Museum of Wooden Architecture in Kolomenskoye estate

The exhibits of the Kolomenskoye Museum of Wooden Architecture are located in different parts of the Kolomenskoye estate. There are many examples of wooden architecture, which have a real historical value, such as: the house of Peter I from Arkhangelsk, the towers of Bratsk ostrog, churches and towers of ostrogs from the region of the White Sea and Karelia. There you can also see the restored wooden palace of the Russian tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, which was built at Kolomenskoye in 17 century.

Most of the wooden structures is in the north of the park, nearer to Kolomenskoye subway station. The house of Peter I is in the center of the park, not far from the Church of Our Lady of Kazan. The wooden palace of Alexei Mikhailovich was restored based on the pictures and engravings of 17 century. But it is rather far (2 km) from its original location in the south of the park, near Kashirskaya subway station.

There are several interesting architectural monuments in the northern part of the park. They are: the tower of Bratsk ostrog (1654), the tower of the Karelian Monastery of St. Nicholas (17 century), the Mokhovaya tower of Sumy ostrog (1680), the Church of Saint George the Victorious (1685). The traces of Sweden grapeshot can be seen in the Mokhovaya tower of Sumy ostrog. The Swedes attacked it during the Northern Wars.

The tower of Bratsk ostrog was brought to the Kolomenskoye in 1959, when during the construction of Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station the wooden fortress of 17 century was in the flooding area.  Not far from the embankment you can see the replica of a house from a Dutch town Zaandam. Peter I lived in the house when he learned shipbuilding in that country.

The most precious exhibit of the Kolomenskoye museum of wooden architecture is the house of Peter I. It was built in 1702, at the time of active hostilities during the Northern Wars. The aim of Russia in these wars was to get access to the Baltic Sea. Living in this house Peter I supervised the construction of Novodvinsk fortress to protect Arkhangelsk from the Swedes.

The contemporaries called the wooden palace of Alexei Mikhailovich, which was located near the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in 17 century, the eighth wonder of the world. Of course, it is inappropriate to compare the palace with the wonders of the ancient world but it was truly large and beautiful. By the end of 18 century, when the capital of Russian Empire was moved to St. Petersburg, no one looked after the palace. Consequently, it got very decrepit and was dismantled. However, in 2010 the palace was restored based on historical drawings and pictures.