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Gatchina is mentioned in the scribe book in 1499 as a village Khotino.
After the victory in the Northern war many noblemen used the local
lands as hunting grounds. In 1766 the construction both of the palace
and the park began. The palace is located in the scenic place overgrown
with thick pine forest interspersed with clear lakes: Silver, White,
Black lakes connected between them with canals.
The place for the construction of the palace is situated on a high
shore of the Silver lake separated with a narrow isthmus, the Long
island, from the central of the Gatchina lakes, the White lake. At the
same time on the shores of the lakes the construction of the English
Garden (the first landscape park in Russia) began. The palace was built
by architect Rinaldi. In 1783 empress Catherine II granted Gatchina to
Heir Sovereign Paul, who turned Gatchina into his model of future
Russian Empire. |
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After Paul's coming to the throne, the reconstruction of the palace by
architect Brenna commenced. The palace which is built of cut stone
blocks has the modest even austere Spartan appearance.
Walls of its facades faced with slabs of local limestone possess a
striking ability of changing the color depending on the illumination.
In the bright sunlight the walls of the palace appear to be golden,
whereas in overcast days they acquire a steel hue. The inner
furnishings of the palace were particularly luxurious, majestic, its
walls being decorated with moldings, gildings and covered with cloths.
During the World War II both the palace and the park sustained
considerable damages and nowadays its restoration is underway. Some of
the parade buildings, pavilions and part of the parks have already been
restored. |
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On the shores of the lakes and islands there are many pavilions which
are outwardly very simple and austere but truly magnificent inside :
the Venus pavilion, the Birch Cabin (which outwardly resembles a stack
of birch firewood), the Mask portal, the Farm pavilion.
On the shore of the Black lake there is the Priorate palace, a
remarkable creation of architect N.A.Lvov. The palace was constructed
for the prior of the Maltese order (Paul I was the grandmaster of the
order) and the emperor stayed here during the hunting. The walls of the
palace are made of earth; floors and ceilings are made of earthen
bricks using the special technique of architect Lvov. The walls are
plastered and painted. This unique structure has been preserved till
our days without changes. |
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The parks extending around the palace are undoubtedly beautiful, such
as the Palace park, the Silvia park, the Priorate park, the Menagerie
park. The Dvortsoviy park is laid out amid the complex system of
intertwined rivers and lakes. The differences in height between the
lakes and elevated islands allow to see the structures or the park's
places as if from the bird's eye view. Below the lakes one can see
beautiful shores, hills, arched bridges, terraces and observation
towers. Certain parts of the park combine regular and landscape styles.
The lakes, numerous glades and meadows are connected between them with
vistas. Inimitable atmosphere of charm and poeticalness hovers over
this park and palace ensemble.
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