Panorama of the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna. Virtual tour of the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna

In the 18th century, women often found themselves in power in Russia, and naturally there were favorites in their lives. They were immensely endowed with titles and estates, and often had enormous political influence. Some received real palaces as gifts. Who received such an honor, and which of these palaces have survived in St. Petersburg to this day?

Anichkov Palace (Nevsky Prospekt, 39)

Anichkov Palace is the first palace to appear on Nevsky Prospekt. That’s what it was called a few years later, when the famous Anichkov Bridge appeared next to it.
Elizabeth Petrovna, daughter of Peter I, having ascended the throne in 1741 as a result of a palace coup, ordered the construction of a palace in honor of her triumph.

Although it was officially announced that the palace was being built for the new empress, everyone understood that in fact it was intended for Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky, who was her favorite at that time. Razumovsky was famous for his beauty and good nature, and although he had great power at court, he never really used it.

The construction of the palace began immediately after the coronation, the architect Mikhail Zemtsov began to build it, and it was completed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The building was located so that its main entrance and main facade faced the Fontanka embankment, and not Nevsky Prospekt. At that time, Nevsky Prospekt was not yet the main street of the city and, in addition, many guests reached this palace along the Fontanka, which was then the border of St. Petersburg.

In 1771, Razumovsky died, and Catherine II, having bought the palace from the Razumovsky family, gave it to her new favorite, Grigory Potemkin. He decided to rebuild the palace in a more classical style, which was done. Subsequently, the palace changed its owners more than once, and was seriously rebuilt more than once.

Shuvalovsky Palace (Italyanskaya St., 25)

The mansion belonged to Elizaveta Petrovna’s young favorite, Ivan Shuvalov, a very versatile man who was interested in politics and art. Largely thanks to his efforts, Moscow University and the Academy of Arts were opened.

Instead of building new mansion“from scratch,” it was decided, taking one of the existing buildings as a basis, and thoroughly rebuilding it to suit one’s taste. The architect Savva Chevakinsky was involved in the construction of the mansion, who chose the Elizabethan Baroque style for it. The mansion was built very quickly - in just two years, and Shuvalov and his wife moved there.
However, later, under Empress Catherine II, Shuvalov was excommunicated from the court and was forced to leave Russia. By order of one of the subsequent owners of the palace, Prosecutor General Alexander Vyazemsky, the palace was rebuilt in the classical style.

Marble Palace (Millionnaya Street, 5/1)

This palace was built for another favorite of Catherine II, Count Grigory Orlov. The Empress made such a generous gift to the count for his courage and courage shown during the palace coup, thanks to which Catherine ascended the Russian throne.
To decorate the facades and interiors of this palace, marble was used, and the most varied - 32 varieties. Therefore, this palace began to be called Marble. It was also called the Palace for the Favorite.
However, the construction of the palace dragged on for 17 years and, unfortunately, Count Orlov died before the work was completed. Now Marble Palace transferred to the disposal of the Russian Museum.

Gatchina Palace

The Gatchina Palace also belonged to Grigory Orlov. It was built in an unusual style for Russia - an English hunting castle. The project was carried out by Italian Antonio Rinaldi. This palace also took a very long time to build - 15 years, and Orlov only had a chance to live in it for a very short time - only two years.

Tavrichesky Palace (Shpalernaya street, building 47)

This palace, one of the largest in Europe, was built by Catherine the Great for Prince Potemkin. It was under his leadership that the Russian army, having won the Russian-Turkish war, annexed the Crimean Peninsula, then called “Tavrida”. After this, Potemkin began to be called Tauride. But Potemkin a year later sold this palace as unnecessary and left for the south on business. Catherine bought this palace and gave it to him again - this time for the capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail.

The reign of Elizabeth I was marked by a new stage in the development of architecture in the state, the emergence of the Elizabethan (Russian) Baroque. Built under the leadership of the chief architect of the Empress R.F. Bartolomeo's architectural monuments had a clear European influence, however, they were characterized by Russian scope and monumentality. One of these masterpieces was the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna in St. Petersburg, which was compared with the French in style, lightness of architectural forms and richness of decoration royal palace in Versailles.

