Ropsha

Lore & Background

Ropsha was first documented in the 15th century under the Novgorod Republic as 'Khrapsha.' It passed to Sweden after the Treaty of Stolbovo but was recaptured by Peter the Great during the Great Northern War. Peter initially planned a summer retreat there due to mineral springs, building a timber palace and church, but later abandoned it for Strelna and gave Ropsha to Prince Fyodor Romodanovsky, his secret police chief. Romodanovsky kept tame bears and used the palace for torturing political prisoners. After his daughter married into the Golovkin family, the palace was expanded under Ivan Yeropkin. The Golovkins later fell into disgrace, and Empress Elizabeth granted the estate to her nephew, the future Peter III. Following the 1762 coup, Peter III was brought to Ropsha under guard and allegedly murdered there under shady circumstances. Catherine the Great then gave the estate to her lover Grigory Orlov, who soon ceded it to Admiral Ivan Chernyshev, who sold it to jeweller Ivan Lazarev, possibly acting for Catherine's son Paul. After Catherine's death, Paul took over Ropsha, had the palace rebuilt in Neoclassical style by Georg von Veldten, and added an English park by Thomas Gray. Paul planned to rename Ropsha but was assassinated before doing so. Under Alexander I and Nicholas I, the ponds remained imperial fishing grounds, and a breed of scaly carp was named after Ropsha. English gardener Isaac Oldaker worked there from 1804 to 1812. Alexandre Dumas visited in 1858 when the palace belonged to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Grand Duchess Xenia spent her wedding night there. From the 1890s the palace deteriorated, but Nicholas II used it as a hunting and fishing retreat. During the Russian Civil War, General Yudenich wrested it from the Bolsheviks twice. From September 1941 to January 1944, Nazi Germany occupied Ropsha, using it as an artillery post to bombard Leningrad. German troops looted the palace and destroyed it with explosives. It was retaken on January 19, 1944. The palace remains in ruins, and as of 2012 it was deserted and near collapse. In October 2016, Rosneft leased the palace for 99 years, promising restoration and tourist access.

Reader's Guide

Ropsha's significance lies in its layered history as a tsarist estate, a site of political intrigue, and a World War II strategic point. It is one of the imperial estates included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, reflecting the cultural and architectural heritage of the Saint Petersburg region. The palace's association with the murder of Peter III and its later role as a German artillery post during the Siege of Leningrad highlight its place in Russian political and military history. Despite severe damage from World War II and decades of neglect, the site remains a symbol of the challenges of preserving historical landmarks. The 2016 lease to Rosneft offers a potential path to restoration, though risks from land-mines and explosives remain. Ropsha's story illustrates the intersection of imperial ambition, personal tragedy, and the ravages of war, making it a compelling subject for historians and preservationists.

Did You Know?

• Ropsha was first mentioned in the 15th century under the Novgorod Republic with the name 'Khrapsha.'
• Peter the Great gave Ropsha to Prince Fyodor Romodanovsky, who kept tame bears and used the palace for torturing political prisoners.
• Peter III was allegedly murdered at Ropsha under shady circumstances after the 1762 coup.
• During the Siege of Leningrad, Nazi Germany used Ropsha as an artillery post to bombard Leningrad for two years.