Among the architects whose name is associated with Tsarskoye Selo, Vasily Petrovich Stasov, a major architect and a convinced supporter of the principles of the high classicism style, occupies a significant place.

Vasily Petrovich Stasov was born on July 24, 1769 in Moscow into a poor noble family. He studied at the gymnasium at Moscow University. Upon graduation in 1783, he entered the Deanery as an architectural student. In 1794-1795 - non-commissioned officer of the Preobrazhensky regiment.

In 1797, already having a solid architectural practice, Stasov was assigned to the construction of salt factories as a collegiate secretary. He was promoted to provincial secretary. Participated in the design of public holidays during the coronation of Emperor Alexander I.

In 1802 he was sent for improvement to France, Italy and England. While in Rome, he was accepted as a professor at the Academy of St. Luke.

In 1808 he returned to Russia and was placed under the jurisdiction of the “Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty.” From that time on, he took part in the largest commissioned works of the court and the state.

Since 1811, Stasov received the title of academician. Acting State Councilor. Professor at the Academy of Arts in the class of architecture. Since 1826 - member of the Construction Committee of St. Isaac's Cathedral. Representative of late classicism.

The main works of V. Stasov in St. Petersburg include: Provision shops on the Obvodny Canal, Pavlovsk Barracks on the Field of Mars, the Main Court Stables, the Yamskaya Market on Razyezzhaya Street, the Spaso-Preobrazhensky and Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedrals.

In Stasov’s architectural structures there is an invariable desire “for manly majesty and majestic simplicity,” expressed in the preference for the Doric order, the moderate use of sculpture, and the use of large, laconic wall planes.

The architect was recognized during his lifetime and enjoyed a brilliant reputation both in architectural and construction circles and in government circles. Stasov “... left in our capital many monuments of his talent and art, and in the souls of all who knew him - an indelible memory of his virtues,” Moskovskie Vedomosti wrote after his death.

V. Stasov worked in Tsarskoe Selo for more than 20 years

In Tsarskoe Selo, the architect’s plans were embodied in the development of residential areas of the city, in the creation of a number of park structures, as well as in the design of palace interiors for the family of Emperor Alexander I. Organically incorporating his buildings into the ensemble that developed during the 18th century, Stasov supplemented it with new solutions, clearly reflecting the style of the era and his own creative individuality.

In 1817, by order of Alexander I, the architect was included in the commission, which was tasked with inspecting the imperial palaces and determining priority work in them. The main place in this plan was given to Tsarskoe Selo - the favorite residence of the emperor, where Stasov supervised all architectural and construction activities. However, the architect began working in Tsarskoe Selo long before that.

Both houses were built in 1820 and 1822 respectively. and are typical examples of Stasovsky non-order residential buildings. They have common compositional features, but differ in details. Each of them created an independent composition, which contributed to the artistic effect and organization of the intersection, where these houses seemed to flank the approach of the street to the palace park.

When developing a building project in 1822, Stasov developed the layout of an entire block on a completely new principle for his time - a free but “regular” arrangement of buildings so that “each building was visible from all sides and one did not cover the other.” Stasov even emphasized these words in the note. The system proposed by Stasov is the opposite of the “solid facade” development established in St. Petersburg during the period of early classicism and is one of the first cases of the introduction of a new principle of development. The buildings in the quarter of the marshal's court were indeed located freely and the space inside the quarter was visible in depth (but, obviously, Stasov's project was only partially implemented).

In 1825, Stasov created a project that many attribute to Adamini, who supervised the construction.

As a result of Stasov’s hard work in the period from 1811 to 1825. In Tsarskoye Selo, a remarkable ensemble of a front street was formed, on which various, mostly well-preserved buildings coexist in harmonious unity and which could rightfully be called Zodchego Stasov Street.

On the Cathedral Square of Tsarskoe Selo, several buildings were also built according to his design: the first wooden building, and. It can be concluded that, in addition to Sadovaya Street, Stasov conceived and almost completely created the main ensemble in Tsarskoe Selo.

Stasov's role in transforming the gardens in Tsarskoe Selo was great, and the structures he created in the park ensembles are original and highly artistic works of Russian architecture.

Stasov's role was significant in the development of the city as a whole. In particular, he had to resolve the issue of placing wooden estate buildings. Their random location, at the whim of the owners, sometimes led to fire-threatening neighborhoods in adjacent areas.

Earlier, for the development of Peterhof, populated mainly by employees of the royal court, Stasov developed exemplary facades of just a few small houses. In Tsarskoe Selo it was impossible to get by with them, since the contingent of residents was wider: in addition to the courtiers, there were peasants, townspeople and merchants who had gotten rich from latrine trades. Therefore, the character of residential buildings here was more difficult to interpret uniformly. And yet, Stasov achieved architectural unity with a certain system of compositional techniques and forms, which in various combinations also provided the necessary diversity.

He designed individual houses and entire developments of neighborhoods, emphasizing the connection of buildings with each other. another execution of “sweeps” of streets. The architect varied the facades, modified the details and their location, which made it possible to avoid the monotony of the building. This was also facilitated by the varied coloring of the facades, usually in light colors (fawn, pink, gray, etc.), which goes well with the landscaping.

In connection with complaints from homeowners in the summer of 1823, Stasov proposed rules for the development of plots for Tsarskoye Selo, guaranteeing fire safety, sanitary improvement and order in the development. In further development of the above ideas, Stasov presented a drawing of the approximate location of houses, services and gardens in adjacent areas so as to comply with these rules. This layout was supposed to protect the predominantly wooden city from fires and bring order to its development.

Loaded with work in St. Petersburg, at the end of 1820 Stasov could pay less attention to Tsarskoe Selo and entrusted the drafting of private house projects to a student and assistant, who adopted the compositional techniques of his teacher, introducing into them elements of greater decorativeness.

In the Alexander Palace under Emperor Alexander I, the architect carried out minor work. However, already under Emperor Nicholas I, V. Stasov carried out serious alterations here. In the left building on the ground floor, in place of the personal rooms of Emperor Alexander I and his wife Elizaveta Alekseevna, as well as the rooms of Countess Shuvalova and her daughter-in-waiting, in 1827 the architect arranged the personal chambers of Emperor Nicholas I: Study, Dressing Room, Valet Room and others. The work was carried out according to the project and under the personal supervision of V. Stasov. An idea of ​​this work is given by the surviving archival documents - signed by the architect on April 3, 1826, “Part of the plan of the New (Alexandrovsky) Palace in Tsarskoe Selo with the designation of the device for the office of His Imperial Majesty (with an indication of all apartments)”, as well as a watercolor by E. (Edward) Gau "The Cabinet of Nicholas I in the Alexander Palace" (1845). These interiors, which have not survived to this day, represented a bright page in the history of the Russian Empire style. Subsequently they were remade for Emperor Nicholas II.

