 During the 19th century, Krasnoye Selo developed as a recreational suburb of the capital with numerous summer dachas and villas, including the summer residences of the royals.In 1884, the famous airplane designer Alexander Mozhaysky tested his early monoplane there, achieving a power-assisted take off or 'hop' of .In late tsarist times, Krasnoye Selo was the location of the annual military manoeuvres presided over by the tsar himself.