Vorontsov Palace chapel. The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is a magnificent creation of 19th-century architecture that has survived to this day
Speaking about the architectural monuments of Crimea, the first thing that comes to mind is the Vorontsov Palace. It is located in the city, in a picturesque place between the rocks and the sea. Address of the Vorontsov Palace, Alupka, st. Palace Highway 18, phone for information +7 3654 722 281.
The geographical coordinates of the Vorontsov Palace on the map of Crimea are N 44.419861, E 34.055972.
Vorontsov Palace is one of the most luxurious buildings on the peninsula, its grandeur and magnificence are simply breathtaking. And the English architect Edward Blore worked on this grandiose project. It took him about a year to introduce him to Count Vorontsov, the owner of these lands. In 1828, the construction of the Vorontsov Palace began, and it acquired its final form only after two decades. For a long time this estate belonged to Count Vorontsov, later it had other owners, and in 1921 it became state property and a museum was created within the walls of the palace.
The material for the construction of the Vorontsov Palace was diabase, which was mined here in. The palace is unusual in that its facades are made in different architectural styles. For example, the northern façade is in keeping with Tudor architecture. The facade facing the sea is made in the Moorish style. In general, the whole building can be called neo-Gothic. By the way, many films were shot on the territory of the Vorontsov Palace, including those based on Shakespeare's books. This was due to the similarity of the architectural compositions of the palace with the English style of that time.
Whole Vorontsov Palace consists of five buildings, inside which there is a chapel, a library, a billiard room, a dining room, as well as a winter garden. In general, the palace has 150 rooms. Probably, every visitor to the Vorontsov Palace has a photograph with one of the white marble lions that “guard” the estate from the south side. Together they form the "Lion's Terrace". In the halls of the modern museum there are collections of paintings, furniture, porcelain. All of them have considerable historical value.
The Vorontsov Palace is certainly beautiful, but its splendor is complemented by the park, spread over 40 hectares around it. This park deserves special attention. Initially, the German gardener Karl Kebach worked on the creation of the park. He designed the park in the form of an amphitheater, and very logically placed all its attributes. More than 200 species of flora from different parts of the globe grow here.
Walking along you can see a very unusual structure called "Chaos". This name is quite justified, since the structure consists of huge pieces of diabase, and its height is more than 10 meters. "Chaos" is located within the so-called Upper Park, which is characterized by severity and rockiness. And the Lower Park includes delicate magnolias, slender cypresses, fountains, pavilions and lakes. The combination of the incongruous makes Vorontsov Park amazing and unforgettable, so visiting it and the Vorontsov Palace will be interesting for everyone.
Vorontsov Palace on the map of CrimeaAddress: Russia, Republic of Crimea, Alupka, sh. Palace, 18
Date of construction: 1840
Architect: Furasov P.I.
Coordinates: 57°19"07.5"N 43°06"40.4"E
Short story
The chic palace, named Vorontsov in honor of Count Vorontsov M.S., is a unique building that has become the epitome of the era of Romanticism. It is located on the Crimean peninsula in the city of Alupka.
The beginning of its construction dates back to 1828, when Governor-General Vorontsov, responsible for the Novorossiysk Territory, chose the site for the future main building and drove pegs on it. However, the palace did not appear quickly - it took 20 years to build it.
Initially, the project of the future Vorontsov Palace was developed in the style of strict classics, and a famous Italian architect named Francesco Boffo and his colleague from England, Thomas Harrison, worked on it.
1829 was the beginning of the implementation of their joint project, and as all the preparatory work was completed, the foundation was immediately laid and the first masonry was made. However, an unpleasant surprise soon happened - in the midst of the preparation of working drawings, the architect Harrison died.
In order for the construction to go on as usual, Boffo needed a new partner. It was Edward Blore, a young architect working in the romantic direction of English architecture.
Stone staircase with white marble sculptures of lions
Why did Count Vorontsov choose him and decide to make changes to the project of the future palace in the Crimean Alupka? The fact is that in those years he was in England, and he was impressed by the local architecture and new fashion trends for the construction of buildings. Therefore, the count revised the already developed project and entrusted the new architect to adjust it so that the result of the work was a real castle, combining the rigor of English architecture and the luxury inherent in Indian palaces.
