ИСТИНА

In pre-Revolutionary Russia, a very special phenomenon of private country estates was developed, heir to the classical tradition of villas and suburban palaces. These estates, big and small, opulent and modest, were a separate universe, a cozy microcosm with shady gardens, friendly tea parties and slowed-down, somewhat melancholic mood. The storm of the Revolution swept away the old nobility and their established world: some of the estates were demolished, others were abandoned and fell into decline. However, the new social structure brought along the new, deliberately created nobility, such as the military, the party nomenclature, as well as scientists and art people. This new nobility gained access to the old estates that were repurposed not for private but for collective use – as elite health resorts, travel facilities or creative residencies. Even some rituals of country life such as walking in the woods or al fresco dining were reinterpreted under new circumstances. Historic ensembles sometimes preserved their architectural integrity, but more often they received new additions and alterations of layout, which dramatically affected the genius loci of the territory. Changes in the physical landscape reflected transformations in the social landscape, and new architectural vistas opened (or sometimes blocked) new perspectives in life, history, and politics.