IN 1820 the architect's daughter was born Sophia(1820-1858), and in 1822 year - (1822-1893).

When Alexander I returned from a trip to Russia in 1818, Stasov was tasked with renovating not only the Tsarskoye Selo palaces, but also the palaces in Peterhof and Oranienbaum. Obliged to visit all three suburbs, Stasov once complained about the hardships of work: “I am in endless trouble..., almost every day I go to Tsarskoye Selo, then to Peterhof and Oranienbaum. By the arrival of the sovereign and his guests, everything is resumed everywhere...

The palaces had to be brought into a state of readiness to receive the court at any moment. In Tsarskoe Selo, Stasov was first helped by Dimmert, and from the fall of 1818 by Neelov, who was ordered to “have due supervision on all intended needs on his part, consulting in necessary cases with the architect Stasov, and demanded from him the proper plans for everything.” , which could be guided." Worried about the success of construction work, Stasov constantly gave written advice on the organization of work, selected craftsmen, monitored implementation, endorsed invoices, and adjusted prices.

In the spring of 1818, renovation work began on three floors of the Grand Palace under the leadership of Stasov.

Putting the palace in order in 1818-1819, Stasov acted primarily as a conscientious restorer, recreating the interiors in the original edition. Only partial deviations were allowed when painting again on the ceiling and walls.

Extensive restoration work made it possible to identify good masters of finishing work. For Stasov, these years were a wonderful school, preparing him for the great work of restoring the same palace after the catastrophic fire of 1820.

The fire broke out on the night of May 12, 1820 in the palace church. The fire destroyed the church, the lyceum and a significant part of the palace. - The next day, Alexander I instructed Stasov to restore the burnt parts of the palace. The architect immediately took measures to find the drawings and organized “the taking of drawings and casts of the upholstered decorations on the walls and lampshades, with notes on the colors of the paints, and on the parquet floors, the wood.”

To correct the palace and lyceum, a commission was established, which included Stasov. He immediately showed himself to be a skilled organizer, which was very important, since the period for restoration was set at only seven months. The short period of time forced the restoration front to be divided into five departments, with parallel work being carried out. Stasov's assistants were: senior - V. M. Gornostaev and junior - K. O. Lukini. In addition, he attracted court craftsmen, whom he placed in charge of certain works as “testers and overseers.” In this enormous work, Stasov relied on experienced, proven specialists - contractors and craftsmen known to him: parquet floor workers S. and A. Tarasov, painter N. Kadnikov, upholsterer S. Shashin, gilders I. and F. Glazyrins and others. He entrusted the work to the artists - academicians S. A. Bessonov, F. P. Bryullo, A. E. Egorov, A. I. Ivanov, I. F. Tupolev, V. K. Shebuev and the painter F. D. Brandukov.

Before starting work, Stasov was given the condition not only to restore the palace to its previous form, but also to provide for fire safety measures. At that time, they had not yet seen the possibility of widely using iron for floors and rafters. And yet, Stasov replaced some structures with fireproof ones, in particular, all wooden stairs - stone or cast iron, covered them with vaults at the entrance to the attic, placed firewalls above the roofs, with iron doors.

Stasov was presented with drawings for the palaces of Tsarskoe Selo and Peterhof, found in the drafting office of the gofintendant, as well as in the library of Alexander I. We can confidently assume that few detailed drawings of the interior decoration were found; this not only made it difficult to restore the premises to their previous form, but in some cases simply forced Stasov to design the decoration anew, from memory. In order to avoid similar difficulties in the future, Stasov demanded that the newly made drawings of the restored palace be securely preserved.

During the summer months, all general construction work was completed and finishing work began. On February 1, 1821, Stasov reported on the complete completion of almost all the premises in the upper and lower floors of the palace and work on the facades. The parallel organization of construction work fully justified itself. Less than a year later, the palace, with the exception of the ceremonial premises, was restored.

The premises closer to the church were all damaged to a greater or lesser extent. They can be divided into three groups: the first, which retained Rastrelli’s decoration, the second, redone by the architect Charles Cameron, and the third, created in 1817 by Stasov. Restoring these and other interiors, Stasov had to carry out the most difficult creative process of artistic transformation, penetration into the essence of each of the styles, without which he would not have achieved such remarkable results in restoring a number of completely destroyed interiors.

It was the work of Rastrelli and his numerous assistant performers. The magnificent hall with blue walls and golden carvings was completely destroyed by fire, so its restoration was perhaps the most difficult. This was aggravated by the extreme richness of the decorative carvings, which were complex in design. The emperor’s demand to restore the palace to its previous form forced Stasov to deeply study and understand the principles of Rastrelli’s style and the principles of the pictorial polychrome organization of the interior. The entire basis of the decoration: panels, pilasters, columns, bindings - were made during 1820 by a group of experienced carpenters led by Artemy Vavilin. Numerous decorations were then installed, made in three ways: carved wood, carved mastic and papier-mâché.

Using wood carving, Rastrelli ensured that, despite the general similarity of details, there were no literal repetitions. This gave a special picturesqueness to the architectural design. Using the method of “large-scale” production of jewelry that exactly replicated each other (molding from mastic and papier-mâché), Stasov, naturally, could not achieve the previous power of picturesqueness and the variety of nuances of design details. This feature was noted by a contemporary who wrote that in the renewed church, although in general there is some correctness, or better said, symmetry, the taste of the time when the church was built is visible in parts.”

A. N. Benois, characterizing Stasov’s work in the palace church, wrote: “We must give Stasov justice that for his time he coped with the task unusually successfully and conscientiously. Of course, upon closer inspection of many details, there is no doubt that they are of the latest origin, they lack that freedom, that “swagger” with which Rastrelli’s ornaments are usually painted, but in the overall impression this does not play a role and the interior of the Tsarskoye Selo church is distinguished by that decorative boldness thoughts, that freshness and that brilliance that are inherent in the works of the mid-18th century.” And further: “In general, the honor of preserving the style of the Resurrection Church should be attributed not so much to Stasov as to Alexander I, who showed great historical tact in this matter. Stasov deserves only the credit for the rather successful implementation of the sovereign’s thoughts. For such an inveterate “empiricist,” as the builder of the Trinity and Transfiguration Cathedrals seems to us, this ability to subordinate his personal taste to the requirements of a more refined taste is almost a feat.”

