Catherine Palace

The Catherine Palace is located in the town of Tsarskoye Selo, which is now part of Pushkin, about 25 kilometers south of Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was originally built for Empress Catherine I and later vastly expanded by Empress Elizabeth and Catherine the Great.

The original Amber Room, a spectacular chamber decorated in amber panels backed with gold leaf, was looted by Nazi German troops during World War II in 1941. Its exact whereabouts remain a mystery, prompting a massive reconstruction project that was completed by Russian craftsmen in 2003.

The palace's breathtaking Baroque façade and layout were primarily designed by the Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli in the mid-18th century for Empress Elizabeth. Later, Catherine the Great commissioned extensions in the Neoclassical style to suit her personal tastes.

Beyond the reconstructed Amber Room, the Grand Hall, also known as the Light Gallery, is famous for its massive gilded mirrors and towering windows. Visitors also frequently marvel at the Cameron Gallery, a Neoclassical addition built by Scottish architect Charles Cameron.