Red brick, white stone ornament and ornamental bridges among parkland, ponds and hills.
The story of this place
The Tsaritsyno ensemble was designed in the late 18th century as Catherine II's residence. Vasily Bazhenov began the project; Matvey Kazakov subsequently built the Grand Palace after the design changed. Its interior decoration remained unfinished.
Following prolonged neglect, the buildings underwent restoration and reconstruction. The Grand Palace opened as a museum in 2007: its present interiors are modern museum spaces rather than surviving rooms used by Catherine. Bridges and pavilions preserve the earlier ensemble's character.
