Wandering Camera

Album 282
(Translated b
y Michael Tarley, Jr.)

 

In the summer of 1999, as some of the earliest visitors to the Wandering Camera may recall, I visited Strelna and walked around these parts. The views were different then. Let's take a backward glance and compare then and now.

 

Constantine Palace as seen from the direction of the highway. The changes in landscape may not be as apparent in the photos, but I repeat that the Palace was almost invisible from the highway. Also, there was no road leading to the Palace, like the one seen in the photo on the right.
A closer view (from the same direction as above) of the central part of the Palace.
Let's walk through one of the arches to the other side of the Palace. The Gulf of Finland is seen in the distance. The new pavilion in the center partially blocks the view of the Gulf and the less than photogenic North West Thermo-Electric Station.
The view of the canal from the Palace towards the Gulf of Finland. Most of the trees were obviously cut down and the area re-planted. There is now an embankment, and the footpaths and the canal were widened and cleared.

Prior to restoration there was a 100-130 meters deep field along the whole of the front of the Palace. At the center of the left half of the field there stood three large trees; at the center of the right half - one tree. These were most likely lindens. The rest of the area was split in to squares with grass growing in the center and young linden trees along the edges. There were lots of small utilitarian-looking iron bridges, often with only the side railings still standing.

The view of the Palace from the direction of the Gulf of Finland. Enough said… :)
The coat of arms of the RSFSR (from the days of the Arctic College, which used to be here) has been replaced with the tsar's emblem.
A window.
The staircase to the left of the Palace.
The staircase to the right of the Palace. The camera views in these photos don’t match exactly, but one can see the differences.
The forest outside the gates (in the direction of the tram station) was clear cut.
The Grand Stables.

This is not the last album about Strelna.
In the next album we will go inside the Constantine Palace and check out the views from its windows.

 

 

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