Fire 1820 destroyed a significant part of the enfilade. The first premises from the church were destroyed by fire: , and . In the remaining rooms of the enfilade: the Znamenny or Standard Room, the Chinese Living Room, the White Dining Room and the Picture Hall, or Gallery, the interior decoration was preserved to a greater or lesser extent after the fire.

The most difficult part was to restore the damaged lampshades in the Chinese Living Room, White Dining Room and Picture Hall. Stasov hoped “that he would find a printed book in which the drawings of all the previous lampshades were shown and from which he intended to paint the damaged ones again.” But such a publication was not found, and the architect had to resolve issues in each case separately.

During the inspection of the premises after the fire, it seemed to Stasov that in the Chinese living room and the White dining room the lampshades were preserved so much that they could be restored, but when the surviving pieces began to be, as the architect himself wrote, “connected, pulled onto frames, glued onto a new canvas , it turned out that in most of the space they were folded due to the soaking of the canvas during the fire, the paint turned to powder... which is why I decided without wasting time to paint again, following the accuracy of the old ones in arrangement and colors.” For this, Stasov invited the artist F. P. Brullo, who undertook to “paint two lampshades. By March of the following year, both lampshades had already been installed. The ceiling lamp in the Picture Hall, previously painted by the artist F. P. Gradizzi on the theme “Olympus,” was destroyed by fire. To write it again, Stasov attracted academician S. A. Bessonov. The artist undertook to complete the work during 1821-1822, producing it on site.

The Entrance Hall, the Znamenaya, the Chinese Living Room, the White Dining Room and the Picture Hall, relatively remote from the source of the fire, partially preserved the excellent dyusudeports and the former decorative decoration of Rastrelli on the cordons, arches and doors. Since their finishing techniques were the same, restoration was made easier by the fact that in other rooms there were intact examples of Rastrelli’s ornaments. In these rooms, the ornamental decoration was recreated and supplemented with carvings, as before, and gilded.

Thus, Stasov restored the five listed ceremonial rooms without any deviations from their previous appearance. Here he again acted as a conscientious restorer. This is his merit, since he preserved examples of the art of the great architect Rastrelli for subsequent generations.

The second part of the suite - closer to the church - at the end of the 18th century. was finished by Cameron.

After the fire, the main elements of the decoration were preserved - fragments of relief arabesques, once executed by I. P. Martos, and this made it possible for Stasov, with the help of the sculptor Zakolupin, to restore the dining room exactly in its original form. The marble cornice was restored by F. Triscorni. The parquet floor, made from different types of wood, has also been completely renewed. The panels of the four doors were painted by Kelberg. V.P. Stasov did not recreate the picturesque lampshade that decorated the dining room at the end of the 18th century and was destroyed in a fire, leaving the ceiling white. Thus, it can be stated that the unique interior has been restored completely and exactly corresponds to the original appearance. This is confirmed, in particular, by Cameron’s surviving design drawings.

The rest of the interiors of Cameron's suite were completely burned out. Therefore, much had to be resumed from memory.

The interior was significantly damaged during the fire of 1820, after which the decorative design, with some changes, was reproduced by V. P. Stasov. When recreating the Waitress's Room, a deep understanding of Cameron's spirit was clearly reflected, which misled some palace researchers who confidently considered this room to have been preserved from Cameron's time, although in reality everything was recreated by Stasov.

The basic principle of the artistic design of the Waitress - the symmetrical division of the walls with wooden pilasters, painted like marble and connected by plaster arches - was preserved, but the design of the details (cuts and even capitals), due to the lack of surviving samples, was done by Stasov. Indeed, the outline of the capitals, which is somewhat dry for Cameron’s handwriting, and especially the uncharacteristic upper cornice with many “bells” or droplets, indicate that the details of this interior were executed by Stasov according to his own drawings. Due to the loss of Cameron's specimens, the ceiling in the hall was left white.

The group of rooms near the church, facing the garden, are called Elizaveta Alekseevna’s rooms. There are seven of them: the Antechamber, the Passage Room, the Jungfer Chamber, the Bedchamber of Elizaveta Alekseevna, the Fawn Study (Picturesque), the Library (Sculptural) and the Passage Room. They were finished by Cameron, but were badly damaged during the fire.

The elements of the interior decoration were preserved better than others. However, even here the modeling and marble cornice were greatly damaged, but the thin faience columns forming the alcove withstood the fire. The surviving fragments and original drawings, probably known to Stasov, allowed him to restore the premises in their previous form, despite the fact that all the stucco decoration, including round medallions, as well as a fireplace with a sleeping Venus, painted doors and colored floors were made anew.

The neighboring one has also been restored, preserving the original character of the decoration. However, the painting on the vaulted ceiling and frieze (Brandukov), although it repeats the existing composition, is too heavy in design for Cameron and corresponds to the nature of the paintings of Stasov’s time.

One of the interiors completely redone by Stasov is. It is decorated with wall sculpture (Zakoluspin) and painted vaults (Brandukov). The nature of the ornaments used is typical of Stasov, who loved the endless acanthus runner (frieze) and often resorted to the motif of Roman standards, sketching them more than once and using them in the decoration of premises, for example, a lyceum hall. The library is distinguished by its strict and solemn design, features inherent in Stasov’s creative style.

The most complete disclosure of the Empire style is the Peculiar Cabinet, despite its simplicity, which is unusually effective. It belongs to the best examples of Russian interior design in the Empire style. The spectacular architectural design of the office is complemented by thoughtful and stylistically consistent decoration: the color of artificial marble on the walls, paintings with military symbols and trophies, and furniture designed by the architect.

The nature of the drawings of Stasov's parquet floors differs sharply from the drawings of the floors of both Rastrelli and Cameron. Here they correspond to the severity of the rest of the decoration of the rooms and represent a geometric, predominantly rectilinear symmetrical ornament. Thus, in the Reception Room the floor is covered by a simple frame and is made up of octagons inscribed into each other, in the Study - from rectangles forming cross-shaped figures, between which “concentric” squares are inserted. Stasov widely used mahogany for parquet floors with frames of pear, maple, pink and ebony.

During the restoration process, the catastrophic condition of the rafters above the two-story building was revealed. Stasov had to change the cover; At the same time, the decoration of the hall was damaged, so the molding, carving, gilding and parquet had to be completely restored.

It was rebuilt by an architect in 1823 from rooms decorated by Rastrelli. The walls were covered with decorative fabrics in gilded frames, and some rooms were designed in a Chinese style. Stasov retained the previous decoration with carved wall decorations only in a small room near the stairs, the so-called Green Hall.