Geographical location and architectural features of Elizabeth's Summer Palace

We can get an idea of ​​what Elizabeth’s Summer Palace looked like from paintings and engravings, as well as the memoirs of contemporaries. The imperial residence was located on the site between the street. Italian, Catherine Canal, Moika and Fontanka rivers. The palace was built in the 3rd Summer Garden, where the Mikhailovsky (also known as the Engineer) Castle is located today.

According to the design, the palace included two facades facing the Moika (main) and in the direction of Nevsky Prospekt. In front of the main entrance to the building, a regularly operating park with trees and figured flower beds, benches and fountains was laid out. Visitors entered the courtyard through wrought-iron gates.

The summer palace of Elizabeth Petrovna Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli had a second name - Wooden palace. Only the basement and walls of the first floor were made of stone, the second was entirely made of wood. The pink and gray exterior walls looked elegant and light. The interior of the room was decorated with rich stucco with gilding, sculptures and a large number of mirrors. The luxurious and elegant palace included more than 160 rooms, including a hall for receptions and galleries.

Favorite residence of Elizaveta Petrovna

The entire court of Elizabeth I moved to the Summer Palace from the Winter Palace as soon as it got warmer: in April - May. The move was celebrated solemnly, with a cannon salute and an orchestra, accompanied by a guards regiment. The return to the winter residence at the end of September was no less pompous.

Elizabeth loved her Summer Palace. Official receptions and balls were regularly held there. Future Emperor Paul I was born here.

Elizabeth's Summer Palace: history of construction

The idea of ​​​​building a summer imperial residence appeared under Anna Leopoldovna, regent under the young Ivan VI, to whom the throne passed after Anna Ioannovna. The architect began developing drawings at the end of 1740, and construction work began in July 1741. In the same year, a coup took place and Elizaveta Petrovna, the youngest daughter of Peter the Great, came to power. The new empress approved the continuation of construction of the palace and work was carried out from 1741 to 1744. Historically, construction was not carried out exactly according to the design. So, according to the instructions of Elizabeth through the river. Moika, a covered gallery was built for the transition from the palace to the 2nd Summer Garden.

After the death of Elizabeth I, the palace remained an imperial residence; celebratory events at the end of the seven-year war with Prussia were held here, and Catherine II received official congratulations on the coronation from foreign ambassadors there, although she spent most of her time in Tsarskoye Selo. By decree of Paul I, the Summer Palace was destroyed in 1797 (officially due to dilapidation), and in its place the modern Mikhailovsky Castle, known to us, was built, which became the residence of the emperor.

The Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna is an unpreserved imperial residence in St. Petersburg, built by B. F. Rastrelli in 1741-1744 on the site where the Mikhailovsky (Engineers) Castle is now located. Demolished in 1797

History of construction

In 1712 on south coast Car washes where the pavilion is now Mikhailovsky Garden, a small one was built for Ekaterina Alekseevna manor house , completed with a turret with a gilded spire, bearing the pretentious name “Golden Mansions”. According to him, the Big Meadow (the future Champ de Mars) on the opposite bank received the name Tsaritsyn Meadow: it was this name that would be used most often in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The area near the palace is called the 3rd Summer Garden. On July 11, 1721, the Duke of Holstein's chamberlain Berchholz, having examined the estate, wrote down: In the queen's greenhouses, the gardener Ekliben grew fruits rare for northern latitudes: pineapples, bananas, etc. Even then, the idea arose to close the alley of the Summer Garden opposite the Carpiev Pond with a palace building. This is evidenced by the project of 1716-1717, preserved in the archives. Its possible author is J.B. Leblon. It depicts a small nine-axle palace, the elevated center of which is topped with a tetrahedral dome. Wide one-story galleries cover the cour d'honneur with a lush figured parterre facing the Moika River. Behind there is a garden with numerous bosquets of various shapes. Fruit plantings have been preserved on the territory of the current Mikhailovsky Garden. However, things did not go further than plans. Under Anna Ioannovna, the 3rd Summer Garden turns into a “jagd-garten” - a garden for “chasing and shooting deer, wild boars, hares, as well as a gallery for hunters and stone walls to prevent bullets and shot from flying in.” The “vegetable garden” was moved to Liteinaya Street, where the Mariinsky Hospital would later be built. In the early 1740s. B.F. Rastrelli began the construction of one of the most remarkable buildings of the developed Russian Baroque - the Summer Palace in the 3rd Summer Garden for the ruler Anna Leopoldovna. However, while construction was underway, a revolution occurred, and Elizaveta Petrovna became the owner of the building. By 1744, the palace, made of wood on stone cellars, was roughly completed. The architect, in describing the buildings he created, spoke about it this way: Despite its location within the city limits, the building was designed according to the estate plan. The plan was created under the obvious influence of Versailles, which is especially noticeable from the side of the cour d'honneur: the successively narrowing spaces enhanced the effect of the baroque perspective of the courtyard, fenced off from the access road by a latticework of a magnificent design with state emblems. One-story service buildings along the perimeter of the cour d'honneur emphasize the traditional Baroque isolation of the ensemble. The rather flat decor of the light pink facades (mezzanine pilasters with Corinthian capitals and corresponding rusticated stone plinth blades, figured window frames) was offset by a rich play of volumes. Complex in plan, highly developed side wings included courtyards with small flower parterres. Lush driveways...

