Gatchina

GATCHINA

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.

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.

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.

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.