DK Travel : St Petersburg : Tsarskoe Selo

Tsarskoe Selo

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The magnificent palaces and gardens at Tsarskoe Selo were established as a country retreat by Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great. However, it was Tsarina Elizabeth who began extensive work on the estate by commissioning the lavish Catherine Palace. The imperial palace was initially created by Rastrelli, but later redesigned by the Scottish architect, Charles Cameron, at the request of Catherine the Great. The landscaped gardens, created in the late 18th century, were the first of their kind in Russia. Tsarskoe Selo suffered extensive damage during World War II and restoration work continues to this day.
Avoid visiting Tsarskoe Selo on national holidays as it can get very crowded at these times. The Imperial Palace Restaurant at the Catherine Palace is a convenient place for a snack or a meal. The nearby town of Pushkin, to the northeast of the Catherine Palace, is also worth a visit.

Top 10 Features

1. Amber Room

Created in Prussia, the room’s amber panels were gifted to Peter the Great in 1716. It was looted by Nazi troops during World War II. Restoration work, based on old photos, took place between 1979–2003.
2. The Grotto

2. The Grotto

Construction of Rastrelli’s Grotto began in 1749, but work on the interior, which consists of over 250,000 shells, was not finished for the next quarter of a century.
3. The Great Hall

The Great Hall, located in the Catherine Palace, features mirrors, ornate carvings and a huge ceiling painting, The Triumph of Russia (c.1755), by Giuseppe Valeriani.
4. The Great Staircase

Situated in the centre of the Catherine Palace, this marble staircase, designed by Ippolito Monighetti, was built in 1860. The walls of the landings are adorned with decorative 18th- and 19th-century Oriental porcelain vases and dishes.
5. Green Dining Room

The pistachio-coloured walls of the room, designed by Charles Cameron, are decorated with stucco figures by the Russian Neo-Classical sculptor Ivan Martos.
6. The Blue Drawing Room

Notable for its unusual wallpaper – blue floral motifs painted on silk – this room contains a portrait of Peter the Great by Ivan Nitkin, dating from 1720.
7. The Cavalier’s Dining Room

Elizabeth’s gentlemen-in-waiting dined here. The table is permanently laid in this refined gold and white room, designed by Rastrelli.
8. Small Enfilade

A long, captivating suite of halls, parlours and reception rooms, the Small Enfilade boasts a wide collection of period furniture. It also contains some fine examples of Oriental rugs.
9. Formal Gardens

9. Formal Gardens

These lovely gardens are laid out symmetrically, and include finely trimmed trees and hedges, as well as geometrically planned flowerbeds complemented by marble statues.
10. The Cameron Gallery

10. The Cameron Gallery

This Neo-Classical section of the Catherine Palace features busts of philosophers and thinkers. It was a favourite of Catherine the Great’s, especially during her later years.

Practical Information

Avoid visiting Tsarskoe Selo on national holidays as it can get very crowded at these times. The Imperial Palace Restaurant at the Catherine Palace is a convenient place for a snack or a meal. 25 km (16 miles) W of St Petersburg 465 9424 / 465 2196 Open 10am–5pm Wed–Mon closed last Mon of the month Train from Vitebsk station to Detskoe Selo, then bus 371 or 382 Adm: Palace 500 roubles http://eng.tzar.ru/