A large number of palace buildings, the wealth and luxury of their decoration have been transforming the architectural appearance of St. Petersburg for many years. After all, this city is famous for its unique palaces of major officials, aristocrats and other noble persons. The Summer Palace of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna is worthy of great attention. You will learn more about it by reading this article.

Cultural life of the capital during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna

With the accession of the new empress to the throne, the next stage in the formation of cultural spheres began in the state. This period of prosperity also had an impact on the capital. The city has changed significantly. In the era of cultural development of St. Petersburg, preference was given to the construction architectural monuments. Deserves special attention Summer St. Petersburg to this day delights the eyes of city residents and tourists.

During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna (1741 - 1761), the construction of palaces was of particular importance. Then Francesco, one of the best architects in the history of the state, was engaged in the construction of real masterpieces. His works also include the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna. It cannot but be noted as the best work of the architect.

General characteristics of the structure

The Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna in St. Petersburg was built by B. F. Rastrelli between 1741 and 1744. According to the architect, the building included about 160 apartments, among which there was a church and galleries. The palace was decorated with numerous sculptures, fountains and a garden. Over time, the residence experienced a number of changes related to the architect's dissatisfaction with his work. Construction activities continued here for several years.

Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna: history of construction

The territory on which Mikhailovsky Castle is located, in the first half of the 18th century, belonged to Summer Garden- the royal estate of Peter I. Empress Anna Ioannovna ordered the construction of a palace to begin on this site. The construction was entrusted to the architect Rastrelli Jr. But the architect did not have time to start work during the life of the empress.

In 1740, power passed to who decided to implement the project founded by her predecessor. But after some time, a situation occurs as a result of which imperial power passes to the youngest daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth. The Tsesarevna gives F.B. Rastrelli the order to build the Summer Palace. The Empress liked the result of the architect's work so much that she doubled his salary.

The exact date of foundation of the building is still controversial. According to some historians, this event falls on July 24, 1741. Moreover, the beginning of the laying took place in the presence of Empress Anna, her husband, as well as some courtiers and members of the guard.

Features of the architectural style

The Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna belongs to the Russian Baroque style. This was the name of the set of architectural trends that formed in the territory Russian Empire and the Russian state in the XII - XIII centuries. The buildings of this period were characterized by:

• the splendor and intricacy of architectural forms;
• luxurious finishes;
• using modeling;
• the use of painting and gilding.

Among the styles of this era, there is one that arose thanks to the buildings of not only compatriots, but also architects from Western Europe. They were invited by Peter I to ennoble the new capital, St. Petersburg.

Most characteristic features Peter's Baroque were:

• rejection of the Byzantine manner;
• simplicity and practicality;
• facades in red and white shades;
• presence of symmetry of forms;
• mansard roofs;
• arched window openings.

What the Summer Palace looked like

Many of the engravings and drawings that have survived from that era depict almost exactly the appearance of the palace. Stone was chosen as the basis for the first floor, and wood for the second. The building was painted in light pink shades, which is remarkable for the Baroque style. The ground floor was made of granite in gray-green color. The Summer Palace of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna had two facades: the main facade overlooked the Moika, towards the Summer Garden, and the other faced the Nevsky Prospect.

