Amber Room, Baroque artistic chamber in Catherine Palace, Pushkin, Russia
The Amber Room is a chamber inside the Catherine Palace in Pushkin, Russia, whose walls are covered with carved amber panels, gold leaf, and mirrors. The geometric arrangement of the cladding alternates between warm honey-colored sections and reflective surfaces.
Andreas Schlüter designed the chamber in 1701 for the Berlin City Palace before Friedrich Wilhelm I presented it to Peter the Great in 1716. Empress Elizabeth later expanded it within the Catherine Palace and added more amber from Baltic coastal regions.
This chamber holds deep symbolic value for Russians who see it as a testament to resilience after wartime loss. Visitors today witness the careful reconstruction that locals regard as a cultural triumph.
Access is possible only through guided palace tours that tend to fill quickly during summer months. Photography is not allowed inside, so visitors should take time to observe the details directly.
The entire original installation vanished in 1941 during German occupation and has never been recovered despite numerous search expeditions. The current reconstruction was completed only between 1979 and 2003 by Russian craftsmen who had to relearn old techniques.
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