Truly interesting architectural monuments have not only an original appearance, but also an unusual history. Massandra Palace can be a good example of such in Crimea. It did not want to be built for a long time and, intended for tsars, served the dictatorship of the proletariat much better.

Where is Massandra Palace located on the map

It is located on the territory of Greater Yalta, in the small but extremely picturesque village of Massandra, which, although it cannot boast access to the sea, is in demand no less than the sea. Geographically, this is the eastern outskirts of the village, the South Coast Highway runs nearby. The beautiful Massandra Park is also located around the palace, and not far away it is not difficult to find, which we have already talked about here.

History of the palace in Massandra

Transferable estate

A place without legends

What is surprising about the Massandra Palace is the complete absence of historical legends and “scary” tales associated with it. Most historical ones are downright entangled in this kind of folklore, but this one is not. Even the obvious “bad luck” of Massandra, who constantly changed owners and did not shelter any of them for a long time, did not help.

Perhaps this is explained by the fact that ghosts have a habit of living in inhabited places. But the Massandra Palace never became a real home for anyone. It was as if it was originally intended to serve not as a human habitation, but as a museum. And a ghost found in a museum will be immediately registered by the vigilant manager of the collections and provided with an inventory number. And nothing will remain of the legend.

So all the legends boil down mainly to the appearance of the palace on movie screens. For example, he had a chance to “play” the house of millionaire Morgan from the outside (the interior was taken from the Vorontsov Palace). There were no scandals here either. The general secretaries who were vacationing in Massandra behaved quietly.

Architecture and interior decoration

Mixing styles and tastes

Therefore, in fact, the Massandra Palace conceals quite a bit of history. But this does not prevent it from being a most interesting architectural monument. Moreover, M.E. During its construction, Messmacher managed to cope with several major problems at once:

  • protect the child from natural threats (the place for the palace was not ideal),
  • to embody his favorite architectural eclecticism in the project,
  • to please the specific tastes of the crowned customer.

Nicholas II, who showed no personal interest in Massandra, did not make changes to the project, so it reflects the requests of Alexander III. The Massandra Palace is named after the latter.

Eclecticism, that is, mixing several styles in one, was in fashion at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. M.E. Messmacher was a principled proponent of this method. Therefore, he not only completed the building of E. Bouchard, he “diluted” its medieval Gothic severity with elements of early Baroque, antiquity, Moorish and even Russian style.

Eclecticism in action

The palace should be considered as a whole - together with the adjacent territory and its buildings. It is also an interesting monument of landscape art. But it is much older than the palace - its construction began under Olga Pototskaya (married Naryshkina).

An integral part of the palace complex, together with the terrace and tiled stairs, is the so-called retaining wall on the eastern facade. Its purpose is purely utilitarian - to protect the palace site from the destructive effects of storm flows and landslides (this is a big problem).

However, the architect executed it with such aestheticism that the protective structure turned into decoration. The wall is lined with Metlakh tiles and equipped with reliefs, sculptures, and vases. Its appearance makes one remember either France or the ancient Mediterranean.

Metlakh tiles generally became the architect’s “trick” in this project. M.E. Messmacher used it extensively for decorating exterior walls and staircases. Thanks to the tiles, the building received a characteristic “warm” shade (although the description of the “property” acquired by Alexander III indicated that the two-story house was built from “gray local stone”).

However, it retains medieval elements from the project of E. Bouchard - round corner “towers” ​​with narrow high windows and their arrow-shaped roofs. The French style is supported by the roofing material – flake graphite slate. The combination of the warm yellowish tone of Metlakh tiles and the cool gray color of the roof looks strict, but original.

Strict medieval towers limit the facades in a lighter design. Relief risalits and balconies, vases, pediments give the building elegance and neutralize medieval severity. Semicircular stairs. Leading from the main entrance to the second floor also makes you remember the magnificent Baroque era.

The outside of the building is also decorated with copies of antique statues from the imperial collection from Berlin. Initially there were 29 of them, but only 6 have survived to this day. Many of the sculptures had a symbolic meaning, for sphinxes are symbols of wisdom, satyrs - fertility, and chimeras are supposed to drive away evil spirits from their homes.

The roof of the palace has a complex shape - there are arrow-shaped and dome-shaped elements... Chimneys stylized as minarets and carved decorations represent the Moorish style.

Since the palace was intended to be used as a “hunting lodge”, it is small and lacks “official” attributes. It does not have a luxurious entrance and a huge main hall. There are almost no services - only a guard house was supposed to exist. According to the general idea, the royal family did not need a large staff at the “dacha”; it did not intend to hold large receptions and official events here. This was supposed to be a family nest, where you can sometimes hide from boring responsibilities and annoying subjects.

Interior in Alexandrovsky style

To correctly perceive the interior features of the Massandra Palace, you need to know something about the personality of Alexander III. The king was a very tall, large-built, overweight man of enormous physical strength. But at the same time, he categorically did not like spacious rooms and high ceilings - he liked the vault of the room to almost lie on his head (something like agoraphobia, apparently). The king loved dark colors and dim lighting. Alexander III was also a “leavened patriot” in his own way - he liked everything Russian, including boyar beards and pre-Petrine costumes.