Service buildings were located along the entire perimeter, which imitated a kind of isolation.

A wide road was laid along the Fontanka, which was accompanied by greenhouses and fruit trees. Part of this territory was occupied by the Elephant Yard, the inhabitants of which swam in the Fontanka if they wished.

The entrance to the palace was fenced with wide gates, on which gilded double-headed eagles shimmered. The gate was decorated with an openwork lattice. Behind the fence was a large front yard.

The view of the main façade was blocked by large flower beds and trees, which formed a kind of park.

The central building occupied the Great State Hall. It was decorated with Bohemian mirrors, marble sculptures and paintings by famous artists. At the western side of the hall stood the royal throne. The living rooms, decorated with gilded carvings, led directly to the main hall. From the outside, shaped stairs approached the room.

In the direction of the Moika there were flower stalls. There were also three fountain pools with complex outlines.

Further transformations of the palace

Within a year, a covered gallery was completed, through which one could take a walk to the Summer Garden. Paintings by famous painters were hung on the walls of such a gallery. A terrace with a hanging garden was also designed here, located at the mezzanine level, where the Hermitage and fountain were located. The contour of the terrace was fenced with a gilded lattice. Later, a palace church was added to this site.

After some time, a decorative park was planted near the palace. A huge labyrinth, bosquets and gazebos passed through it. Swings and carousels were placed in the center of the park.

On the territory adjacent to the palace, a complex of water towers was built, since the previous water supply to the fountains did not have the necessary pressure. Similar water towers were ennobled with the help of palace painting.

The architect Rastrelli was not satisfied with his work. For this reason, a decade later, he brought the wooden Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna to a real masterpiece. Rastrelli regularly remodeled some parts of the building. So, later the walls were transformed with the help of figured window frames and atlases. Lion masks and mascarons also served as their decoration.

Purpose

The summer residence is Elizabeth's first own home. Before the empress, no one lived in this building. The Tsesarevna occupied the eastern wing of the residence. The West Wing was reserved for courtiers.

Queen Elizabeth admired the luxury of the Summer Palace. Every year, in April, the Empress left the Winter Palace to temporarily live in the Summer Palace. The whole yard moved with her. This event turned into a real ceremony, accompanied by an orchestra and artillery fire. In September, Elizabeth moved back.

The further fate of the summer residence

In 1754, the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna in St. Petersburg became the birthplace of Paul I, who soon came to power.

In 1762, feasts were held here on the occasion of the peace agreement with Prussia.

As soon as the new Emperor Paul I came to power, he immediately ordered the demolition of the structure. In its place, a castle was erected, known today as Mikhailovsky. It was in this residence that the life of Paul I ended.

According to one legend, it was not by chance that the Mikhailovsky Castle was built on the site of the Summer Palace. The emperor wished to spend the rest of his life in the place where he was born. Another legend says that the Archangel Michael appeared to the guard and ordered the construction of a temple on the territory where the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna was located. After this incident, the emperor ordered the construction of a new palace and church in the name of Archangel Michael to begin. Thus, St. Michael's Castle got its name by analogy with the Temple of the Archangel Michael.

