Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg

Exterior View

Catherine Palace (also called Tsarskoye Selo or the Tsar's Village) is located in the small town of Pushkin, about 17 miles south of St. Petersburg, Russia. The palace's ornate, baroque design is breathtaking, and its 740 -meter (2427 feet) length is massive. Like many St. Petersburg structures, the Catherine Palace is brightly painted. The exterior is a brilliant robin's egg blue, trimmed in white and gilded with over 200 pounds of gold.

Peter the Great presented the palace's estate to his wife Catherine in 1710, and it served as the imperial family's summer residence until the time of the last Tsar in 1917. During the reign of Peter's daughter, Empress Elizabeth, the size of the palace was significantly increased during the mid-1700's by the famous architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli, and it was Rastrelli who gave the palace its baroque style. The Baroque interior design of the palace was changed during the reign of Catherine the Great (Catherine II) to suit her more neo-Classical taste.

Chapel

The northern wing of Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia is topped by the five golden domes of the Palace Chapel. Although over 200 pounds of gold were originally used to gild the exterior of the palace, today it is just gold paint.

Long Hallway Provides Interesting Views

Catherine Palace is laid out with all the doorways exactly the same distance from the exterior walls. Therefore, guests standing in a doorway could see for hundreds of feet and through many rooms. Since the palace has many mirrors and windows, the light makes this view even more impressive. This hallway looks much like the hallways at the Hermitage.

Catherine Palace Centerpiece - Great Hall or Grand Ballroom

The Great Hall (also known as the Grand Ballroom) is Rastrelli's centerpiece room at the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia. The Great Hall is almost 56 feet wide and over 154 feet long. The Great Hall is on the second floor and occupies the entire width of the palace. The two tiers of windows enhance the impression of grandness and size. The area between the windows is covered with gilded mirrors. The ceiling is elaborately painted, and the inlaid parquet floor magnificent. Each of the numerous gilded carvings that cover the walls is a masterpiece in itself.

When standing in the room, you can almost picture the regal party-goers of the 18th century enjoying music and this marvelous room.

What Happened to the Amber Room during World War II?

The amber room is probably the most famous room in Catherine Palace, and it was used as a study. King Frederick William of Prussia gave Peter the Great the original inlaid amber panels after Peter admired them in a room in Frederick's palace. The 16-foot jigsaw-looking panels were constructed of over 100,000 perfectly fitted pieces of amber. The Nazis dismantled the amber panels and shipped them from Russia to Germany during World War II, and they have never been found. Much mystery surrounds the fate of the amber room panels, and many Russians believe that they still exist somewhere in Germany. Russian artists began recreating the amber panels using the old techniques in the early 1980's, and the room was opened to the public in 2003.

Bedroom of Maria Fiodorovna

Empress Catherine II (Catherine the Great) did not like the Baroque style used in the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia. She preferred a classical style, and the palace interiors created by Scottish architect Charles Cameron are remarkable for their exquisite beauty, the austerity of decoration, and selection of decorative materials. One of the rooms Cameron designed is the bedroom of Maria Fiodorovna, who was the wife of the Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, the heir to the throne. In this room, Charles Cameron made use of his favored technique of recreating Pompeiian murals in three-dimensional forms. The room certainly has a Roman feel!

Green Dining Room

Charles Cameron used his extensive knowledge of ancient Roman art and decorative motifs in his design of the Green Dining Room at the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia.

Hermitage Pavilion

The Hermitage Pavilions sits a short distance away from Catherine Palace and is one of two garden pavilions on the grounds of the palace. The concept of the Hermitage Pavilion was to be a place of solitary abode or entertainment for the members of the royal family. Rastrelli's design made the Hermitage Pavilion much like a miniature palace.

One of the most interesting features of this place of respite was the use of mechanisms to raise tables already set with meals into the Central Hall of the upper floor. Guests would be amusing themselves and chatting when suddenly the floors would open and exquisite dishes appear to everyone's delight.

Strolling the Streets of St. Petersburg - Shopping, Monuments, and History

After touring the inside of Catherine's Palace and strolling through the gardens, Alla sometimes takes her guests for a late lunch at a typical St. Petersburg "fast food" restaurant--Teaspoon. This deli-type restaurant features all sorts of delicious blini sandwiches and cold meat salads, and it is usually filled with locals. 

The large building in this photo is St. Petersburg's largest department store--Gostiny Dvor. This popular two-story shopping center covers a whole city block. Gostiny Dvor was built between 1761 and 1785 and was one of the world's first shopping malls. Originally the store consisted of over 175 separate shops, but today it is just one large store.

Alla pointed our many fascinating sights such as this one that travelers might have missed just driving by on a bus. It was truly a memorable day in St. Petersburg and at Catherine's Palace. 

Peterhof Photo Gallery -- Peter the Great's Exquisite Summer Palace