The Ostankino Estate is a valuable architectural monument of the 18th century. The Ostankino estate - the former estate of the counts Sheremetevs The gates of the Ostankino estate museum from

Museum - estate of Count Sheremetyev

Fragment of the fence of the estate of Count Sheremetyev in Ostankino


fragment of the fence
Ostankino is a unique architectural and artistic monument associated with the history of Russian and European theatrical art. The architectural complex of the estate took shape over four centuries.
The boyar estate with a pond (16th century), the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity (17th century), a manor house and an oak grove at the end of the 18th century became a palace-pack ensemble, a ceremonial summer residence of Count N.P. Sheremetev.

In 1743, the village of Ostashkovo was given as a dowry to the daughter of Prince Cherkassky, Barbara, who married the son of Count Sheremetyev, a noble nobleman, associate of Peter I. Thus, Ostankino passed into the possession of the Counts Sheremetyev.

in the park of the museum - estates

rotunda
Izvestia of the end of the century tells that at that time Ostankino had "a pleasure house and a regular garden with ponds." However, in 1789, Count N.P. Sheremetyev, a great connoisseur and admirer of art, especially theatrical, is planning to rebuild the mansion in such a way as to accommodate not only palace premises, but also a theater hall. As a result of the restructuring, it turned out to be more of a museum than a residential estate. And the count himself was extraordinarily proud of his creation and considered it "the greatest work worthy of wonder."


And the reason for that was love. The love of Count N.P. Sheremetyev for his serf actress Praskovya Kovaleva-Zhemchugova.
His feelings for Parasha were so strong that the count disregarded secular conventions and secretly married her. In order to save his wife from the memories of her humble origins and humiliating past, the count decided to build a palace-theater on the other end of Moscow, where her talent could reveal itself in all its splendor.

Count Sheremetyev

fragment of decoration

The Ostankino Palace was built of Siberian pine with external plastering and interior decoration (1792-1798) in the style of Russian classicism ... The two-story theater is located in the center of the palace and is surrounded by a system of ceremonial halls. A kind of theatrical version of classicism was used in the design of the state rooms. The facades of symmetrically located different-sized volumes of the palace are decorated with colonnades of the Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan orders.


The ceiling of the Sheremetyevo theater. To this day, performances are staged in the theater, there are the so-called Sheremetyevo holidays.

Hall of the Sheremetev Palace

The most famous sculpture from the Sheremetev collection in Ostankino is Canova's "Fighting Roosters". When you walk around it, you wonder why you can't hear the cock crow, because there are three of them here at once!

Until now, in the interior decoration of the Sheremetyev Palace, the original parquet floor, some chandeliers, and the ceiling have been preserved. There was a wonderful collection of gilded furniture, tall mirrors, drawings of the estate, a collection of paintings. The decoration itself also resembled a theater, the interior of the palace was dedicated to its composition ...

Before you is a piece of the Sheremetyevs' theater, the building of which was located right in the palace. It was the theater that made the glory of Ostankino! It was equipped with the latest technology: the columns rose and moved apart, the ceiling changed, there were all sorts of devices for transmitting the sound of thunder, rain ... The upper tier of the theater is in the photo. From there the serfs watched the action taking place on the stage of the theater ...

The decor of the plastered walls consists of plaster bas-reliefs on mythological themes, the wall niches are "enlivened" by sculptural images of the heroes of ancient mythology associated with the cult of Dionysus and Apollo. The two-storey theater is located in the center of the palace and is surrounded by a system of ceremonial halls ... The interiors are decorated with fabrics, gilding and wood carving, painting on paper.

Despite all the classicism of its forms, the Ostankino Palace is distinguished by its extraordinary elegance and luxury. And no wonder, because he could not but reflect the spirit of abundance and pretentiousness that prevailed in architecture and art throughout the 18th century. The count himself meticulously delved into the smallest details of the construction of his brainchild. I often consulted and argued with my architects. As a result, Ostankino does not look like the creation of one master, but on the other hand, it perfectly reflects the era and that understanding of beauty,
which united all the masters of the late 18th century.

The estate is currently under reconstruction.

The Ostankino estate is a beautiful building surrounded by perennial oak and linden trees, with ponds built in the 17th century. It belonged to Count Peter Sheremetyev, it was he who built the park and the grand ballroom. His heir Nikolai Sheremetyev was fond of theater, he got the idea to create a professional home theater. It was decided to expand the estate, for this the Italian architect Francesco Casporesi was invited, it was he who united the theater, the Italian and Egyptian pavilions and living quarters in it.

The reconstructed manor was built not of stone, but of wood. The count wanted the theater hall to be used as a dance floor. It was the use of wood that made it possible to do this.

In 1795, the grand opening of the theater was held and the drama "Zelmira and Smelon, or the Taking of Ishmael" was staged. The theater had a large troupe, about 170 people were involved in the production of dramas, comedies, opera and ballet. Hundreds of operas, ballets and comedies have been staged at the N. Sheremetyev Theater. One of the performers was the beloved serf of the count Polina Zhemchugova. In 1801, they got married in secret. The theater existed until 1804.

