Woman-Sphinx with a Ball at Massandra Palace

Woman-Sphinx with a Ball at Massandra Palace

Sculpture of a woman-sphinx with a ball at Southern facade of Massandra Palace near Yalta, Crimea. The palace was built at the end of 19th century in the style of Louis XIII of France (French chateaux of the Renaissance) and belonged to Russian Emperor Alexander III.

Photo #226 taken on May 02, 2017

Album: Massandra Estate

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Parks #architecture #statue #Sculpture #Crimea #decorations #Massandra #Massandra Palace #palaces #Russia #sculptures #sphinx #woman-sphinx

Massandra Palace Framed by Trees and Mountains in Background

Massandra Palace Framed by Trees and Mountains in Background

View of the Palace of Russian Emperor Alexander III in Massandra from local garden on a sunny spring day. Resembling a French chateau, the palace is situated 5 km North-East from Yalta in Crimean village Massandra that located on elevated and cliffy cape.

The castle originally built in 1881-1900 for Tsar Alexander III, but after his death in 1894, the palace in Massandra was finished in 1900 by his son and the last Russian Tsar, Nicolas II. This castle was used by Romanovs only as hunting lodge and the royal family never stayed for a night here, but during the Soviet times, Joseph Stalin decided to use it as his as his dacha in Crimea.

Photo #235 taken on May 02, 2017

Album: Massandra Estate

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Castle #Crimea #Massandra #Massandra Palace #Palace #Russia

Fairytale Swallow’s Nest Castle and the Black Sea in Early Morning

Fairytale Swallow’s Nest Castle and the Black Sea in Early Morning

Amazing view from a parking area at Alupkinskoye highway on the decorative castle “Swallow Nest” rising on the Aurora Cliff above the blue waters of the Black Sea in early summer morning. The small, neo-Gothic decorative castle was built in Gaspra (13 km from Yalta by car) in 1911-1912 closer in style to various German Gothic castle follies, such as Lichtenstein Castle, specifically to catch visitors’ attention with its fairy tale appearance. It is the most famous landmark and symbol of Crimea.

Photo #005 taken on August 14, 2019 in Gaspra on the 4th day of the adventure trip “Discovering Crimea in 6 Days” with my dear clients from Hong Kong, Esther and Ricky.

Album: Swallow's Nest Castle in Gaspra

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Swallow’s Nest #castles #Gaspra #Crimea #Russia #architecture #Black Sea #landmarks #symbols #museums #Neo-Gothic #decorative #fairytale

Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty (Angle View)

Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty (Angle View)

Angle view of the interior of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty in Massandra Palace made by the tradition of classicism. Molded elements with gilding are successfully implemented in the strict ceiling design (master M. A. Zhilkin). The useful area of the cabinet was increased due to a niche at the northern facade of the palace. Niche, doors, panels are made of walnut, in harmony with the fireplace, lined with gray marble (at the right). Items of furniture and arts and crafts are typical for palace interiors at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries.

A sculpture of the horse of the German master Slodenbek (Berlin, beginning of the XX century) is placed on a round table with a carved table stand (the work of Russian masters of the late XIX century) in the middle of the cabinet. Armchairs around the table by Russian masters of the first third of the 19th century in the Empire style are ornamented with gilded woodcarvings in the form of laurel wreaths, garlands, stylized military armor. In the depths of the niche is a marble bust of Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881), the sovereign reformer, made by an unknown sculptor in the early 60s of XIX century.

Photo #084 taken on August 13, 2019 during visiting Massandra Palace with my dear clients from Hong Kong, Esther and Ricky on the 3rd day of the adventure trip “Discovering Crimea in 6 Days”.

Album: Massandra Estate

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty #Crimea #Interiors #Massandra Palace #Russia #Yalta #furniture #museums #portraits #sculptures

Woman-Sphinx with a Ball at Massandra Palace

Woman-Sphinx with a Ball at Massandra Palace

Sculpture of a woman-sphinx with a ball at the facade of Massandra Palace located on the Southern coast of Crimea
Front angle view of a sculpture of the woman-sphinx with a ball at Southern facade of Massandra Palace near Yalta, Crimea. The palace was built at the end of 19th century in the style of Louis XIII of France (French chateaux of the Renaissance) and belonged to Russian Emperor Alexander III.

Photo #060 taken on May 02, 2017

Album: Massandra Estate

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Crimea #Massandra #Massandra Palace #Russia #sculptures #sphinx #woman-spinx #architecture

At the Fountain in Front of Massandra Palace

At the Fountain in Front of Massandra Palace

The working fountain in a beautiful park in front of Massandra Palace on a nice sunny morning.

The Palace in Massandra resembling a French chateau was built in 1881-1900 for Tsar Alexander III, but after his death in 1894, it was finished in 1900 by his son and the last Russian Tsar, Nicolas II. The castle is located on elevated and cliffy cape. It was used by Romanovs only as a hunting lodge and the royal family never stayed for a night here, but during the Soviet times, Joseph Stalin decided to use it as his dacha in Crimea.

