DEGRADATION OF CULTURAL LANDSCAPES THE ROPSHA PALACE-AND-PARK ENSEMBLE IN LENINGRAD OBLAST

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the dynamics of degraded cultural landscapes of the Ropsha palace-and-park ensemble. This is the former royal residence, initiated by Peter I in 1710. In 1990, the ensemble was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for № 540–009, as historically important object culture. The article describes the history of the formation of cultural landscapes of the Ropsha park. The degradation of landscapes has begun in the postwar period and since the late 1980s – early 1990s had acquired already practically irreversible. The modern state the landscapes of the Ropsha palace-andpark ensemble is studied and analyzed, and reflected on the created by using GIS technologies (Mapinfo 12.0) landscape map. On the landscape map, 7 types of locations and 24 types of plant communities are allocated. At present, the palace buildings has turned into ruins, park has overgrown of poor value tree species and turned into swamp. Projective cover of bushes in some geocomplexes is 70%. The park has many fallen trees. Meadows areas have long lost their decorative qualities and overgrown with trees and shrubs. The ensemble is located 12 km south-west of the modern border of St. Petersburg, and in the case of its reconstruction could become an interesting tourist attra ction.