Vorontsov Palace in Alupka
Artikel auf Russisch (Übersetzung in Arbeit).
Designed and built between 1828 and 1846 by English architects for the English-educated Count Mikhail Vorontsov, the immensely rich regional governor, the palace is a combination of Scottish castle on its landlord side, and Arabic fantasy facing the sea.
Vorontsov brought servants from his estates all over Russia to create the palace and the large gardens below and above it on the hillside.
Six gorgeous Italian marble lions flank the staircase outside the palace's seaward front. Highlights of the interior include an 1860 Becker piano, a beautiful sun room, and a main dining room with impressive woodwork and a balcony for musicians.
The gardens is a masterpiece of landscape architecture. It includes a dense artificial forest, filled with enormous boulders that during the ages have fallen from the cliffs in odd shapes and lodged in positions which the landscape artist has utilized in an ingenious and artistic manner. There are said to be 1,140,000 plants. Every tree was planted by hand and 127 varieties are represented.
LANA SMITH