All other rooms were radically remodeled according to the project drawn up by Stasov, apparently in the fall of 1823. The architect involved artists in the decoration: Barnabu Medici, John Scotti, Anton Viga, Dmitry Antonel. In parallel with the decoration of Maria Feodorovna’s rooms, Stasov prepared premises for the third floor maid of honor The rooms were decorated in a conventional manner, furnished with furniture made in the workshop of G. Gambs and A. Tura.li, Fyodor Brandukov and sculptors Vasily Demut-Malinovsky, Ferdinand Triscorni, Etienne Maderni, Peter Cretan.

In addition to them, the same craftsmen who, under the leadership of Stasov, restored the palace after the fire of 1820 worked here. With their help, Stasov created wonderful interiors that not only testify to the talent of the architect, but also worthily represent Russian art of the first third of the 19th century.

In parallel with the decoration of Maria Feodorovna’s rooms, Stasov prepared rooms for the ladies-in-waiting on the third floor. The rooms were decorated in a conventional manner, furnished with furniture made in the workshop of G. Gambs and A. Tour.

Despite repeated repairs and alterations in the Grand Palace, Stasov did not significantly affect its facades. Only two facts can be noted: the restoration of part of the facades damaged in the fire of 1820, and the construction of two entrances in 1825.

The Circumference, or the so-called Half-Circle - one-story buildings opposite the Grand Palace - was redesigned and renovated by Stasov in the 1820s.

There is not a single corner in the Grand Palace complex that Stasov’s hand has not touched. His original creative contribution to the palace is modest - these are two groups of rooms: Alexander I and Maria Feodorovna, but they organically entered into the wonderful ensemble of the palace premises. Stasov’s main merit lies in the fact that, with the greatest tact, he managed to restore the outstanding works of his brilliant predecessors Rastrelli and Cameron and ensured the safety of their interiors for many decades.

New, built according to the design of the architect Quarenghi in 1792-1796, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. was the permanent residence of the royal family. Its premises have been repeatedly adapted to the requirements and tastes of successive owners, so much of the original decoration has been changed.

Renovating the ceremonial premises in this palace in the summer of 1817, Stasov re-decorated the cavalry rooms on the top floor with wall and ceiling paintings done by Brandukov.

Later, Nicholas I instructed Stasov to prepare for him. New interiors were carried out in 1826-1827.

Stasov's work in the Tsarskoye Selo palaces was very important for his future activities.

Firstly, Stasov went through a great deal of schooling in the decorative design of residential and formal premises and for the first time demonstrated new techniques in creating strict and simple, but exquisitely noble interiors in terms of artistic merit.

Secondly, he gained considerable experience in organizing large-scale construction with a large number of workers.

And finally, thirdly, a team of qualified craftsmen - specialists in all types of general construction and, most importantly, finishing work - rallied around Stasov. The architect established mutual understanding and trust with these people, which ensured success and high artistic and technical quality of the work performed.

Along with work in the suburban royal residences, Stasov also paid a lot of attention to the city residence - the Winter Palace, where he created a number of valuable interiors in the 1820s. But this is beyond the scope of our Encyclopedia.

Stasov's buildings, and the buildings in which he took part in Tsarskoye Selo, in chronological order:

• 1811- in front of the Greenhouses. On April 23, 1811, the design of a new bridge developed by Stasov was approved, the main decoration of which was a lattice made of - the architect used this technique in various versions.
• Beginning in 1811, with some interruptions, Stasov has been engaged in painting for about 20 years. The radical reconstruction and adaptation of Chinese houses for housing under the leadership of Stasov was carried out in 1817-1818, while the decoration of the facades and landscaping took place in 1822-1824.
• In 1813-1819. were acquired by the Ministry of Public Education and designed by architect V.P. Stasov are adapted for the newly created educational institution - the Noble Lyceum boarding school.
• In 1815, based on his drawings, twenty “cast iron flower beds” or “tagans” with flower vases were cast at the St. Petersburg Iron Foundry, which were installed on empty ledges. In general, based on Stasov’s drawings, the plant produced a whole series of cast-iron decorations that filled the Tsarskoye Selo gardens; there are vases, benches, and bridges, in particular the pillars of the hanging structure.
• In 1817 he changed the interiors
• In 1817, according to the design of the architect V.P. Stasov, it was created in the Catherine Palace, which at various periods was also called the Front, Oval Room near the cast-iron staircase, retaining its official purpose.
• Created in 1817 according to the design of V.P. Stasov. , which, due to its box ceiling, was also called the Arched Room, leads visitors to the Emperor’s State Office.
• is part of the Karelian reception room of Alexander I, which has not survived to this day, created by V.P. Stasov in 1817.
• After the dismantling of the wooden cavalier's house at the beginning of Sadovaya in 1809 and the reconstruction in 1811 of the Laundry cavalier's house into the apartment of the director of the newly established Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, all the buildings of the palace and economic complex that stood along the street were, by “highest command”, inspected by the architect V.P. Stasov regarding the need for repair work. As a result, since 1819, the development of Sadovaya Street according to those proposed by V.P. Stasov's projects underwent reconstruction, which ended in 1828 with the creation of a unique ensemble from the era of mature classicism, which has survived to this day.
• 1817-1824 built in 1817-1824. according to the third option V.P. Stasov (Before this, P.V. Neelov and

Vasily Petrovich Stasov (1769–1848) – Russian architect, one of the founders of the Russian Empire style.

Academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

The father of the famous art critic V.V. Stasova

He received his initial artistic education at the Moscow University gymnasium.

After the death of his father (1783), he was forced to go to work to support the family and entered service (with the rank of “architectural corporal”) in the Expedition of Architectural Affairs of the local deanery.

In 1794 he came to St. Petersburg for military service.

Having soon retired, he returned to Moscow (1797) and worked as an architect for the Main Salt Office.

Presented to Alexander I as the designer of the Sokolniki field for coronation celebrations (1801), by personal order of the emperor he was sent to France and Italy "to improve knowledge".

Returning to his homeland in 1808, he received a responsible post under the St. Petersburg governor-general and finally moved to the new capital in 1812.

Since 1816 - member of the “Committee for bringing all buildings and hydraulic works in St. Petersburg to the best condition.”

