Livadia Palace ~ Russia from the Crimea to Kamchatka

In 1834, Livadia (Livadia from Greek - a clearing, lawn) was bought from the commander of the Greek Balaklava battalion Theodosius Reveliotti by Count Lev Pototsky. In Potocki's estate, according to the design of F. F. Elson, a manor house was built, greenhouses, and a landscape park was laid.

In the late thirties, the eighteenth century, the new owner of Livadia was defeated by a vineyard, which by 1860 occupied a territory of 19 acres. It was decided to start the production of wine. In 1848, two and a half thousand buckets of wine were received, and in 1853 four. At the same time in Livadia the construction was going at full speed: two houses for the owners, a temple, living quarters and outbuildings. Forty acres of land was occupied by a park in which a rare subtropical flora was planted, with a multitude of evergreen plants and trees. The park was rich in fountains and statues, over which the Italian masters worked. Also, an orchard was planted, a water pipe was installed and greenhouses were built.

Livadia Palace

In 1860, Livadia bought the state for the royal family. At this time the Romanovy already owned the Oreanda lands. Livadia became one of the suburbs of Yalta. Here is the royal park. After the acquisition of Livadia's lands by the royal family, Crimea begins to develop as a resort. The South Coast has made many high-ranking officials of the country its summer residence. In 1863 a fountain was installed in the Livadia Park, in memory of the first visit to the imperial family of the Crimea.

Livadia Palace

The times of the first royal residence. Since 1861 the Livadia estate became the summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and the imperial family. According to the project Monighetti, Potocki's house was rebuilt (Grand Palace), the palace of the Heir (Small Palace), the House of Sweet and the kitchen were built. Also in this period, the Cross Exaltation Church was built.

Livadia Palace

The times of the second royal residence. In 1911, for the Emperor Nicholas II, the White Palace was erected, the author of the project became Yalta N. P. Krasnov. Some sources say that Nicholas II had to pay at least four million rubles to the palace - an unthinkable sum. Assistant architect was Alexander Rotach, who later became a famous restorer and artist.

The last photo of the royal family of Romanovs in the Livadia Palace. From left to right: Tsarevich Nicholas, Grand Duke George, Empress Maria Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duke Michael, Grand Duchess Xenia and Emperor Alexander III. Livadia, the Crimea. May 1893

From 1902 to 1916 in Livadia was made another building - a palace for the minister, employee at the court, Baron Fredericks. The Passage Department and several other buildings were built. In 1910, the Grand Palace was demolished, and its place was taken by Bely. Small Palace, which was destroyed during the Second World War

Livadia Palace

The Soviet period. In 1925, a sanatorium was opened in the former royal palace, which in 1931 was transformed into a climate treatment plant. In 1927, the palace was visited by V. Mayakovsky, in 1928 - M. Gorky.

From February 4 to 11, 1945, the Yalta Summit of the leaders of the three allied powers - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain (Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin) was held at the Livadia Palace, as well as an American delegation led by the president F. D. Roosevelt.

Yalta summit in February 1945 with (from left to right) Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. Also present are USSR Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov (far right); Field Marshal Alan Brooke, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham, RN, Marshal of the RAF Sir Charles Portal, (standing behind Churchill); George Marshall, Army Chief of Staff and Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, (standing behind Roosevelt)

Interior of the Livadia Palace

Present time. In 1993 the palace was given the status of a museum. To date, the palace has two expositions, with which visitors have the opportunity to review.

The first exhibition "Romanovs in Livadia", tells how three royal generations spent their time in their summer residence.

The second exhibition is located on the first floor in the main hall of the palace. Describes how the Yalta Conference was held, as well as about the American delegation, headed by President F.D. Roosevelt, who visited the Livadia Palace.