| |
Here we present photographs
taken during a visit to the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo south of St
Petersburg, Russia in 1998. We now have new photography from our visit in
2005.
|
|
| |
Peter gave the estate to his second wife, Catherine I in 1710. They decided to
create a summer home there in 1717. They soon added a whole village for the
workmen and servants with a wooden church and formal gardens. But it was
Empress Elizabeth Petrovna who vastly expanded the original with two colonnaded
galleries and stone pavilions extending on either side of the original, and
named in honor of her mother, Catherine I. But the name might be confused with
Catherine II since the later empress lived here and commissioned major building
projects. In 1752 Elizabeth hired Bartolomeo Rastrelli to expand the works and
also added more buildings, including the Hermitage, Grotto and Monbijou
pavilion. In the 1770's Catherine II added more luxury. She moved the Grand
staircase and enlarged the pavilions. In 1779 she hired Charles Cameron to
redecorate the interior. A summary of the Wikipedia entry.
|
|
 |
The Alexander palace at Tsarskoye
Selo, given by Catherine II to her grandson, future Emperor Alexander I. It is
located a few blocks from the Catherine Palace.
|
|
|
Another view of the Alexander
palace at Tsarskoye Selo, given by Catherine II to her grandson, future Emperor
Alexander I.
|
|
|
A sign board with map of the
palace grounds.
|
|
|
Close up detail of section of the
Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Tselo. This was designed by Rastrelli in 1752 for
Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. She named it in honor of her mother, Catherine I.
|
|
|
Another detail of the facade of
the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo. The 980 foot long facade is highlighted
with a line of atlantes (70 figures of Atlas holding the heavens) , columns and
pilasters.
|
|
|
Catherine Palace - the royal
chapel under the 5 golden domes was built by Chevakinski in the 1740's
|
|
|
Catherine Palace, the royal
chapel
|
|
|
Catherine Palace at Tsarksoye
Selo - detail of one facade
|
|
|
Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye
Selo - center section of the 980 foot long main facade. The great staircase is
in the section behind the white columns. The palace was designed by Rastrelli
for Empress Elisabeth Petrovna in 1752. She named it for her mother, Catherine
I. Later, Empress Catherine II had Charles Cameron redesign the interiors. In
the foreground is part of the formal French gardens.
|
|
|
Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye
Selo - another view of the royal chapel and the corner of the palace that
contains the Blue Drawing room
|
|
|
Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye
Selo designed by Rastrelli for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1752. This is
about half of the 980 foot long main facade, from the center with grand
staircase to the royal chapel. In this section are the Small Enfilade, the
picture gallery, the Green dining room, the Amber room and the Blue Drawing
room.
|
|
|
View of main facade from the
garden side.
|
|
|
View of the corner of the
Catherine Palace with crosses of the private chapel above..
|
|
|
The buildings that form the sides
of the inner courtyard opposite the main palace facade.
|
|
|
Central section of the palace
facade on the courtyard side.
|
|
|
Central section of palace facade.
The first floor contains administrative and sales offices. The public rooms are
on the second floor. The 3rd level of windows are upper windows for the main
level.
|
|
|
Detail of the decorations
surrounding palace window.
|
|
|
Musicians welcoming tourists to
the palace. They quickly identify the nationality of the group and switch into
the appropriate national anthem.
|
|
|
Energetic musicians serenade
tourist with their national anthem.
|
|
|
A second band greets tourists as
they line up to enter the palace.
|
|
|
A section of the formal,
French-style gardens near the palace viewed from a palace window.
|
|
|
Statue of girl with pitcher by
Pavel Sokolov in 1816 located on a rock overlooking the north side of the great
pond. Pushkin wrote his poem, "Fountain at Tsarskoye Selo" about this
statue.
|
|
|
Wing of the palace with the
crosses above the private church above the corner. This is the gate through
which tourists are admitted into the court yard preparatory to entering the
main palace. They line up hours early.
|
|
|
Bust of Rastrelli, the principal
architect of the palace. Unfortunately on this rainy day it was back-lighted.
|
|
|
The lengthy palace facade on its
rear side from the courtyard. The tourist visitor entrance is on this side
|
|
|
View further along the palace
facade from the courtyard side.
|
|
|
Malachite decorations in the
Green Pilaster Room
|
|
|
Typical guilded ornamentation -
note the large tile stove in the corner. Of course there was no central
heating.
