Tsarskoe Selo is a museum-reserve located near St. Petersburg in the city of Pushkin. Tsarskoye Selo is one of the three most visited attractions in St. Petersburg, not counting the northern capital. The other two attractions are of course the Hermitage and Peterhof. During our short acquaintance with St. Petersburg, among other things, we visited two of them. And today we will talk about Tsarskoye Selo, a museum with a rich and complex history.

How to get to Tsarskoye Selo

The simplest, most convenient and quick way To get to Tsarskoye Selo it is a minibus. To do this, you need to take the metro to Moskovskaya station. Here, between Moskovskaya Square and the House of Soviets, there is a parking lot for commuter buses and minibuses. If you find it difficult to find your way, just ask the commuter bus stop or the House of Soviets. From this stop they go to Tsarskoe Selo minibuses No. 287, 342, 545. You can see in detail the route of minibuses with stops using the application. There is another option by train from Vitebsky station, but in Pushkin you will still have to change to a minibus. We left for Tsarskoe Selo from the Moskovskaya metro station and were there within 30 minutes.

Having arrived in Pushkin only after lunch and having analyzed the queue to the palace, we decided to limit ourselves to a walk in the park. It is worth mentioning that a ticket to the park, for which you also need to stand in line, is not an entrance ticket to the palace, where you need to stand additionally after entering the park. There are several pavilions in the park, and several exhibitions in the palace. Prices for visiting museum exhibitions can be found on the official website of the Tsarskoye Selo Museum-Reserve.

There is an arch next to the ticket office. This arch connects the Church wing to the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin studied from 1811 to 1817 and graduated from it among the first cohort.

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Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo

The Catherine Palace is named after Empress Catherine I, by whose order the building was founded in 1717. The Saarskaya Manor estate was a gift from Peter I to his wife, now it is Tsarskoye Selo. The palace was the country residence of three Russian empresses: Catherine I, Elizaveta Petrovna and Catherine II. Each of the empresses contributed something different to the appearance of the Great Catherine Palace. The current appearance of the palace is the work of the famous architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli, whose bust is installed on the north side of the palace.

By order of Elizabeth Petrovna, Rastrelli rebuilt and significantly enlarged the Catherine Palace. So in 1756, a 325-meter palace with a gilded facade appeared before the stunned guests. After the death of her predecessor, the Palace and the park passed into the possession of Catherine the Great, who until the end of her reign made adjustments to the appearance of the park and the palace, but nothing changed significantly in the palace.

The palace building was badly damaged during the Nazi occupation during the Great Patriotic War. In addition to the burnt building, the palace lost its main relic - the Amber Room, which was taken from Russia. Now in the Bolshoi Catherine's Palace The Amber Room, meticulously recreated by restorers, is open to the public. And the palace itself is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Catherine Park in Tsarskoe Selo

You can get to the Catherine Park, as well as the Catherine Palace, only through one entrance, although there are more of them. It is located on Sadovaya Street, not far from the minibus stop; they deliver you to the very entrance and pick you up from there. Catherine Park is fabulously rich. You can walk around the park for more than one day and it will still be difficult to leave here after seeing all its attractions. On an area of ​​more than 100 hectares, in addition to the palace itself, there are many pavilions, bridges and monuments built in different time and in different architectural styles.

Cameron Gallery

You can begin your acquaintance with the park's pavilions not far from the Grand Palace, from the southern wing. The southern wing of the palace, or as it is correctly called Zubovsky, is named after the last favorite of Catherine II, Platon Zubov, for whom it was erected. The Cold Bath and Cameron Gallery are also located here. All three pavilions are connected by a ramp with the faces of Roman emperors.

The Cameron Gallery is named after the architect Cameron, who built this pavilion. The upper tier is decorated with busts of idols of Catherine the Great, and the pavilion itself was intended for philosophical walks and conversations.

From here they open beautiful views the entire park and the Maid of Honor garden.

Cameron's commitment to ancient art is visible to the naked eye.

Mirror Ponds and Upper Bath

Opposite the Great Catherine Palace there is a regular park, one of the main places in which is occupied by two Mirror Ponds. On the north side of the pond farthest from the Cameron Gallery is the Upper Bath.

As the name suggests, this building served as a steam room for members of the imperial family. Currently, admission to this pavilion is free; it features an exhibition dedicated to cinematic art, or more precisely to all Russian films filmed on the territory of Tsarskoye Selo. In one of the rooms, equipment from the Anna Karenina film set is displayed as exhibits.