He built a lot in other cities of the empire– Gostiny Dvor in Kostroma (1812–1820), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Saratov (1815–1826; demolished in the 1930s), Gruzino estate in the Novgorod province (1815–1820s, destroyed during the Second World War), Provision warehouses in Moscow (with the participation of F.M. Shestakov; 1821–1835), reconstruction of the Traveling Palace in Novgorod (1824–1828) and the palace of the Governor General in Vilnius (with the participation of G.V. Gavrilov and K. Gregorovich; 1825– 1832) etc.

Compiled in the 1810s over 100 exemplary projects of residential and commercial buildings, as well as fences.

However, with maximum completeness his creative style is stylistically unified, strict, based primarily on the monumental expressiveness of the architectural forms themselves, and not on decorative sculptural and ornamental accents (usually quite concentrated and laconic), – revealed itself in buildings erected in St. Petersburg and its environs: barracks of the Pavlovsky regiment, (1817–1820), dominant in the ensemble of the Champs de Mars; complex of the Stable Department (1817–1823); Yamskoy market (1819–1820); food warehouses - in the northernmost capital (1819–1821) and in Tsarskoe Selo (now Pushkin; 1819–1822); Tsarskoye Selo memorial gates “To my dear colleagues” (cast iron, 1817–1821), Manege (1819–1821), Big Greenhouse (1820–1823) and Stable Building (1823); St. Petersburg cathedrals (Preobrazhensky, 1827-1829, and Trinity, 1828-1835) and the triumphal gates - Narva (1833) and cast-iron Moscow (1834-1838).

In 1832–1835, under his leadership, the Ensemble of the Smolny Monastery, which was built in 1748–1764 by V.V. Rastrelli.

Together with A.P. Bryullov Stasov led the restoration of the Winter Palace after the fire of 1837, recreating the most important interiors, including both palace churches and the Jordan Staircase, and building on the Small Hermitage.

He showed himself here not only as a virtuoso decorator, but also as wonderful engineer, using a number of advanced metal structures for its time.

Stasov also restored a lot of palace premises in Tsarskoe Selo, Peterhof and Oranienbaum.

His last official occupation was construction supervision over the construction of the New Hermitage building adjacent to the Winter Palace (designed by L. von Klenze; ​​since 1839).

Stasov is the last representative of Russian classical architecture, which flourished in the second half of the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Developing the basic ideas and compositional techniques of the last stage of Russian classicism - the Empire style, Stasov especially often turned to the strict forms of the Doric order, achieving a solemn sound of the architectural image.

A number of his works reflected the echoes of national celebration after Russia’s victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, themes of military heroism and valor, and state power.

Vasily Petrovich Stasov died in St. Petersburg on August 24 (September 5), 1848. He was buried in the Necropolis of Art Masters in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

There is a memorial plaque installed on the house (40 Galernaya Street), where Stasov lived in St. Petersburg in 1817-30.

And the architect Vasily Stasov designed his first buildings without special education. However, he became the second architect in Russia to receive the title of professor at the Roman Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Stasov erected many famous buildings in St. Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo: the ensemble of barracks of the Pavlovsky regiment on the Field of Mars, the Stable Church, the Narva Gate and the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum.

The first projects of a self-taught architect

Vasily Stasov was born in 1769 in Moscow into a poor noble family. The boy learned the basics of drawing, drawing and architectural art at the gymnasium at Moscow University. The early death of his father and older brother forced 14-year-old Stasov to leave his studies at the gymnasium and join the expedition of the Moscow Deanery. The expedition approved the designs of buildings and the sites for their construction.

The capable young man quickly advanced through the ranks and soon received the rank of assistant architect. From that moment on, Vasily Stasov not only checked other people’s drawings, but also received the right to design buildings himself. During his time on the expedition, he created about 100 projects for Moscow and the Moscow region.

By 1794, Vasily Stasov had become a famous architect, but without an academic diploma he could have served in the Moscow deanery for the rest of his life. The fate of the architect was influenced by the palace coup of 1801 in St. Petersburg. He was tasked with decorating the Sokolniki Field in Moscow - one of the central places for the coronation celebrations of the new Emperor Alexander I.

A self-taught Moscow architect presented a project that Alexander I really liked. The building for coronation celebrations had an oval shape and was divided into quarters. In the center of each of them there were pools into which white and red wines, beer, and honey flowed. Buffets with treats were decorated in the form of Turkish, Roman, Greek, Chinese and ancient Russian temples. Stasov supplemented the architectural drawings with descriptions of entertainment.

Professor of the Roman Academy

In 1802, the emperor sent Vasily Stasov to Paris to study architecture at public expense. But in 1804, relations between Russia and France deteriorated sharply, and Stasov was forced to move to Rome. Here he entered the Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of St. Luke. For academic success, the Roman Academy awarded the Russian architect the title of professor - before Stasov, only the architect Vasily Bazhenov was awarded such a title among Russians.

The architect planned to stay in Italy for 1.5 years, but in the end he stayed for 4: in 1805, a war began in Europe between Napoleon and the Russian-Austrian coalition. Stasov was able to return to his homeland only after the conclusion of the Peace of Tilsit. Upon his return in 1808, Stasov was sent to serve under the Governor General of St. Petersburg to work “on special highest orders.” From that time on, the architect worked on the largest orders of the court and the state.

In 1810, Vasily Stasov was tasked with rebuilding part of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo as an educational institution. Stasov placed teachers’ apartments and utility rooms on the first and second floors, and classrooms and a large main hall on the third floor. On the fourth floor were the lyceum students' bedrooms.

In 1811, Stasov was elected academician of architecture at the Imperial Academy of Arts. A year later, the architect finally moved from Moscow to the capital. His first public building in St. Petersburg was the Russian Academy complex on Vasilyevsky Island. At the same time, the architect worked on the construction of the Kazan Cathedral and improvement of the territory near Mytny Dvor.

Architect of St. Petersburg and Tsarskoe Selo

In 1817, according to Stasov’s design, grandiose construction began: the barracks of the Pavlovsky Regiment were erected on the Field of Mars. At the same time, the architect worked on the reconstruction of the neighboring Stable Yard. Together, the buildings created an elegant architectural ensemble, which also blended with the surrounding buildings. For his outstanding skill, the emperor granted Stasov a lifelong boarding school of 2,000 rubles a year.

Vasily Stasov died in 1848. The architect was buried in the necropolis of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

And the architect Vasily Stasov began his career as an ordinary draftsman in the Architectural Affairs Expedition. However, today it is impossible to imagine the appearance of Moscow or St. Petersburg without the buildings he built or reconstructed. We invite you to take a walk through the two capitals and get to know the works of the famous Russian architect..

