How to get to Yelagin Island? There are many ways, but this is not the main thing. Why go there, that’s the question. And Elagin Island is attractive to many in St. Petersburg. Let's start over.
Let's start with amazing landscapes.
The natural beauty of the Elagin Islands is due to the peculiarity of its location. It is located in the Neva Delta, near its mouth. On two sides it is washed by the Neva arms: Bolshaya and Srednyaya Nevka, and on the coastal side by the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea.
From ancient times, coastal lands were low and swampy. Elagin Island is no exception. Over time, its territory, like others, was drained. As for natural vegetation, it was previously represented by conifers, but over time, “exotics” began to be planted here - broad-leaved trees and various shrubs. It is believed that the very first "exotic trees" were planted here under Peter I himself - oaks. Now the diversity of the plant world of the island is very large. I would especially like to note those places of the coastline along the network of inland waterways, where willows bent over the water, forming natural silver arbors.
The park ensemble that has formed over time on Yelagin Island is annually supplemented with fields and flower beds of various colors in the spring and summer. The period when the tulip festival arrives on Yelagin Island is especially noteworthy. And this is really a holiday! First of all, for the eyes and the soul. It is impossible to remain indifferent to such beauty!
Elaginoostrovsky "zoo"
The natural fauna of Elagin Island in St. Petersburg is represented by a wide range of different types of fauna: fearless squirrels - red and blue, field and domestic mice, cutter and shrew, weasel and ermine scurry back and forth along paths and trees, you can notice a muskrat in the water. In the bird kingdom, in addition to the usual urban "inhabitants" - pigeons, crows, tits, sparrows, ducks, there are also migratory birds - finch, nuthatch, blue tit, gray flycatcher, blackbird, rook, nightingale, wagtail, woodpecker, blacken, mallard. In warm time, the water has a fairly large number of insects.
Thanks to the man, a small zoo was founded in the Elaginoostrovsky corner of St. Petersburg, where in the cages you can see: black crow, various hens, pheasants, runner ducks, mute swans, geese, reindeer, Cameroonian goat, fox Alice, donkey Camilla and the lamb Masha.
It was located in the historical part of the park, at the location of the farm of the XIX century, and from 2005 to 2010 there were held zoological thematic exhibitions. The mini-zoo has its own name - “Zoosphere” and is an interactive educational project, in the framework of which the Animal Trail is also broken.
A bit of history
Elagin Island in St. Petersburg in ancient times, when it was still inhabited by Finno-Ugric tribes, had a Finnish name. In many sources it is given as "Mistula Saari." However, the proposed meaning of this toponym as “bearish” or “black” does not correspond to the translation from Finnish. The version “black island” can be considered closest in sound and spelling, only in this case its Finnish name will not be “mistula”, but “mystu”. Let us take as the starting point the one that the original Finnish name of the island was "Mistu-Saari" - "Black Island". According to legends, the guardsmen of the Preobrazhensky regiment at the beginning of the development of Peter I these lands called the island "Mishin", as there were bears.
Peter I, while rebuilding new territories as the European city of Russia, was very financially constrained in the conditions of the Northern War, and therefore he was giving away lands in the vicinity of the new city to his associates, but on condition that they would drain and equip them at their own expense. Elagin Island was presented to P.P. Shafirov. For the entire XVIII century, nine owners succeeded each other here: P. Ya. Yaguzhinsky, A.P. Melgunov, G.A. Potemkin, I.P. Elagin, G.V. Orlov, and others.
The greatest contribution to the formation of the Elaginoostr ensemble was made by I.P. Elagin, in whose honor this territory will be named later.
In the XIX century, the estate was bought out in favor of the state by Emperor Alexander I and for a century was considered one of the favorite suburban residences of the Romanovs. And how to get to Yelagin Island, the previous owners did not have a question - of course, by water.
Architectural ensemble
Elagin Island is quite large. To see its architectural sights, of course, you can walk to them in a beautiful park. And if time limited, how to get to Yelagin Island in such a way as to immediately get into its historical heart? Do not hope that the palace and park buildings of the ensemble are grouped in such a way that you still need to walk to them, but the shortest way is: from the Krestovsky Ostrov metro station, enter through the main entrance to the Central Park and Public Park and, after crossing the wooden bridge, go either along the embankment to the right or through the sign through the park alley.
And here is a complex of surprisingly harmonious and concise structures in the "antique" style. Only one master could build this way - the architect of St. Petersburg, Karl Ivanovich Rossi. The center of the whole composition is Elaginoostrovsky Palace. In addition, the ensemble included the Armory, Kitchen and Stables, the Music Pavilion, the Orangery, the Pavilion with a granite pier.
CPK & O yesterday
In this case, yesterday - the concept is very conditional. Rather, in the past tense. Why CPC & O? So the Elaginoostrovsky park was called in Soviet times, and this name denoted - Central Park of Culture and Rest. And now the old name is among the townspeople.
After the 1917 revolution, the estate was nationalized. And in 1932, a city park opened in it, which two years after the opening will be named in honor of the Leningrad politician Sergei Mironovich Kirov. The park quickly became a place popular among Leningraders, not only because of its beauties, but also an abundance of leisure areas: sports, children’s and dance floors, various circle associations, chess and drafts tournaments, attractions and the possibility of boating.
In the post-war period, in its first decade, the ensemble was revived almost from ruins, and then returned to the city as a place of active recreation for Leningraders. And the recreation center was opened in the palace. During this time, the park and the architectural ensemble were hit hard by vandalism. And only from the late 1980s did the Elaginoostrovsky ensemble begin its true revival.
Leisure center today
The revival of the historical estate began with the opening of the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts and Interior in the restored building of the palace. Over time, the palace began to organize interactive development programs that are popular with the townspeople, mainly for children and adolescents. And for adults, exciting excursions are offered both around the palace itself, and interesting thematic routes throughout the palace and park ensemble. Various exhibitions and festivals are regularly held here, evenings are arranged for those for whom ... there are dance, children’s and sports grounds, a rope park and a hiking trail, as well as traditional boating and catamarans. Every year in June, for the past seven years, street theaters on Yelagin Island present their creativity as part of the annual international festival "Elagin Park". And in the Music Pavilion in the summer there are musical evenings and concerts.
Here is another route for those who are looking for how to get to Yelagin Island: From the Staraya Derevnya metro station, walk along the Lipova Alley on a pawn to Primorsky Prospekt and cross the nearby bridge. And then - wherever the soul wants!