Our address:Saint Petersburg, Vosstaniya St. 1
Discount: -200 rub. per ticket
6.5 - 7 h.
Ligovsky Prospekt 10
The history of the Gatchina Palace begins in 1766. Catherine the Great gifted Gatchina with all its buildings to her favorite, Grigory Orlov. The palace is surrounded by Gatchina Park, one of the largest and most beautiful in the world.
Discount: -450 rub. per ticket
10 h.
A one-day tour of three imperial parks: the picturesque lakes of Gatchina, the romantic alleys of Pavlovsk and the formal ponds of Tsarskoye Selo. Peace, views and the harmony of nature.
From 3550 ₽ per person
Our office is in the center of Saint Petersburg, and bus pickup points are nearby. You do not need to search for the departure point or walk several blocks.
You can book a trip for a large group, family, school class, corporate event or celebration. We will match the format and the number of seats you need.
Seniors, students, schoolchildren and preschoolers get discounted rates on a number of tours.
Besides Saint Petersburg and its suburbs, we offer multi-day tours to cities and regions across Russia.
Sightseeing, bus, boat, evening, walking and school tours, plus suburban trips — we will find a program for any kind of visit.
We operate clean, comfortable tourist coaches. A spacious cabin matters most on longer routes.
Gatchina is a town with a castle-like palace, quiet lakes, park alleys and a slightly stern imperial character. Here, close to each other, are the Great Gatchina Palace, the Priory Palace, the Palace Park, White Lake, Silver Lake, old gates, bridges and walking routes that are easy to combine into a one-day trip.
The history of Gatchina begins long before the palaces and parks. At the end of the 15th century, the village of Khotchino is mentioned in Novgorod scribe books. The future Gatchina is linked to this name: according to one version, it came from the Old Russian name Khot, according to another – from the word "gat", which was used to describe a decking across a marshy area.
The great palace history began in 1765, when Catherine 2 gave the Gatchina estate to Count Grigory Orlov. For him, architect Antonio Rinaldi built the Great Gatchina Palace. Even then the residence acquired a special appearance: a massive palace with towers, a view of Silver Lake, hunting grounds and a landscape park.
After Orlov, Gatchina passed to Paul Petrovich. The future emperor lived here for years and turned the residence into his own world: the palace, parade grounds, Gatchina troops, park buildings, Konnetabl Square, the Priory Palace and a strict layout around the palace. In 1796, Paul 1 granted Gatchina the status of a town.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Gatchina had become one of the most well-equipped small towns of the Russian Empire. Here there were a railway, electric lighting, telephone communication between the Gatchina Palace and the Winter Palace, tests of a monorail were held, and a military airfield and aeronautical school were opened. In 1900, the town received recognition at the World Exhibition in Paris.
The main point of the route is the Great Gatchina Palace. It looks more like a castle than a usual country residence: towers, an extended facade, passages to the wings and a view of the water immediately set the Gatchina character.
For a first trip, it's convenient to combine the palace, the Palace Park and the Priory. This route shows Gatchina through its strongest images: the palace-castle, lakes, park, city squares and the rare architecture of the Priory Palace.
The Great Gatchina Palace is connected with Orlov, Paul I and the history of the imperial residence. Inside, attention is drawn to the state halls, palace passages, the underground passage, museum collections and the architecture of the building itself, which resembles a palace-castle.
The Priory Palace is best placed in the second part of the route. Its white walls, red roofs, the shore of the Black Lake and the park around give Gatchina a completely different scale – lighter, closer to the water and with a distinctly European mood.
The Priory Palace was built in 1799 for the knights of the Order of Malta. Paul I was connected with the order, so a residence appeared in Gatchina with a European mood unusual for Russia: white walls, red roofs, the shore of the Black Lake and a silhouette resembling a small monastic castle.
The palace's special feature is its earthwork technology. Architect Nikolai Lvov wanted to show that a durable building could be created from simple local material. For the late 18th century this sounded bold, and the result has survived several eras and become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Gatchina.
The Priory is good to see after the Great Gatchina Palace. First – the massive imperial residence by the Silver Lake, then – the white palace by the Black Lake, the park around it and a completely different rhythm of the walk.
It's convenient to start the walk from Gatchina-Baltiyskaya or Gatchina-Varshavskaya station. From the station the route leads to the Great Gatchina Palace, then into the Palace Park, to the White Lake, bridges, islands and scenic viewpoints by the water.
After the palace and park, the route continues to Connetable Square, then to the Priory Park. The final point is the Priory Palace by the Black Lake. In one day a clear line takes shape: palace, park, water, the city axis and the separate story of the Priory.
In summer Gatchina opens up through a long walk in the park: water, shade, bridges, islands and wide paths help you spend almost the whole day here.
In autumn the palace and park become especially expressive: stone, water and yellow foliage work well together. In winter it is better to shift the focus to the palace, the Priory and a short route through the park's main points.
We have gathered our materials about the main places of Gatchina: a route through the city, palaces and parks, and a separate story of the Great Gatchina Palace.
The Great Gatchina Palace, the Palace Park, the Echo Grotto, the Priory Palace, the Black Lake, the historic center and other points for a one-day route.
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A palace-castle on the shore of the Silver Lake, associated with Grigory Orlov, Paul I, ceremonial interiors, an underground passage and the history of an imperial residence.
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Accredited historian and top-category guide for Saint Petersburg and its suburb…
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Historian and top-category guide to Saint Petersburg and suburbs. Leads emotio…
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