Gatchina was the royal summer residence for 18 years, since 1783 till 1801. It was presented to Grand Duke Paul by his mother Catherine the Great and remained his residence when Paul became a tzar, until his tragic death in 1801.

Graceful decoration, refined taste and charming coziness - these are the words of a Russian artist about Gatchina.

Gatchina palace was constructed by a talented architect Antonio Rinaldi as a fantasy upon knight's hunting castle. Situated on the highest point of the hill, the palace is seen from afar, and one can enjoy a picturesque view of lakes and park from its upper floor. The palace is large and monumental. Signal and Clock Towers, Bastion wall, semi-circle facade of the central part look majestic and somber. At the same time, graphic lines of the facade are combined with soft and flickering plastics. Gray-beige colour looks different depending on light and weather.
After the tour around the palace, you will visit the secret passage from the palace to the park.

In the Gatchina park there are two masterpieces of country architecture: Venus Pavilion and Birch House.
Venus Pavillion is situated on the edge of the island , partly standing on high piles in lake water. Its interiors are refined and filigree.

Birch House is unique for its decoration, as it is faced from all sides by sawn birch logs. The natural exterior contrasts with palace-like beauty of the rococo interior, which is sparkling with gold, mirrors and bright colours of the ceiling.

We will show you another unique and charming place in Gatchina: the Priory Palace. Standing on the bank of the lake, with its white walls and red roof, it looks like a fragile and refined toy. The palace is made of pise (mixture of clay with straw and gravel). Nowadays the Priory palace is the only example of beaten-earth construction surviving from the end of the 18th century.

We usually combine the tour to Gatchina with visit to the Postmaster's House. This is the first in Russia museum of literary character the hero of Pushkin's story Postmaster. This unique and charming place is a complex of constructions which show the life and atmosphere of the 19th-century post station: stables, smithy, barn, fire-observation tower, a well, and certainly, the postmasters house. Here the travelers used to change horses and had rest during long-distance journeys. Here you don't feel yourself in the museum: it seems that the dweller has just left his house and you will see him somewhere, in the next room. Like nowhere else, here one can imagine everyday life of the first part of the 19th century.