The Palace of Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich and a part of the Colonist's Pond.

On the left side of the boulevard, near the Moskovskaya Gate, begins the Otdielny Park (Separate park), which extends as far as Pavlovsk. The pond, which lies here is called "Kolonistsky". It was dug out in 1824, in order to drain the neighbouring land. On the opposite side of the pond stands the palace of the Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich, which was built in 1896 by Maples, in the "English Cottage" style after Sherborn's sketches. The Otdielny Park lies between the broadway of Pavlovsk and the boulevard. A little farther along the boulevard, to the right, stand the Tsarevich's stables, which were built for the requirements of the Court of the present Emperor, when he was Tsarevich. The buildings of the Tsarskoe Selo Reserve Palace lie along the right side of the boulevard, from the Pashkovskaya street, as far as the broadway of Pavlovsk. It is the dwelling place of H.I.H. the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna.

During the first half of the 18th century, a tavern stood on this spot. After that the city gate and guard's house were built here. In 1817 the Emperor Alexander I gave a piece of land, about 11/2 desyatins (about 4 acres) in extent,. to the princess Kochubey; the next year he added another considerable, piece to it, and at the same time ordered the guards' house to be moved to the Volkonskaya street.

 

The Garden Facade of the Vladimirsky Palace

On the 6th of January 1835 an Imperial Ukase was sent to the Department of Crown Lands, ordering the princess Kochubey's villa to be bought for the Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaevich. At the same time it was commanded, that until H.I.H. came of age, the villa should be under the management of the Palace-Administration of Tsarskoe Selo. Afterwards an Imperial Order was given on the 29th of Dec. 1858, that the villa should be acquired by the Ministry of the Court; and the name of Reserve Palace was given to it. In March of 1875 the Imperial permission was given to the late Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich to have it for his own, on the right of Majorat. On the 27th of September 1910 an order was given to call the palace hence Vladimirsky Palace.

On the left side of the boulevard, between the park road, which leads from the Pashkovskaya street to Pavlovsk, and the broadway of Pavlovsk, there used to be until 1747, a cemetery and church, both of which were moved at the orders of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna to Kuzmino. At that time funeral ceremonies were accompanied usually by beggars and half mad women, who screamed and lamented at the top of their voices. This produced a bad impression on the superstitious Empress, and she ordered both, cemetery and church, to be moved farther away from the outskirts of the palace and park, where everything was meant for enjoyment and rest, after the cares and troubles of every day.

The boulevard comes to a crossing: the road on the left is the broadway of Pavlovsk, the road straight ahead is the Volkonskaya street, the road on the right - the Sadovaya.

Between the broadway of Pavlovsk and the Volkonskaya street lies the second part of Tsarskoe Selo - Sophia; boundary of along the Volkonskaya and the Sadovaya is the boundary of the old the old Catherine Park.

Opposite the chief entrance of the Reserve Palace, at the corner of the Volkonskaya street, there is a iron fence with a monumental gate in the Empire style, bearing the inscription "To my dear war companions" in French, on one side, in Russian on the other. This gate was erected in 1818 by the architect Stassov, in remembrance of the wars with Napoleon. In the 18th century here stood wooden barracks for Cossacks of the Life - Guards, who were on duty during the Imperial presence at Tsarskoe Selo.