Pavlovsk

Among the palace-and-park ensembles encircling Leningrad in a green belt, the Pavlovsk complex of landscape combined with architecture was the latest to come into being. This is an outstanding landmark of the Russian culture of the late 18th - early 19th century. The centrepiece of the Pavlovsk ensemble is the Great Palace, a marvellous specimen of Russian Classicism of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Comparatively small, the Great Palace doesn't thrill by its dimensions or sumptuousness of its decor. It grips imagination with its perfect harmony, proportionality and elegance.

When Paul I ascended the throne, the simplicity of the palace could no longer satisfy him and he commissioned Vincenzo Brenna to enlarge the complex. The new architect altered the exterior and interior of the palace, imparting to it a solemn appearance. He added a gallery, extended the service blocks, and attached a chapel. The main courtyard became almost enclosed. Brenna adorned the facades with decorative stuccowork in the form of knights' armour and created a suite of a new state apartments - the Throne Hall, the Hall of Gentlemen in Waiting, the Picture Gallery, the Hall of War, the Hall of Peace and others.

After the death of Paul I, the mistress of the imperial residence was Maria Feodorovna, the late emperor's widow. Such eminent architects as Carlo Rossi, Giacomo Quarenghi, Andrey Voronikhin, Thomas de Thomon, the sculptors Ivan Martos, Fiodor Gordeyev and others contributed to the decoration of Pavlovsk. Soon after the October Revolution (1917) Pavlovsk became an art and history museum, and a tour there is nowadays one of the Russian must-do's.

During the War of 1941-1945, Pavlovsk suffered tremendous damage. The Nazis, who occupied the town, plundered the palace destroyed many pavilions and felled nearly 70,000 trees. Before leaving, they burnt the palace down. Restoration and reconstruction work began immediately after the war. It seemed it would take many decades to restore the complex. This gigantic work is now close to its completion. Nowadays thousands of Russian and foreign visitors come to see Pavlovsk reborn and beautiful as ever.