It was to these tastes that the interior of Massandra was adapted. It has no high ceilings at all, and no truly spacious rooms either. Even in the common dining room (necessarily large, since there were many in the royal family) the ceiling is so low that the question arises: if Alexander III had had a chance to dine here, would he have gotten himself into trouble?

The inside of the palace has been preserved very well, so you can fully appreciate both the architect’s plan and the lifestyle of the crowned family. True, due to the “uninhabitability” of the palace, many rooms remained virtually unfinished. Thus, the rooms on the third floor (originally intended for the royal children) were never furnished.

Only a few rooms were completely finished and ready for use:

  • lobby - you can’t do without it;
  • adopted king and queen;
  • offices of the crowned couple;
  • matrimonial bedroom;
  • the Empress's drawing room;
  • dining room;
  • billiard room

Metlakh tiles were also widely used in the interior of the Massandra Palace of Alexander III. There were also tiled stoves here - a tribute to the emperor’s penchant for Russian tradition. Also, a large amount of wood was used in the decoration - the emperor also loved it. Different species were used - oak, walnut, mahogany.

The decoration was done with extraordinary skill - complex carvings (the buffet in the dining room is especially noteworthy) and colorful wood burning. Doors and wall panels are made in this style.

There are other interesting things in the Massandra Palace. For example, the Empress's office is decorated with a unique fireplace made of a single block of brown marble. There is also a handmade chandelier and a unique mirror. Stained glass and glass painting were also used to decorate the premises (the result was the muted light beloved by Alexander III). Many pieces of furniture have been preserved, including built-in mahogany cabinets.

When visiting the palace, it is easy to notice that the style of the empress’s rooms is noticeably different from the rooms intended for the king. The decor there is different (for example, there are stucco elements), and even the ceilings are higher. This also says a lot about the personality of the king who ordered the construction.

The wife of Alexander III was an elegant woman with refined taste. And the king was an example of an exemplary husband - he loved, respected his wife and pleased her to the best of his ability. So a completely different environment was created for the slender, airy empress than for her husband, who closely resembled a Russian bear.

In addition to beauty, the palace was also provided with amenities. It had an electric dynamo and central heating from its own boiler (fireplaces were more for beauty).

Of course, it should be taken into account that the furnishings of the palace have not been completely preserved, and the interiors available for viewing today are supplemented with objects from other imperial collections. But this was done by people who knew well both the style of the era and the characters of the members of the Romanov family. So we can vouch for the authenticity of the reconstruction.

Massandra Palace: photo inside the castle

Excursion to the Museum of Kings and People

Now the palace complex in Massandra has the status of a protected site of federal significance. The museum is a branch of the Alupka Museum "".

Price issue

To begin with: there are no days off at the Massandra Museum. However, the opening hours vary depending on the day of the week and the season, so it is better to either check the schedule by phone or through the Vorontsov Museum website, or count on the time between 10-00 and 15-00 (with a guarantee).

The park surrounding the palace is also an excursion object. But entry to its territory is absolutely free; many vacationers in Massandra hide there from the midday heat. Therefore, you can explore the sights near the palace (memorable bust of Alexander III, sculptures) and the outside of the palace without money and at any time.

Getting inside is more difficult - you have to pay for it. It is not necessary to take a guided tour; you can use an audio guide. However, for groups (from 3-5 people, depending on the season), real guides are also available by prior arrangement.

The prices cannot be called low, but the maintenance of the imperial residence also costs a lot. In addition, there are many payment benefits for children, pensioners, and students. It is better to clarify the exact payment amounts before visiting - they may vary from season to season. You can also save money by purchasing a “single ticket” to visit all exhibitions in the palace.

The Massandra Palace also includes in its program many general excursions (“”, general programs in Yalta...). In this case, you won’t have to worry about anything at all – everything will be organized and explained by the travel agency.

Museum expositions

The main museum exhibition in Massandra is the rooms decorated for the royal family. A visit to them allows you to get acquainted with both the traditions and ideas about the beauty and comfort of the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, and also learn a lot about the habits and tastes of some representatives of the Romanov family and relationships in the highest family.

It is important to remember that many of the items displayed there were not originally intended specifically for Massandra. But this is a royal setting, or as close as possible to it. Paintings and photographs provide more general information about the era than about the palace itself.

The third floor (which the Romanovs did not use) is given over to temporary exhibitions (they are very different, you need to follow the news), as well as an exhibition, strange in the royal premises. This is a museum of Soviet life (a fashionable topic in a certain period of Soviet history).

However, many visitors, especially young ones (for whom the USSR is as distant history as the reign of the Romanovs) will be interested in comparing the tastes and capabilities of the kings and the people. In addition, it was necessary to preserve in the palace the memory of the sanatorium for peasants and workers suffering from tuberculosis - a noble cause!

Massandra also regularly hosts various kinds of concerts and other musical events. Tickets for them are sold separately, and prices and benefits depend not on the Vorontsov Museum, but on the organizers of the event.

Massandra Palace is located on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, near the city of Yalta.