Not far from the Upper Bath, there is the Lower Bath pavilion, where entry is paid.

The only thing that can ruin a walk is the rainy St. Petersburg weather, otherwise it’s very pleasant to walk along the cozy paths, shady alleys and symmetrically cut lawns and it’s easy to forget about time.

Pavilion Grotto, Tsarskoe Selo

The regular park can be divided into the Old Garden and the Hermitage Grove. The Old Garden includes two Mirror Ponds, the Upper and Lower Baths and the Grotto Pavilion.

The grotto, built by Rastrelli himself, was decorated in accordance with its name. Patrons of the seas, dolphins and shells create the mood of the sea. The interior decoration of the Grotto was changed many times, so the tuff disappeared from the walls, making the room even more like a grotto. Many sculptures and paintings from the Grotto are currently in the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum.

Hermitage Pavilion, Tsarskoe Selo

The old garden is separated from the Hermitage Grove by the Fishing Canal, through which several stone bridges are thrown. The bridges fit very colorfully into the created landscape.

The Hermitage Grove is named after the main building in this part of the park. The Hermitage Pavilion is also the main attraction of the entire regular park.

The Hermitage is one of the classic examples of Russian Baroque. Typically, the project was developed by Zemtsov, and Rastrelli only executed it, adding some details, such as columns. Interior decoration is also characteristic of the Baroque architectural style, as you can easily verify by purchasing a ticket to the Hermitage pavilion. By paying a little more and arriving at a certain time, you will be given a tour of the internal halls of the Hermitage with a demonstration of the lifting table mechanism. The lifting mechanism allowed the reigning persons to receive replacement dishes without seeing the servants. The mechanism lowered the table into the kitchen, located on the ground floor, and the already set table rose into the refectory hall.

Lower ponds and their attractions

The northeastern border of the park is conditionally limited by the lower ponds. Behind the last third there is a symbolic gate.

The gate “To my dear colleagues” was built in 1817 in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The text engraved on the gate belongs to the hand of Alexander I.

Nearby there is a cast-iron gazebo where you can relax from the hustle and bustle of the regular park. It should be noted that almost no one comes to this part of the park.

The cascade bridge separates the Second Lower Pond and the Third Lower Pond.

The same cascade bridge separates the First and Second Lower Ponds. Next to this cascade bridge is the Morean Column, which is a monument to Russia’s victory in the Russian-Turkish War.

So, moving from the Third Pond to the First, we reached the Big Lake, on the shores of which, and on the lake itself, there are many attractions. The first thing we saw was Rabbit Island, there is a ferry nearby that takes everyone to the Big Island. The ferry has a schedule and cost. And on the Big Island there is the concert hall “On the Island” and the Chesmenskaya (Orlovskaya) Column, works of the famous architect Antonio Rinaldi. It was erected in honor of the naval victories of Count Orlov.

Admiralty and Turkish Bath

Here, on the shores of the Big Lake, already at the end of the 18th century, three brick buildings were built under the common name of the Admiralty. These buildings are no longer built in the Russian Baroque style, but closer to Gothic.


On the opposite bank of the Big Lake from the Grotto pavilion, there is a Turkish bath. The pavilion conceived by Alexander I was brought to life by the architect Monighetti. The Turkish bath was built in memory of the Russian-Turkish war. During the Great Patriotic War, the pavilion was destroyed and later restored. Entrance to the Turkish Bath pavilion is paid.

Landscape Park, Tsarskoe Selo

Behind the Big Lake begins the Landscape Park. Many canals with bridges, paths, hills and trees make the walk unforgettable. While here, you can easily lose your sense of reality and fall into a real fairy tale.

Walking through the Landscape Park, we crossed Ramp Alley, which leads to the Cameron Gallery. And on the way we will see the Granite Terrace. I would like to admit that we looked up all the names and locations of pavilions and alleys in the free map that is issued at the ticket office along with a ticket to the park, so you will not be left without a life-saving landmark.

The Granite Terrace, decorated with exact copies of ancient statues, overlooks the Admiralty.

And if we look straight from the terrace, we will see the same Concert hall on the Big Island, in front of it is the sculpture “Nerves, Caesar of Rome,” and even closer to us is the statue “Venus with Cupid.”

In the southwestern part of the park there are Upper Ponds, which have become the main element of the landscape design of this part of the park.

