Dairy Pavilion in Pavlovsk, architectural Monument in Pavlovsk
The Dairy Pavilion in Pavlovsk is a small building with rustic brick and stone walls that once stood near meadows on the edge of the forest. The structure featured a high thatched roof supported by wooden pillars, a small bell turret on top, and a birch tree growing through the roof.
The building was designed in 1782 by Scottish architect Charles Cameron at the request of Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna to imitate a rural dairy farm. After a fire in 1895 and later damage during World War II, it was restored multiple times while retaining its original appearance.
The Milk House was a place where the Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna and her ladies dressed as milkmaids and tasted fresh milk, a fashionable pastime among the nobility. This habit reflects the aristocracy's fascination with simple country life, even though it was actually staged and luxurious.
The pavilion sits in the central part of Pavlovsk Park and is easy to reach on foot via paved paths. Visitors should know this is a historic building, so interior spaces are limited and sometimes very small.
A birch tree grows through the roof of the building, giving the pavilion a distinctive look and reflecting the intention that the structure should blend into nature. This unusual design was deliberately chosen to emphasize the romance of rural life.
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