The structure of Alupka palace and park museum reserve includes both the Vorontsov Palace Museum in Alupka, and Palace of Alexander III in Massandra.
In the wooded slopes of the mountains, in the shadow of majestic redwoods, flaunts original palace resembling knight’s castle. Skillfulness of the creators of Alexander III in Massandra Palace – “stone symphony” of its facades and the “tree symphony” of his decorations – is admired and opens one of the pages of the rich history of the estate culture of the XIX century.
Courtyard building were constructed in two stages: in 1881, according to the project by architect M.E. Bouchard, from 1892 to 1902 years by the project of M.E. Messmacher (1842 – 1906 years), who developed the original idea of Bouchard towards more decorative direction. The final version of the palace acquired the character of early Baroque architecture – the style of Louis XIII. For the decoration of the interiors were used elements of the most different styles – Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism. Each of the room has its unique artistic image. Messmacher students, students of Technical Drawing School named after baron A.L. Stieglitz also participated in the design of the palace.
Since 1 June 1992 the palace exists as a museum. The first and second floors of the building houses the exposition of the palace interiors of the second half of the XIX century, created on the basis of the Alupka Palace Museum collection.
Rooms of the third floor are occupied with the permanent and temporary exhibitions.
The palace is beautiful at any time of the year. In the spring it is surrounded by blooming lilac bushes and gentle wisteria. In Summer it is filled with a variety of flowering roses. Autumn burns in the sun with crimson leaves of decorative grapes. A snow-white outfit of short Crimean winter gives the palace a unique originality.
