At the beginning of XIXth century in the manor of the Polish landowner Severin Orlovskiy a
magnificent palace was constructed ( in Severinivka).
Marble sculptural works of the old masters integrally were entered in its halls, in a banquet hall there were unique pictures executed on porcelain.
Their feature was that in the solemn cases these pictures were taken out from the frames for the laying of a table. The palace, which was completed in 1810, was one-storied and had three ledges–risalits on the facade. The middle risalit the architect constructed in two floors, and the sides he decorated by a triangular frontons. That’s why the facade, which is completely open for a review, is so expressive. The corps of a service rooms - carriage room, stable, feed room etc. – create the square with the blank wall and the arch of the entrance in the middle. A wall is decorate with the added colonnade of the Toskan order.
A park begins beyond the palace. In that side a building has long facade, from which the wide semicircular stairs run down to park. Above them there is a balcony, which bases on massive stone arms. Here there is a main highlight of the Severin palace-park ensemble.
A wonderful view of the long glade, which is open in perspective to the valley of the river Riv, is open up from a balcony. The impression of boundless space, which extends on eyes is create. It is not surprising because the Severin park was also projected by the famous Irish gardener and landscape painter Dionisiy Makler. As we know, he much worked on Podillia and created many miracles of park art.
The Orlov Brothers:
Ivan Grigoryevich Orlov (1733-1791) the elder son of the Novgorod vice-governor Grigoriy Ivanovich Orlov and Lukeria Ivanovna,nee Zinovyeva. After his father's death in 1746 he became the head of the family; all Orlov brothers looked upon him and respected him as father. He led a modest life and managed the Orlovs' estates.
Even after the palace revolution of 1762, when the Orlovs became counts, then princes, and got enormous fortune, he refused any state career and continued to live in Moscow and the Orlovs' estates.
Grigoriy Grigoryevich Orlov (1734-1783), count after 1762, prince after 1763, favourite of Catherine II, the Great. One of the organizers of the palace revolution of 1762; played an important role in state affairs; had a son by Catherine II, Bobrinsky, was married to Orlova, Ekaterina Nikolayevna (1758-1781), nee Zinovyeva, daughter of N. I. Zinovyev and E. N. Senyavina; cousin and wife of count G. G. Orlov; maid of honor to Catherine II, since 1777 lady-in-waiting, she was given the order of Catherine, she died in 1781 in Switzerland.
Legend has it that an idea to produce superb Russian horses first occurred to the Orlov brothers, when they, favorites of Catherine the Second, were meeting her on a road when she was dashing from Peterhof to St–Petersburg to head her coup de t'etat against her husband Peter III. But en route, of all the moments, her coach came to a grinding halt, because her fancy European horses couldn't stand the pace. The officers rushed to a nearest bawdy tavern, borrowed a set of hardy but unattractive nags and harnessed them onto the imperial coach to haul Catherine to her destination. Catherine's and the Orlov's lives hung on a thread.
This unglamorous episode put one of the brothers, Alexey, in mind of producing some time a Superb Horse. And so, when retired, Alexey Orlov got round to it, breeding in parallel a Superb Trotter and a Superb Mount. And both of his undertakings were a huge success.
Orlov mounts were the first saddle breed developed in Russia with method and perseverance. In the latter half of the 18th century, in the era of Russo–Turkish wars, Orlov brought to Russia a large number of Arabians, among them the silvery gray Smetanka, and the brown Sultan I, Arabian stallions of outstanding distinction. Both of them were used by Orlov during one season only and fell to leave two daughters and six sons, among them Felkerzam I and Sultan II, the stock stallions of the breed.
In addition to Arabians, Orlov used Thoroughbred, Karabakh, Turkish, and even Danish horses. As to Thoroughbreds, the breeder only used Russian–bred unraced mares.