What You Will See on Catherine Palace Tour
Guided Tour to Catherine Palace and Park in Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo) is one of the famous suburban residences of the Royal Family in St Petersburg, Russia. The palace has witnessed many crucial events of the history of the Russian Empire and visited by thousands of tourists each year. The palace still keeps the secrets of the Romanovs.
- You will enjoy the Golden Enfilade of State Rooms: Great Hall, Dining Rooms, Picture Halls, Drawing rooms, private quarters of Russian Monarchs as well a gem of the Catherina Palace- its world known Amber Room.
- The Great Hall will strike you by its size, greatness and majesty. Apart from the Palace you will take a walk in the huge Catherine Park laid in a French style. The unique ensemble of monuments, which includes the Chesma Column, the Cameron Gallery, and the Great pond, the Hermitage Pavilion, Grotto Pavilion and Bathes will give you new impressions.
- The Chapel designed by Rastrelli known as the Church of the Resurrection.
- Going through the rooms of the Catherine Palace you will listen to what happened to the palace during the Second World War and what efforts were taken to revive the beauty of old days.
History of Catherina Palace
Catherine Palace is a former summer residence of Russian Monarchs located 25 km south of St Petersburg in a picturesque suburb - Tsar’s Village (Pushkin town).
Catherine Palace is associated with the names of two empresses, Elizabeth - Peter’s the Great daughter and Catherine the Great - the wife of Peter’s the Great grandson. The palace was constructed for the wife of Peter the Great - Catherine I thus the name of the place. However it was only during the reign of Elizabeth and through her court architect efforts - Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the palace obtained its magnificent beauty to be called “The Glory of Russia”.
The palace was under alterations for many times as each monarch ascending Russian throne wanted to re-design the interiors of the palace according to his taste. The palace is the creation of different architects contributed into the beauty of the palace.
Tour to Catherine Palace lasts about 5 hours and during this time you will:
- see the amazing Great Hall of the palace that was chosen by Elton John for his regular charity concerts
- learn the story of the famous Amber Room, see it, feel it and even touch (though it is forbidden but most visitors do)
- learn how many million dollars were paid by our president, Vladimir Putin to restore the stolen Amber Room
- be told how badly the Catherine Palace was affected during World War II
- know a sad story of the last Russia Tsar – Nicholas II and why the palace is associated with him in this way.
Catherine Palace Private Guided Tour, Amber Room