In 1856, Tsar Alexander II spent a week in Ostankino, created a winter garden on the site of the theater, cleaned the machine room and laid the floors. After the revolution of 1917, the estate was declared a national treasure and in 1919 it was opened to the public.

Wooden structures are covered with a reinforced mesh, on which a layer of marble chips is applied in a special way. The resulting surface is painted with patterns of amazing beauty, the interiors are furnished with unique furniture and magnificent lamps.

An old cedar grove grows on the territory of the estate. If you look closely at the green grid on the facade of one of the buildings, you can see the coat of arms of the Sheremetyev family.

Working hours:

• open from 18 May to 30 September;
• Tuesday-Sunday - from 11.00 to 19.00;
• does not work during rain and humidity over 80%.

Every third Sunday of the month, the entrance to the estate is free.

Despite all its luxury and splendor, the building of the Ostankino Palace was built entirely of wood. At the same time, the palace in Ostankino does not at all look like rural estates, and could well take its rightful place on the most beautiful streets of Moscow.

Ostankino. Plans for the first and second floors of the palace. Measurement I. Golosov

Only the large size of the building, designed to accommodate everything that is required for a wide aristocratic life, reminds that this is a rural estate. The palace was built and decorated over a period of one decade, which gives it extraordinary unity and integrity. Its project was developed by several remarkable architects, including such stars as M. Kazakov, D. Quarenghi, and D. Gilardi. In the central part of the palace, one can see the creative genius of M.F. Kazakov, it is easy to recognize the style of Quarenghi in the side wings, while Gilardi made minor additions after the palace was finished. The serf architects of the Sheremetevs - A. Mironov, G. Dikushin and A. Argunov were also involved in the work on the project of the palace.

Kazakov Matvey Fedorovich

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Quarenghi

Domenico Gilardi

In terms of its composition, the Ostankino Palace is built in the shape of the letter P ("peace") with a ceremonial courtyard, which is very traditional for estates of that time. The side wings are connected to the central building by one-story galleries, which emphasize the elegant splendor of the portico on the central part of the house. The dome towering above all this gives the entire building an extraordinary completeness and harmony. From the side of the garden facade, the building looks no less majestic. This is facilitated by the ten-column portico-loggia, which covers the entire second floor. The marble bas-relief completing the sonorous chord of the columns is made in the Greek style. Under the hot southern sun, the marble would have had dramatic effects, the dark shadows would have stood out even more sharply against the brilliance of the illuminated parts. In the gloomy Russian light, the shadows of the bas-relief acquire an unusually delicate harmony, their light mother-of-pearl-gray tints are wonderfully combined with the damp Moscow sky and the fadedness of the surrounding nature. Despite all the classicism of its forms, the Ostankino Palace is distinguished by its extraordinary elegance and luxury. And no wonder, because he could not but reflect the spirit of abundance and pretentiousness that prevailed in architecture and art throughout the 18th century. The count himself meticulously delved into the smallest details of the construction of his brainchild. I often consulted and argued with my architects. As a result, Ostankino does not look like the creation of one master, but it remarkably reflects the era and the understanding of beauty that united all the masters of the late 18th century.

, official site

Membership in organizations:
Union of Russian Museums - R14
Russian National Committee of the International Council of Museums - ICOM Russia - R158
Association of Music Museums and Collections (AMMiK) - R1928

Sponsors, patrons and donors:
V. Potanin Charitable Foundation

Storage units:
21905, of which 17254 are items of the main fund

Large exhibition projects:
"Palace in the Palace". Moscow, State Museum-Reserve "Tsaritsyno", 2014
"The Unbeatable Wedgwood". Moscow, All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, 2014
"One hundred years of holidays in the estate near Moscow. Kuskovo. Ostankino. Arkhangelskoye. Lyublino". Moscow, Moscow State United Art Historical-Architectural and Natural-Landscape Museum-Reserve, 2014-15
"Palladio in Russia. From Baroque to Modernism". Italy, Venice, Correr Museum, 2014, Moscow, State Museum-Reserve "Tsaritsyno", 2015

