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Oranienbaum The huge interest in the Orient that came to Russia from the Western Europe at the beginning of the 18th century resulted in creation of not only rooms in chinoiserie style but the whole architectural ensembles in Oranienbaum built due to the desire of empress Catherine II. Created in the era of exquisite and elegant rococo style these buildings reflect the very idea of fête galante when a man knows no boredom or tireness, when everything is connected with merriment and amusements. The idea to create her own garden came to Catherine II in 1755 when she was still a grand duchess. Later she recalled in her memoirs: “At that time I had a fantasy to set up a garden in Oranienbaum… I turned to drawing plans and making gardens, and as it was the first time I managed designs and buildings all went wrong, too massive and clumsy… ” To fulfil this “crazy project” as contemporaries used to call it Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi was invited to Oranienbaum. Due to the album of Rinaldi’s projects and axonometric plans of 1775 made by the ingeneer Pierre Antoine de Saint-Hilaire we can imagine the proportions and grandeur of these buildings. The main construction of the architectural complex “Her Own Datcha” created in the rococo style was not the palace itself, but the huge summer roller coaster with the pavilion designed to surprise and amuse guests. It was symbolical for the epoch which philosophy came down to amusement, entertainment and pleasure. The creation of such an attraction in the 18th century comes from the Russian tradition to sledge down ice slides in winter. The roller coaster in Oranienbaum was a summer amusement that included ramps and roofed colonnade 6,5 meters high. It implied both walking inside and outside on the upper terrace. From that point guests could watch an impressive prospect: carriages rushing with an incredible speed, magnificent garden, labyrinths, pavilions, gazebos. The length of the ensemble was more than 530 meters but only three-storey pavilion remained till nowadays. The roller coaster was pulled down in 1858-61.

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