Gatchina Palace, Imperial palace in Gatchina, Russia
Description
Gatchina Palace is an imperial palace in the town of Gatchina in Russia, now serving as a museum and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The facade uses white limestone, and the building silhouette echoes English Gothic castles with towers and heavy corner wings.
History
Architect Antonio Rinaldi designed the building between 1766 and 1781 for Grigory Orlov, whom Catherine the Great gifted with the estate. Later, Tsar Paul I took over the residence and commissioned Vincenzo Brenna to carry out extensive modifications according to his military-influenced vision.
Culture
The exhibition pieces inside the halls present artwork, furnishings, and personal belongings from several generations of the imperial family, showing how aristocratic taste changed over more than a century. Visitors notice how interiors shifted as residents expressed their preferences and merged different stylistic directions.
Practical
Guided tours in several languages bring visitors through throne halls, marble dining rooms, and state chambers on three floors. Access happens through the main entrance, and many halls lie along long corridors, so you should plan time for breaks.
Did you know?
An underground tunnel system connects several building sections beneath the grounds and runs through a grotto with a secret passage to Lake Serebryany. This hidden route was created for discreet movement by residents and is now partially open to visitors.
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Gatchina Museum-Preserve
336 m
Monument to Paul I of Vitali
153 m
Chesmensky obelisk
392 m
Grotto "Echo"
143 m
Terrace near Carp Pond
231 m
Octahedral well
161 m
Дворцовые конюшни (казармы Кирасирского полка) (Гатчина)
315 m
Turkish Tent
290 m
Музей истории авиационного двигателестроения и ремонта
346 m
Karpin bridge
234 m
Terrace-pier
232 m
Jordan Well
376 m
Ekatherinwerder's Tower
206 m
Lime Tree Garden, Gatchina
335 m
Flora statue in Gatchina
97 m
Water maze, Gatchina
391 m
Lower Dutch Garden, Gatchina
198 m
Статуя «Молодой Сатир» («Мальчик Силен») (Гатчина)
229 m
Carp Pond, Gatchina
218 m
Дом оранжерейного мастера (Гатчина)
442 m
Winged sfinx (Gatchina Palace)
36 m
Статуя «Амазонка» (копия с оригинала Поликлета) (Гатчина)
189 m
Silver Lake
175 m
Статуя «Молодой Марс» (Гатчина)
207 m
Private Garden in Palace Park, Gatchina
115 m
Bastion walls with moat and four bridges, Gatchina
155 m
Статуя «Афина» (Гатчина)
335 m
Upper Dutch Garden, Gatchina
331 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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