Gatchina Palace
The Great Gatchina Palace (Russian: Большой Гатчинский дворец) is a palace in Gatchina, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It was built from 1766 to 1781 by Antonio Rinaldi for Count Grigori Grigoryevich Orlov, who was a favourite of Catherine the Great, in Gatchina, a suburb of the royal capital Saint Petersburg. The Gatchina Palace combines classical architecture and themes of a medieval castle with ornate interiors typical of Russian classicism, located on a hill in central Gatchina next to Lake Serebryany. The Gatchina Palace became one of the favourite residences of the Russian Imperial Family, and during the 19th century was an important site of Russian politics. Since the February Revolution in 1917, it has been a museum and public park, and received UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1990.
| Great Gatchina Palace | |
|---|---|
Большой Гатчинский дворец | |
Southern facade of the palace | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Classical |
| Location | Gatchina, Leningrad Oblast, Russia |
| Coordinates | 59°33′48″N 30°6′27″E |
| Construction started | 1766 |
| Completed | 1781 |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments |
| Criteria | Cultural: i, ii, iv, vi |
| Reference | 540 |
| Inscription | 1990 (14th Session) |
| Area | 3,934.1 ha (9,721 acres) |