In the very depths of the islands, surrounded by a pond, is the Ruin Kitchen Pavilion.

Nearby is the Concert Hall pavilion.

Already quite on the border with the Alexander Garden is the Creaking (Chinese) gazebo, conceived by the architect Rastrelli and embodied by Neelov.

From here you can already move towards the exit from the park, that is, towards the Great Catherine Palace. On the way we came across another pavilion, the Evening Hall. One of the latest structures of the Catherine Park, built already in the 19th century.

Already almost next to the Zubovsky outbuilding, to which we came out, there is a colorful Pergola (Trellis gazebo), a favorite place for photo sessions of newlyweds.

The perlog is the conditional boundary of the so-called Own Garden. It is easy to recognize by its marble fountain and the “Nymph” sculpture.

We left the territory of the Catherine Park not through the main entrance, but through Triangular Square, past the Golden Gate of the Catherine Palace. We showed this side of the palace at the very beginning of the article. By the way, entry to the inner territory of the palace is allowed only as part of an excursion group with passes.

Opposite the Golden Gate to the Catherine Palace is the entrance to the Alexander Garden. Having gone around the palace buildings, we again find ourselves on Sadovaya Street, next to the arch. Next to the Lyceum is the first stone church in Pushkin.

Tsarskoe Selo - review

There are some tips for everyone who decides to visit Tsarskoye Selo in St. Petersburg. If your trip coincides with tourist season, and this is May-September, then be prepared for a huge number of people. As mentioned above, Tsarskoye Selo is one of the most visited attractions of the northern capital. The visitors here are very diverse and not only our compatriots, but also many foreigners, and delegations from China are very numerous. Therefore, if you want to walk not only in the Catherine Park, but also visit the Catherine Palace itself, you should come here early in the morning and take sandwiches with you, because standing in line and walking through the park can last the whole day.

As for us personally, the road from St. Petersburg is not at all tiring. It only tires a large number of people. But not everything is so bad here, there are large crowds only at the Catherine Palace itself (the queue for the palace) and at the Cameron Gallery. The rest of the park is almost empty, so it will be comfortable to walk around even at rush hour and in the peak season. As for entering the palace, if you still intend to get inside, be prepared to stand in a 2-3 hour queue. But the inconvenience will not end there. Due to the large flow of tourists, you will not be allowed to walk freely through the halls of the palace. The excursion is very limited in time, and you will see the Amber Room almost without stopping. So if you still want to see the legendary Amber Room, be patient.

The Great Tsarskoye Selo Palace is a Baroque masterpiece created by Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli for Elizabeth Petrovna. During the Great Patriotic War, the palace was destroyed; to date, 32 of the 58 halls have been restored, including the Amber Room. Perhaps this is the most impressive Russian “remake”.

// Part 27

1. The central part of the palace is based on two-story “stone chambers” built in 1717-1724 by the architect Braunstein for Catherine I.

2. The modern palace was erected in 1748-1756 by the chief architect of the imperial court, F.-B. Rastrelli.

3. Now on the side of the building there is a monument to the famous architect.

4. The facade of the palace is presented in the form of a wide azure ribbon with snow-white columns and gilded ornaments, giving the building a special chic.

5. In the north-eastern part of the building is the Palace Church of the Resurrection.

6. Nearby there is a building connected to the palace by an arch.

7. The front courtyard of the residence is limited by two circumferences and contains a parade ground. At the edges there are two yellow service (kitchen) buildings.

8. To get inside the palace in the summer, you need to stand in a forty-minute line in the heat.

9. While waiting, look at the details of the building.

10. The last large-scale restoration of the building was more than ten years ago, now the facades need cosmetic repairs.

11. The blue and gold paints have faded.

12. The columns of the palace support sculptures of Atlanteans; their faces can only be seen if you come close to the building.

13. First of all, we get to Grand staircase, decorated with the sculpture “Waking Cupid” from 1860.

14. The staircase was created under Catherine II by Charles Cameron on the site of the Chinese Hall. In memory of this, the interior is decorated with vases and dishes made of Chinese porcelain.

15. The ceiling of the hall is decorated with paintings “Aeneas and Venus”, “Jupiter and Callisto” and “The Judgment of Paris”. They replaced canvases that were destroyed by collapsed ceilings during the war.

16. The stucco decoration of the walls and the caryatids framing the doorways were restored based on the discovered details and pre-war images.

