- Maria Pavlovna

Grand Duchess of Russia

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna supported Friedrich Froebel's educational philosophy and embroidered a rug to be auctioned to subsidize his endeavors. (recorded in the memoirs of Baroness Bertha von Marenholtz-Buelow)

Maria Pavlovna, the daughter of Tsar Paul 1 of Russia, was born in St Petersburg on 16 February 1786. She married Carl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Sax-Weimar-Eisenach on 3 August 1804. She retained her Orthodox faith and initiated the restoration of the Wartburg Castle (Eisenach), a symbol of the Reformation.

Maria Pavlovna brought Franz Liszt to Weimar as the Court Orchestra Master (Hofkapellmeister) beginning the Silver Age in the Classic City with that decision. She was a patroness of the arts and humanities

She died on 23 Jun 1859 at Belvedere by Weimar and is buried in the Royal Crypt, in the Old Cemetery of Weimar. According to her wishes she was buried on top of Russian soil. The Crypt also contains the remains of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Carl Friedrich Schiller.

The simple wooden coffin with velvet covering has been restored under the supervision of Joachim Leithner, Chief Restorer of the Provincial Office for Archeological Preservation. There are two biographies by Prof. Dr. Detlev Jena and Prof. Dr. Erich Taubert.

The recently organized Maria Pavlovna Society is dedicated to her memory.

site map - info@friedrichfroebel.com

Maria Pavlovna painting by Vladimir Borovikovsky. Pavlovsk Palace.