Charm of old Russian province

Have you ever wanted to make a trip to the past? To see, imagine how our grandparents lived 100 years ago? We invite you to visit perhaps the most historical place of Samara region - first half of the XIX century country estate of Orlov-Davydov Counts in Usolye.

The village Usolye was given to Orlov brothers by Empress Catherine the Great in 1768. It became the main country estate residence of Count Orlov. The manor house was designed by two serf architects - H.Saharovym (Schmitt) and A.Tsukanovym - with the participation of the famous Moscow architect Dementy Gilardi. The project is a fairly typical for Russia aristocratic country estate plan of the beginning of the XIX century.

There was the magnificent park nearby the country estate. Part of it went under water, but even today the surviving centenarian oaks literally suppress their greatness. Frenchman Pomeroy who was involved in establishing the famous Hyde Park in London, designed this garden. According to the legend, the garden was planted in the form of a two-headed eagle, the "base" which served as standing on the bank of the Volga church. There were also numerous flower beds, paths, sprinkled with red brick chips, and a variety of plants: 16 varieties of lilacs, carefully selected species of trees - oaks, lindens, maples, pines growing in the flowerbed ... Dahlias and asters in eighteen colors grew there. It was not just a park; it was almost like a botanical garden! There were many benches and sculptures in the park (one of them - "Diana with a deer" - in the 1950s came to Kuibyshev local history museum funds). And right in front of the house there was the Count's playground with a fountain and sculpture of a boy with a goose standing in it. In the 30-ies of XX century the estate was given to the State Agricultural College. Even now the main building of the college is located in the main building of the estate.

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In 1966 Usolskaya estate of Orlov-Davydov Counts was adopted by the Regional Executive Committee of the Kuibyshev region and protected by the state. In 1980 it was recommended by the RSFSR Ministry of Culture to be protected as the monument of national importance. Orlov-Davydov country estate is the only of its kind in the area that managed to survive.

Many of the estate buildings are in bad condition, but they still demonstrate the charm of old Russian province!