Restoration of the famous rotundas in Gorky Park

The restoration of the famous rotundas (gazebos) of the Golitsyn Hospital has been completed. They adorn the Pushkin Embankment in Gorky Park.

These white-stone structures were built in 1802 by the architect Matvey Kazakov and were part of the architectural ensemble of the Golitsyn Hospital for poor people. Created on the type of a country estate, the hospital occupied the territory up to the embankment of the Moskva River. On the hospital park borders, seven-meter-high massive rotundas with columns made according to the canons of the ancient Greek Doric order were built. Rotundas belong to the architectural style of classicism.

The restoration of one of the main symbols of Gorky Park began at the end of February 2019. The rotundas condition was unsatisfactory. In particular, in many places, the white stone masonry of the columns collapsed having been covered with chips and cracks. The rotundas roofing was also badly worn out.

"The restoration first stage included rotundas foundation repairing and underpinning. Then the specialists began the most laborious process. They completely sorted out and polished the white stone of the columns, replaced the metal cores, and restored the white stone entablature. The final stage was the wooden structures of the roof and domes restoration," the Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Alexey Yemelyanov said.

The rotundas of the Golitsyn Hospital are among the cultural heritage sites of federal significant. The restoration was carried out according to the agreed project and under the supervision of the Department of Cultural Heritage of Moscow.

Today, the hospital building on Leninsky Prospekt houses the Golitsyn building of the Pirogov City Clinical Hospital No.1 (the First City Hospital).  From the end of May, the rotundas will again be available to visitors of Gorky Park for photo shoots.

"Snow-white rotundas with emerald domes are a real decoration of Gorky Park. It is impossible to imagine Pushkin Embankment without these recognizable symbols. Rotundas are equally beautiful at any time of the year - in autumn, surrounded by golden foliage, in winter against the background of a snow-covered embankment, and especially in the summer season against the background of the sunset sky. The proximity to the water and iconic objects, such as the Crimean Bridge, make them especially attractive for photo shoots, that is why rotundas are so often found in panoramic photos along with the arch of the main entrance and the Figured Fountain. We are pleased to announce the summer photo shoot season open," Pavel Trekhleb, Director of Gorky Park said.

Large-scale reconstruction of historical sites on the territory of Gorky Park has been going on for several years. So, in 2018, the park completed the restoration of the circumferences - two side wings of the main entrance. Since the 1950s, there have been box office pavilions here. During the two years’ work, the specialists restored the facades, as well as the interiors of the circumferences. Six of the 42 box office windows remain open and are decorated with Box Office signs.

At the end of 2019, the park recreated a historic two-meter flowerpot, on which white swans against a blue water surface are depicted. It is part of a decorative composition of 12 flowerpots painted in the antique style.

Exactly the same composition decorated the Pushkin Embankment in the 1930s. It was designed by architect Alexander Vlasov, who developed the general plan of the park. The original flowerpots were lost, presumably during the Great Patriotic War. Today, according to archival documents and photographs, 11 of the 12 street ornamental flowerpots have already been restored.

The legendary Golitsyn Hospital is one of the oldest charitable institutions in Moscow, which influenced the development of domestic medicine. Today it is part of the Pirogov City Clinical Hospital No.1.

The hospital was built in 1802 at the expense of Prince Dmitry Golitsyn. He wanted to create a ‘philanthropic, for the Fatherland useful institution’ in memory of his beneficent wife Catherine. Everyone was admitted there, regardless of gender, nationality, citizenship, or religion. Even the poorest (with the exception of serfs) could find help here.

Initially designed for 50 beds, the hospital was completing and expanding from year to year. Outstanding specialists of their time worked here.