17. The large clock was also recreated.

18. Green dining room- part of the personal chambers of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich and his first wife Natalya Alekseevna, built under Catherine II on the site of an open terrace - a “hanging” garden.

19. Interior Waitress decorated with mahogany chairs, a Swedish chest of drawers from the second half of the 18th century and a sculpture by M.-A. Collot "Head of a Girl" from 1769.

20. Small White dining room in the personal chambers of Elizabeth, Catherine II and Alexander I. Its interior was formed after the fire of 1820.

21. In the ceiling lamp there is a copy of the painting “The Bathing of Venus” by K. Vanloo.

22. Located next door Chinese living room of Alexander I.

23. Her interior stands out with silk upholstery and painted walls. watercolor paints in the Chinese manner.

24. On the walls are portraits, including those of Emperor Peter II, painted by I.-P. Ludena.

25. Next - Pantry, which until 1761 formed part of the Dressing Room on Elizabeth Petrovna’s half.

26. For the lampshade, a painting by the 17th century Italian artist P. da Cortona “Fishing Corals”, donated from the Hermitage collections, was used.

27. Cavalier's dining room- a small hall, visually enlarged by mirrors and false mirror windows.

28. On the tables are items of the famous “Order” services, decorated with signs and ribbons of Russian orders.

29. The picturesque ceiling in the center of the ceiling is decorated with a painting by an unknown Russian master of the mid-18th century based on the ancient myth of the sun god Helios and the goddess of the dawn Eos, obtained from the funds of the Russian Museum.

30. White formal dining room intended for ceremonial dinners and “evening dishes” of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in a narrow circle of those close to her.

31. Green Pillar under Catherine II, it served as a pantry, in which silverware and porcelain were stored. Here is one of the multi-tiered tiled stoves with cobalt painting, columns and niches. Similar stoves, created according to Rastrelli’s sketches, were an integral part of all the halls of the palace’s front suite.

32.

33. B Portrait Hall ceremonial images of royalty were displayed. Nowadays, in addition to portraits, you can see one of the empress’s dresses.

34. The ceiling of the hall is decorated with a picturesque lampshade “Mercury and Glory” transferred from us.

35. The first in a series of the most impressive halls of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace - Picture hall with an area of ​​180 m².

36. Paintings are placed in it according to the principle of trellis hanging. When placing works on the wall, Rastrelli took into account, first of all, their size and color scheme: separated from each other by a narrow gilded baguette, the paintings merge into a single colorful “carpet”.

37. The “Olympus” lampshade, a copy of the lampshade of the Jordan Staircase of the Winter Palace, is in harmony with the overall color of the walls.

38. Big hall, or the Light Gallery - the most significant ceremonial room of the palace, created according to the design of the architect F.-B. Rastrelli in 1752-1756.

39. Its area is more than 800 m².

40. Alternation large windows with mirrors visually expands the boundaries of the room.

41. The sculptural and ornamental carvings, covering the planes of the walls with a continuous pattern, were made according to the sketches of Rastrelli and the models of the sculptor-decorator Dunker by 130 Russian carvers.

42. The original pictorial ceiling was painted in 1752-1754 according to a sketch by the Venetian artist D. Valeriani. It consisted of three independent compositions depicting the “Allegory of Russia”, “Allegory of the World” and “Allegory of Victory”.

43. In the 1790s, due to the deformation of the ceilings, Valeriani’s ceiling was removed to the palace storerooms, and in 1856-1858, artists F. Wunderlich and E. Franciuoli created a new composition “Allegorical image of Science, Art and Diligence.” This lamp was destroyed during the war.

44. In the 1950s, during restoration, the side parts of the old lampshade, “Allegory of Peace” and “Allegory of Victory,” which were considered lost, were discovered. It was decided to recreate Valeriani’s ceiling, returning the surviving compositions to Tsarskoye Selo. The central part was restored according to sketches and descriptions made by Valeriani himself, as well as according to a drawing by Stackenschneider from 1857.

45. Amber room rightly called one of the wonders of the world. Initially, this interior was created for the Prussian queen Miria-Charlotte, but in 1716 it was presented to Peter the Great by Frederick William I, but only under Elizabeth did it find a place in the old Winter Palace. With her, the precious panels were carried in her arms (!) to Tsarskoye Selo. Rastrelli installed them in the middle tier of the walls, separating them with pilasters and mirrors, and decorated the room with gilded carvings. Where there was not enough amber, fragments of the walls were covered with canvas and painted “to look like amber” by the artist Belsky. After the capture of Pushkin by German troops, the panels were taken away by the Kunstkomission team and until 1944 were exhibited at Königsberg Castle. When the Germans retreated, the panels were again dismantled, packed into boxes and taken to an unknown location.