The palace began to be built in the 1880s for S. M. Vorontsov, the son of a prominent statesman of that time, Count M. S. Vorontsov, for whom the famous Vorontsov Palace was built.

The construction of the palace in Massandra was suspended due to the death of the architect, and a little later the owner died. A few years later, the building was purchased for Tsar Alexander III. They built another one over the two existing floors, made the facade more magnificent, adding decorative elements. However, the death of the monarch again suspended work, and only under the reign of his son, Nicholas II, was it possible to bring the construction almost to completion (some improvements still remained). Unfortunately, the beautiful palace never became the permanent summer residence of the royal family, which preferred the Livadia Palace to it. Massandrovsky was used mainly as a hunting lodge.

After the overthrow of the monarchy, the building was nationalized and completed. The new government found a more practical purpose for it - before the Great Patriotic War, it housed a sanatorium where tuberculosis patients improved their health. After him, the winemaking institute was located here for a very short time, and then the place began to be used by representatives of the ruling elite as a party dacha. Since 1992, the palace has become a museum, retaining the name of Emperor Alexander III in its name.

Prices in Massandra Palace in 2020

The main exhibition of the palace (1st, 2nd floors):

  • Adults - 350 rub.
  • Students, pensioners, visitors 16-18 years old - 200 rubles.

The price includes the use of an audio guide.

Exhibition “Artifacts of the Soviet era. Realities and poetics of everyday life" (3rd floor):

  • Adults - 200 rub.
  • Students, pensioners, visitors 16-18 years old - 100 rubles.

Single ticket for all expositions and exhibitions:

  • Adults - 550 rubles.
  • Students, pensioners, visitors 16-18 years old - 280 rubles.

Tour of the palace grounds:

For children from 7 to 16 years old, the cost of an excursion or use of an audio guide is 70 rubles. Children under 7 years old visit the museum for free.

Before visiting, it is better to check the current prices on the official website of the Massandra Palace.

To receive a discount ticket, you must provide the relevant documents. You can visit the palace on your own or with a guide, waiting until the group is full.

Individual tours are available by appointment only. Price - 900 rubles.

Exhibitions

The Massandra Palace attracts attention with its elegance and eclecticism - it has changed several owners, whose views on the appearance of the building are reflected in an interesting mixture of architectural styles. No less curious are the preserved interiors of the second half of the 19th century, which are a permanent exhibition of the museum, occupying 2 floors of the building.

Visitors can see various decorative elements - stucco, frescoes, exquisite wooden carvings, tiles, which convey the level of craftsmen and the tastes of noble people of that period. Tourists have the opportunity to see both official rooms (offices, reception rooms) and private rooms (bedrooms). The premises are furnished with furniture, the decorative details of which are carefully thought out and reflect the various styles used in interior design at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the walls of the rooms hang paintings by famous Russian artists and portraits of members of the royal family. It is also interesting to look at the porcelain items - vases and dinner service.

The third floor of the palace is occupied by an art exhibition, which presents paintings and sculptures of Ukrainian masters who worked in the 40-50s of the 20th century.

Using the examples of these works, one can trace how ideology influenced art at that time.

Along with the palace, the surrounding area with its park and stunning views, which delight many visitors, is of particular interest. In the park in summer you can enjoy the beauty and fragrance of various varieties of roses. Walking through the park area, you can come across purple lavender fields and admire many other plants. In addition, some sculptural compositions depicting heroes of Greek myths have been preserved on the palace grounds.

Opening hours of Massandra Palace

The museum is open seven days a week, the main exhibition and exhibitions are available for viewing from 9:00 to 18:00, on Saturdays until 20:00.

The ticket office closes 45 minutes before the museum closes

At 12:00 and 14:00, subject to a group of at least 15 people, excursions are held on the architecture, sculpture and flora of the Massandra Palace.

How to get to Massandra Palace

The museum can be reached by public transport and by car from Yalta, Alushta, Simferopol, Sevastopol and other resort cities and towns.

How to get there by public transport

The fastest way to get there is from Yalta; the stop closest to the palace is “Upper Massandra Park”. True, then you will have to walk along the Simferopol highway, the journey may take about half an hour. In their reviews, tourists write that from the parking lot near the barrier you can drive the rest of the way for about 100 rubles. on an electric car.

Coming from Alushta

From Simferopol to the museum it takes about 2 hours, the distance is approximately 75 km.

From Sevastopol to the palace it is about 91 km, the travel time is a little more than 2 hours.

You can also get to the place using the services of a local taxi: “Taxi Comfort”, “Taxi Chaika”, “Taxi Volna” and others.

Video: palace from above

Have a nice day everyone, dear friends! If you are planning to travel to Crimea this summer, be sure to visit the Massandra Palace. Today I will try to show you all the charm of this place. Go!

How to get there

The palace opens at 9 am and closes at 5 pm, which creates certain difficulties: from 5 to 8 pm there are a lot of traffic jams. If you want to get there quickly enough, plan your trip for late morning or lunch.

By car

Especially for car enthusiasts, I marked the location of the palace on the map (you can plot the route directly on it):

Coordinates for navigators: N 44°31.030, E 34°12.150.