With the death of Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1740, Biron became regent under the young Emperor John Antonovich, who was 2 months old at that time. However, his regency was short-lived. Biron was arrested for abuses and exiled. The reign of the mother of the young emperor Anna Leopoldovna, who was appointed regent under him, was also short-lived. On November 25, 1741, as a result of a palace coup, the daughter of Emperor Peter I, Elizaveta Petrovna, ascended the throne. The time of her reign was the time of the powerful rise of St. Petersburg architecture. She herself loved pomp and splendor, Elizaveta Petrovna wanted to see her father’s brainchild decorated with beautiful buildings and therefore was very concerned about ceremonial construction in St. Petersburg and its suburbs. Having ascended the throne, Elizaveta Petrovna primarily lived in the Summer Palace on the site of the present Mikhailovsky Castle, which soon became too small for the expanding imperial court. During her reign, the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral was built, Winter Palace, the ensemble of the Smolny Monastery was built, the Tuchkov and Sampsonievsky bridges were erected, and, finally, Moscow University, the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg and the Corps of Pages were opened. She invited the best architects of Europe to St. Petersburg, and among them the brightest was Bartolomeo Rastrelli. He erected the best buildings in St. Petersburg. These are the Winter Palace, which he rebuilt twice, the Anichkov, Vorontsov, Stroganov palaces; The Great Peterhof Palace, Tsarskoye Selo (Catherine) Palace, Smolny Monastery and other buildings. Looking at the cathedral of the Smolny Monastery, Quarenghi, who did not like the architecture of the Elizabethan Baroque, took off his hat with the words: “What a church!”
Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, Elizaveta Petrovna ordered two palaces to be built for herself at once, one temporary, wooden near the Police Bridge, the other stone on the Neva embankment. Both palaces were built according to the design of B. Rastrelli. The wooden palace, although it was built as a temporary one, was decorated with great luxury.
Nevsky Prospekt by that time had become the best street in the city. Elizabeth oversaw its improvement. Decrees were issued prohibiting the construction of wooden buildings on the main street of the city. Only stone houses. But they were not like today. As a rule, these were two-story buildings with a mandatory front garden in front of the facade, fenced with a patterned cast-iron lattice. In 1755 they began to rebuild Gostiny Dvor. Rastrelli's plan, which was distinguished by the great splendor of the building's decoration, was not implemented due to lack of funding. Now we see the building of Gostiny Dvor, built according to the design of the architect Valen-Delamot, who preserved the layout of Rastrelli, but carried out the construction of the building in the style of early classicism.
According to contemporaries, Elizaveta Petrovna was very beautiful, lively and flirtatious. Her palaces were lined with mirrors in which she constantly saw her repeated reflection. They bought for her in Europe in large quantities the most expensive outfits. After her death, the empress's wardrobe contained 15,000 dresses, some of which were never worn. She herself never wore the same dress twice. And she demanded the same from the courtiers, for appearance which she closely followed, issuing one after another decrees regulating the appearance of her entourage. For example, a decree was issued prohibiting court ladies from wearing dark dresses, a decree that Go to the masquerade only in a good dress, and not in a “vile” one. And in the winter of 1747, a “hair regulation” was issued, which ordered all court ladies to cut their hair bald and cover their heads with “black tousled wigs,” which she herself issued. The reason for such a strict regulation was that the powder from the empress’s hair did not want to come off, the empress decided to dye her hair black, but for some reason this did not work out and then she had to be the first to cut her hair and put on a black wig. And she did not like anyone to surpass her in beauty and perfection. Well, how was it possible not to make a “hair installation”?
The time of Elizabeth was a time when the Baroque style reigned in art, which matched the cheerful character of the empress with her whims and love of luxury. The architectural masterpieces of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, which still amaze us with their grace, luxury and splendor, are a monument to that time. And one of them is the Smolny Monastery, which was built by the empress for herself. At one time she had a desire to abdicate the throne and enter a monastery. Thousands of soldiers and craftsmen were rounded up to build the monastery. It was built on a grand scale. And after a few years, he was outwardly ready. But then the seven-year war began, and construction stopped due to lack of money. Soon, Elizabeth also lost her desire to go to a monastery.