46. ​​Restoration of the room began in 1979. In 2000, a Russian typesetting chest of drawers from the late 18th century and a Florentine mosaic “Touch and Smell,” which were part of the room’s original decoration, were returned to the museum, discovered in Germany. By 2003, the decoration of the hall was completely restored.

47. In an inconspicuous corridor of the palace hangs a painting depicting the palace in a terrible state in 1944. It reminds us of the enormous damage war can do to history and culture.

The famous magnificent large Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg, which represents the central part of a huge architectural ensemble, is located on the territory of Tsarskoe Selo. Every day its halls are visited by several thousand tourists from all over the world. The building is an imperial palace, which was previously the summer residence of Elizabeth Petrovna, as well as Catherine I and Catherine II. This attraction is listed as a heritage site. World Heritage UNESCO. The residence was named in honor of Catherine I, by whose order it was built. The start of construction dates back to 1717. Since then, the building has been rebuilt several times, this moment time, it is a striking example of the late Baroque.

After a tourist finds out the address of the Catherine Palace, he, as a rule, tries to find out when exactly is the best time to visit it. A clear answer to this question simply doesn't exist. In summer you can fully enjoy the facades of the palace, as well as views of the huge park, wide green alleys, and take a walk near the Big Lake. Horseback riding or a ride in an electric car are also very popular. You can ride a gondola around the lake. The only drawback of the summer period is the huge influx of guests, so in order to get inside the palace a tourist will have to stand in line for a lot of time. Experienced travelers claim that the park is best visited in spring or summer, but you can get inside the palace in winter.

The literature often mentions the Catherine Palace in autumn. Indian summer seemed to poets to be a particularly wonderful period. The imagination is amazed by the riot of colors, the foliage on the trees of the most unusual colors merges into a single composition.

Indeed, autumn for these territorial regions is considered a prosperous season for planning travel. Thus, the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg can be visited in the middle - end of September, when the rainy season has not yet begun, but the sun is no longer so hot. The autumn decoration of the garden looks just as great as its spring version, but from March to early May the St. Petersburg weather is rainy.

History of the Catherine Palace

It is worth noting that the palace has survived several eras, which is why its architecture is reflected in each of them. In addition, the personal taste preferences of each of the rulers of those times for whom the building was the residence also had an influence. 1717 is considered the year the construction of the palace began, which was carried out under the strict guidance of the architect Johann Brauestein from Germany. The building was planned from the very beginning as the residence of Catherine I. The completion of construction dates back to 1724. According to the first design plan, the building was a small two-story building, made in the Dutch style. If you view photo of the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg During the times of different rulers, certain dynamics can be noticed. For example, after Elizabeth Petrovna ascended the throne, she instructed famous Russian architects not only to increase the area of ​​the building, but also to improve it.

As the story goes, modern tourists see the Catherine Palace exactly as it became during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna.

The year 1752 was also a period of change. The Empress felt that the residence was too cramped and old-fashioned, so she entrusted its restoration to the architect known as Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The reconstruction work lasted four years. The changes were enormous; it was after this period that the building received the Russian Baroque style, in which it has remained to this day. One hundred kilograms of gold were used to gild the facade, which also decorated the statues located along the perimeter of the roof. The park area is also particularly elegant, the presentation of which together with the palace took place in 1756. At that time, the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg made an indelible impression on foreign ambassadors and Russian nobles.

State rooms

The tourist is greeted by the Grand Staircase, for the manufacture of which white marble was used. An architect named I. A. Monighetti worked on its creation. This unsurpassed architectural creation occupies part of the Chinese Hall, which is distinguished by special thematic decorations, including porcelain dishes and vases. Particular attention should also be paid to such interior details as a large wall barometer and clock. The staircase is decorated with two Cupids, one of which is still fast asleep, and the other has just begun to wake up. Carved stucco molding of unsurpassed quality was used to decorate the ceilings and walls. The ceiling space is occupied by the famous painting “Aeneas and Venus”, “The Judgment of Paris”, as well as “Jupiter and Callisto”. The staircase leads its guests to the halls of the Catherine Palace in Pushkin, a photo of which can be viewed online:

In addition, there is enough information not only about the outstanding advantages of the attraction, but also about how to get to the Catherine Palace to save your time. The most convenient way to get to your destination is from the Vitebsky station, from where the train departs, heading to the platform called “Tsarskoye Selo”. From the station you can get directly to the museum by bus No. 371 or minibus No. 377.