By public transport

If you are traveling without personal transport, then you will have a little more difficult time: you cannot get directly to the palace by public transport; from the nearest stop “Verkhniy Massandra Park” you will have to travel about 1.8 km.

From Yalta

From the “Center” stop, which is located in the center of Yalta, there are several flights at once:

  • buses No. 100 and 29,
  • minibus No. 14,
  • trolleybus No. 2.

In addition, you can take advantage of intercity flights that fly from Yalta towards Gurzuf:

From Alupka

You can get to the palace from Alupka by intercity bus, which follows the route Simeiz - Simferopol. The total travel time from Alupka to the Massandra Palace is 1 hour.

From Alushta

To get to the desired stop, you can use the intercity bus that runs from Alushta to Yalta:

From Sevastopol

There is no direct connection between Sevastopol and Massandra, so you will first have to get to Yalta. Sevastopol-Yalta buses run every 20 minutes, travel time is 1.5-2 hours depending on the route. Afterwards you will need to get to the palace from Yalta.

Or you can buy a bus ticket to Gurzuf and get off at the desired stop.

From Simferopol

Any transport that goes from Simferopol to Yalta is suitable:

You can also use intercity trolleybuses 52 and 55.

From Gurzuf

You need to take any intercity bus that goes to Yalta.

Bus 106 also goes on this route.

From Gaspra

From Livadia

Despite the short distance between the points, you will have to travel with transfers.

  1. At the Livadia stop we catch bus No. 47a.
  2. At the Spartak Cinema stop, we change to minibus 18a and take it to the Yalta station.

Or you can go directly to the bus station by minibus 11: it departs from the stop. "Livadia Palace". Travel time to Massandra Palace is 1-1.5 hours.

From Partenite

There is only one bus number 106 from the village: the route departs from the stop. “Market” and in half an hour brings you to the desired stop.

If you don’t want to waste time on public transport, you can simply order a taxi: from locals or cheaper online.

general information

Massandra Palace is located in Yalta and is one of the most visited attractions in Southern Crimea. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century under the leadership of Alexander III, who bought the unfinished building after the death of the prince-owner.

Schedule

Now an exhibition and exposition are organized on the territory of the complex.

The palace's opening hours are from 09:00 to 17:00 (on Saturdays until 20:00).

It is better to look at the official website for detailed information, as the operating procedure may vary depending on the season. There is also the opportunity to book an individual excursion.

The cost of tickets to visit various excursions ranges from 50 to 750 rubles - see more details here.

You will have to pay separately for photo and video shooting. A child ticket costs exactly half as much as an adult ticket.

Why is it worth visiting the Massandra Palace?

One of the characteristic features of the complex is its architecture: there are elements of medieval decoration, interspersed with elaborate baroque arches.

You can walk along the spiral staircases of the façade, explore the long shady galleries, carved chimneys and fireplaces. The rooms, which at first glance seem small, are enlarged before our eyes due to the huge mirrors. The main exhibits reflect the life and characters of people who lived in the 18th century.

You will be able to see with your own eyes things that once belonged to the Emperor and his family. In addition, the attic offers a beautiful view of the sea.

In addition to visiting the buildings themselves, tourists are allowed to walk around the surrounding area. There is a fountain in the middle of the lush park; nearby you can see fancy statues of dragons and sphinxes.

Roses bloom in the garden, the beds are decorated with huge vases, and around them there are impressive columns connected by arches.

From the adjacent wall, lions look at visitors, the heads of which are decorated with fountains.

I won’t tell you all the secrets of the palace: visit the complex and see them with your own eyes!

Massandra Palace - French Versailles in Yalta

The history of Yalta dates back to the 5th century BC. In the 19th century, being part of the Russian Empire, Yalta acquired the status of a city. This happened in 1838. The city began to develop rapidly and turned into a popular resort destination. Most of the buildings of that time are real masterpieces. One of these architectural monuments is the Massandra Palace. Some tourists compare it to the French Versailles.

Massandra Palace - excursion into history

In 1881, in the suburb of Yalta in Massandra, just five kilometers from the city, construction of a palace ensemble began. Its project was created by the architect Etienne Bouchard, and the initiative and financing came from Semyon Mikhailovich Vorontsov, the son of a famous builder. Literally a year later, Count Vorontsov died suddenly. The construction of the architectural structure was mothballed. Seven years later, the unfinished palace ensemble was acquired for Emperor Alexander III, who also did not live to see the completion of the project. After another three years, construction of the Massandra Palace resumed under the leadership of architect Oscar Wegener. It changes the decorative finish of the composition, but maintains the overall style.

The palace of the Massandra ensemble became suitable for living at the very beginning of the 20th century and was named Alexandrovsky. The new owner Nicholas II liked it, but for unknown reasons the tsar never lived in it.

During Soviet times, the palace was used as the Proletarian Health sanatorium. Before the Great Patriotic War, children diagnosed with tuberculosis were treated here. With the outbreak of war with Nazi Germany, the sanatorium turned into a hospital, but not for long, it was evacuated. After the victory, for three years, a research institute operated in the palace building, whose activities lay in the field of viticulture. Then the Massandra Palace was used as a summer house for government officials; Stalin, Khrushchev, and later Brezhnev rested here.

