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Catherine Palace

Catherine Palace St. Petersburg Russia

7 812 466 66 69

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This palace, located about 20 miles south of St. Petersburg, was built in the honor of Catherine I, by her daughter, Elizabeth, but was the favored summer home of Catherine II, or Catherine the Great. The Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli was the original designer in the 1750s, but Catherine II had many of the interiors renovated in Neo-Classical style by the Scottish Charles Cameron. Highlights include the mirrored and gilded Great Hall, the monumental blue façade, the recreated Amber Room, a gift from King Frederick William I of Prussia, and the black and white photographs displayed haphazardly near the exit, which show the WWII damage and subsequent rebuilding.

It is possible to arrange for private parties in the palace as well as visits to the Amber workrooms, a cottage on the palace grounds, where a team of craftsmen painstakingly works on the restoration of the amber panels. Indagare members can contact our bookings team to arrange for these special-access experiences.

Written by Amelia Osborne Scott

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