At the heart of the Kolomenskoye Park, among the century-old oaks, one can see a log hut, which is the most valuable exhibit of the Museum of Wooden Architecture. It is the house where Tsar Peter I lived during the construction of the New Dvina fortress.
In 1702, when the House of Peter I, was built, Russia actively fought with Sweden for the outlet to the Baltic Sea. Then Arkhangelsk was the only trading town connecting Russia and Europe, and it was quite possible that Sweden could land its troops there. For that reason it was decided to build a strong (by the standards of that time) fortress on the bank of the main navigable branch of the river Northern Dvina.
The attack of the Swedish squadron against Arkhangelsk took place already in 1703 but was successfully repelled thanks to the New Dvina fortress and the small number of Swedish troops assigned for the purpose.
The House of Peter the Great was originally built from the local timber on the small river island of St. Mark. However, it was built without taking into account the severe norther climate, that is with big windows and high ceilings. It has three separate rooms: dining-room, bedroom and work-room. Near the dining-room is a small room for the batman. Each room was heated by a separate stove.
After the fortress had been finished the House of Peter I was moved to the fortress and then on the embankment of Arkhangelsk. For safe keeping a wooden cover, which was then replaced by a stone one, was erected over it. However, in the 30th the Soviet authorities, under the pretext of embankment repairs, decided to dismantle the House of Peter I. But on the private initiative of the architect and restorer Peter Baranovsky it was moved to the Kolomenskoye Park in 1934.
