Vicinity of Petersburg

The historical suburbs of Saint Petersburg developed as country residences and palace-and-park ensembles of the 18th–19th centuries. Each of them has its own architectural and historical specifics. This section provides more details about them.

Открытие фонтанов в Петергофе в 2026 году

Opening of fountains in Peterhof in 2026

Opening of fountains in Peterhof 2026: when the fountains will be turned on, the date of the holiday May 16, the show program, ticket prices and how to get there. Excursion to Peterhof from St. Petersburg

Большой Гатчинский дворец

Grand Gatchina Palace: history, interiors, and main halls

Grand Gatchina Palace: history, facades, state rooms, and an underground passage. Find out what to see inside and go on a tour from St. Petersburg.

Что посмотреть в Гатчине за 1 день

What to see in Gatchina: best attractions and a 1-day route

What to see in Gatchina in 1 day: the palace, parks, Priory, Cathedral Street, and other places. Explore the route and choose a tour from St. Petersburg.

Большой каскад Петергофа

The Grand Cascade in Peterhof – fountains, Samson, history of creation and what to see

The Grand Cascade in Peterhof: the main fountain, Samson, grottoes and statues. Where it is located and how to get there. A complete guide for tourists. Excursions to the fountains of Peterhof.

Кронштадт

Kronstadt: history, what to see in 1 day and how to get from St. Petersburg

Kronstadt – a fortress city near St. Petersburg: main attractions, forts, St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral, how to get there and which excursions to choose.

Екатерининский дворец в Царском Селе

Catherine Palace – the tenderness of Rococo and the brilliance of Baroque

Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo – the history of the imperial residence, the halls of the Golden Enfilade, the Amber Room, and the parks. The atmosphere of the palace, the era of Elizabeth and Catherine II, interiors…

Янтарная комната в Екатерининском дворце Царского Села

The Amber Room: the heart of the Catherine Palace

The Amber Room in the Catherine Palace: history of creation, fate of the masterpiece, restoration, and visiting in Tsarskoye Selo.

Царское Село с высоты птичьего полёта

Tsarskoye Selo – a park-city that survived eras and emperors

Tsarskoye Selo – an imperial residence near St. Petersburg with palaces, parks, and the legendary Amber Room. History, walks, the Pushkin Lyceum, and the atmosphere of an ancient park-city.

Музей истории Кронштадта

Museum of the History of Kronstadt — three centuries of maritime history

Museum of the History of Kronstadt: 'Three Centuries of Kronstadt History', the fleet and defense, a model of Fort Kronshlot, and the 'Underwater Archaeology' exhibit with finds from the Gulf of Finland.

Большой Петергофский дворец - общий вид

Grand Peterhof Palace: history, secrets, and legends

Grand Peterhof Palace: history of creation, architecture, famous halls, and curious details that make it the main gem of Peterhof.

Петергоф (Петродворец)

Peterhof – its history, how to get there, fountains and parks of Peterhof

Peterhof (Petrodvorets) — what it is, how to get there on your own, how the park and fountains operate. Is it worth visiting in winter, how Peterhof is arranged.

Что посмотреть в Выборге за 1 день

What to see in Vyborg in 1 day

Vyborg is a city where history and architecture are woven into every street. In one day, you can see the mighty 14th-century medieval castle with St. Olaf's Tower, walk through Market Square and the 16th-century Round T…

Парк Монрепо в Выборге

Monrepo Park in Vyborg

Monrepo is a place of solitude for Heinrich von Nicolay. Monrepo is often called 'the most romantic place in Vyborg.' A historic landscape park closely tied to the city's fate, its European past, and the culture of Russ…

Баболовский парк в Пушкине

Bablovsky Park in Pushkin: a secluded forest, secrets, and mysteries

If you are looking for a place where imperial history meets pristine nature, Bablovsky Park in Pushkin will be a perfect discovery. It is the largest park in Tsarskoye Selo, covering nearly 300 hectares. Unlike the gran…

Музей-дача А. С. Пушкина в Царском селе

A.S. Pushkin's Museum-Dacha: inspiration and comfort of a family summer

Imagine a cozy wooden house with columns and a mezzanine, where the spirit of Russian literature still lingers in the air. This is the famous Kitaeva dacha in Tsarskoye Selo, which witnessed the happiest period in the g…

Знаменская церковь в Пушкине

Znamenskaya Church in Pushkin - keeper of the icon of the Mother of God

Znamenskaya Church (the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign") is a temple and the oldest stone structure in the city that has survived to this day. Located at the very entrance to the Catherine Park, it gr…

Александровский дворец в Пушкине

Alexander Palace in Pushkin - home of the imperial Romanov family

The Alexander Palace is one of the most perfect monuments of classicism in the world, located in the picturesque Alexander Park of the city of Pushkin. Unlike the ceremonial Catherine Palace, this place was created for …

Екатерининский собор в Пушкине

Catherine Cathedral in Pushkin: the revived shrine of Tsarskoye Selo

The Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine is one of the cathedrals of the city of Pushkin, located in the very center of Cathedral Square. This majestic temple is often called the "twin" of the Moscow Cathedral o…

Екатерининский парк и дворец в Пушкине

Catherine Park in Pushkin: a journey to imperial Russia

Tsarskoye Selo is a place where history comes alive. Just 26 km from St. Petersburg is the majestic Catherine Park, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a garden of 107 hectares, full of architectural mas…

Александровский парк в Пушкине, Царское Село - вид на дворец

Alexandrovsky Park in Pushkin - history, palaces and walks in Tsarskoye Selo

Alexandrovsky Park in Tsarskoye Selo is a unique place created in the second half of the 18th century under Catherine II. Here the grandeur of imperial history is combined with the silence and coziness of shady alleys. …

Царскосельский лицей в Пушкине

Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum and its pupils

A trip to St. Petersburg is impossible to imagine without the city of Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo). Among the splendor of palaces here is the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, founded in 1811. This is a place with special ene…

Эрмитаж в Царском Селе

Hermitage Pavilion in Tsarskoye Selo - a unique historical monument

The Hermitage Pavilion in Tsarskoye Selo is a unique monument of Russian Baroque of the 18th century. History of imperial intrigues, engineering marvels, events and tips for visiting.

Схема работы фантанов Петергофа

How Peterhof fountains work

How the fountains of Peterhof work: fountains, cascades, canals, and grottoes of Peterhof that operate without a single pump

The historical suburbs of Saint Petersburg developed as country residences and palace-and-park ensembles of the 18th–19th centuries. Each of them has its own architectural and historical specifics.

Peterhof is known for its fountain system and formal layout. Pavlovsk stands out for its landscape park and classical architecture. Gatchina is distinguished by its strict palace ensemble. Tsarskoye Selo is associated with Catherine II and imperial interiors. Oranienbaum preserves one of the oldest palace complexes in the region.

The suburbs complement the cultural landscape of Saint Petersburg and allow one to see the development of architecture and state history beyond the central quarters.