And since 1832, construction work on the construction of the Vorontsov Palace in the Crimea has already been carried out according to an updated project, but without distorting the previously completed stages. The execution of all work was entrusted to the best craftsmen - masons, sculptors, stone and wood carvers, artists, furniture makers and other workers, who approached the orders entrusted to them with all responsibility. As a result, the construction of the palace cost Vorontsov 9 million rubles..
Left to right: front dining room, winter garden
The layout of the Vorontsov Palace
The entire palace complex, commissioned by Vorontsov, is represented by several solid buildings, designated as:
- central;
- canteen;
- guest;
- library;
- economic.
The building, intended for receiving guests, was later called Shuvalovsky, since on its right side was the room of Vorontsov's daughter, who after marriage became Countess Shuvalova.
North facade of the main building
Oddly enough, the construction of the palace began with the construction of a dining building, and this work took 4 years (from 1830 to 1834). The construction of the central building took 6 years - 1831 - 1837. From 1841 to 1842, work was underway on the construction of a billiard room, which supplemented the dining room building. It also took a lot of time to build the guest building, all the towers, outbuildings, outbuildings and the decoration of the Front Courtyard (these were 1838-1844). And finally, the library building, built from 1842 to 1846, joined the palace complex.
The sculptures of lions, the production of which was entrusted to the Italian master Giovanni Bonnani, became the decoration of the central staircase. And the whole luxurious palace ensemble ended with a lion's terrace, that is, with many figures of lions.
Right - Clock Tower
Features of the architecture of the Vorontsov Palace
The Vorontsov Palace, which in the middle of the 19th century became the decoration of Alupka in the Crimea, was a kind of innovation that violated some architectural and construction principles. In those days, it was customary to arrange the buildings of palace ensembles in a strict geometric grouping, however, the architect Blor deviated from this rule and distributed all the structures that make up the Vorontsov Palace on the ground so that they stood in the direction from west to east, as if in accordance with with the movement of the mountains. This approach allowed all the buildings to harmoniously fit into the local landscape - the Vorontsov Palace Complex found its place in the Crimean expanses.
Moving from building to building, one can clearly trace the stages of development of medieval architecture, starting from its earliest forms and ending with the traditions of the 16th century.
Shuvalov Corps
However, the emphasis in the development of projects for all structures was nevertheless placed on the English style. Why is the Vorontsov Castle in Crimea so attractive? Its peculiarity is its appearance, reminiscent of a castle-fortress from the ancient VIII - XI centuries.. When you get to the courtyard of the utility buildings, you involuntarily stumble upon blank walls and find yourself in closed spaces, and when you try to get to the central building, you find yourself surrounded by round watchtowers. Further, the general impression of impregnability is complemented by narrow loophole windows and high walls of rough masonry. But suddenly an openwork suspension bridge made of cast iron appears and brings a festive touch to this harsh composition. And so, as you move away from the arch of the western entrance, signs of architecture of the following eras become more and more apparent.
West entrance towers
Having crossed the openwork bridge and getting rid of the feeling of isolation, you can find yourself in the Front Courtyard, from which you can see Mount Ai-Petri. But this is not just a view - it is a kind of picture, because the landscape is, as it were, limited by an architectural frame, represented by a clock tower, an eastern wing and a retaining wall with a fountain.
The architecture of the main building of the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea is also interesting. Its walls are pushed out of the plane at different levels, as required by the English Tudor style. The central part is decorated with the main entrance and is decorated with projections of bay windows and side projections. The roofs of the towers are onion domes. The northern facade of the building is decorated with narrow semi-columns-polyhedrons, the crowns of which are pinnacles (decorative tops).
Chapel
Graceful pinnacles and battlements, domes and chimneys, decorated with flower-shaped tops, smooth out the roughness of the stone texture of the walls and their massive luggage.
Considering the carved stone decorations that decorate the Vorontsov Palace, it is worth noting their pronounced similarity with some elements of Western and Eastern architecture. Thus, real connoisseurs of architecture immediately notice the Gothic chimneys and minarets of the mosque, and it is this compatible incompatibility that makes the palace complex special. This similarity is especially sharply felt as you move to the southern facade of the building, called the main one. In the rays of the sun, its outlines seem unusual, bizarre.
