Yalta

Comprehensive Aktualizováno: 2025-12-07

Research Status: Comprehensive Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Book 00 (1884 retrospective)

Identity

Yalta (Russian: Ялта, Ukrainian: Ялта) is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula, on the Black Sea. In the 1870s, it served as a fashionable destination for Russian imperial family and nobility.

Historical Context (1870s)

Imperial Summer Residence

The Livadia Palace, located near Yalta, became the summer residence of the Russian imperial family in the 1860s. Architect Ippolito Monighetti built a large palace, a small palace, and a church there. The residence was frequented by Alexander II of Russia, making Yalta a center of imperial social life during the summer months.

Geography and Climate

Yalta's location on the southern coast of Crimea provided:

Mild Mediterranean-like climate
Scenic mountain backdrop (Crimean Mountains)
Access to the Black Sea
Escape from harsh northern Russian winters

In Marie's Diary (Book 00)

Marie describes her mother's encounter with Emperor Alexander II around 1870:

"L'Empereur voyant cette jolie femme lui parla pendant un quart d'heure s'amusant de cette très enthousiaste sujette, il lui fit promettre qu'il la verrait à Yalta. Nous y allâmes et Romanoff aussi."

("The Emperor, seeing this pretty woman, spoke to her for fifteen minutes, amused by this very enthusiastic subject, he made her promise that he would see her at Yalta. We went there and Romanoff too.")

Marie notes that in Yalta:

The Emperor addressed her mother "three or four times in public places"
Her mother was constantly positioning herself in his path
This was where the family encountered Romanoff, who would later marry Marie's aunt

Social Significance

Yalta in the 1870s served as:

Imperial gathering place: Where nobility could potentially encounter the Emperor
High society resort: Fashionable destination for Russian aristocracy
Marriage market: Where families like the Bashkirtseffs could seek advantageous matches
Social stage: Public places where one could see and be seen

Related Entries

#Alexander_II - Emperor who frequented Yalta
#Livadia_Palace - Imperial residence near Yalta
#Maman - Marie's mother who pursued social connections there
#Romanoff - Met the family in Yalta
#Crimea - Peninsula where Yalta is located

Sources

%%2025-12-07T14:35:00 RSR: Created comprehensive entry for Yalta based on Book 00 reference and historical research%%