Alexandre I’s Travels to the Crimea in the Context of Development of Historical and Cultural Territories (On the Example of Transformations of the Palace of Bakhchisarai on the Eve and after the Most High Visits of 1818 and 1825)

This article uses already published research works and the sources introduced into the scholarly circulation for the first time to examine Alexander I’s visits to the Crimea in the context of state measures for the protection of ancient monuments on the Crimean Peninsula. The case of the Palace of Bakhchisarai allows the author to address the ways of making decisions on the restoration and repair of this unique cultural site. It has been shown that an important task of the repair and restoration work in the Palace of Bakhchisarai initiated under the reign of Alexander I was to preserve the original architectural ensemble of the monument. The realization of this goal became possible due to the direct support from the Emperor, who first approved the plan for the repair of the palace, suggested by the architect I. F. Kolodin and examined in the Building Committee, and then the corrected project of the architect F. F. El’son. Simultaneously, Alexandre I understood the uniqueness of the site and, therefore, the need for its preservation, greatly after he personally examined the palace during the “most high visits” to the Crimea in 1818 and 1825.