No other excursion brings back such a long chain of historic associations. The Palace built for Catherine I, Peter's wife, was then fully renovated with no expense spared by their daughter Elizabeth I and later on became the favorite suburban residence of Catherine II (the Great). The vast park inspired young Alexander Pushkin to his first poetic opuses, as he was a student at a nearby Lyceum, a boarding school patronized by Alexander I.
Our 5-hour tour gives you time to look not only at the Palace but also at the park with its numerous monuments and pavilions.

During the reign of Catherine the Great further significant alterations were made to the palace and park. The Catherine Park was extended with the layout of the garden landscaped in the English style. In the palace itself part of baroque interiors with abundance of gilded moldings and sculptures were completely altered by the Scottish architect Charles Cameron in the spirit of increasingly fashionable Classical style.

A series of monuments glorifying Russian triumphal victories in the Russo-Turkish and other wars were put up in the newly designed part of the park. Among them are Columns of Chesma and Morea, Kagul Obelisk, all designed by architect Rinaldi, and monumental Tower Ruin designed by architect Velten.
In 1780s a unique architectural complex in the style of ancient Roman bathhouse was designed by architect Cameron. It comprised Cold Baths with Agate Rooms, the nearby Cameron Gallery used for strolls, Hanging Garden connected with the southern wing of Catherine Palace, and the Ramp by which the aging Catherine the Great could walk down to the park. Another outstanding architect, Q. Quarenghi, was responsible for designing of park pavilions in Classical style, including Temple of Friendship, Concert Pavilion, and redesigning of "Hall on the Island".

Many pavilions in the park were designed by the Russian architect Neelov and his sons. Among the more noteworthy are Admiralty, the Hermitage Kitchen, Grande and Small Caprices, Upper and Lower Baths, Grand Duke Pavilion, Lyceum, Evening Hall, Marble Bridge.