Agate Rooms of Catherine Palace

The Agate Rooms are chambers within Catherine Palace's bath building, where walls feature semi-precious stones, marbles, and gilded bronze ornaments. The interior displays a careful layering of different materials and surface treatments that create visual depth throughout the space.

These rooms were built between 1780 and 1787 under architect Charles Cameron as private chambers for Empress Catherine the Great. They reflect the ruler's desire to create a personal retreat space with contemporary design principles.

The rooms blend Russian craftsmanship with European neoclassical design, featuring colored jasper panels and painted ceiling medallions visible throughout. You can observe how Eastern and Western artistic traditions merge in the decorative elements.

Access requires separate tickets and scheduled guided group tours that depart at set times throughout the day. You should allow enough time to view the wall decorations and furnishings up close.

The rooms contain original 18th-century furnishings, including tables made from Ural stones with tiny mosaic decorations crafted in Rome. These artisanal details reveal the expensive material imports and specialized techniques available only to the imperial family.