Ensemble of provision warehouses

Vasily Stasov created the project for food warehouses while working in the Engineering Department of St. Petersburg. The implementation of his idea in Moscow was carried out by the architect Fyodor Shestakov.

The architectural ensemble is simple but majestic. All buildings in the ensemble are two-story, their ceiling heights are the same - six meters. Semicircular windows are placed in niches, the decor of the facades is laconic: their central parts are decorated with rustication. The plastered surface was cut with a saw in a special way so that the walls looked like they were made of large stones of the correct shape. You can also see stucco decorations on the facades. Decorative cornices and wreaths with garlands were characteristic elements of decoration of buildings in the Empire style.

Narva Gate

The triumphal arch was built in honor of the Russian troops after the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The arch was built from wood and plaster in just one month and soon fell into disrepair. Vasily Stasov was assigned to develop a new gate project. Construction began in 1827 and lasted seven years.

The arch was built from bricks, which were then covered with copper sheets. Its height was about 30 meters and its width was 28 meters. The gate was surrounded by 12 ten-meter columns. Winged female figures were installed on decorative cornices (as conceived by sculptor Ivan Leppe, they personified Glory), and below were copper sculptures of Russian knights. The arch is decorated with bas-reliefs and golden commemorative inscriptions. The gate is crowned with a figure of Victory on a chariot drawn by six horses.

According to the architect’s plan, a memorial museum was to be opened in the interior of the arch. But by decision of the military department, soldiers guarding the Narva outpost were stationed there.

Barracks of the Pavlovsk Life Guards Regiment

On the site of the barracks of the Pavlovsk Life Guards Regiment, at different times there was the palace of Elizabeth - the daughter of Peter I, a pawnshop, and the St. Petersburg orphanage. In 1797, the building became the barracks of the Kexholm Regiment. 20 years later, Vasily Stasov, on behalf of Alexander I, began reconstructing the building. He preserved its first tier, slightly changed the internal layout and created a single façade with the correct proportions inherent in the classical style of architecture. A ten-column portico appeared on the facade, the first floor was decorated with arches, and the top of the building was decorated with stucco bas-reliefs. The monumental structure completed the architectural ensemble of the square, where military marches, exercises, parades and reviews of troops took place.

The redevelopment of the buildings made it possible to accommodate up to 3,000 people in the barracks. Vasily Stasov provided various utility rooms: kitchens and laundries, forges and weapons warehouses. A church appeared inside the building.

Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedral

The first church of the Life Guards Izmailovsky Regiment was wooden. In the summer it was erected near the mouth of the Fontanka River, and dismantled for the winter. In 1754, a five-domed temple was founded in its place, but it was badly damaged by the flood of 1824. Vasily Stasov was commissioned to create a design for a stone cathedral based on the model of the old church, the construction of which was completed in 1835.

The layout and decor of the cathedral are restrained. The 24 columns of its portico stand close to the smooth white walls; at the top are bas-reliefs depicting angels and garlands of flowers. Vasily Stasov placed the main emphasis in the temple composition on five bright blue domes. Close to each other, they form the solemn silhouette of the temple.

The Cathedral of the Izmailovsky Regiment was supposed to become not just a house of worship, but also a museum that would tell about the conquests of the Russian Empire. War trophies of the Crimean and Russian-Turkish wars were kept inside the church - banners, keys to cities, guns and flags from captured ships.

Winter Palace

In 1837–1839, Vasily Stasov supervised restoration work at the Winter Palace. The interior of the Winter Palace, except for the vaults of the first floor, was destroyed by a severe fire in 1837. It could not be extinguished for three days, and 13 people died in the fire.

Architects Alexander Staubert and Alexander Bryullov also participated in the reconstruction of the building. The restoration of the interior was completed in record time - just two years. When constructing new floors, Stasov used special fireproof materials for the roof of the palace and new structures that were supposed to lighten the vaults. By order of Nicholas I, Stasov restored the interiors of the Main (Jordan) Staircase, the Big and Small Churches practically without changes. The state rooms of the palace underwent a slight redevelopment, but in general they were decorated in the same form.

Small Hermitage

The project of the Hanging Garden, at the request of Catherine II, was developed by Jean Baptiste Michel Delamote. The structure is located between the Northern and Southern pavilions of the Small Hermitage. Already in 1766, the first trees and shrubs were planted here.

By 1841, the Hanging Garden was in a deplorable state. Its reconstruction was entrusted to Vasily Stasov. The premises below the garden contained a Manege, stables and a carriage house. The architect replaced the supporting pillars in the Manege, and built a gallery along the perimeter of the mezzanine floor. To strengthen the vaults of the stables, Stasov installed granite columns, and a new heating system appeared in the rebuilt basements - Ammosov stoves. Street air entered them, was heated and, through special heat channels laid in the walls, rose into the premises of the palace. During the reconstruction, the sewage system was improved. Two years later, Vasily Stasov built on the fourth floor of the Southern Pavilion.

Saint Isaac's Cathedral

Vasily Stasov was on the committee of St. Isaac's Cathedral. A group of Russian architects, engineers, artists and sculptors were involved in the construction, which was led by Auguste Montferrand. A competition for the reconstruction of St. Isaac's Cathedral was announced at the beginning of the 19th century: the previous squat church did not fit into the architectural appearance of St. Petersburg at all. Residents of the city wrote sarcastic epigrams about its brick walls on a marble base, for which some of them were even exiled to Siberia. The new temple took 40 years to build - from 1818 to 1858.

During the construction of the building, many technologies that were new for that time were used: the dome was built using metal structures, marble columns were brought from the pier (where they were delivered from the quarry) along the first rail track in Russia, special scaffolding and mechanisms were used to lift the columns. After reconstruction, St. Isaac's Cathedral became the fourth largest in the world. Its height is 101.5 meters, and the internal space of the temple can simultaneously accommodate 10 thousand visitors.

Vasily Stasov was born on August 4, 1769 in Moscow, into a poor noble family. His father Pyotr Fedorovich Stasov served as a minor official in the Patrimonial Chancellery. The architect's mother Anna Antipyevna was involved in raising children. In addition to Vasily, the family had two more children - a son and a daughter. In winter, the Stasovs lived in Moscow, and in the summer they traveled to Serpukhov, where they had a small family village, Sokolovo.