From left to right: front dining room, winter garden, main building
But the main motive for the design of the palace are the arches of the most diverse forms - they are gentle, and keeled, and horseshoe-shaped, and lancet. And you can see them everywhere, from the balustrade of the balconies to the decoration of the portal of the southern entrance to the Vorontsov Palace. In addition, the architectural ensemble, erected by order of the Governor General, has its own “zest” - these are 6 identical lines in Arabic, indicating that only Allah is the winner. You can see the inscription in a niche decorated with a Tudor flower and an Indian lotus.
Description of the park surrounding the Vorontsov Palace
During the construction of the palace, work was also carried out on laying the adjacent park. But if the construction of the Vorontsov Palace took two decades, then work on the creation of the park does not stop to this day. On an area of 40 hectares, a wide variety of plants brought from all over the world harmoniously coexist.
Shuvalovsky passage overlooking the openwork bridge
In general, the palace park is divided into Upper and Lower. The upper park is decorated with several glades - Chestnut, Contrasting, Solnechnaya. And each of them is remarkable for its trees (Italian pine, oriental plane tree, yew berry, Himalayan cedar, Chilean araucaria, or monkey tree, etc.). In addition, on the territory of the Upper Park there is Swan Lake, where these beautiful birds really live, the Upper and Mirror Lakes and a waterfall.
In the Lower Park, surrounded by the most beautiful and rare representatives of the flora, there is a small tea house, which the Vorontsov family once used to celebrate holidays on the seashore. Then this place was often illuminated by salutes and fireworks.
Shuvalovsky passage overlooking the western gate
Being here, you can really feel the atmosphere of the holiday, because it was not without reason that the architect chose a place to build a house here. Surrounded by many unique plants, it creates the feeling of being in a fairy tale, since the entire territory of the Lower Park is conducive to creating an enchanting mood. And the lower part of the Vorontsovsky Park in Crimea is decorated in the Italian style of a regular park.
Use of the Vorontsov Palace complex in different years
Since 1990, the Vorontsov Palace in Alupka has become a palace and park museum-reserve. Several interesting expositions are located in nine main halls. Thanks to their content, everyone can get acquainted with the way of life of the count family, who lived in the palace before the October Revolution, and the character of the interiors of the palace.
Exit from the yard
But in 1990, the opening of the Vorontsov Palace as a museum was secondary - for the first time its building was used as a museum in 1921.
But with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, valuable museum exhibits could not be saved, and the building itself was repeatedly threatened with destruction. However, thanks to the efforts of one of the employees of the museum Shchekoldin S.G. The Vorontsov Palace Museum still survived. Of course, many art treasures were lost during the war years, but after it ended, some paintings were still found and returned to the museum.
maltese chapel- Catholic Church of the Order of the Knights of Malta, built by Giacomo Quarenghi at the end of the 18th century. The chapel is part of the architectural complex of the Vorontsov Palace in St. Petersburg (attached to the main building of the palace from the side of the garden).
Story
The Vorontsov Palace was built by the architect B.F. Rastrelli in -1757 for the Chancellor Count M.I. Vorontsov. The construction and decoration of the palace required such large investments that in 1763 Count Vorontsov was forced to give it to the Russian treasury for debts. Until 1770, the building was empty, and later began to be used as a guest house. At various times the palace was occupied by Prince Heinrich of Prussia, Prince of Nassau-Siegen and Count J. A. Osterman. After the accession to the throne of Paul I and his adoption of the title of protector, and then the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, the Vorontsov Palace was granted to the Knights of Malta, who were forced to seek refuge after the capture of the island of Malta by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798.
Chapel in the 20th and 21st century
Architecture and decoration
The temple has the shape of a rectangle with a barrel vault. Two rows of artificial marble columns divide the interior of the chapel into three naves. There are choir stalls above the side aisles. The planes of the walls are enriched with decorative arches, angel sculptures, Maltese crosses and plaster garlands. The plafond of the church consists of semicircular box vaults, covered with paintings, consisting of floral ornaments and rosettes, and plaster garlands.
The altar part is an apse with columns located close to the walls. In the center is a marble altar, behind which was the altarpiece of John the Baptist (patron saint of the Order of Malta) by A. I. Charlemagne, created by the artist in 1861. To the right of the altar, under a canopy, stood the crimson velvet chair of the Grand Master of the Order. On the left, under a marble plaque with an inscription about the founding and solemn consecration of the church, there is a bishop's chair and several stools. Here, in front of the altar barrier, there were benches for the embassy with velvet cushions. In the middle part of the hall there were 14 wooden benches with cushions covered with red cloth.
