Gatchina

The history of the mysterious Gatchina ensemble located only 45 kilometers from Saint-Petersburg dates back to the 70-s of the 18th century when empress Catherine the Great presented this beauty spot to her favourite, Count Grigory Orlov, a person who played an important role in the coup d’etat as a result of which Peter III was killed and his wife, Catherine, ascended the throne. However, by that time this territory already had bicentenary history. Being captured by Swedish invaders in the 17th century, these Russian lands were won back by Peter the Great in the course of the memorable Northern war. From that time on the ownership passed to several people but the most flourishing period in its history began when Count Grigory Orlov commissioned an Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi to erect a palace and to lay out the park. After Orlov’s death Gatchina was given to the heir of the throne Pavel Petrovich, the son of Catherine the Great. Thus this palace and park ensemble became the personal property of Russian Monarchs, being transferred to the possession of an heir to the throne.

Among the emperors who were infatuated with the romantic atmosphere of this place, one can mention Nicolas I under whose reign the palace was considerably reconstructed an outstanding Italian architect Vincenzo Brenna. The tranquil scenery of this beauty spot was a true relief for Alexander III who was deeply distressed when his father Alexander II, known in Russian history as the Tsar-Liberator, was assassinated in March1881by a member of a terrorist organisation “People’s Will”. After this tragic event Alexander III moved with his family to the Gatchina palace and lived there most of the year ruling the state, bringing up and educating his children.

One of the favourite amusements of the whole family was catching fish in the numerous ponds and lakes on the territory of the park.

The focal point of this bewitching ensemble is the palace with ten towers overlooking the Silver lake. Vincenzo Brenna, commissioned to enlarge the palace, decided to adorn its facades with limestone slabs. This natural material possesses a wondrous ability of changing its colour depending on the illumination. During sunny days the walls of the palace seem to be golden, whereas during the rainy days when the sky is overcast they acquire a steel shade. This huge, modest and even austere palace with a secret underground tunnel leading to the Silver lake has nothing in common with other parade imperial residences. Standing on a hill, surrounded by the lakes and canals it resembles a medieval almost impregnable English Castle. Vincenzo Brenna being a talented and skillful innovator combined boldly contradictory styles in one and the same project without ruining the inner harmony of the whole facade thus this palace can be treated as a masterpiece accomplished by this Italian architect.

The landscape park which is about 700 hectares is the main attraction of this ensemble. Created in the 70-s of the 18th century it was the first park in Russian designed in “imitation of living nature”. The wildest of all palace parks, it has a sense of uncontrolled nature reclaiming a man–made setting. One can never get bored with strolling and wondering along its paths as there is always a possibility to come across a new a bridge, terrace or pavilion. The Eagle pavilion on the Long Island, The Venus pavilion on the “Island of Love”, the Aviary, The birch and the Admiralty Gates never fail to catch the attention of its visitors.

During the Second World War this picturesque place didn’t escape the harrowing fate of other suburban residences and was almost raised to the ground. At present one can savour only several interiors of the former palace and get acquainted with a remarkable collection of fire-and side-arms accomplished by the most renowned I6th-20th century masters, begun by Count Grigory Orlov, still a lot will have to be done in order to revive the original beauty of this enigmatic ensemble.