Near the Massandra Palace there is a beautiful park, which in the 90s of the 20th century became a branch of the Alupka Museum-Reserve of Palace and Park Art. At the same time, the museum of the royal house of the Romanovs began operating in the premises itself.

Until 2014, the residence was the state museum of Ukraine; now it is a Russian museum, subordinate to one of the presidential departments.

Exhibits in the Romanov Museum

Upon entering the museum, you immediately get the feeling that you are in a French castle of the 17th century, since the hall is decorated in the appropriate interior. The Romanesque style is striking.

A further journey through the museum halls of the palace is the billiard room, made in the classic British style, diluted with Gothic components. Here you can look at paintings and carved oak panels for a long time.

You should definitely look into the Empress's reception room, which is one of the most magnificent parts of the Massandra composition. The decoration of the room is in the Rococo style, using amazing stucco.

The Tsar's reception room differs significantly from the Empress's reception room; the Jacob style reigns here mainly. The interior is striking in its severity, one might even say severity.

The Empire style is also used in the palace, the front imperial office looks solemn, with gilded stucco everywhere.

The Romanov Museum contains a collection of paintings and sculptures, and many personal items that belonged to the royal dynasty. This collection is one of the most extensive in the world.

The palace still displays attributes reflecting Soviet times.

After looking at the luxurious design of the palace halls, you can move to the park, considered the best in Europe. The gardening design is in English style. Here exotic fruit bushes alternate with grandiose coniferous trees. Park alleys and paths are decorated with flower beds.

Residence location

The delightful Massandra Royal Palace is located near the Black Sea coast, among a lovely park area. Its address: Russia, Crimea peninsula, urban village Massandra, Naberezhnaya street, building 2. The museum building is on the balance sheet of the local municipality.

How to get to Massandra Palace

The best route is to get to the Massandra Palace from Yalta. You can implement your plans in different ways - by bus, trolleybus, minibus.

If you decide to get to Massandra by regular bus, then number 29 or other buses heading towards Alushta, Gurzuf or Simferopol will do. All flights depart from the bus station located in the center of Yalta. The fare will be 15 – 20 rubles.

If you choose a trolleybus, then take any flight. The most frequently used route is number two. The duration of the trip will take only fifteen minutes, and the ticket will cost ten rubles.

During the holiday season, flights to the village of Massandra are also carried out by minibus number 74.

Regardless of the chosen public transport, do not forget that the place of arrival is the “Upper Massandra Park” stop, from there it is about a thirty-minute walk at a calm pace to the residence. Due to this circumstance, some tourists resort to private taxi services.

There is an option to get to the museum-reserve from Alushta. A regular bus or trolleybus running on the route Alushta - Simferopol is suitable for this. By trolleybus, the travel time will be just over an hour, and by bus – about forty minutes. The price of a ticket for a trolleybus is twenty rubles, and for a bus it is more expensive - fifty rubles.

You can change the arrival point in the route, take the Yalta regular bus number 3, 100, or 44 to the stop on Stakhanovskaya Street, and then take a walk through the forest. A well-trodden forest path will lead directly to the residence.

The bus takes twenty minutes to the destination, the ticket costs 15 rubles. The trip is cheap and takes little time.

Cost of visiting the Massandra Palace in Yalta

The price of visiting the Massandra Ensemble is quite low and will not damage even a modest budget.

Opening hours of the Massandra Palace in Yalta

It is advisable to devote the whole day to sightseeing at the Massandra residence. Only during this time can you study in detail the building of the palace and its rather interesting history, see all the rooms, or rather their decoration, interior and decoration, admire the exhibitions of the family life of the royal dynasty, and take a leisurely walk through the unique park part of the museum-reserve.

The doors of the museum are open to visitors every day, but according to a certain schedule. The palace can be visited from Monday to Friday inclusive, from nine in the morning to six in the evening. On Saturday and Sunday the museum closes two hours later than usual. There are no days off or lunch breaks in the work schedule.

Massandra Palace

  • Sights and most interesting places in Russia
  • Sights of Crimea
  • Massandra Palace - photo, park, how to get there

Massandra Palace one of many on the southern coast of Crimea. It is located just a few kilometers from Yalta on the border of the village of Massandra.

The palace itself is quite small, three stories high. Bright yellow, with small turrets, huge balconies and openwork grilles, it looks more like some kind of fairy-tale house than a palace of the imperial family. The Massandra Palace was not intended for holding balls and receptions, so the rooms here are small and quite modest. Because of this, a tour of the palace itself may not be very exciting.

Massandra Palace. Crimea.

Massandra Park near the palace is very small, but very beautiful and well-groomed. The upper part of the park is a real rose garden, ideally complementing the fabulous image of the main building. A huge number of varieties of roses are collected here, near each bush there is a sign with the name of the variety and description. There is also a small pool with fish.

The main attraction of Massandra Park are two giant sequoiadendrons. These are relatively young trees, they are only 130 years old, but if you get closer to them, their name immediately becomes clear. They are truly gigantic.