The altarpiece was in the Maltese Chapel until 1928, then it was transferred to the Museum of Religion and Atheism, and from there in 1932 it ended up in the State Russian Museum. The canvas was kept in the funds of the Russian Museum without a stretcher and a frame, wound on a drum, as a result of which it received numerous damages. In February 2006, the leadership of the Russian Museum decided to transfer the altarpiece to the Maltese Chapel for temporary storage. The restoration of the canvas was carried out in the workshops of the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps. In September 2007, the image was returned to its historical place.
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An excerpt characterizing the Maltese Chapel
- Everyone has their own secrets. We don’t touch you and Berg,” Natasha said, getting excited.“I think you don’t touch it,” Vera said, “because there can never be anything bad in my actions. But I'll tell my mother how you get along with Boris.
“Natalia Ilyinishna treats me very well,” said Boris. “I can't complain,” he said.
- Leave it, Boris, you are such a diplomat (the word diplomat was in great use among children in the special meaning that they attached to this word); even boring,” said Natasha in an offended, trembling voice. Why is she coming to me? You will never understand this,” she said, turning to Vera, “because you have never loved anyone; you have no heart, you are only madame de Genlis [Madame Genlis] (this nickname, considered very offensive, was given to Vera by Nikolai), and your first pleasure is to make trouble for others. You flirt with Berg as much as you like,” she said quickly.
- Yes, I’m sure I won’t run after a young man in front of the guests ...
“Well, she got her way,” Nikolai intervened, “she told everyone troubles, upset everyone. Let's go to the nursery.
All four, like a flock of frightened birds, got up and left the room.
“They told me trouble, but I didn’t give anything to anyone,” Vera said.
— Madame de Genlis! Madame de Genlis! laughing voices said from behind the door.
The beautiful Vera, who produced such an irritating, unpleasant effect on everyone, smiled and, apparently not affected by what she was told, went to the mirror and straightened her scarf and her hair. Looking at her beautiful face, she seemed to become even colder and calmer.
The conversation continued in the living room.
- Ah! chere, - said the countess, - and in my life tout n "est pas rose. Can't I see that du train, que nous allons, [not all roses. - with our way of life,] our state will not last long! And it's all a club, and its kindness. We live in the country, do we rest? Theatres, hunts, and God knows what. But what can I say about me! Well, how did you arrange all this? I often wonder at you, Annette, how it is you, at your age, ride alone in a wagon, to Moscow, to Petersburg, to all the ministers, to all the nobility, you know how to get along with everyone, I'm surprised!
- Ah, my soul! - answered Princess Anna Mikhailovna. “God forbid you find out how hard it is to be a widow without support and with a son whom you love to adoration. You will learn everything,” she continued with a certain pride. “My process taught me. If I need to see one of these aces, I write a note: “princesse une telle [princess such and such] wants to see such and such” and I myself go in a cab at least two, at least three times, at least four, until I achieve what I need. I don't care what they think of me.
- Well, what about, whom did you ask about Borenka? the countess asked. - After all, here is your officer of the guard, and Nikolushka is a cadet. Someone to bother. Whom did you ask?
- Prince Vasily. He was very nice. Now I have agreed to everything, I have reported to the sovereign,” Princess Anna Mikhailovna said with delight, completely forgetting all the humiliation through which she went through to achieve her goal.
- Why is he getting old, Prince Vasily? the countess asked. - I didn’t see him from our theaters at the Rumyantsevs. And I think he forgot about me. Il me faisait la cour, [He dragged after me,] - the countess remembered with a smile.
- Still the same, - answered Anna Mikhailovna, - amiable, crumbling. Les grandeurs ne lui ont pas touriene la tete du tout. [The high position did not turn his head at all.] “I regret that I can do too little for you, dear princess,” he tells me, “order.” No, he is a nice person and a wonderful native. But you know, Nathalieie, my love for my son. I don't know what I wouldn't do to make him happy. And my circumstances are so bad,” Anna Mikhaylovna continued sadly and lowering her voice, “so bad that I am now in the most terrible position. My unfortunate process eats up everything I have and does not move. I don't have, you can imagine, a la lettre [literally] no dime of money, and I don't know what to equip Boris with. She took out her handkerchief and wept. - I need five hundred rubles, and I have one twenty-five-ruble note. I am in such a position ... One of my hopes is now on Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov. If he does not want to support his godson - after all, he baptized Borya - and assign him something to support, then all my troubles will be lost: I will have nothing to equip him with.
