Gatchina

In 1765 Catherine the Great gave the Gatchina estate as a gift to Count Grigory Orlov a favourite of hers. In 1766-1781 the Grand Palace was built and the Palace Park, the first landscape park in the history of Russia, was laid out near the Big and the Silver Lakes (atchitect A.Rinaldi). An underground passage led from the palace to the Lake.

In 1783 Catherine II bought Gatchina back from the Orlov family and gave it as a gift to her son Paul. The Palace, the park and park buildings were reconstructed and expanded in 1792. The Catherineveder Tower, the Forest Conservatory, the ensemble of monumental gates, and a terraced quay were built. A parade grounds with bastionsand the Connetable obelisk, "The Birch Hut" and the "Venus Pavilion" were also created.

At present separate XVIII century stateroomsare open for visitors after resoration in the Gatchina Palace.

Catchina Palace
tel. (271) 134492
Open: 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m.
Closed: Mon and the last Tue of every month

How to get there: a train from Baltisky Railway Station (M "Baltiskaya") to Gatchina-Baltiskaya Station, then on the foor; bus #431, minivan taxi #18 from M "Moskovskaya".