The Petersburg architecture of the old city has its own guardian angel, otherwise it is difficult to explain how some buildings managed to survive. Having survived the revolution, war, neglect, and sometimes the human desire for destruction, the city has preserved its uniqueness. The Derzhavin Museum-Estate in St. Petersburg was repeatedly rebuilt to meet the needs of new times and owners, but it survived, and the current generation got the opportunity not only to go through the halls, but also to touch the brilliant era.
House for the poet
The modern Derzhavin estate on Fontanka was acquired by the poet in 1791. The building was under construction, which gave a chance to design and design the interior decoration according to the taste of the new owners. Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin asked the architect and his long-time friend N. A. Lvov to complete the work, he gladly got down to business.
The scale of construction was rather big, besides the completion of office premises was planned. By 1794, finishing work was completed, a stable and a kitchen appeared in the estate, the architect Pilnyakov worked on the project and its construction. Unfortunately, the owner of the house, Ekaterina Yakovlevna Derzhavina, who put her soul into the house, had died by the time all the work was completed. After her there is evidence of her reverent attitude towards a new home. Wanting to equip a family nest, but experiencing financial difficulties, she kept a record of all expenses in the Book on Cash Costs for a Stone House. Since August 1791."
Having settled in the house on Fontanka, Derzhavin created a special atmosphere in it. At the turn of the 18-19th centuries, the house was famous for hospitality and was considered the center of culture. Since 1811, literary readings and meetings of like-minded people have been regularly held in the "Dance Hall" of the estate. At the end of the 18th century, the Derzhavin museum-estate was replenished with theatrical stages, for which the room was equipped. The performances were attended by family members, close friends and well-known professional actors of their time.
Magic garden
In addition to plans for the construction and decoration of the house, the architect's task included the arrangement of a personal garden. In terms of the estate, several greenhouses are designated, each of which was given to one crop - peaches, pineapples, etc. A part of the land was allocated for a greenhouse, where heat-loving plants, exotic fruits, flowers grew. A small garden was a rather large garden, from which they harvested traditional crops (potatoes, rutabaga, beets, peas, cucumbers, radishes, etc.).
Architect Lviv was also involved in the layout of the garden and the selection of trees. According to his plan, the garden should become a magnificent setting for a stately home. Trees such as linden, maples, birch, oaks, etc. were planted on the territory of the park. The garden was decorated with the fashioned bushes of lilac and jasmine, as well as the more familiar bushes - viburnum, dogrose, and honeysuckle. The flower garden was composed mainly of bulbous crops, rare at that time, hyacinths, lilies, daffodils, many rose bushes were planted.
Catholic period
After the death of the owners, the Derzhavin museum-estate in St. Petersburg was empty for several years. The Roman Catholic Theological College acquired the mansion in 1846. For the purposes of the organization, luxurious and comfortable rooms were not needed, so the redevelopment work immediately began. They were carried out under the supervision of architects A. M. Gornostaev and V. I. Sobolshchikov.
According to new tasks, the Derzhavin museum-estate received an additional floor above the house and outbuildings, a colonnade was dismantled, and the facade design changed. The interior has lost the main front staircase, some rooms received partitions and other changes. Later, greenhouses were destroyed as unnecessary, and the construction of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1870-1873) deprived the estate of gardens and most of the garden.
Over the next time, the museum-estate of G. Derzhavin was rebuilt several more times. So, in 1901, it was required to complete the third floor above both wings, the work was carried out by the architect L.P. Shishko.
Revolution and Housing Issue
After the revolution, from 1918 to 1924, the museum-estate of G.R.Derzhavin was abandoned, the authorities could not find the intended use for it. Then it was decided to give it for housing, which finally destroyed the remnants of the interior. The house was densely populated, new partitions were required, the residents carried out repairs according to their own tastes and possibilities.
Ponds in the park fell asleep by 1935. The garden of the estate turned from regular to spontaneous, where plantings were carried out without any plan or idea. So the situation continued for a long time, for sure in St. Petersburg you can find people who lived in communal homes. At the end of the 20th century, the estate had offices of numerous companies and several residential apartments, the basement of a house 2.5 meters high was flooded with water for years. The decision to restore and transfer the architectural heritage to the Pushkin Museum was made in 1998.