The Countess shed a tear and silently pondered something.
“I often think, maybe it’s a sin,” said the princess, “but I often think: Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhoy lives alone ... this is a huge fortune ... and what does he live for? Life is a burden for him, and Borya is just starting to live.
“He will probably leave something for Boris,” said the countess.
“God knows, chere amie!” [dear friend!] These rich people and nobles are so selfish. But all the same, I’ll go to him now with Boris and tell him straight out what’s the matter. Let them think what they want about me, it really doesn't matter to me when the fate of my son depends on it. The princess got up. “Now it’s two o’clock, and at four o’clock you have dinner.” I can go.
And with the manners of a Petersburg business lady who knows how to use time, Anna Mikhailovna sent for her son and went out with him into the hall.
“Farewell, my soul,” she said to the countess, who accompanied her to the door, “wish me success,” she added in a whisper from her son.
- Are you visiting Count Kirill Vladimirovich, ma chere? said the count from the dining-room, also going out into the hall. - If he is better, call Pierre to dine with me. After all, he visited me, danced with the children. Call by all means, ma chere. Well, let's see how Taras excels today. He says that Count Orlov never had such a dinner as we will have.
- Mon cher Boris, [Dear Boris,] - said Princess Anna Mikhailovna to her son, when the carriage of Countess Rostova, in which they were sitting, drove along a straw-covered street and drove into the wide courtyard of Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhoy. “Mon cher Boris,” said the mother, pulling her hand out from under the old coat and placing it on her son’s hand with a timid and gentle movement, “be kind, be attentive. Count Kirill Vladimirovich is still your godfather, and your future fate depends on him. Remember this, mon cher, be nice, as you know how to be ...
“If only I knew that anything other than humiliation would come of this,” the son replied coldly. “But I promised you and I do it for you.
Despite the fact that someone's carriage was standing at the entrance, the porter, looking at the mother and son (who, without ordering to report about themselves, went straight into the glass passage between two rows of statues in niches), glancing significantly at the old coat, asked whom they whatever, princes or count, and, having learned that it was a count, he said that their excellency is now worse and their excellency does not receive anyone.
“We can leave,” the son said in French.
– Mon ami! [My friend!] - said the mother in an imploring voice, again touching her son's hand, as if this touch could calm or excite him.
Boris fell silent and, without taking off his overcoat, looked inquiringly at his mother.
“My dear,” Anna Mikhailovna said in a gentle voice, turning to the porter, “I know that Count Kirill Vladimirovich is very ill ... that’s why I came ... I’m a relative ... I won’t bother, my dear ... But I just need to see Prince Vasily Sergeyevich: because he is standing here. Report it, please.
The porter sullenly pulled the string up and turned away.
“Princess Drubetskaya to Prince Vasily Sergeevich,” he shouted to a waiter in stockings, shoes and a tailcoat who had run down and peered out from under the ledge of the stairs.
Mother smoothed out the folds of her dyed silk dress, looked into the one-piece Venetian mirror in the wall, and cheerfully in her worn-out shoes went up the carpet of the stairs.
- Mon cher, voue m "avez promis, [My friend, you promised me,]" she turned again to the Son, arousing him with the touch of her hand.
The son, lowering his eyes, calmly followed her.
They entered the hall, from which one door led to the chambers allotted to Prince Vasily.
While the mother and son, going out into the middle of the room, intended to ask for directions from the old waiter who jumped up at their entrance, a bronze handle turned at one of the doors and Prince Vasily in a velvet coat, with one star, at home, went out, seeing off the handsome black-haired man. This man was the famous St. Petersburg doctor Lorrain.
Wonderful Maltese Chapel of the Vorontsov Palace. Closed for the second year for visits.
Under Paul I, the Order of Malta was granted a palace, after which the Russian Emperor naturally became Grand Master of the Order of Malta. Chapel of Malta - the Catholic Church of the Order of the Knights of Malta, built by order of Emperor Paul I in 1800 by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi. The chapel is part of the Vorontsov Palace. The extension on the eastern side of the building of the palace of the Catholic chapel for the Chapter of the Order of Malta dates back to 1798-1800.
