Tsarskoye Selo was the town containing a former Russian residence of the imperial family, located 24 kilometers south from the center of Saint Petersburg.
Catherine Palace
The Catherine Palace is undoubtedly Tsarskoe Selo's top attraction. The Catherine Palace is named after Catherine I, the wife of Peter the Great, who ruled Russia for two years after her husband's death. Originally a modest building, the Catherine Palace owes its awesome grandeur to their daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who chose Tsarskoe Selo as her chief summer residence. Starting in 1743, the building was reconstructed by four different architects, before Bartholomeo Rastrelli, Chief Architect of the Imperial Court, was instructed to completely redesign the building on a scale to rival Versailles.
Catherine Park