It is noteworthy that each individual room is a unique, fully completed composition, which is characterized by moderate luxury. After the tourist understands where the Catherine Palace is located, he needs to understand that it is best to choose the time before lunch for the excursion, since it lasts quite a long time. In any case, it is better to visit the building itself and the surrounding park in two approaches, so as not to miss a single detail.

Audio guide, tickets 700 rubles, payment by card.
St. Petersburg, Pushkin city, Sadovaya street, 7
+7 812 415‑76-67, +7 812 415‑76-68

Grand Catherine Palace in Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo)

Category: Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo)

The Great Catherine Palace is also known as the Great Tsarskoye Selo Palace. Included in the list of cultural heritage sites of the Russian Federation. Architectural style: Elizabethan Baroque - a direction in architecture characteristic of 1741–1761, the era of the reign of Elizabeth I Petrovna. Its most famous representative was Bartolomeo Rastrelli, according to whose design this imperial residence in Tsarskoe Selo was built.

From a small building to a luxurious palace

The history of the palace dates back to 1717. But then it was not the Great Catherine that we know today. Initially, the royal residence was a modest-sized two-story building. The German architect Johann Braunstein worked on its construction. Then it was conceived as the summer residence of Catherine I.

In 1843, the new Empress Elizaveta Petrovna decided to expand and equip it. The task was entrusted to architects Andrei Kvasov and Mikhail Zemtsov.

This first building “lasted” until 1752, and it was rebuilt. This is how a luxurious palace, fully consistent with its high status, saw the light of day. The palace included many service buildings and even a palace church. When decorating, they did not skimp on gold. The interiors were covered with gold, both inside and outside. The figures of Atlanteans on the main façade were even covered with gold.

The Grand Catherine Palace acquired its current appearance precisely under Elizabeth. Even after the reconstruction, she considered the previous building small and outdated. The dismantling of the old palace and the subsequent reconstruction lasted four years. And now the 325-meter palace is ready! When it was presented on July 30, 1756 to the royal nobles and guests from Europe, everyone was shocked by its splendor and scope.

Some features of the Catherine Palace

The azure facade was decorated with white columns, stucco moldings and figures of Atlanteans. Gilding gave the palace more solemnity. The wings, connected by covered galleries, extended from the central part of the palace. The five-domed palace church sparkled with gilded domes above its northern wing. Above the southern noble metal shone a dome, the spire of which was crowned with a multi-pointed star. Just imagine: about 100 kg of red gold were used for interior and exterior decor!

Under Elizabeth, the ceremonial rooms were located along the entire length of the palace - they formed the ceremonial golden enfilade. At the same time, the famous Amber Room and Picture Hall appeared. Famous foreign masters worked on the first one for more than five years. And in the hall there were collected more than a hundred masterpieces of Western European artists of the 17th – early 18th centuries.

Catherine the Great, who was partial to ancient architecture, also made her contribution to the arrangement of the Great Tsarskoye Selo Palace. The Empress entrusted the work on further reconstruction of the palace to the Scottish architect Charles Cameron. Through his efforts, he acquired the Blue and Silver cabinets, the Dome dining room, two living rooms - Lyon and Arabesque, and the Chinese hall. With her, the Agate Pavilion and the Cameron Gallery, the Cold Bath and the Zubovsky Building appeared. For Tsarevich Paul and his wife Maria Feodorovna, the State Blue and Chinese Blue Living Rooms, as well as the Waiter's Room, the Green Dining Room and the Bedchamber were created in the palace.

The front office and adjacent rooms (architect V.P. Stasov) were created already under Alexander I Pavlovich in 1817. They were designed to commemorate the victory over Napoleon. In 1862–1863, the final stage of perestroika was the creation of the Grand Staircase.

In 1910, the palace changed its name from Bolshoi Tsarskoye Selo to Bolshoi Catherine Palace.

The Amber Room in the Catherine Palace

The authentic Amber Room, created by the German master Andreas Schlüter for the King of Prussia, Frederick I, and then presented by the monarch to Peter I, disappeared without a trace during the Great Patriotic War.