The chapel was built by a worthy colleague and unwitting rival Francesco Rastrelli, one of the exponents of new architectural ideas - Giacomo Quarenghi.
The interior decoration of the chapel is a colonnade of the Corinthian order, the walls are lined with artificial marble.
The interior of the Maltese Chapel was restored for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg.
By creating this small building next to the Rastrelli Palace, Quarenghi slightly violated his usual classical austerity. He made an attempt to soften the line of the facade by introducing rounded profiles at the junction of the new building with the old building. Without deliberate emphasis, only with these seemingly insignificant details, he sought to connect the artistic appearance of the chapel with the architecture of the Rastrelli building.
Until now, the interior decoration of the chapel has been well preserved - a colonnade of the Corinthian order, paintings, stucco decoration of walls lined with artificial marble. A thorough restoration of the chapel was carried out in 1927 by the architect N. P. Nikitin.
The hall of the Maltese chapel, as well as the church hall in the palace, acquired special value as the interiors of Quarenghi, because almost all the others of this palace complex on Sadovaya subsequently underwent significant alterations or even died.
The organ "Walker" was restored in the Chapel for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get to it - the organist had the key to the door, which was naturally absent, since the chapel no longer accepts people since 2012 - that is, it is completely closed.
The Vorontsov Palace is one of the main attractions of St. Petersburg. The palace is located on the territory of the estate belonging to Count Vorontsov Mikhail Illarionovich. The palace coup of 1741 (in which Vorontsov took an active part) elevates Empress Elizabeth to the Russian throne. Elizaveta Petrovna did not fail to thank Mikhail Illarionovich for his services, conferring on him the rank of general.
The design and construction of the palace was carried out by F.B. Rastrelli - Russian architect, Italian by birth. The estate is located between the Fontanka and Sadovaya Streets in a southwestern direction and occupies a significant area. The facade of the palace is separated from the street by a fence, which is an example of artistic casting. Behind the fence lies a vast palace with the main building and symmetrical two-story outbuildings placed forward. In the depths of the courtyard is a three-story main building, away from the noise of the city. To decorate the main facade, Rastrelli uses double rusticated columns, above which there is a balcony. The arched windows on the ground floor are framed with decorative architraves. The main hall is located on the second floor.
The impression of the solemnity and splendor of the palace, inherent in the Baroque style, is created at the first moment, as soon as one enters the estate. According to contemporaries, the interior of fifty ceremonial halls located along the main facade was distinguished by dazzling luxury. Unfortunately, the interior of the buildings has not survived to this day. The garden, which was located behind the main building, was decorated with numerous fountains, well-groomed alleys, pools and other "whims". In the garden, which stretched to the Fontanka, one could watch fireworks, which certainly accompanied the festivities in the Anichkov Garden.
In 1817, according to the project of Carl Rossi, the garden was shortened. An open terrace, located above the one-story building, opened a beautiful view of the river. In the central part of the palace there was a large double-height hall. One of the halls housed the library of M.I. Vorontsova, rightfully considered the best in St. Petersburg. The construction of the palace required no small investment. And the holding of regular balls and receptions led to the fact that the financial situation of M.I. Vorontsov no longer allowed to spend money on its maintenance.
In 1763 the palace was transferred to the treasury for debts. During the reign of Paul I, the palace was renamed the castle of the Knights of Malta and was transferred to the Order of Malta. This is due to the fact that in 1798 Emperor Paul was elected Master of the Order of Malta, and the former Vorontsov Palace became his residence. The coat of arms of the order - a white Maltese cross - was installed above the gate. According to the project of D. Quarenghi, in 1798, the construction of the Catholic chapel of the Order began, in which meetings of the Order of the Knights of Malta were held. An Orthodox church was built in the left wing.
Under Alexander I, the estate with all its property was transferred to the disposal of the state, and soon it housed the Corps of Pages. The Corps of Pages trained guard officers, and the bedrooms of the cadets were located on the second floor.
The October Revolution led to the closure of the Corps of Pages. In the early 1920s, military educational institutions were located on the territory of the Vorontsov Palace. In 1928, some of the items were given to the museums of Leningrad. Since 1958, the building has been given to the Suvorov Military School.
In 2003, in honor of the anniversary of St. Petersburg, the interior of the Maltese Chapel was restored. Today, excursions, organ music evenings are held in the chapel, a museum on the history of the Kadets has been opened.