Vasily’s architectural activity began on February 14, 1783, when he was enrolled in the Expedition of Architectural Affairs of the Moscow Deanery as a student with the rank of “architectural corporal.” The expedition was involved in drawing up plans for private buildings, taking their measurements, approving building designs, and allocating areas for construction. The Expedition was headed by the architect Semyon Antonovich Karin, a major expert in Russian architecture. He liked the new student for his diligence and hard work. At first, the teenager was tasked with making simple drawings and taking site plans. Vasily willingly learned from his elders and read a lot. A year later he was awarded the rank of architecture sergeant, and he began architecture as a corporal. Stasov loved to visit construction sites, especially those that were carried out in Moscow according to the projects of Bazhenov and Kazakov. Perhaps he studied their drawings, submitted to the Expedition for approval. Since 1790, Vasily became an architectural fourier (assistant to the architect). He checked the drawings drawn up by the Expedition staff and independently carried out responsible design work. It was a good school. She encouraged creativity, cultivated taste, and called for an intense mental life.

Stasov was lucky. Friends brought him into the Khlebnikovs’ house. This enlightened family had one of the largest libraries in the country. Through Khlebnikov's daughter, Anna Petrovna, in his marriage to Poltoratsupo, Stasov became close to Alexei Nikolaevich Olenin, president of the Academy of Arts, and became a regular visitor to Olenin's house, where poets, artists, musicians gathered - Derzhavin, Zhukovsky, Karamzin, Krylov, Vyazemsky, Borovikovsky, and a lot others.

Barracks of the Pavlovsk Regiment

At the beginning of 1794, Stasov left Moscow and went to St. Petersburg for military service. As a nobleman, he was assigned to the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment with the rank of non-commissioned officer. His short military service was relatively calm. The regiment was constantly at court in the capital, and Stasov, taking advantage of his Moscow connections, found himself in the circle of leading people in St. Petersburg enlightened society. Communication in St. Petersburg with people who thought about the future of Russian art strengthened Stasov’s intention to connect his future life with architecture.
Exactly a year later, on January 1, 1795, Stasov, having received the rank of second lieutenant, retired and returned to Moscow. At one time he worked at the Heraldry Department, but very soon left there and was listed as out of work for two years, that is, he was not in the service of a government institution. In 1797, by decree of the Senate, he was enrolled in the Main Salt Office with the rank of collegiate secretary for the construction of salt factories.

All this time, Stasov’s architectural activity did not stop. He completed several official orders, including the project of hotels on the boulevards. In addition, Stasov carried out several private buildings.
Stasov's active architectural work in Moscow in the last years of the 18th century allowed him to take part in the design of coronation celebrations on the occasion of the accession to the throne of Emperor Alexander I. In the autumn of 1801, Stasov designed Sokolniki Field. The architect was introduced to Alexander I and made a pleasant impression on him, which resulted in the “highest permission” to send him on a foreign business trip to France, Italy and England “to improve his knowledge with examples of the most glorious antiquities” at the government’s expense for a period of three and a half years, with payment scholarships of three thousand rubles annually.

The departure was delayed, and only in the fall of 1802 did Stasov leave for Paris, where he planned to stay for two years. This period was shortened due to worsening relations between Russia and France, which subsequently prevented Stasov from getting to England. Since the spring of 1804, Stasov lived in Italy. Due to the outbreak of hostilities between France and Russia, Stasov’s business trip to Italy dragged on for four years. The young architect used this time to visit Italian cities and study Italian architecture, both ancient and Renaissance.

Stasov was familiar with many Italian architects and enjoyed well-deserved authority among them. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1807 Stasov, the second among Russian architects after Bazhenov, was awarded a diploma and an honorary title of professor at the Roman Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of St. Luke. At the beginning of 1808, Stasov traveled home through southern Italy and Austria and arrived in St. Petersburg in the fall of that year, spending six years away from Russia.

In January 1810, the architect was familiarized with the emperor's decree. From now on, he was ordered to serve under the governor-general of the capital “to remodel the facades and monitor the buildings on them.” Stasov was to be responsible for construction in the city center - in the Admiralty parts (the area between the Neva and Fontanka) and on Vasilyevsky Island.

The transformation of Sadovaya Street in the city dates back to 1811, which began with the replacement of a dilapidated wooden bridge across the canal in front of the Orangeries and the construction of the Lyceum. On April 23, 1811, the design of a new bridge developed by Stasov was approved, the main decoration of which was a lattice of intersecting arcs with ornamental inserts - the architect used this technique in various versions.

In the fall of 1811, Stasov was awarded the title of academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts for the design of a monument-mausoleum over the grave of Russian soldiers who died in the Battle of Poltava. This further raised his authority as an architect and allowed him to enter the circle of metropolitan architects not as a newcomer, but as an architect with a name who had already achieved European fame.

After 1812, when the Stasovs’ house in Moscow burned down in a fire, he moved to St. Petersburg with his mother and sister. During these years, Stasov built many public buildings, in which his talent as an architect manifested itself with the greatest force. Among the most significant works of Stasov of this period are the building of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, the building of the Russian Academy on Vasilyevsky Island, the cathedral church in Saratov, the Trading Rows in Kostroma, the Yamskaya market in St. Petersburg. The architect uses very simple, expressive means to achieve an unusually strong emotional impact. In these buildings, the architect worked out his own urban planning approach to solving any local problem, showing a deep understanding of the architectural ensemble, noticeable already in his early Moscow works. In May 1816, Stasov was appointed a member of the “Committee to bring all buildings and hydraulic works in St. Petersburg and surrounding areas to a better condition.”

Stasov’s role in the creation of the Campus de Mars ensemble was significant, where he built the barracks of the Pavlovsk Guards Regiment and, not far from them, the Main Stables. Both projects were completed in 1816. The barracks were built from 1817 to 1819, and the stables from 1817 to 1823. Pavlovsk barracks are one of the best works of the architect.

Everything is kept in simple and strict proportions. What kind of barracks are these? Facing the Summer Garden is a beautiful palace. In the middle of the central part, a colonnade of a strict, monumental Doric order with twelve trunks is pushed forward. It carries a high attic - a wall above the cornice, generously decorated with bas-reliefs. The colonnade is placed on the high arcade of the first floor. The facade ends on both sides with six-column porticoes with pediments, also placed on the arcades of the first floor. On the facade along Millionnaya Street there is also a ten-column portico with a pediment and behind it a high attic with bas-reliefs of military armor. In the center of the arcade of the first floor there is a gate decorated with niches on both sides.

In the fall of 1816, Stasov again worked in Moscow. He was entrusted with drawing up a project for the restoration of the royal palace in the Moscow Kremlin, which was damaged during the fire of 1812. His project completely changed the appearance of the building thanks to the expansion of the third, mezzanine floor over the entire area of ​​the palace. The superstructure caused the appearance of two new stone staircases. The decoration of the facades was very simple, only the facade on the side of the Moscow River was given greater splendor.

