The Lost Manor of Domenico Trezzini

Abstract

The article presents research on the history of the estate on the banks of the Oredezh river, in village Bolshoye Zarechye, Gatchinsky district of Leningrad region. This estate belonged to a famous architect, the favorite architect of Peter the Great, creator of the first master plan of St. Petersburg Domenico Trezzini. Manor in Zarechye until now has a few references. The genealogical line has been traced from Trezzini to his descendants Radygins and Chernovs, who were owners of the estate. First archival data with the reference to owners of the manor are released, including earlier unpublished plans of Zarechye. The evidence that Empress Marya Fedorovna stayed in Zarechye was found, also photos of the buildings of the estate, its gatehouse, and mill are published for the first time. A basic plan was made using cartographic and historiographic methods. The analyses of these sources showed that Chernovs changed location of the manor. This fact, probably, was associated with the other owners of Zarechye - Shkurins, who were descended from Catherine's II Chamberlain. The path of the transition of the estate to Gatchinsky Specific Department is traced. The mansion became called Tea Palace and was renovated for fishing and hunting of the Royal family. The manor was destroyed during The Great Patriotic War along with the village. Now there is memorial to the lost villagers in the past place of the Bolshoye Zarechye. Presented architectural historiography of the manor is important for the intellectual and material culture of society.