In today’s post we invite all travelers who have plans to travel to Saint Petersburg to visit 5 charming palaces and parks.
Walking in the same places where Russian royalty walked and took giant steps to leave eternal traces in the history of the country and the world.
Hermitage (Winter Palace)
If we chose the most important and iconic place in St. Petersburg, we would certainly give this title to the Hermitage. This is the largest historical and cultural museum in Russia. Simultaneously occupying 6 historical buildings, the main of which is the Winter Palace.
It is hard to imagine that 250 years ago the Hermitage was a private collection of Catherine II, and now the museum is visited by more than 5 million tourist a year.
The Hermitage belongs to the so-called “main league” of museum treasures, because its walls contain more than 3 million exhibits, including paintings by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Raphael, sculptures by Michelangelo, Mazzuoli and Callimachus.
It is not possible to list all the names of artists whose works were exhibited at the Hermitage, but some disappeared from the Hermitage more than a hundred years ago. During the taking of the Winter Palace in the 1917 revolution, many paintings were destroyed and others damaged, and some of the most iconic exhibits were later sold.
However, all this does not prevent the Hermitage from being considered one of the largest and richest museums in the world.
Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble
Peterhof is the country residence of Peter I, the construction of which began a couple of years after the emperor’s arrival in St. Petersburg.
The palace and park complex is luxuriously designed with a huge fountain system that attracts millions of visitors every year. There are over 150 fountains in the park, each with a unique design and unique story.
It is known for certain that some trees have been preserved since the time of Peter the Great, and that the emperor personally planted them.
Peterhof impresses with its scale and glamour; which is verified in each step that the visitor takes in the park or inside the Palace.
In the complex there are interesting places for all tastes:
- Large number of beautiful alleys within the park
- Centenary trees
- powerful sources
- beautiful sculptures
- The facades and interiors of the Imperial Palace
- different museums
- And many curiosities that await you
Catherine the Great Palace and Park (Tsarskoye Selo)
Emperors have always been famous for their extravagant gifts, so the wife of Peter I, Ekaterina Feodorovna, received a mansion in Saar, a country residence, as a gift from her husband, although in that one it was nothing luxurious or extravagant.
In the same place, the Palace of Catherine the Great was built, which was designed and built in the current appearance during the possession of Princess Elizabeth Petrovna.
Like all buildings from the time of the Russian Empire, the palace looks very luxurious and amazes with its exquisite architecture.
Catherine Park, which is an integral part of the palace and park ensemble in Tsarskoe Selo, is a must-see paradise for the traveler to St. Petersburg.
Among the alleys of the gardens, there are sculptures made by the best craftsmen located among the most beautiful landscapes. Picturesque bridges mingle with beautiful ponds and luxurious pavilions.
The prevailing atmosphere in the place invites visitors to relax and enjoy this little paradise as the imperial couple did centuries ago.
A very beautiful place that allows each visitor to live unique experiences.
Alexander Palace and Park (Tsarskoye Selo)
The Alexander Palace and Park ensemble is located in the same place as the Catherine the Great Palace and Park (Tsarskoe Selo).
It was this palace that was the main residence of Nicholas II (the last emperor of Russia), where the royal family lived, received ambassadors and celebrated festivities.
The palace and the adjacent park stand out for the unchanging splendor of the architecture of its time and the beauty of the landscapes.
No matter how similar the imperial palaces are to one another in their quest for sophistication and luxury, each one is a unique gem, even if the visitor has seen all the other palaces before.
By the way, Nicholas II gave a Faberge egg named “Alexander Palace” to his wife in 1908, now it is exhibited in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.
Pavlovsky Palace, another jewel of the palaces and parks in Saint Petersburg
The Pavlovsky Palace is a place of great beauty and harmony. Located in the surroundings of the luxurious Pavlovsky Park on a high hill by the Slavyanka River.
With its more than 200 years, it still retains all the charms that the heir to the throne Pavel Petrovich and his wife Maria Fedorovna put into its design and construction.
The palace reflects the art, culture and decoration of Austria and Italy, France and Holland. They brought Venetian glass components and paints to Italian artists. Also notable are the marble copies of ancient sculptures from the Vatican’s “Apollo and the Muses” collection.
With all the elements described above, a very peculiar harmony was achieved that few palaces were lucky enough to have.
One cannot speak of a palace without its gardens, which are yet another representation of the beauty of this unique place.
Visit the palaces and parks of Saint Petersburg
There is no doubt that a trip to Saint Petersburg is incomplete without visiting at least 2 or more palaces and parks. But doing it with experienced official guides is not the same as wandering around on your own.
We recommend you contact us before traveling to Russia to prepare the best plan for the trip of your life.
