremetevs owned only one small plot, a “piece,” as Count Boris Petrovich Sheremetev called it. And all the land in the district belonged to the influential Prince Alexei Mikhailovich Cherkassky.

The daughter of A.M. Cherkassky, Varvara Alekseevna, was a maid of honor at the Imperial Court, and was considered the richest bride in Russia. Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev, having married Varvara Alekseevna, received a huge dowry - and land with 70,000 peasant souls. Thanks to this, the Sheremetevs' fortunes increased significantly.

Varvara Alekseevna really did not want to leave the places familiar to her since childhood, and P.B. Sheremetev, on the piece that originally belonged to his family, began large-scale construction, creating a unique estate in the spirit of the imperial parks near St. Petersburg.

At that time theater came into fashion. Many self-respecting nobles of that time created home theaters in which their serfs played - in order to entertain the guests who gathered at their place for the evenings. A similar serf theater is also being created in Kuskovo.

The heyday and decline of the Kuskovsky Theater occurred during the time of Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev, known as a patron of the arts.

N.P. Sheremetev organized performing arts courses for serfs. The troupe of his theater almost reached 100 people. Many people visited the Moscow Kuskovo theater with great pleasure, giving it preference over Moscow theaters.

N.P. Sheremetev was in love with one of the actresses of his theater, who had the pseudonym Zhemchugova. Then, instead of their simple surnames, many serf actresses were given names based on the names of precious stones.

Sheremetev gave Zhemchugova an excellent education, but at that time the nobleman’s love for a serf was not approved by society. There were cases that Zhemchugova was subjected to ridicule.

They say that it is precisely because of ridicule of Zhemchugova that Sheremetev moves to his other estate - Ostankino and transports the actress there.

After Sheremetev left Kuskovo, the theater closed.

And after the death of the count, the Naala estate fell into disrepair. The guardians of the count's heir sought to extract as much benefit as possible for themselves. Especially a lot of valuable property was written off during the French invasion in 1812.

Kuskovo was in the possession of the Sheremetevs until 1917. Many luxurious holidays were held at the estate. Even Empress Catherine II attended gorgeous fireworks displays, theatrical performances and rich receptions in Kuskovo.

In 1919, the estate received the status of a state museum.

In 1938 it was merged with the Museum of Ceramics. The ceramics museum operates within the walls of the estate to this day.

Kuskovo has reached our time in fairly good condition - many unique architectural structures have been preserved. The park is kept in excellent condition. There is a very pleasant atmosphere and wonderful views. It’s no wonder that many wedding couples come here to take beautiful wedding photos on the most beautiful day of their lives.

So, having arrived in Kuskovo and entering the estate from Yunost Street, we find ourselves on the main alley that leads along the pond.

The alley leads us past the church directly to the palace - the compositional center of the estate.

The palace (Big House) was built in 1769-1775 under the leadership of architect Carli Blanca.

The palace, like many other pavilions of Kuskov, is available for visiting.

The palace's layout and interiors have been preserved...

The premises of the palace are located on the same axis; from one room you can move to the next - so many rooms of the palace can be walked around in a circle.

From the arrangement of the rooms you can see that the palace was actively used for receptions and celebrations.

The palace room contains busts and portraits of several generations of the estate's owners.

As well as gift portraits of Russian emperors

Sometimes it’s worth looking up at the ceiling. The paintings on the ceilings of the palace are worthy of attention.

It is difficult to understand how suitable this palace is for living... In today's opinion, the bed is not the most comfortable)

This room was intended for the countess to get ready for the ball before the ball.

There are not many places in the palace where you could relax and lie down - the bed in one of the previous photos, this sofa

and this bed...

But there are quite a lot of paintings on display here.

The art gallery room is located near the dance hall.

Currently, the hall displays Egyptian tableware - it is not for nothing that Kuskovo is a ceramics museum.

However, you can imagine what gorgeous “dances” were organized here.

The dance hall was illuminated by two huge chandeliers and candles along the walls of the room.

Apparently this girl also brought light in the dark

Next to the dance hall there is another room with paintings.

One can only guess about the splendor of the banquets that were held here.

In short, everything in the palace served to entertain the guests.

And you might think that life for the owners of the estate was a continuous holiday)

They took no less care of the decoration of the palace from the outside than from the inside.

The sculptures at the entrance to the palace are open even in winter. The rest of the sculptures in the park are covered in special wooden shelters for the winter so that they do not deteriorate.

Opposite the palace is a small obelisk.

And next to it is a church with a bell tower

The church was built in 1737-1739

And the bell tower - in 1792

The bell tower, by the way, is operational.

The church fits perfectly into the architectural ensemble of the estate

And the bell tower spire is very reminiscent of miniature architecture. The same Peter and Paul Fortress and the Admiralty.

An angel holding a cross rises on the roof of the church.

The silhouette of an angel looks very alarming against the background of clouds illuminated by the evening sun;)

A kitchen outbuilding is visible between the church and the bell tower.

The kitchen outbuilding was built in 1756-1757

Near the kitchen outbuilding there is a carriage house built in the second half of the 19th century - perhaps the most unprepossessing building in Kuskov

The Grotto pavilion looks original (built 1755-1775).

This pavilion is crowned with a stone fountain. And the inside walls of the pavilion are lined with shells.

Behind the grotto there is a small pond. And on the opposite bank of the pond from the grotto there are menagerei.

Menagerie is a modern reconstruction. Now, apparently, there are service premises in them - since there are houses behind a fence and at the doors of each of the houses there are brooms and buckets.

Italian house built in 1755

But I was unable to determine whose profiles are depicted above the windows.

An alley leads from the Italian house deep into the estate

She's cute even in winter)

An aviary for birds looks like a large gazebo. This building, like the menagerie, is a modern reconstruction of what existed before)

At the end of the park farthest from the entrance there is a large greenhouse building.

The greenhouse has now been converted into a large exhibition hall.

The large stone greenhouse, like some other pavilions of Kuskov, was built according to the design of the serf architect F.S. Argunov in 1761-1763.

An ordinary village house hidden on the territory of the estate looks quite contrasting against the background of other buildings.

Between the greenhouse and the palace there is a French park with sculptures (which are closed in wooden boxes for the winter) and two stelae

It is believed that this sculpture depicts Catherine II in the image of the goddess Minerva.

The second obelisk is also associated with the name of the Empress. Since the stone on him “Catherine II granted the unforgettable favor to Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev in 1785 during his tenure as provincial leader of the Moscow nobility.”

The decoration of the park was 2 huge larches... But several years ago one of them died... Only one remained.

The Hermitage Pavilion, built in 1765-1767, was interesting because in it the owner of the estate could spend time in solitude or in negotiations with guests. Its feature was a table rising from the first to the second floor - which made it possible to avoid the presence of servants on the second floor during confidential conversations, but at the same time ensure the serving of dishes.