Writes about St. Petersburg, its history, sights, museums and routes.
Historian and guide in St. Petersburg, Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo and Vyborg.
If you're looking for a place where imperial history meets pristine nature, Babolovsky Park in Pushkin will be an ideal discovery. It is the largest park in Tsarskoye Selo, with an area of almost 300 hectares. There are no crowds of tourists or grand avenues here, but there is silence, centuries-old oaks, and ruins that hold amazing secrets.
History and legends: a park for lovers
The park's name comes from the Finnish village of Babolova, which was previously located on this territory. The development of the land began in the second half of the 18th century, when Catherine II gifted these places to her favorite, Grigory Potemkin.
Babolovsky Park gained a reputation as the "park of love." It is believed that it was here that the empress experienced her strongest feelings for Alexander Lanskoi. Later, under Alexander I, the park became a place of secret meetings between the emperor and Sophia Velho.
A classic English landscape park was created here, as close to natural nature as possible. Instead of swampy forests, meadows, oak groves, and larch alleys appeared, creating an atmosphere of solitude and tranquility.
Babоловский park in Pushkin and its main mystery
The heart of the park is the ruins of the Babolovsky Palace. Built in 1785 in a "Gothic taste," it originally served as a luxurious bathing pavilion for relaxation. The main magnet for travelers today is the famous Tsar Bath, preserved inside the ruins. It is a giant bowl carved from a single piece of granite weighing 160 tons. Master Samson Sukhanov, who worked on the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral, created this masterpiece over 10 years. Before the war, an elegant staircase led to the bath, and its scale still boggles the imagination.
What else to see and how to get there
Besides the palace, in Babolovsky Park you should see:
• The Taitsky Water Conduit - a unique engineering structure of the 18th century.
• The Starokrasnoselsky Gate and the Pink Guardhouse.
• The Orlovskaya Water Tower, built in 1887.
• The dam bridge on the Kuzminka River, forming a picturesque pond.
The park is beautiful at any time of year. In summer, people stroll and gather mushrooms here, and in winter they lay out picturesque ski routes.
Location: Pushkin, between Krasnoselskoye Highway and the road to Aleksandrovka. You can get there from the metro stations "Moskovskaya" or "Kupchino" by bus, or by commuter train to the "Tsarskoye Selo" station with a transfer to local transport. Admission is free, the park is open around the clock.
Babolovsky Park for tourists and walking enthusiasts
Ready to feel like an explorer and touch the secrets of the imperial park? Take a thermos, put on comfortable shoes, and set off in search of the legendary Tsar Bath.
For those who prefer organized walks and excursions, we recommend booking tours in advance and discovering Babolovsky Park together with experienced guides.
Excursion to Pushkin from Saint Petersburg
Plan a trip →
