The Palace of Kuskovo, Moscow

The Kuskovo Estate is located 18 km from Moscow. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was the most popular summer residence among the Moscow aristocracy. The estate is owned by the noble Sheremetyev family, one of the richest and noblest families in Russia, who owned millions of acres of land. Kuskovo is often called the Russian Versailles.
Most of the buildings here were erected by order of Prince Pyotr Sheremetiev, who needed a suitable place to welcome his high-ranking guests in the summer. Scattered throughout the French-style gardens are buildings representing the main styles of European architecture - the Dutch home, the Italian villa, the grotto and the exclusive Hermitage, where according to the latest trends in interior design at the time, the tables are equipped with lifting mechanisms. to the dining room on the second floor.
The most interesting in the mansion is the Kuskovo Palace, built by the architects-serfs Alexei Mironov and Fyodor Argurov. Decorated with a majestic staircase in the form of a horseshoe and a portico resembling those of Greek temples, the building is a true embodiment of the elegance of Russian neoclassicism. The palace was intended primarily for organizing extravagant balls. The floors are parquet, the gilding of the walls and the crystal chandeliers of the magnificent White Hall testify to the magnificence.