Various Crimean herbs are planted in the lower part of the park. The main part of the garden is occupied by lavender, but there are also many other medicinal herbs such as honeysuckle, lemongrass, sage, etc. The mixture of smells here is mind-blowing.

Massandra Park

Ticket office from 9.00 to 18.15, exhibitions until 19.00,

Ticket office from 9.00 to 17.15

The park is free,
Palace: children's 150 rub., adults 300 rub.
Single ticket for all exhibitions: children 190 rubles, adults 380 rubles.

Massandra Palace, how to get there?

As you might guess, the palace is located not far from Massandra, and Massandra, in turn, is located a little east of Yalta.

From the Yuzhnoberezhnoe highway you need to turn onto the Simferopol highway. However, there is a normal turn onto it only if you go towards Yalta. If you are coming from Yalta, you need to turn in advance. Turn right into Massandra on the street. Mira, right at the turn there is a large inscription “Massandra”, turn coordinates Latitude 44°30′33″N (44.509076), Longitude 34°11′11″E (34.186397) From the street. Mira, at the first fork you need to turn left onto the street. Sovkhoznaya and moving along it get onto the Tourist Highway. You need to drive along it under the Yuzhnoberezhnoe Highway, and immediately after exiting it, turn onto the Simferopol Highway. If you suddenly pass this turn, you can drive another couple of kilometers and turn onto the Simferopol highway at the next turn.

Sequoiadendrons in the park.

Then we go to the sign “Massandra Palace”. As usual, spontaneous paid parking is organized near it, the cost in the summer of 2016 is 200 rubles. no time limit. You don’t have to pay, but there is a chance that something will happen to the car, and not without the help of parking attendants.

From the parking lot to the park you need to walk uphill for about half a kilometer.

By public transport.

Trolleybus 2 from Yalta to the “Verkhniy Massandra Park” stop.

Any intercity trolleybus to Simferopol. You need to ask the driver to stop at the bus stop, because... The trolleybus may not stop here.

From the stop you need to follow the direction of the trolleybus to the big left turn onto Simferopolskoye Highway, follow it to the parking lot and turn left following the signs to the palace.

History of Massandra Palace

The Massandra Palace was erected by order of Semyon Mikhailovich Vorontsov. Construction was completed in 1882. Then it was a house in the style of a knight's castle. The French architect Etienne Bouchard worked on the project.

8 years after the death of the owner, the house was bought by Alexander III. The emperor initiated the reconstruction of the house. The German architect Maximilian Messmacher drew the drawings according to which the house acquired a third floor, and its façade is truly a royal robe. Work began in 1892 and was completed 10 years later.

Alexander III could not wait for the renovation to be completed; the finished house went to Emperor Nicholas II. Although the palace was equipped with the latest technology, both electricity and hot water, it was not to the taste of the Romanovs. The family preferred to relax in the Livadia Palace.

In Soviet times, the royal dacha was used for 12 years as a boarding house “Proletarian Health” for patients with tuberculosis.

When World War II ended, the Magarach Institute of Winemaking moved to the palace. But less than three years had passed when Joseph Stalin ordered the building to be somewhat improved. After conversion, it served as a government dacha for more than half a century.

After the collapse of the USSR, the palace received the title of a state Ukrainian museum and is open to everyone. After the inclusion of Crimea into the territory of Russia, the palace became a Russian museum.

Massandra Palace

Massandra Palace in Crimea is a local landmark, visited by thousands of tourists every year. This is a work of art, shrouded in history. That is why history buffs and others love him. There are special excursions here. The palace itself is located not far from Yalta, so getting to it is not difficult. The area around the building is quite picturesque. There is a small forest belt around, and behind it there is a beautiful park spread over a large area. More than 1,000 plants and shrubs grow there, which is of genuine interest to botanists.

Brief history of Massandra Palace

This building owes its appearance to Count Semyon Mikhailovich Vorontsov. It was he who ordered the construction of this palace in 1881. The main architect was the Frenchman Etienne Bouchard. It was he who drew up the design of this grandiose building, where everything necessary was provided. Unfortunately, construction was suddenly frozen in 1882 as a result of the sudden death of the Count.

In 1892, construction continued according to the existing drawings. Only then did the state become the owner of the palace. Oscar Wegener was appointed chief architect. He kept the base of the palace, which was compiled by Bouchard, but made several changes to it that made the structure even more beautiful.

It is interesting that Alexander III was not destined to see the architect’s creation due to his death. After his death, the construction plan was changed once again. Nicholas II, who ascended the throne, personally approved several changes that affected only extensions. On March 22, 1902, the palace was put into operation and became the imperial dacha in Crimea. Nicholas II was pleased with the work, however, despite the status assigned to the palace, members of the imperial family never visited it. They preferred another palace, also located not far from Yalta.

At the very beginning of the formation of Soviet power, the Massandra Palace was damaged as a result of strong tremors. However, it was restored in 1928 and a medical and preventive institution was created in it as part of the implementation of the All-Union health resort program. It was here that children with pulmonary tuberculosis were treated for a long time. The sea and mountain air of Crimea favorably promotes recovery, and under the control of experienced doctors this process was much faster.