Photo #174 taken on August 13, 2019 during visiting Massandra Palace with my dear clients from Hong Kong, Esther and Ricky on the 3rd day of the adventure trip “Discovering Crimea in 6 Days”.

Album: Massandra Estate

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Massandra #palaces #Massandra Palace #fountains #Parks #Crimea #Yalta #Russia #Castle #French chateau #gardens #Romanovs #Alexander III #landmarks #Discover Crimea #Crimea Tours

Foros Church of Christ’s Resurrection on Red Cliff

Foros Church of Christ's Resurrection on Red Cliff

Beautiful view from Baidarsky Pass on the Church of Christ’s Resurrection in Foros, a settlement founded and named by medieval Greek merchants. Located almost in the middle between Yalta and Sevastopol, Foros was rediscovered in the late 19th century by Alexander Kuznetsov, Moscow merchant, a Russian “tea king” who had his palace built on the sea shore. Kuznetsov commissioned Nikolai Chagin, a celebrated architect from Wilno, to built the church of Christ’s Resurrection in memory of the miraculous rescue of Emperor Alexander III and his family in 1888 train crash in the Borki, on the way to St. Petersburg.

The magnificent church that combines Rastrelliesque Baroque, Russian Revival, and Byzantine Revival styles was built by design of Nikolai Chagin in 1892 on abrupt 400-metre (1312 ft) Red Cliff (Krasnaya Skala) near Baidarsky Pass with spectacular view of the Black Sea. The temple is notable for its luxurious exterior and picturesque interior. The murals created by famous artists Makovsky and Korzukhin, mosaic work performed by Italian studio of Antonio Salvatti. In 1924, after Soviet revolution, Foros church was closed, crosses thrown down, murals painted over, a priest sent to Siberia. Until 1969 it was used as restaurant for tourists who were going to Baidarsky Pass. In Soviet times Foros settlement located on the southern point of Crimea, Ukraine, became popular place for dachas of Soviet generals and leaders (nearby located famous summer residence of Mikhail Gorbachev). The Resurrection cathedral overlooking the village of Foros is a popular tourist attraction and architectural monument of 19th century. It was returned to the Orthodox Church in 1990s after crash of USSR. It went through four restoration campaigns under the auspices of Leonid Kuchma, ex-president of Ukraine. In present days, the church became also a popular wedding location.

Photo #335 taken on September 10, 2013

Album: Foros Church of the Resurrection of Christ

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Crimea #Foros #Foros Church #Orthodox Churches #Red Cliff #Resurrection Church #Russia

Foros Church Over the Clouds

Foros Church Over the Clouds

View from Baidarsky Pass on the Church of Christ’s Resurrection raising on the Red Cliff (Krasnaya Skala) over the low clouds at Foros settlement on the Black Sea in a spring season. The magnificent church, that combines Rastrelliesque Baroque, Russian Revival, and Byzantine Revival styles, was built in 1892 by the project of Russian architect Nikolai Chagin on the abrupt 400-meter (1312 ft) cliff. Alexander Kuznetsov, the Moscow merchant and the Russian “tea king” who had his palace built on the seashore, commissioned Nikolai Chagin, the celebrated architect from Wilno, to built the church of Christ’s Resurrection in memory of the miraculous rescue of Emperor Alexander III and his family in 1888 train crash in the Borki, on the way to St. Petersburg. The temple is notable for its luxurious exterior and picturesque interior.

Founded and named by medieval Greek merchants, Foros settlement was rediscovered in the late 19th century by Alexander Kuznetsov. It is located at the most Southern coast of Crimean Peninsula, in the middle between Yalta and Sevastopol.

Photo #593 taken on May 05, 2017

Album: Foros Church of the Resurrection of Christ

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Crimea #Foros #Foros Church #Orthodox Churches #Red Cliff #Resurrection Church #Russia #Krasnaya Skala #seascapes #Black Sea #fog #Clouds #churches #cathedrals #Cliff #mountains

Old Icons and Flowers on the Window Sill – Interior of Foros Church

Old Icons and Flowers on the Window Sill - Interior of Foros Church

The beautiful richly decorated old icon of St. Nicholas, an icon of Our Lady with Child and one other icon framed flowers on the window sill. Interior of the Church of Christ’s Resurrection near Baidarsky Pass at Foros settlement. The church was built in 1892 at the most Southern coast of Crimean Peninsula, in the middle between Yalta and Sevastopol.

Photo #716 taken on May 05, 2017

Album: Foros Church of the Resurrection of Christ

Categories: Architectural

Tags: #Church Interior #Crimea #Foros #Foros Church #Old Icons #Orthodox Churches #Resurrection Church #Russia #St. Nicholas #Window Sill #Windows #cathedrals #churches #icons #religion