Holy Trinity Izmailovsky Cathedral

Soon Stasov’s life changed dramatically. In the settlement of the Semenovsky regiment, in a log house with a mezzanine, lived the family of Maria Fedorovna Suchkova, the widow of a guards lieutenant. Stasov met her daughter, twenty-year-old beauty Masha, and fell passionately in love with her. Meetings continued for more than a year - in Sementsy and in Moscow, where Masha was visiting relatives. For a long time he did not have the courage to admit his feelings: such a difference in age. At the beginning of the year, Vasily Petrovich proposed to the girl, and on August 6, 1817, Vasily Petrovich and Maria Abramovna got married. The couple settled in one of the cavalry wings, next to the Lyceum. And by winter, they rented an apartment in the house of the collegiate adviser Oshmetkova, on the corner of the 1st line and Bolshoy Prospekt of Vasilyevsky Island.

In May 1818, the Stasovs had their first child. They named him Nikolai. A year later, in July, son Alexander, in 1820 - daughter Sophia, in 1822 - daughter Nadezhda, and two years later, on January 2 - son Vladimir, on January 20 - Dmitry. In June of the following year, the Stasov family grew again: a boy was born, who was named Boris. The Stasovs moved from Vasilyevsky Island to Semenovsky Bridge, where they occupied a large apartment in Tsygarov’s house, on the corner of Gorokhovaya and Bolshoi Kazachy Lane. The architect’s mother Anna Antipyevna and his sister Vera Petrovna helped raise the children. She lived with her brother until the end of her days.

Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum

It was easy for Vasily Petrovich to work in Tsarskoe Selo. It seemed that there was no creative task that he could not solve successfully and quickly: be it a pavilion for a park or an arena on Sadovaya Street, food warehouses on the Gatchina Road or the Duty Stables erected in the Gough Quartermaster Yard. These works, having a majestic and festive appearance, are marked with the stamp of originality, impeccable taste and talent. There are many objects. Both the original ones and those that had to be brought, as they wrote then, to a “primitive state.” After fires, which often happened, he restored the Chinese Living Room and the White Dining Room in the Grand Palace, and later the palace church, the apartments adjacent to it, and the Lyceum. According to his designs, the Chinese Village was completed and reconstructed, and other rooms in country residences were remodeled. From 1817 to 1820, the architect restored and rebuilt 850 rooms in Tsarskoe Selo, Peterhof and Oranienbaum after fires.

In St. Petersburg, according to his design, the Yamskaya market was erected with a gallery of Doric columns along the perimeter. This building has become a kind of architectural center here. The construction of the market was completed in 1819. And even earlier, Stasov built a building on Nevsky Prospect with a portico in the center and columned loggias in the corners, which decorated the main thoroughfare of the city. By order of the merchant Kosikovsky, he created a four-story house on Bolshaya Morskaya. The architect organically integrated the house of clergy into the panorama of Nevsky Prospekt and the square of the Kazan Cathedral.

Transfiguration Cathedral

Back in 1825, Stasov created a project for the five-domed Cathedral of the Transfiguration, which was to be built to replace the burnt church of the 18th century. The project was not approved then. Two years later, permission to build the temple was granted, and the architect developed the drawings. At the same time, Stasov, taking into account the location of the building, which had a view from Liteinaya Street, provided a pediment portico of Ionic columns on this side, which gave the entire structure the majesty and calm restraint characteristic of ancient classics; The white surface of the temple walls, infrequently cut through by semi-circular windows, is associated with ancient Russian cathedrals. Panels made of military reinforcement on the walls and a fence made of captured Turkish cannons captured in the campaign of 1828-1829 emphasize the patriotic significance of the building, dedicated to the victories of the Russian army.

Stasov developed these creative principles - a fusion of features of ancient Russian architecture and Greek classics - in another monumental creation - the Trinity Cathedral. His architect completed the project in the fall of 1827. In it, he took into account the requirement that it was necessary to preserve the features of the old church that had stood here since the middle of the 18th century: the heads of this church were located on perpendicular axes to the cardinal points. Construction was to begin next spring.

Vasily Petrovich's official duties included designing buildings for military needs. The architect achieved the greatest success while working on the so-called Provision Stores, or warehouses.

Shchusev once wrote about the provision stores in Moscow: “The simplicity of the architectural design here has no equal. The few details of the decoration are drawn with exceptional perfection. The three warehouse buildings, despite the trivial shape of the site, form an inextricable unity. We can safely say that this group of purely utilitarian buildings, painted in simple white, is one of the best in Moscow architecture. In terms of the perfection of its forms, it stands next to the best works of Russian architecture.”

In the summer of 1831, terrible grief befell the Stasov family. Cholera "Morbus" rushed through the streets of the capital, penetrating into palaces and philistine houses. On June 30, Maria Abramovna died, five days later - her sister Tatyana, and another twenty - their mother Maria Fedorovna. Sadness settled in the architect’s family for a long time. Only the warm participation of friends, who were nearby in those months and surrounded the orphans with care and affection, helped to stay on their feet. And even work - Stasov forced himself to work harder than before.

Triumphal Gate at the Narva Gate in St. Petersburg

...From the first days of August 1827, they began to dig a foundation pit at the Narva Gate, and on August 17, 1834, the opening ceremony of the Narva Gate took place. The guards regiments, named on the pylons of the triumphal arch, marched under it in a solemn march. They were greeted by thousands of townspeople. Ahead of the guards was a company of palace grenadiers, formed from veterans of the Patriotic War.
Stasov, with his characteristic modesty, wrote that the gates on the Peterhof tract were erected according to his drawings, “similar to the project of the architect Quarenghi, but only larger than the previous size.” However, contemporaries already noted his enormous role in the creation of this monument to military heroism, bearing in mind the majestic severity, courageous simplicity and monumentality of the structure.

Vasily Stasov. Moscow triumphal gates in St. Petersburg. 1834-1838.

Less than a month after the celebration on the Peterhof road, on September 14, the laying of another triumphal gate took place - behind the Moscow outpost. The grand opening of the monument, distinguished by its artistic perfection, took place on October 16, 1838.
Until the last years of his life, Vasily Petrovich Stasov worked in his chosen field. He was well over seventy when he supervised the construction of the new Hermitage building.
In the spring of 1848, Vasily Petrovich Stasov fell ill. In the summer the illness subsided, but his strength returned slowly. On September 5, Vasily Petrovich died.

Based on the book by D. Samin “100 Great Architects”