During the Great Patriotic War, staff and patients were evacuated, and after its completion, a research institute was based in the palace, which was involved in the development of winemaking in the USSR. However, the research institute did not last long here. In 1948, the leader of the people Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin made it his dacha. It was here that he loved to relax while in Crimea. After his death, other leaders of the CPSU also rested here: Brezhnev, Khrushchev, Andropov and others.

Today this structure is on the balance sheet of the Alupka Museum-Reserve. A beautiful park was laid out around it, and inside there is an exhibition of the Romanov house. It is considered one of the largest due to the large number of exhibits. At the same time, oddly enough, not a single member of the Romanov dynasty has ever been here.

Excursions and exhibitions

Massandra Palace invites you to take slow walks in a calm atmosphere. Locals and tourists can visit this place from 9.00 to 18.00 on weekdays and until 20.00 on Saturdays. The money collected goes to maintaining the palace and its grounds in proper condition.

There are several excursions here, namely:

  • Dedicated to Alexander III. It happens all the time. On the ground floor you can see how the emperor lived and how everything was thought out in his habitat. At the same time, there is no special luxury: everything is within reason. Not only household items of the imperial family are presented here, but also various paintings. The price of such an exhibition for adults is 300 rubles and 150 rubles for children.
  • “How We Lived...The Ideal of the Past” takes place on the third floor of the palace. Paintings by Soviet artists are exhibited here, showing the life and everyday life of Soviet people. Sculptures and other exhibitions are also exhibited here. This exhibition allows you to plunge into the past for only 50 rubles (25 rubles per child). It is of particular interest to those who experienced life in the USSR, but history buffs will also be interested in seeing how their relatives lived.
  • A tour of the palace grounds is no less fascinating, but is only available for groups of 15 people or more. The ticket price is the same for everyone and is 380 rubles. Here everyone can walk through the royal park and enjoy its beauty. Indeed, a large number of bushes, flowers, fountains and sculptures make this place unusually beautiful.
  • Another tour takes place around the palace grounds and is tied to the life of Stalin. He made the palace his summer home and lived and worked here since 1948. Tourists and local residents walk through the places where the leader of the people lived.

There are various cafes and souvenir shops on the territory, so everyone can buy something for themselves to take home as a souvenir of their visit to the excursion.

How to get to the palace

It is located in an urban village of the same name, but is separated from it by a small forest belt. You can get there from Yalta in just 30 minutes using public transport. You will need to take bus 29 or other routes that go to Gurzuf, Simferopol or Alushta. From Alushta you can take public transport that goes to Simferopol. You need to get off at the “Upper Massandra Park” stop.

Next you need to walk. The road is asphalted. Along the way you will come across a statue of an eagle, next to which there is a turn that you need. Passing by residential buildings, you can get to the checkpoint to the palace. This is where tickets for excursions are sold. If you do not purchase them here, you will have to go to the palace itself to purchase them.

The Massandra winery is considered one of the most popular tourist attractions in Yalta. This is a huge enterprise with vineyards, wine cellars and production facilities. Tourists will be told and shown the stages of wine production, and will also have a tasting of the original wine varieties that the plant is proud of.

What can you see at the Massandra winery?

Russian winemaking was born at the Massandra winery. And tourists coming here will learn a unique story about how the founder of the plant, Lev Golitsyn, began this difficult and unusual path for Russia from scratch. Visitors are introduced to the outstanding figure of Alexander Egorov, the main winemaker of Massandra for many years, who was able to create unique blends of wine. Then the excursion route passes through the production building, where you can see all the stages of making drinks. The plant is striking in its scale: tourists are led along huge tanks with wine, shown in the cellars where it is kept in oak barrels.


The Massandra guides provide fascinating talks about the range of wines produced at the plant. The winery's collection is considered one of the richest in the world both in terms of diversity and number of exhibits. In total, Massandra stores about a million bottles of wine, the oldest of which was produced in 1775. Then there is a tasting of the most significant wines for the plant. Crimean cheeses and nuts are often served with wine.


What is useful to know before visiting?

All tourists are advised to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. The operators of MTS, Beeline and Megafon receive reception on the territory of the winery, and their tariffs do not differ from domestic roaming; The Win Mobile operator also works. However, communication may be lost in basements.


Not far from the winery there is the famous and amazingly beautiful Massandra Palace, which is worth a visit. Other attractions of Greater Yalta are also within a few minutes' drive. You can stay overnight here, in the urban village of Massandra, or in nearby Yalta in sanatoriums, hotels and private houses. Housing prices vary depending on the season.

It will be lucky if the trip coincides with one of the local holiday events:

    International Arts Festival “Yalta Holidays”,

    International vocal festival "Crimean Spring",

    International Arts Festival "By the Black Sea".

When should I arrive?


The Massandra winery is open to visitors all year round. Excursions are held at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, ticket price is 300 rubles. You can get to the tasting at 11:50, 13:50, 15:50 and 17:50; the ticket costs 450 rubles. For groups of more than 10 people, excursions are available by appointment. People over 18 years old are allowed to go to the tasting, but excursions are free for children over 7 years old.


