The picturesque town of Gatchina is situated 45 km to the south from Saint Petersburg. Gatchina sights amazed contemporaries with their beauty. The Gatchinka River flows between low hills, small lakes, groves and a forest. The beautiful Silver Lake creates a fantastic view. Even the climate in Gatchina differs from that in Saint Petersburg.
The compositional center of Gatchina architectural ensemble is the palace. Built as a secluded castle, it rises above the still water and dominates over the surrounding landscape. Giant sizes, ten towers, walls faced with local limestone, and the underground passage leading to the lake make the palace different from the other summer residences in the suburbs of Saint Petersburg.
The construction of the palace started in 1766 by order of Catherine the Great, who wanted to make a present to her favorite count Orlov. The palace shaped as a hunting castle with towers and underground passage was designed by architect Rinaldi especially for the count. After Orlov's death the empress bought the palace from the count's heirs and presented it to her son Paul, the future Russian emperor.
The palace is built on the highest point of the hill, dominating over the landscape. Its north facade faces the Silver meadow, where a vast park with lakes starts. The Gatchina Palace is one of the best samples of early Russian classicism. To the central building, which was designed by architect Rinaldi, in 1766-1781 the Kitchen and the Stable blocks were joined. In 1793-1797 they were overbuilt according to architect Brenna's design and renamed the Kitchen and Arsenal square. The Arsenal square housed the private rooms of the members of the royal family. In the middle of the 19th century the blocks were rebuilt by architect Kuzmin.
The palace facades are faced with local limestone. The interiors were decorated after design of architects Rinaldi and Brenna by Russian masters. The luxury of parquets, painted plafonds, molding, furniture, porcelain, bronze, tapestries and other details contrast with the palace exterior and underline the exquisiteness of the palace's interiors. In front of the palace, there is a monument to Paul I by sculptor Vitali.
The total area of the landscape parks reaches 660 hectares. They are filled with picturesque lakes and ponds and have unusual planning. Wild nature around the palace was turned into fashionable English-style landscape during the time of the first owner of the palace. The parks of the 1770s, dating back to the so-called Orlov's time, are the Palace Park and the adjoining forest Menagerie Park. They are picturesquely planned and rich with different plants. In the time of Paul I (1780-1790), certain parts of the forest park were laid out and got regular shape. The parks are decorated with numerous bridges, terraces, stone stair-cases, the Eagle and Venus pavilions, Birch and Admiralty gates, and Forest greenhouse, constructed by architect Brenna from the local limestone.
Before the Revolution of 1917 the Gatchina Palace was one of the summer residences of the royal family. Once Emperor Alexander III lived here, escaping the terror of the People's Will party members. In 1918, the palace and the park were turned into museum. At the beginning of the World War II many works of art from the Gatchina Palace collection were evacuated. About 3,000 exhibits were kept in St. Isaac's Cathedral. The Nazi troops entered Gatchina, cut down the parks and destroyed many park decorations. When they were forced to leave Gatchina, they set the palace of fire. In 1970, the restoration works were started in Gatchina. Since 1985, the palace and the park were opened to the public again.