The Nazis who kidnapped her first exhibited this masterpiece at the Royal Castle of Königsberg from 1942 to 1944. But in August 1944, after a raid by the British Air Force, a fire broke out in the castle. However, the amber panels were unlikely to be damaged: they were packed and hidden in the basements. When, in April 1945, the Red Army began to storm Koenigsberg, the Amber Room seemed to have sunk into oblivion. Since then, nothing has been known about her whereabouts: searches have yielded no results.

In 1981, work began on recreating the stone-cutting masterpiece of the 18th century. The reconstruction until 1997 was led by A. A. Zhuravlev. For this purpose, a special amber workshop was created in Pushkin. For the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg, celebrated in 2003, the Amber Room was completely restored. According to Baron Eduard von Falz-Fein, who saw the lost original at one time, the restored Amber Room is even better than the previous one.

Some halls and premises of the Catherine Palace

Main staircase. Luxurious marble staircase in Rococo style. Decorative elements: through carved balustrades and figured vases. The stucco decoration includes a large clock and a calendar.

Picture hall. Intended for diplomatic receptions. Contains a collection of paintings by Western European artists of the 17th–18th centuries. The most famous painting is “The Battle of Poltava”, commissioned by Peter I.

Big hall. In the 18th century it was called the Light Gallery. The front room is in the Elizabethan Baroque style. The hall is two-height, spanning the entire width of the palace. It has 13 windows on each side, its area is approximately 1000 sq. m. m.

Chinese living room of Alexander I. These were the emperor’s personal chambers. The walls are decorated with portraits of Russian autocrats: Peter the Great, Catherine I, Catherine II, Elizaveta Petrovna, Anna Ioannovna and a large portrait of Alexander I himself.

The Great Catherine Palace, together with the Catherine Park, forms a single palace and park ensemble in the Tsarskoye Selo Museum-Reserve.

As a result of the restoration, 18 halls were restored in the palace, representing different eras in the development of the domestic interior.

The restoration of the palace is still ongoing, and strictly scientific basis, and its completion is still far away. But visitors can view exhibitions in rooms that have not yet been restored.

Address: 196601, St. Petersburg, Pushkin, st. Sadovaya, 7.

Opening hours: Monday - from 10:00 to 21:00, Wednesday - Sunday - from 12:00 to 18:00. Closed: Tuesday and every last Monday of the month.

The Catherine Palace still amazes with its scale, splendor and beauty. Over the years centuries-old history More than one generation of royalty has changed in the palace; many great architects took part in the design and construction.

St. Petersburg, Catherine Palace. The beginning of the story

At the beginning of the 18th century, in the place where the luxurious palace was later built, there was a Finnish village called Saar Manor. In 1710, these possessions were donated by Peter I to his future wife Catherine (Martha Skavronskaya).

After the founding of St. Petersburg in 1703, the residence of the Tsar was considered Peterhof, which is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland; it was built in 1710. But for many centuries, all the heirs to the throne loved the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo and most spent time there. The palace became a real ceremonial residence.

In 1717, Catherine began construction of the palace. The German architect Braunstein was involved in the construction. At the same time, he was engaged in the architectural ensemble in Peterhof. Work on the building was completed in 1724, and a big celebration was organized on this occasion. “Stone Chambers” - that’s what she called her two-story mansion

Reconstruction of the palace under Elizabeth

She became the new owner of the palace chambers in 1741. On her instructions, at the end of 1742, the architect Zemtsov began rebuilding the palace, but his imminent death prevented his plans from being realized. Such prominent architects as A. V. Kvasov, his assistant Trezzini, and in 1745 S. I. Chevakinsky were involved in the work.

In 1752, the great architect Rastrelli was brought in to work. Elizabeth decided to completely change the appearance of the palace because she considered it small and old-fashioned. It was after this grandiose reconstruction, which lasted four years, that the most beautiful, modern Catherine Palace was born, surprising us with its splendor even today. The presentation to foreign guests and nobles took place on July 30, 1756. The grandiose structure, 325 meters long, amazed the guests with its scale and grandeur.

The beauty and charm of the Catherine Palace

Today, for every tourist arriving in St. Petersburg, the Catherine Palace is in first place on the list of attractions. Why did this luxurious palace surprise guests so much when it opened and what still surprises them to this day?