How to get to the Massandra winery

You can get to the Massandra Winery by minibus No. 109 from Yalta, reaching the final stop. For those arriving by car there is free parking.

Address of the Massandra winery: town. Massandra, st. Winemaker Egorova, no. 9.

Crimean winemaking is no less famous than the beaches, so the most famous enterprises in this industry have long been turned into excursion sites, they are no worse than museums and architectural monuments. Yalta can boast of a similar attraction. The Massandra winery is one of the most famous wine-making organizations in Russia; its products have long been deservedly glorified throughout the world.

Where is the winery located in Yalta?

"Massandra" on the map of Crimea

Winery "Massandra": created by the labor of princes and stonemasons

It was Count Vorontsov who first took up winemaking. However, the creation of the enterprise is associated with the name of another legendary Crimean - Prince L.S. Golitsyn. He decided to build a factory here with tunnels for aging wine (the first in Russia), when in 1890 he was appointed chief winemaker of the Specific Department.

Hundreds of workers punched cavities in solid monolithic rock by hand, but the prince achieved the desired effect - they constantly maintained the same temperature and humidity, which is very important for the proper maturation of wines. The Golitsyn tunnels are still used in the same form as in bygone times. Leo is also considered with good reason to be the founder of the Wine Museum at the plant.

From the very beginning, the Massandra Wine Factory in Yalta operated on an extremely solid scientific basis. Grape varieties grown on specific soils and in specific conditions were carefully selected. In Soviet times, this tradition was continued by the Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking, created not far from Massandra, in the Magarach tract - it is known by this name.

His developments were put into practice at the plant. The results are encouraging - Massandra wines have repeatedly become winners and prize-winners of prestigious international competitions. The glorious traditions of our ancestors are also supported by today’s employees of the Massandra Vintage Wine Factory.

Legends of Massandra Winery

Like everything else in Crimea, the Massandra winery has already acquired legends. Some of them have a solid basis in facts. So, the fairy tale about the wines walled up in the mountain is true.

During the Great Patriotic War, Yalta winemakers actually concreted and camouflaged the tunnels where the most valuable collection samples were stored, preserving the collection from plunder by the Nazis. And the residents of Yalta preferred to simply pour out ordinary and less valuable varieties of the drink, but not let the invaders drink them. The Red River flowed into the Black Sea, but the Nazis did not get a sip of Massandra.

It has its own legends and modern production. So, now persistent rumors are circulating in Crimea that a great admirer of Massandra’s “Red Alushta” is not just anyone, but V.V. Putin. When he happens to come to Crimea, this is the wine that is served at his table.

Excursion to the Massandra Wine Factory

For quite some time now, tourists have been given the opportunity to visit the Massandra winery.
The excursion includes an acquaintance with the museum exhibition telling about the formation of production, and a visit to the underground tunnels, including those where the rarest, unique wines are kept: the oldest bottle here dates back to 1775.

The rules of conduct are strict - the guides warn that even a sudden movement simply towards the shelves with bottles (there are more than one million of them in the Massandra cellars) can trigger an alarm. The precautions are clear - any “alarm” can disrupt the wine aging process. Guests are also brought to the enoteca, that is, to the storage room where samples of the company’s products have been collected since the day of its foundation.

Tastings of varietal, aged wines are also held for tourists. In this case, the sample is immediately preceded by a serious scientific lecture on the rules for drinking the noble drink and the characteristics of a particular variety. Reviews from travelers indicate that without this event, a visit to this unique event cannot be considered complete.

There is a company store at the plant. True, prices there have recently not been too different from retail ones, but there is more choice. You can also agree here to purchase aged collection wine for a special price. Enlightened holidaymakers who have visited dream of a “dirtier bottle” - they already know that the dustiness of the bottle is an important indicator of the quality of the drink.

How to get to the winery?

It is not difficult to get to the Massandra Vintage Wine Factory from Yalta by public transport. By bus No. 3 you will need to go to the “Stakhanovskaya” stop, and then walk in a northerly direction for about 250 m. By minibus No. 14, trolleybus No. 2 or bus No. 100 or No. 29, you need to get to the “Winzavod” stop, then proceed about 750 m to the east.

It is also easy to get to Massandra from the center of Yalta by car; on the map the route looks like this:

Note to tourists

  • Address: Vinodel Egorova street, 9, Massandra village, Yalta, Crimea, Russia.
  • Coordinates: 44°31′1″N (44.517029), 34°11′13″E (34.186915).
  • Phone: +7-978-972-66-17.
  • Official website: http://massandra.su/
  • Opening hours: from 11:00 to 19:00.
  • Prices for visiting: excursion – 300 ₽, tasting – 300 ₽.

Alcohol becomes a bad habit only when used incorrectly. Indeed, good wines will not harm a person - this has been successfully proven by the Massandra Winery in Yalta for many years. An excursion to this enterprise will also help travelers learn the rules of aristocratic drinking and turn the consumption of an intoxicating drink into an elegant holiday!