Off-site and exchange exhibitions:
Passion for Beads (first quarter of the 18th - early 20th centuries). The whole range of beadwork from the era of its heyday - from cases for a thimble to furniture. From 200 to 300 exhibits. Showcases required
French engraving of the 17th - 19th centuries From the collection of the Moscow Museum-Estate of Ostankino. Genre and reproduction engraving by leading French masters. The exhibition includes 60 sheets, representing the exquisite art of French printmaking in all its splendor.
English color engraving of the 17th - 19th centuries. from the collection of the Moscow Museum-Estate of Ostankino. Magnificent colored sheets of leading English masters of exquisite technique, highest quality of workmanship and distinctive art form. 40 items
"Giambattista, Francesco and Laura Piranesi. Masterpieces of world graphics from the collection of the Moscow Museum-Estate Ostankino". 40 rare leaves from the creative heritage of the famous artistic family - the great Italian etcher Giambattista Piranesi, his son Francesco and daughter Laura
Architectural landscape in Italian engraving of the late 17th - early 19th centuries. from the collection of the Ostankino Estate Museum. Masterpieces of graphic art in the architectural genre, popular among professional artists and architects, as well as art lovers. 50 sheets
Russian watercolor portrait of the 19th century. from the collection of the Ostankino Estate Museum. The exposition includes such famous names as P.F. Sokolov, V.I. Hau, A.P. Rokshtul et al. 60 portraits, supplemented by decorative objects - fans, boxes, etc.
Russian graphic portrait of the 1st half of the 19th century. from the collection of the Ostankino Estate Museum. Chamber portraits, drawn with graphic and colored pencils, charcoal, pastels, watercolors and gouache. 50 portraits, complemented by decorative objects - fans, boxes, etc.
Russian miniature portrait of the 18th - 19th centuries. from the collection of the Ostankino Estate Museum. Works of the most famous masters of Russian miniature. The number of exhibits can vary from 100 to 200 exhibits. Backlit vertical display cases are required
Western European miniature portrait of the 18th - 19th centuries. from the collection of the Ostankino Estate Museum. Works of famous masters of portrait miniature XVIII-XIX. The number of exhibits can vary from 100 to 200 exhibits. Backlit vertical display cases are required

Formation of the residence Manor Ostankino refers to the 18th century. It is one of the former suburban residences of the Sheremetevs' counts. In 1740, Peter Borisovich Sheremetev began the construction of the Kuskovo estate, which he decorated until his death. At the same time, he also developed a new property - the Ostankino estate. Pyotr Sheremetev laid out a park here and made a hall for balls and receptions. But the real flourishing of the Ostankino estate came during the ownership of the estate of his heir, Nikolai Petrovich. After returning from a trip to Europe, the young count became interested in the formation of a professional home theater. Teachers were hired for the actors and dancers, scores and sketches of scenery were brought from Paris. The Kuskovo estate was too small for large-scale performances, and the count decided to reconstruct the Ostankino estate.

The expansion project was entrusted to the Italian Francesco Camporesi. He combined the theater, side pavilions and living quarters in it. The pavilions were named Italian and Egyptian.

The reconstructed manor was built not of stone, but of wood. Even then, the count began to think that he needed a "mobile" theater, so that at any moment he could turn the theater premises into a "voxal" or a dance hall - transform the space at his own discretion. Only the tree helped to solve such questions: it made it easy to change the project depending on the task at hand. For example, if a demountable floor was placed above the parterre, both halls became one large space for dancing.

The count turned out to be finicky: he constantly changed the project, forcing people to disassemble and assemble everything anew. The theater opened in 1875 - with a premiere and fireworks. On the stage there was a musical drama "Zelmira and Smelon, or the Taking of Ishmael". The choice of this particular drama is not accidental - the victory of Russia over Turkey was celebrated.

After the premiere, it became clear: the theater needs to be completed, rooms for rehearsals, spacious rooms for guests are needed. And again the architects got down to work - they added the state rooms, created two galleries - the personal collection of the count's canvases was placed in the Kartinaya. In April 1797, the count was hastily completing the theater: he was counting on the imperial reception, but the emperor only examined the palace and did not drink tea.

The troupe of the theater was huge, the stage names of the actors sounded like the names of precious stones - Granatov, Zhemchugov. 170 people staged dramas, comedies, operas and ballets on the stage of the theater. In 1797, the count signed his freedom to his serf artist Polina Zhemchugova, and in 1801 he secretly married her.

In the same year, Zhemchugova's singing career collapsed. The count lost all interest in the theater, disbanded the troupe, demoted the actors to maids, laundresses, doormen. Only 14 people and an orchestra remained from the theater. The count is openly married to Zhemchugova - now without hiding from anyone. Already in 1803, the former actress dies at the birth of her son, the count loses interest in life and dies in 1809.

In 1856, Alexander II spent a week in Ostankino, having managed to completely change the theater: he ordered to create a winter garden in its place, to remove the machine room and lay the floors. By the way, it was after his visit that the main manor house began to be called a palace.

In 1861, after the serf reform, the lands of the estate began to be given away for summer cottages. After the revolution of 1917, the estate was nationalized and already in 1919 received its first visitors.

It is now an amazing sightseeing spot that closes down if the air humidity is over 80%. This is because the homestead is made of wood and is sensitive to weather changes. Wooden structures are covered with a reinforced mesh, on which a layer of marble chips is applied in a special way. The resulting surface is painted with patterns of amazing beauty, the interiors are furnished with unique furniture and magnificent lamps. Currently, restoration work is being carried out in the estate, not all premises are open to visitors, but even by those that are available, one can judge the beauty and luxury of the premises.

An old cedar grove grows on the territory of the estate. If you look closely at the green grid on the facade of one of the buildings, you can see the coat of arms of the Sheremetevs.