A Guide to St Petersburg Palaces

The Winter Palace is now better known as the Hermitage Museum. When it was first constructed in the eighteenth century under the rule of Peter the Great, it was intended as an imperial residence in the newly built capital of St Petersburg. The first Winter Palace was a modest two-story building, but with every new ruler came an addition to the grounds. It continued to expand and become lavishly decorated. The rulers would use the palace as their main residence during the winter months. In the mid-nineteenth century, after an attempted bombing in the palace, it became apparent that it was not a safe location for a residence anymore. It was only used for receptions and ceremonies. Currently, the Winter Palace houses an extensive art collection, one of the largest in the world.

A visit to Catherine Palace is well worth the travel time outside of St Petersburg. Named after Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great, the palace was commissioned by their daughter, Elizabeth. She is said to have chosen the radiant blue exterior as a tribute to her mother’s eye colour. The interiors of Catherine Palace demonstrate the lavish setting of the original royal residence, and rooms showcase exquisite objects preserved from the royal era. A highlight of the visit to Catherine Palace is the Amber Room – a reception hall decorated head to toe with Baltic amber. After visiting the palace, take time to also enjoy the beautiful gardens.

Peterhof was first planned by Peter the Great, who wanted to have an imperial residence in the suburbs. It was also strategically located on the Gulf of Finland, halfway to the port city of Kronstadt. Peterhof is not just a palace, it also features a large park with an exquisite system of fountains and gardens. Unfortunately, Peterhof was the least lucky of all St Petersburg landmarks during the war. The palace was completely destroyed during the Second World War and had to undergo a complete restoration. A permanent exhibition in the palace shows the condition the rooms were in after the bombings, comparing them to the current restored state.

A St Petersburg palace that did not belong to the royal family is the Shuvalov Palace. It was constructed in the eighteenth century for the count and countess Vorontsov, and it was later acquired by Maria Naryshkina (mistress of Alexander I). Naryshkina’s husband acquired a large collection for the palace and lavishly decorated it, making it a frequent gathering place for high society. Although the palace’s collection has now been dispersed to other museums, Shuvalov Palace is now home to the Faberge Museum. There are numerous works from Faberge craftsmen on display, including, of course, the infamous Faberge eggs.

Some used to say that the Yusupov Palace belonged to the richest family in Russia, even richer than the Romanov royal family. Needless to say, they spared no funds for the construction of their homes. The rooms of the Yusupov Palace all have a unique style: some were inspired by Italian art, others by oriental motifs. Many of the interiors have been preserved since the nineteenth century. The palace also has a private theatre that occasionally hosts shows for a small audience. For those interested in the macabre, the Yusupov Palace was the scene of the infamous murder of Grigory Rasputin, who was lured in by a group of aristocrats wishing to seize his influence on the royal family. An exhibition dedicated to the events of that day is open in the basement.

The Gatchina Palace was originally built for count Grigory Orlov, who was a favourite of Catherine the Great. Unfortunately for him, the palace was only completed two years before his death, giving him limited time to live there. Catherine the Great bought the palace back and handed it to her son Paul; his statue can be seen in front of the palace. It was later used by Paul’s son, Alexander I, and grandson, Alexander II. Following Alexander II’s assassination, his heir, Alexander III (yes, this is a lot of Alexanders), feared assassinated himself and hid out in the palace for two years. Since Gatchina is located about 40 km (25 miles) outside of St Petersburg, it was very close to the Nazi lines during WWII. Unfortunately, it suffered severe damage, and restoration work has continue to this day.