Andrey Ivanovich Stackenschneider - architect: biography, work in St. Petersburg and Peterhof

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Stackenschneider is an architect whose last name is familiar to many residents of Russia and neighboring countries. Thanks to this talented person, numerous palaces, buildings, as well as other cultural monuments of St. Petersburg and Peterhof were designed. We will tell about this wonderful person in this publication.

Architect's early childhood

Stackenschneider Andrei Ivanovich was born on February 22, 1802 on the territory of the mighty Russian Empire. The grandfather of the future architect was a native of one of the largest cities in the North of Germany - Braunschweig. He was a well-known craftsman, able to make various things from natural animal skin. And when the fame of his skill reached the Russian Emperor Paul, he was invited to the capital. Later, my grandfather decided to stay in Russia. He got married, and Andrei Ivanovich's father was born.

Andrey himself was born within the walls of the family farm, where the entire Stackenschneider family used to live. Almost all of my childhoodthe little architect spent at the mill where his father worked. When the future master turned 13, he was sent to study at the Imperial Academy of Arts. However, due to the fact that he did not show any special talents, after graduation he was appointed to the committee of hydraulic works and buildings. It was there that our architect Stackenschneider worked for some time, holding the position of an ordinary draftsman.

Variety of professional activities

After four years of work as a draftsman, our hero received a lucrative offer, thanks to which he got a new job. This time, the position of an architect-draughtsman awaited him.

So he got to the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, headed by a special commission for the construction. Here he showed himself as a talented architect. Stackenschneider was later noticed by another famous builder and architect, Henri Louis Auguste Ricard. It was he who invited our hero to work on the Winter Palace.

Leaving work and going into private practice

At some point, the architect Stackenschneider decided that it was time for him to go into private practice. At the beginning of 1831, he resigned from the commission and took up private construction with great pleasure. One of his first independent works was the design of the count's house. The estate belonged to A. H. Benckendorff.

After our hero successfully coped with the task assigned to him, the count told the emperor about him. As a result, a talented architect was invited to one of the richest houses in St. Petersburg. Stackenschneider almost immediately gained the favor of Nicholas I.

Increasingly, he began to receive individual orders from the emperor. And after some time he became practically the only architect who was trusted to build not only huge estates, but also princely, royal palaces. And so it was until the death of the architect. For a long time he worked and designed the real estate of royal and privileged persons, received the honorary title of personal architect of His Majesty's palace.

First awards and study abroad

According to the information from the biography, Stackenschneider first received recognition in 1834. At this very time, he was actively working on the project of the "small emperor's palace", for which he received the promising title of academician.

However, despite this, our hero felt that he was sorely lacking in experience. At the same time, he managed to achieve the support of the sovereign, and at the expense of state benefits to go abroad for training. So, he visited England, France and Italy. And when he returned, he received the honorary title of professor of the second degree from representatives of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

Work on the Mariinsky Palace

During his life, Andrei Ivanovich designed and erected buildings of varying complexity. He managed to visit Moscow, Crimea, St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Taganrog, Peterhof and even Tsarskoye Selo. In all these places hequite successfully worked and created. Critics highly appreciated his work and argued about the features of his strict and at the same time democratic style. One of the most magnificent buildings that the architect has ever managed to build is the Mariinsky Palace.

This building, located on the beautiful St. Isaac's Square, was designed by our hero in 1839. The construction of the palace was completed in 1844. About what buildings and palaces Stackenschneider built, in addition to this building, where the residence of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly is currently located, we will tell below.

Other outstanding creations of the great author

Thanks to his inquisitive mind and wonderful imagination, our hero created the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace in St. Petersburg. Recall that this unique neo-baroque building was built between 1846 and 1848.

Among the numerous works of the famous architect, you can find not only palaces, but also children's hospitals, chapels, country residences and much more. For example, at the beginning of 1835, the private villa of the famous film actor Genies was modeled and then built. Exactly one year later, our hero worked on the construction of a summer cottage for the Zvantsovs. And in 1834 he rebuilt the country house of M. I. Mordvinov.