The building was built in the Baroque style. Huge dimensions, as already mentioned: the length of the palace stretches along the line of the garden and is 325 meters; the beauty, grandeur, and uniqueness of the architecture still do not leave anyone indifferent.

The facade is made in azure color, white columns, and golden ornaments give the palace a solemn appearance. The special charm of the building's facade was emphasized by the figures of Atlanteans and stucco decorations. The northern building of the palace was crowned with five gilded structures; the southern building had a front porch, as well as a spire with a multi-pointed star. Under Elizabeth, the palace building became three-story, at the same time, the famous monogram in the form of “E I” appeared on the gates and decorations of the palace.

No less attractive are the interior apartments, built according to Rastrelli's designs. The front doors are located along the entire length of the palace. The entire Front Enfilade was painted with gilded carvings.

Right there, next to the Church of the Resurrection, gifted children studied there, including Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. In his honor, Tsarskoye Selo was renamed in Soviet times.

Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg

At the end of the 18th century, Catherine became interested in ancient architecture. The Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo underwent a final reconstruction. To carry out the work, she hired an expert on antiquity - an architect from Scotland, Charles Cameron. It was he who created the Blue, Silver cabinets, Arabesque, Lyon living rooms, Chinese hall and Dome dining room in the palace. All the interiors created by Cameron emphasized a sophisticated, strict style and surprised with the beauty and mystery of the decoration.

Thanks to the same architect, the Catherine Palace acquired the Chinese Blue Living Room, the State Blue Living Room, and the Green Dining Room. They were equipped specifically for Pavel Petrovich, the son of Catherine II and his highly respected wife, and a bedchamber and a waiter's room were also built for them.

In 1817, under Alexander I, the architect Stasov created the State Office with several adjoining rooms convenient for work. All these rooms were decorated in a style dedicated to the famous victory in the war with the great Emperor Napoleon.

1860-1863 The Catherine Palace experienced, perhaps, the last major stage of reconstruction and restructuring. The architect Monighetti was involved in the work. The main staircase of the palace was presented in the “second Rococo” style.

Until 1910, the Catherine Palace was called the Great Tsarskoye Selo.

Tour of the palace

Before everyone who visited Tsarskoe Selo, the Catherine Palace appeared as a wonder of the world. Bypassing modern familiar interiors(turnstiles, souvenir shops, ticket offices), tourists certainly end up in the Great or Throne Hall. Its dimensions are very impressive: length - 47 meters, width - 18. This hall is the largest among all St. Petersburg palaces. A picturesque lampshade covering the entire ceiling demonstrates allegories of Abundance, Peace, Navigation, Victory and War, Art and Science. Decorated in an artistic style, the parquet will attract curious glances for a long time.

Rooms with huge windows, as if uniting, move from one to another. So, while moving around, you can visit the Silver, Blue rooms, Arabesque, Lyon living rooms, Chinese hall, Domed dining room, Waiter's room, Bedchamber, designed by Charles Cameron. I would like to pay special attention to the mysterious Amber Room.

The Amber Room. History of creation

In 1716, the Prussian king presented Tsar Peter with amber panels as a gift, which were delivered to St. Petersburg. They decorated the Catherine Palace only in 1755. The Amber Room itself was somewhat larger than the area of ​​the panels, and Empress Catherine II in 1763 ordered additional fragments for the amber panel from German craftsmen. For these purposes, 450 kg of amber was needed. The Amber Room acquired its final luxurious appearance in 1770. The huge panel occupied three tiers. The central area was covered by a mosaic depicting the five senses in an allegory. The whole room was lined with exquisitely crafted amber products, which were worked on the best masters XVII-XVIII centuries.

The Amber Room in the 20th century

The fragile amber components of the panel required special careful handling and care. During the war, this played a fatal role in the fate of the Amber Room. For best preservation, the room was not touched during the evacuation; it was left in the Catherine Palace. The Nazis took her to Konigsberg. During the war, the Amber Room disappeared without a trace. Several versions of her disappearance have been put forward, each of which seems plausible.

In 2003, the Amber Room was recreated in the Catherine Palace for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg. For more than 20 years, a whole staff of employees, which included restorers, historians, chemists, and criminologists, worked to bring the masterpiece back to life. For the work, Kaliningrad amber was used, which was processed using special technology. Now the revived Amber Room is again available for visits. Well, where was the original lost? The mystery remains unsolved for now.