1826-1829, Architect A. Menelas. Garden masters: F. Wendelsdorf, A. Gombel, N. Rodionov, P. Erler.

The Alexandria Palace and Park Ensemble — a permanent summer vacation spot for four generations of the Romanov dynasty — adjoins the eastern border of the official imperial residence, separated from the Lower Park by a wall

The history of this place could have been completely different if A.D. Menshikov, who owned this plot, had managed to build a grand country palace here in 1725, Moncourage — My Courage. However, the Governor-General of St. Petersburg soon fell into disgrace, his estates were confiscated, and the palace remained unfinished. Courage faded away, but Empress Anna Ioannovna subsequently opened the Tsar's Hunting Park — Yardgarten — here.

A new page in the history of the future Alexandria began in the second quarter of the 19th century. In May 1826, Emperor Nicholas I ordered the construction of a dacha on these lands — “a country house or, so-called, “kotich” … with the addition of a park, entrusting all design and construction work to Adam Menelaws, an architect with Scottish roots. Menelaws built the “Cottage” palace in the spirit of neo-Gothic, which was fashionable at that time, erected utility buildings, and laid out a landscape park with an area of ​​115 hectares. With the participation of garden masters F. Wendelsdorf, N. Rodionov and A. Gombel, he managed to create one of the most interesting and original landscape parks of Russian romanticism of the second quarter of the 19th century on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. The romantic spirit of the place was especially emphasized by numerous architectural structures in the neo-Gothic style: guardhouses, cast-iron wells, the Ruinny Bridge thrown over a deep ravine, near which at that time one could still find the remains of the failed “Moncourage” palace. The park was decorated with gazebos, pergolas, and garden benches. A stone sofa carved into a huge boulder has survived to this day.

Adam Menelaws' architectural work was continued by A.I. Stackenschneider. For 22 years, he rebuilt the farm created by the Scottish master with a pavilion "in a rural style" and a roof painted to look like straw, finally turning it into the Farm Palace of Emperor Alexander II. Stackenschneider's name is associated with the appearance in "Alexandria" of the New Farm, the building of the Palace Telegraph Station, and the Konstantinovsky (Admiral's) House, intended for the second son of Emperor Nicholas I and Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. Next to the Farm Palace is the house for the courier built by E.L. Hahn.

The garden master P.I. worked here for many years. Erler, whose grave has been located next to the Gothic Chapel since the 1970s, the home church of the imperial family, built according to the design of K. Schinkel in the neo-Gothic style and which became one of the most original and beautiful buildings of "Alexandria".

Restrained and kind, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna created a special world of love, family warmth and comfort in "Alexandria", which was highly valued by the royal heirs: her son - Emperor Alexander II and grandson - Emperor Alexander III, who spent every summer with his family in the "Cottage". And for Alexandra Feodorovna's great-grandson - Emperor Nicholas II - on the shore of the bay, at the very edge of the water, the Lower Palace was built by the architect A.O. Tomishko, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day.

The dacha "Alexandria" was created by Nicholas I as a place for family recreation. In imperial families, children were surrounded with special care. For their education, upbringing and leisure, various children's structures were created in "Alexandria", for example, a sports ground on the south side of the "Cottage", which was recreated according to the drawings of L.I. Linden, the Emperor's children's gymnastics teacher. And next to the Farm Palace, a children's Fortress with a rampart, specially built according to the fortification laws of that time, and a children's Fire Tower were recreated. Unfortunately, the Children's Rural House, the Dovecote, the Children's Farm on the Bay Shore and the Water Mill, located to the east of the Farm Palace on the stream, have not survived.

The modern park "Alexandria" is a wonderful place for family recreation. Children and their parents can visit the gymnastics ground of the Grand Dukes, take part in the Knight's Festival, become participants in interactive programs, historical reconstructions, ring the bell on the children's Fire Tower or just walk around one of the most beautiful suburban parks in our country.