Russian Ambassador's residence in Rome: the biggest and most beautiful!

• Residence of the Ambassador of Russia in Rome: the biggest and most beautiful!

I propose to look at the corner of the motherland in distant Italy ... the more we can be proud! The Russian Embassy in Italy is located in the center of Rome, on Via Gaeta, near the Turkish embassy. Kostaguti villa at the beginning of the XX century, Alexander bought Nelidov, and since 1902 the Embassy diplomatic agency working in it. But much more interesting to look at the ambassador's residence, villa Abamelek. This complex of historic buildings located in different parts of the city - over the Tiber, near the Vatican, on the border of a vast park. The territory of residence takes just 33 hectares, is the second largest portion of Russian foreign possessions (the largest, like, in Scotland).

Abamelek villa on the Gianicolo Hill (previously - Villa del Torre and Villa Feroni) was named in honor of the Russian industrialist Semen Abamelek-Lazarev, Prince of Armenian origin and part-time Master of the Horse. In the early XX century villa he bought several lots.

Villa appeared on the map of Rome in the late XVII century. Then it belonged to the Genoese banker Marquis Torre, then passed the hospital, "Santo Spirito", and in 1734 it with the tips of Pope Clement XII, Cardinal bought Feroni. After that, the villa was rebuilt in neo-classical style by the architect Alessandro Galilei. The appearance of the main building ( "Casino Nobile", later "Palazzina Belvedere") has since remained largely unchanged, although the transition in ownership of the Russian prince Villa managed to change several hosts. Abamelek Lazare started an extensive restructuring of the villa. He bought a few neighboring houses and grape lands, organized a large park, adorning its many statues of different periods, rebuilt the palace "Belvedere" the XVII century and created a "musical palace" home theater.

The prince died in 1916, and the villa passed to his wife Mary (of the genus Demidov's). Since 1923, the Soviet authorities tried to seize her estate, but they had to wait, and she died. As a result, Villa finally became the property of the Soviet Union after the war. Since 1947 it is used as the residence of the first Soviet and then Russian ambassador.

It was under Lazarev Abamelek-land area has grown to 33 acres, because he wanted to arrange a park here.

The villa is so great that there are wild animals, such as foxes and hedgehogs.

From raids intruders Russian land protects high fence with barbed wire and reinforced outfits Italian police!

In such homes here our embassy staff live.

area is huge)

In the residence there is even a football field!

See what a beauty!

This is the so-called Small Villa. Its restructuring was completed in 1909. Side facade adorns the statue of the goddess Ceres, and in front of it a fountain with "dolphins".

Etruscan sarcophagus set here is when Prince. You understand, the Etruscans lived in these places where Ancient Rome has not yet been formed. Abamelek Lazare curio bought at auction. They say he is now worth untold money!

If you climb on quadrocopter, you can see a giant monogram Abamelek-Lazareva of a bush.

"House music" or "music Casino", which for Prince built by Italian architect Vincenzo Moraldi. The building is in the style of Russian Art Nouveau, which envisioned including a combination of architectural styles of different eras. For example, there is a classical façade with columns (his little seen on the left) is adjacent to the gear "Dragon Tower".

The interior of the villa. Antique statues, not only in parks but also in the interior of the palace. Prince acquired them from antique dealers and redeemed from the family collection. Some statues of validity of the Roman period. This hall of Venus and her own statue, a Roman copy of the III century Greek sculpture.

If no hangers!

The gilded carved ceiling of the Bolshoi or the ceremonial hall in the style of an Italian palazzo.

From the ceiling hang from Murano glass chandeliers.

And the walls are decorated with large Flemish tapestries of the XVII century.

In this room four Brussels tapestry manufactory.

Pair tapestries depict scenes of military campaigns of Alexander the Great, scenes from the life of the Biblical patriarch Jacob, and the characters of Roman history, Mark Antony (in the garden a feast) and Marcus Aurelius (surrounded by philosophers).

And this is our! It hosts receptions ...

Mirror

Smoking room with the painting "Allegory of victory" on the ceiling.

The round table top is cut down "the Vatican" marble column.

There are busts of Roman emperors of the XVII century, copies of antique originals from alabaster, decorated with colored marble. This, apparently, Nero.

The dining room, dining room or Nut

The walls are decorated with paintings. It samples "salon painting" the end of the XVIII century on mythological and biblical scenes.

The walnut dining room - because the ceiling is made of walnut. In the center of the ceiling is a painting "Maecenas, surrounded by artists."

And yet there is the Orthodox Church of St. Catherine. It was built in 2009. Actually, the temple inside the villa Abamelek going to build more under Nicholas II, but prevented the revolution. In the late 90's - early 2000's negotiations on the construction of the Orthodox Church in Rome resumed.

The temple was allowed to build only after having been razed the hill on which it was to build. This was done so that the church is not was higher than the Cathedral of St.. Peter.

for the temple bells were cast at the factory ZIL) The consecration ceremony, which took place on May 24, 2009, was attended by the First Lady of Russia Svetlana Medvedev and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

That's the beauty we have in Rome. I have been to many embassies, and I can say that I do not remember anything more beautiful villas Abamelek!

But now let's go down to the Russian land down to earth ... and take a walk around the block with migrants near the train station)

There is quite a colorful flea market.

The Italians, however, there is no ...

But many Chinese.

Nihal!

In general, a nice place, if it does not rain!

But even in this quarter there is a piece of the motherland! Nicely!

Old Roman tram! Rome still trams 7000 series, built back in 1948-1949. In the 80's they have upgraded, and about 50 cars so far are serving. In addition they have a couple of historical trams that are even older.

Milota

Trolley! The first trolleybus system in Rome in 1937, the Nazis opened) Trolleybus network of the Italian capital to the mid-50's one of the biggest in Europe, but then auto-bus boom beat. In 1972, the last trolleybus route was closed, and for 33 years Rome was left without a trolley. However, in the XXI century, the power of Rome acknowledged the mistakes of the past and decided that the city should be modern. Therefore, in 2005, one route still came back and tried to open the second, but he did not catch. So now in Rome only one trolleybus line, a total of 11, 5 km, compared with 137 kilometers in the middle of the century. Part of the way from Termini to Porta Pia trolley rides with lowered horns.