The Kuskovo Estate, nicknamed the Moscow Versailles due to its formal French gardens, is a perfect example of an 18th century Muscovite country residence. The history of the estate dates back to 1715, when Tsar Peter the Great awarded the village of Kuskovo to Boris Sheremetev, a Russian general who excelled at the battle of Poltava and who decided to build a summer residence there.
The Grotto (1755-61) by F. Argunov was a resting/cooling place for guests on hot summer days. It is designed to seem like an underwater cave with its sea shell decorations and greenish color. Nowadays the Grotto pavilion has the unique collection of porcelain, antique ceramics, faience, majolica, glass, and crystal from the West Europe and Russia.