Museum Status
The museum-estate of Derzhavin and Russian literature was opened in 2003, after global restoration work in the central building. A total of sixteen halls were opened, where restorers tried to recreate the atmosphere of Derzhavinsky house as accurately as possible. They relied on the testimonies and descriptions of contemporaries, surviving records of the poet himself.
Genuine pieces of furniture from the estate were found in different parts of the country: part was provided by the All-Russian Pushkin Museum, some items were transferred for temporary storage by the Tretyakov Gallery and many other stores. In Derzhavin’s house, they are proud to demonstrate the authentic table, the poet’s writing instrument, several autographs, personal items and the famous portrait of the owner of the house by Toncha.
Restoration work continued until 2007 and culminated in the opening of a home theater in the main building and two outbuildings. The central building is connected with them by covered galleries, each outbuilding has its own name, inherited from its original purpose - Kitchen, Konyushenny, etc. Now they have exhibition galleries and concert halls.
From 2009 to 2011, restoration work was carried out in the park. On the surviving foundation, the central greenhouse reappeared, the garden was cleared and its historical appearance was recreated, where the central place is occupied by a vast meadow, the stream rang again, three ponds were restored.
Infrastructure
The Derzhavin Museum-Estate today is an impressive complex. It includes:
- Central building. There is a museum of G.R.Derzhavin and Russian literature of his time in the room. There is a permanent exhibition with 16 halls on two floors.
- East corps. The first floor is given to the permanent exhibition “The owners of the Russian lyre. From G. R. Derzhavin - to A. S. Pushkin. ” The second and third floors invite visitors to the exhibition halls of the Pushkin Museum, which presents materials that are not included in the permanent exhibition.
- Western corps. On the ground floor there is an exposition “The All-Russian Museum of A. S. Pushkin. Pages of History ”(permanent). On the second floor there are several halls for creative evenings and meetings, a media center with a collection of unique materials. On the third floor you can visit the permanent exhibition “In the White Gloss of Porcelain”, there are also several exhibition halls where the works of masters of different times, including our contemporaries, are regularly presented.
- Home Theater. The hall hosts reconstructive performances, musical and creative meetings.
- Manor garden. Sightseeing tours are held throughout the park, and the park area is used as an open concert venue for musical and theatrical productions.
- Central greenhouse. After the restoration, it received other functions, today there are literary readings, music evenings, and lectures.
- Hotel. Located on the territory of the manor complex in the guest house, the interior is designed in the spirit of classicism with a full range of modern comfort.
Permanent exhibitions
The Derzhavin Museum-Estate (St. Petersburg) invites you to visit permanent exhibitions:
- “The owners of the Russian lira. From G. R. Derzhavin - to A. S. Pushkin. ” During the tour, visitors get acquainted with the exposition of genuine portraits of figures of literature, philosophy, with books published in the period 18-19 centuries, objects of art. Among the rarities is one of the volumes of the Encyclopedia of Diderot and D'Alembert, objects of decorative art. The cost of tickets for adults is from 200 rubles, for students and pensioners from 100 rubles, for students under 16 years old - from 60 rubles.
- "In the white gloss of porcelain." The exposition is located in several rooms. The first presents china at the turn of the 17-18 centuries of the Chinese school. The rest are given under Russian porcelain produced by various manufactories. Samples of objects of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, private factories are presented. The cost of admission for adults is from 120 rubles, for pensioners and students from 60 rubles, children under 16 years of age attend the exhibition for free without an excursion.
There are also excursion programs in the museum: “Visiting the owner of the house”, “Derzhavin and music”, “I heard you for the first time …”, a sightseeing tour of the manor garden and others.
Educational activities
Extensive scientific activity is being conducted at the Derzhavin Museum-Estate, and many programs have been developed and are operating for schoolchildren of all ages. The program “Traveling with a cat to a scientist in Pushkin Petersburg” is carried out outside the walls of the museum and is aimed at younger students. During the tour, students get acquainted with the history of the city, children are shown in an interactive form the influence of the city on the poet's work.
The game "Derzhavinsky cuisine" offers to get acquainted with the device of everyday life during the poet's life, the guide shows household items, talks about the design of stoves and much more, no less entertaining. The program is designed for secondary school age.
In the arsenal of the museum and its employees are many copyright programs that complement school education, helping to develop a love of literature and Russian literature. Adults will also find many new things.
