Excursions

Pavlovsk

Pavlovsk was built for Russian Tsar Paul I, only son of Catherine the Great by a Scottish architect called Charles Cameron. Charles was fired mid way owing to Pauls obsession to scale rather than taste. However Charles's genius for classical design is visible in the stunning Italian and Grecian Halls of the Grand Palace.

Kronstadt

Kronstadt is a naval fortress located on an island in the Gulf of Finland. Housing the Russian Baltic Fleet and guarding the approaches to the city of St. Petersburg thirty-five miles away. In March of 1921, Kronstadt was the scene of the first and last popular armed uprising against the rule of the Communist Party. The revolt lasted only 18 days, but could conceivably have provided the spark for a third revolution that would have toppled the young Communist government and created a very different Russia.

Gatchina

Gatchina is a small Russian town just outside of St Petersburg. Home to a large industrial, scientific and educational center with a modern residential area, featuring cozy streets and quiet neighborhoods. Gatchina has a palace exhibiting the tsar's collection of armory.

During most of the Soviet era tourists were not permitted to visit Gatchina, due to its proximity to various military bases. But Gatchina has undergone much restoration to erase the scars of wartime damage and neglect.

Oranienbaum

Orianiembaum, just 7 miles west of Peterhof, was built by Prince Alexander Menshikov. Menshikov gave his estate the name of 'Orange Tree' after his citrus plantation - a difficult feat given St Petersburg's chilly climate. The Great Palace built in 1725 was his attempt to outdo the nearby Peterhof, by Peter the Great. Its ostentatious facade, flanked by octagonal pavilions, commands a view of the Gulf of Finland.

Kizhi

Situated at the north end of Lake Onega, Kizhi Island is home to the famed Open Air Museum of Architecture. Dozens of buildings, including wooden houses, windmills and two 18th-century wooden churches, portray the region's unusual and visionary architecture. Kizhi's most famous building is the three-tiered, fairy tale-like Church of the Transfiguration, dating from 1714. With its 22 cupolas, it rivals the splendor of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. Within the same walled compound, see the 1862 octagonal bell tower and the Church of Intercession, built in 1764 without the use of a single nail.

Peterhof

The first of the royal pleasure palaces to be built outside St Petersburg, Petrodvorets (better known as Peterhof) combines several ornate palaces, a number of beautifully landscaped parks and a dazzling array of magnificent statues and fountains. Damaged by German troops during World War II, Peterhof was almost miraculously restored by Soviet artisans from little more than dust to the glorious palace on display today.

Back to the Top