|
|
|
Portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna by
Heinrich Buchholtz in the Portrait Hall (between the Green Pilaster room and
the Amber Room.
|
|
|
The reconstructed famous Amber
room, restored and opened in May 2003. It was a gift to Peter I by King
Frederick William of Prussia in 1716.
|
|
|
The Amber room is constructed
from thouands of specially prepared pieces of amber all fitted into artistic
patterns. During World War II it was taken by the Germans and subsequently
lost. Now it has taken since 1979 to restore it.
|
|
|
It is quite dark in the Amber
room. One faces a problem, either get a very dark photo or get a overexposure
from the flash.
|
|
|
The rebuilt Amber room - a
highlight of the Catherine Palace.
|
|
|
The Amber room - again the flash
spoils part of the photograph.
|
|
|
The Picture Hall with a typical
tile stove in the foreground. The walls have about 130 paintings of which 114
are originals of Franch, Flemish, German and Italian masters.
|
|
|
Portrait of Alexander I in the
Alexander I drawing room.
|
|
|
The Green Dining room in Northern
wing. This is one of the rooms created in the 1780's with a Classical style by
Cameron for Paul and Maria Fyodrovna. The decorations were made by Ivan Martos.
|
|
|
The facade on the side facing the
formal gardens.
|
|
|
The central part of the facade on
the garden side.
|
|
|
Parish church, Church of the Sign
(Znameeniya), built in 1734 only a few yards outside the Catherine Palace
grounds at Tsarskoye Selo.
|
|
|
Parish church of the Sign outside
the palace grounds.
|
|
|
Statue of Pushkin by Robert Bach
in 1900, near the Catherine Palace. He studied at the palace school near here.
|
|
|
The palace wing with the family
chapel viewed from the rear side.
|
|
|
The Agate Room - Cameron Gallery
wing that extends at right angles to the main palace on the park side. These
were designed by Charles Cameron, favourite architect of Catherine II. The
Agate Room was a summer pavilon that contained examples of Russia's mineral
wealth, not only agate, but also malachite, lapis lazuli, porphyry and
alabaster. Now there are special exhibitions in the lower level.
|
|
|
The Cameron gallery added as a
wing to the Catherine Palace viewed from the far end.
|
|
|
The Grotto designed by Rastrelli
in 1749 on the north side of the great pond. The Baroque exterior is decorated
with fish, sea monsters, and dolphins.
|
|
|
The Hermitage, located directly
opposite the main palace down a long mall. The Baroque style is by Rastrelli in
1756 for Elizabeth. She liked to entertain small groups of guests here. It is
in poor condition now. Inside there was a special mechanism for lifting the
dining table and guests to the upper floor for dinner, after which the table
was lowered and the room converted into a ball room.
|
|
|
This gate is an exit to the
grounds of the Catherine Palace. A multitude of vendors have set up shops on
the far side to sell all manner of souvineers for tourists. In Elizabeth's and
Catherine's eras this was the kitchen for the Hermitage located nearby. It was
constructed in 1775 beside the French garden.
|
|
|
The main ballroom in the
Catherine palace. Note the elaborate wood floor. This was designed by Rastrelli
and is 154 feet long by 59 feet wide. The ceiling painted by Giuseppe Valeriani
in 1755 depicts "Russia's Triumph". It is a series of allegorical
scenes glorifying Russian victories and achievements.
|
|
|
Room with a typical stove and
desk. of Tsar Alexander I - photo from Denna Buckner.
|
|
|
Detail of ceiling in the Hall of
Portraits - courtesy of Denna Buckner.
|
|
|
Gallery with paintings of famous
Russian naval victory at Chesma.
|
|
|
Dining room with table of Order
of St. George- with usual stove in corner. - photo courtesy of Denna Buckner
|
|
|
The famous Amber room -
reconstruction completed in May 2003.
|
|
|
The Amber room - detail of one
wall.
|
|
|
Painting of Russian naval victory
at Chesma.
|
|
|
Painting of Russian naval victory
at Chesma.
|
|
|
Grand ballroom.
|
|
|
Portrait of Catherine II in
uniform of the Preobrazhenski Guards Regiment above throne. This is the same
painting by Vigilius Erichsen as the one that hangs in the throne room at
Peterhof, but the throne is different.
|
|
|
Detail of wall with mirrors and
gilt decorations.
|
|
|
Portrait of Catherine II.
|
|
|
Large vase
|
|
