Page 34 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - St. Petersburg

32 ❯❯ Top 10 St Petersburg Highlights

Tsarskoe Selo

These magnificent palaces and gardens were established as a
country retreat by Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great, but it was
Tsarina Elizabeth who commissioned the lavish Catherine Palace.
The palace was initially created by Rastrelli, but later redesigned
by Scottish architect Charles Cameron, at the request of Catherine
the Great. The 18th-century landscaped gardens were the first of
their kind in Russia. Tsarskoe Selo suffered
extensive damage in World War II and
restoration work continues to this day.

Amber Room
Green Dining
1 3
Room
Created in Prussia,
the room’s amber panels The pistachio-coloured
were gift ed to Peter the walls of the room,
Great in 1716. Looted by designed by Charles
Nazi troops du ring World Cameron, are decorated
War II, it took 24 years, with stucco figures
until 2003, to recreate produced by the Russian
the room (above) using Neo-Classical sculptor
Formal
historical photographs. Ivan Martos. 5
Gardens
The Great Hall
The Great
2 4 These lovely gardens
Staircase
This magnificent
(above) are laid out
room (below), located The central stair case at sy mmetri cally, and
in the Catherine Palace, Catherine Palace was in clude finely trim med
features mirrors, designed by Ippolito trees and hed ges, as
ornate carvings and a Monighetti, and built in well as geometri cally
huge ceiling painting, 1860. The landing walls planned flower beds
The Triumph of Russia are adorned with 18th- complemen ted by
(c.1755), created by and 19th-century Oriental strategically placed
Giuseppe Valeriani. vases and dishes. marble statues.

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