G. R. Derzhavin called the reign of Elizabeth “the century of songs.” Elizaveta Petrovna really loved music and herself had extraordinary musical abilities: she played many instruments and composed songs. Thanks to her, Russia became acquainted with the guitar, mandolin, harp and other instruments. Under her rule, opera, ballet, and drama theater flourished, which she loved very much. Shakespeare, Moliere and, of course, the plays of the first Russian tragedian Alexander Sumarokov were performed on the stage of Russian theaters. In 1750, a theater was created in Yaroslavl by Fyodor Grigorievich Volkov, whose performances were a great success. Having learned about the “Yaroslavl comedies,” the Empress, by special decree, summoned Volkov and the troupe to St. Petersburg. Through the initiative of Sumarokov and Volkov, the “Russian Theater for the Presentation of Tragedies and Comedies” was officially established in 1756, marking the beginning of the creation of the Imperial Theaters of Russia. The theater was initially located in the Menshikov Palace, where the Gentry Cadet Corps for young nobles opened in 1732. The first Russian tragedy “Khorev” was staged here, and the actors of Fyodor Volkov’s troupe were also stationed here in 1752.
With the active social life that Elizabeth led, she sometimes simply did not get around to running the state. Ministers ran after her for months so that she could sign some document between dressing for a ball or a masquerade. Fortunately, the bureaucratic machine that Peter had once launched continued its work, and things went on as usual. In addition, she had wonderful assistants. She could well rely on P.I. Shuvalov in domestic policy, in foreign policy on A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, in the sphere of education on I.I. Shuvalov.
Balls and masquerades replaced each other, competing with each other in pomp and splendor. But against the backdrop of this seemingly endless holiday, important events took place in St. Petersburg. Petersburg of this time is the Petersburg of Lomonosov, the founder of Russian science and poetry, this is the Petersburg of important geographical research and discoveries. In 1743, the eleven-year Second Kamchatka Expedition ended, and two years later an Academic Atlas was published with maps of the vast territory from Baikal to Anadyr and northwestern America.
When creating the Academy of Sciences at one time, Peter I thought of it as a center higher education in Russia. This can be seen from the draft “Regulations of the Academy of Sciences and Arts,” which stated that members of the Academy, working “on the perfection of the arts and sciences,” had to “teach those arts and sciences publicly,” that is, teach. That is, Peter thought of the Academy as a university. In 1745, M.V. Lomonosov became a professor at this Academic (or Petrovsky) University, who insisted that not only nobles could study at the university: “Not a single person is prohibited from studying at universities, no matter who he is, and At the university, the student who has learned more is more honorable.” This is the attitude of the professor of the first higher education in Russia educational institution, the founder of Russian science, opened the way to education for many talented young people. Among the first “natural Russians” to graduate from Petrovsky University were Antioch Cantemir, Ivan Magnitsky, and Pyotr Remizov. The poetic “Satires” of Antiochus Cantemir were very popular at that time and were circulated from hand to hand in lists.
The increased interest in culture and education was facilitated by the cultural needs and interests of the empress and the court, proximity to Europe, and the very spirit of the city, which from birth was destined to be a “window to Europe.” Gymnasiums, both public and private, are appearing in the city. In 1757, the “Academy of the Three Most Notable Arts” - painting, architecture and sculpture - was founded in St. Petersburg. The construction of the building for the Academy of Arts on Universitetskaya Embankment will begin only in 1764, and from its founding until this time it was located in the house of the initiator of its creation, I. I. Shuvalov, in the Shuvalov Palace on Sadovaya Street, between Nevsky Prospekt and Italianskaya Street. Her first students were Ivan Starov, Fyodor Rokotov, Vasily Bazhenov. As a mosaic artist, M. V. Lomonosov became an honorary member of the Academy. The mosaic panel by M.V. Lomonosov “The Battle of Poltava” is now in the building of the Academy of Sciences.
In 1751, on the Nikolaevskaya embankment of the Neva, the current embankment of Lieutenant Schmidt, the Naval Gentry Cadet Corps opened, which later became the Maritime Academy. All outstanding Russian navigators and admirals went to sea from the pier where the monument to Krusenstern stands.

St. Petersburg of the noisy Elizabethan era no longer resembled Peter’s modest “Paradise”. By this time, the city had a favorable environment for economic development. He no longer required exceptional measures to attract the population and finances. Ever increasing needs new capital transformed this entire region for many kilometers around. Thousands of carts with building materials, food, and various local crafts pulled from the Novgorod, Pskov, and Olonets provinces. Hundreds of ships from Europe, barges, boats, rafts were looking for places to moor at the city's piers.
During her twenty-year reign, Elizaveta Petrovna did not sign a single death warrant. And perhaps that is why the internal life of the country as a whole during this period was stable - there were no riots or bitterness in the country. Some cruel fun was prohibited: in Moscow and St. Petersburg it was forbidden to own bears and shoot guns. In the sphere of foreign policy, this time was also a time of peace: out of the 20 years of Elizabeth's reign, 15 years were peaceful. And four years of Russia's participation in the Seven Years' War (1756-1760) revealed the combat effectiveness of the Russian army, which defeated the hitherto invincible troops of Frederick the Great. And this is despite the eternal Russian confusion, theft in the rear, and ill-conceived strategic plans.