Famous buildings in Peterhof

The surroundings of Peterhof and the city itself have become a great place for inspiration for our master. Here he actively worked on a planmagnificent landscape parks: Lugovoe and Kolonistsky.

Then he thought about some elements of the Colonist Park separately. So, our author owns sketches of two pavilions at once: Olgin and Tsaritsin. It is interesting that the Holguin pavilion was created by order of Emperor Nicholas I and in honor of his daughter. Her name was Olga. The building itself looks like a Neapolitan tower, partly protruding with its plinth from under the water.

Tsaritsin same pavilion was erected strictly at the request of the wife of the Emperor Alexandra Feodorovna. With its external features, it looked more like an old Roman building than a classical building from the time of Nicholas I.

Majestic pavilions in various parks

Andrey Ivanovich was also planning two other pavilions in the picturesque Lugovoy Park. One of them is the Pink Pavilion, or Lakes. According to critics, it was he who was the central composition of the entire park. Its construction began in 1845 and ended in 1848. The second - Belvedere, was a two-story building built from fairly massive granite blocks.

In early 1727, our hero started the construction of a palace and park ensemble at the Emperor Peter II's own dacha. Then, under the strict guidance of the architect, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the palace, the greenhouse and the gardener's house were built in the palace and park ensemble of the 19th century. Next was the palace in Znamenka, the Farm Palace and the Lion Cascade. We will tell about this amazing object further.

A unique cascade in the Palace and Park Ensemble of Peterhof

Duringdesigning the Lower Park, the famous architect applied the principle of creating cascade fountains. It was believed that, in this way, the palace being built on the territory of the park would be complemented by a spectacular corner of wildlife. At the same time, the notorious Italian architect Nicolo Michetti initially worked on the project. But his idea to close the ring of the cascade within the Hermitage Alley was never implemented.

Between 1854-1857, the design of the cascade was completely redone. This time, they took the project of A. I. Stackenschneider as its basis. According to preliminary data, he assumed a significant increase in the original size of the pool and the addition of 14 columns, each of which was 8 m high.

12 original marble bowls were also installed between the columns. From the old decorative elements, the author decided to leave mascarons (comic images of mythical animals) and large figures of lions, from whose mouths jets of water came out. In the middle of the columned pantheon, there was a figurative statue of the Nymph Aganip. Everyone who saw this cascade described it as something incredibly beautiful, strict and fabulous at the same time.

A few words about the personal life of an architect

Extremely busy architect did not prevent him from adjusting his personal life. At the peak of his dizzying career, the author of numerous works met a woman with whom he immediately fell in love. It was Maria Fedorovna Khalchinskaya.

Some time after marriage, the couple had 8 children. It is noteworthy that all of them, except for the youngest Zinaida, who diedin childhood, became famous personalities. For example, the architect's daughter Elena, during her turbulent youth, began to write memoirs. Later, she even opened her own literary salon. The architect's son Nikolai lived in St. Petersburg for a long time. He loved to draw, was fond of architectural art and even built one of the houses in Kharkov.

Another son of Andrei Ivanovich Alexander graduated from theater courses and became one of the favorite artists in the Imperial Theatre. However, such a talented person as Stackenschneider had other children who did not devote their lives to art.

For example, his son Adrian was just like that. After graduating, she went to work in the office of the Governing Senate. A little later, he moved to Kyiv, lived in Kharkov for several years, where he headed the judicial chamber. Son Vladimir also went headlong into jurisprudence. Daughters Maria and Olga successfully married and went to live abroad.

Memory will live forever

Andrey Ivanovich has long been dead. He died in early August 1865. At the time of his death, he was 63 years old. His memory continues to live in the hearts and minds of our compatriots. And his majestic creations will continue to delight tourists and locals.