Reconstruction of the Royal Path in Yalta has caused fierce controversy
Inspired by the renovation of Alupka's historic center , Yalta authorities have decided to submit another site— the Solnechnaya/Tsarskaya Path — to the All-Russian Tourist Code Competition . Back in 2020, it was identified as a priority urban area for improvement , and work is now ready to begin, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The trail was originally built by order of Tsar Nicholas II to connect two imperial estates – Livadia and Oreanda . But after contracting typhus, the Tsar needed longer walks, so the health trail was extended to Gaspra , covering a total length of 6,7 km. At that time, it was called the Horizontal Trail because, despite the mountainous terrain, it ran at the same altitude from the sea , where the sea breeze and the phytoncide-rich air of the coniferous forests meet.
During Soviet times, the trail was also used as a health trail, with art installations placed along it, the main one being a sundial , to support the new name. However, Yalta residents continued to use the word "royal" because the trail begins at the Livadia Palace and formed a single complex with it , including the rotunda over the Oreanda , where the royal family stopped for tea.
During the Ukrainian period, the fences of the mansions of the new Yalta residents encroached right next to the Tsar's Path . The path gradually became overgrown and littered with trash.
It didn't have a single owner , and now part of the trail is municipal property , while part runs through federal property . Therefore, the restoration of the terrain cure began with establishing boundaries , surveying, and planning the area. Then, the architectural firm "M4" (which carried out the project for the renovation of Sovetskaya Square in Yalta) held a seminar with representatives from Livadia and Gaspra, the public, Livadia Palace staff, and architects, where they " identified issues requiring attention ." They then conducted an online survey about what the terrain cure lacks and what Yalta residents and tourists want to see.
As a result, sketches for the organization of the space of the Solar/Tsar's Path appeared , in which not a trace remained of the royal legacy , but an amphitheater, a tower, bridges and footbridges, lighting and granite slabs appeared.
Incidentally, the deputy head of the Yalta administration, Vitaly Oganesyan , pointed out their undesirability in the project when he spoke about the primary tasks of the reconstruction project – strengthening the slopes, building retaining walls, diverting stormwater runoff, and restoring the stairs.
"Therefore, it's likely that the Sunny Trail will be reconstructed (ed. – rather than improved). At the same time, we wouldn't want to clutter this historical site with, so to speak, granite slabs. It's important to maintain a close connection with nature ," Oganesyan noted.
Administration head Yanina Pavlenko also assures: the main goal is to restore the trail to its original beauty and purpose, complementing it with modern solutions to attract tourists . Among the top priorities is the architectural and stylistical unification of the nearly 7 km of trail , restoring cultural heritage sites and removing wires and pipes underground.
Everyone agrees with the latter, as well as with the need to strengthen the slopes and retaining walls on which the mansions already stand. However, the design solutions for organizing the Tsar's Path space have provoked a storm of criticism . Not only do they bear no resemblance to the Livadia Palace and the rotunda, which architecturally continued the palace in Oreanda that burned down in the late 19th century, but they also generally do not fit into the mountain landscape and are more appropriate for a city park.
Yalta residents fear that the ecological, simple route , intended primarily for health improvement , strolls, and quiet relaxation, will turn into a paved path with rest areas, restrooms, and photo locations , which will inevitably be followed by street vendors and everything related to earning money during the holiday season.
Critics propose installing information boards about archaeological monuments, architectural objects, rare and poisonous plants, installing gazebos to provide shelter from the rain, creating observation decks , and tying the entire concept to the palace architecture , as was originally intended and has not been questioned for over 100 years.
The cost of the reconstruction, funding sources, and timeframe for completion have not yet been announced by the Yalta authorities.
The reconstruction of the Tsar's Trail in Yalta has sparked heated debate.