Didn’t Tsar Peter I want St Petersburg to be like Venice? Not quite but let’s explore a green space here. We’re standing at the entrance to \u0441\u0430\u0434 \u0411\u0435\u043d\u0443\u0430. This spot offers a serene escape in Saint Petersburg. It is bordered by Tikhoretsky Avenue, and other streets.
\u0441\u0430\u0434 \u0411\u0435\u043d\u0443\u0430 has a history tied to a former farm. The Benua family played a key role in its development. Architect Yu.Yu. Benua leased land here in the 1890s. By 1904, a farm was established. A.I. Vladovsky rebuilt it in the early 20th century.
The farm featured a wooden house. It had a tower and the locals nicknamed it the “fire tower”. It also had cowsheds and a veterinary water dispenser. The farm had its own laboratory. It processed milk for shipment to a dairy factory. The factory was on Mokhovaya Street. The Benua farm became famous throughout St. Petersburg. It was known as an exemplary and well-managed operation. In 1913, it won a gold medal. It also received the highest awards at an international exhibition. The farm housed over 200 pedigree cows.
After the October Revolution the state nationalized the Benua farm. In November 1918, it became the “1st City Dairy Farm”. The enterprise became known as “Lesnoye”. It thrived in the 1920s. They grew potatoes and bred livestock. By the end of 1921, “Lesnoye” joined the Petrograd Consumer Society. In the mid-1920s, it merged with Reimer’s farm. Reimer’s was another small farm nearby. In the late 1920s, they began developing poultry farming.
During World War II “Lesnoye” continued operating. It provided food to the besieged residents of Leningrad. In 1959, it became a state farm. It was considered one of the best in the Leningrad region. The state awarded it the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
By the late 1960s, the city expanded. In 1967, the decision was made to relocate the farm. By 1968, it moved to a new location. It was near the Gatchina and Pushkin districts of the Leningrad region. The area was renamed Lesnoye.
From 1973 to 1986, a bathhouse was built on the farm’s territory. In the late 1980s, the “Benua Dacha” was given to an art school. Ilya Glazunov planned to create a creative center. On March 12, 2001, a fire destroyed the wooden building. Only ruins remained by 2014.
In 2006, the area officially became known as \u0441\u0430\u0434 \u0411\u0435\u043d\u0443\u0430. Plans were developed to transform it into “Cosmos Park”. In 2008, a fire broke out in the cowshed building. The building housed a shop. It was not restored for a long time.
In September 2011, the Lesnoye complex was sold at auction. “Best” company won. There were plans to rebuild the Benua Dacha. The remaining buildings were to be restored. The ruins were cleared in 2014. The aim was to build a cultural and educational center.
In September 2015, the “Cultural Space of Northern St. Petersburg” opened. The complex includes three buildings. These are the Benua School, and other buildings. The school is in a three-story building.
The building’s exterior was restored. A center for children’s education opened. The restoration took place on the first floor of another building. The building housed a cowshed. As of now it is unclear. What the future holds for this space but progress is being made. What do you think about this place? Let’s move on.