ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

Entering the Palace we will ascend the grand staircase to the staterooms on the first floor. The white-on-white ornamentation is broken only by crimson curtains and blue oriental vases on the walls. The view of the interior before us, of a seemingly interminable succession of staterooms, gives the impression of a golden corridor.

Our coach journey will take approximately one hour to reach Pushkin – formerly known as Tsarskoye Selo (or Tsar’s Village) – which is located 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of St Petersburg. The name Pushkin has been used since 1937. This celebrated Russian poet lived in the town at the beginning of the 19th century, and the Lyceum School where he studied can be seen. The former royal summer residence boasts a large landscape park dotted with architectural follies. The Catherine Palace ranks high on the list of the world’s most beautiful buildings. Rastrelli designed the lavish palace in 1752 for Empress Elizabeth, who named it Catherine Palace in honour of her mother, Catherine I, who originally owned the estate. The stunning turquoise, white and gold Baroque façade stretches 300 metres (1,000 feet) and is adorned with a profusion of atlantes (sculpted figures), columns, pilasters and ornamental window framings. Rastrelli used an amazing 100 kilograms of pure gold for the exterior gilding and contemporary visitors complained that the palace blinded their eyes on sunny days! Entering the Palace we will ascend the grand staircase to the staterooms on the first floor. The white-on-white ornamentation is broken only by crimson curtains and blue oriental vases on the walls. The view of the interior before us, of a seemingly interminable succession of staterooms, gives the impression of a golden corridor. This splendid passageway prepares us for the opulent décor of the Great Hall. Light streams into this glittering hall, illuminating the mirrors, gilded carvings and the vast ceiling painting. For official receptions and balls the hall was lit with 696 candles set in sconces before the mirrors, which must have been some sight. During our visit to the Catherine Palace, we shall see the famous Amber Room. King Friedrich Wilhelm presented the original amber wall panels to Peter the Great in 1717. They were too short for Catherine Palace’s high ceilings, but Rastrelli found a simple solution. He set 24 narrow pilasters faced with mirrors between the panels and installed a canvas frieze above them, painted to match the amber. The panels were made of small pieces of amber, decorated with amber mouldings, and each weighed an incredible 800 kilograms. These works of art were too heavy to dismantle and evacuate to safety in World War II and were looted by the Nazis, who dispatched them to Germany and they were never seen again. Preserved photographs and archives helped the Russian art experts to fashion thin amber pieces to match exactly the originals in shape and colour, thus recreating this legendary work of art. Once again visitors can be mesmerised by the wealth and warmth of the amber tones, from lemon yellow to a deep red. The next ruler to leave her mark on the palace was Catherine the Great. She commissioned the Scotsman Charles Cameron to redesign the Baroque interior according to her neo-classical taste. The Green Dining Room is considered to be one of his best. Cameron’s restrained neo-classical style contrasts with the Baroque flamboyance of Rastrelli’s work. The 1,400 acres of grounds at Pushkin are dotted with charming pavilions set around the central lake. Nearest to the palace are Cameron’s sumptuous Agate Rooms (not visited), for which a wealth of semi-precious Russian stones were used, including lapis lazuli, jasper, alabaster, agate and malachite. A covered gallery was added – lined with the busts of 30 of Catherine’s favourite philosophers. The romantic landscape of the park is animated with the neo-Gothic Admiralty, Chesma Column, Turkish Bath, Marble Bridge, Chinese Pagoda, the Grotto Pavilion and the Hermitage (not the famous museum). After a walk through the park, our tour continues with a drive to Pavlovsk. In 1777, Catherine the Great – overjoyed at the birth of her first grandson, Alexander – presented the vast hunting grounds of Pavlovsk to her son Paul. The design of the palace and grounds was entrusted to Catherine’s favourite architect, Charles Cameron. Although they were destroyed during World War II, they have now been totally restored. Pavlovsk is one of the largest landscaped parks in Europe – with around 1,800 acres of fir and birch trees, meadows and wild flowers – and is renowned for its beautiful natural landscape, which is enhanced by garden sculptures, and architecture. We will take a short walk through the park (the palace is not visited). After travelling back to the heart of St Petersburg, our lunch will be served at one of the best local restaurants and will include a glass of champagne and a shot of vodka. Refreshed, we now drive to the Peter and Paul Fortress, located on a small island in the Neva River delta. The Peter and Paul Fortress was the nucleus around which St Petersburg grew. In the heart of the fortress stands the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, which was constructed between 1712 and 1733 following the design of architect Domenico Trezzini. Peter the Great decreed that the church should remain the city’s tallest structure and even today only the television tower exceeds it in height. The Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul is the burial place of the Romanov dynasty. The royal coffins are in vaults beneath the floor with large white marble cenotaphs above, which are surrounded by railings bearing name plaques. Our final stop will be at St Isaac’s Square – dominated by the majestic St Isaac’s Cathedral, which we shall visit. The Cathedral – honouring St Isaac of Dalmatia, whose Saint’s Day (30th May) coincides with Peter the Great’s birthday – is a landmark of St Petersburg with its enormous golden dome. The church functioned until 1928 and was then converted into a Museum in 1931. During World War II the interior suffered extensive frost and moisture damage, but was restored from 1947 to 1963. Today it is still a museum, but since 1992 religious services have been held here for special occasions. The vast interior really is a sight to behold. There is enough standing room for 14,000 worshippers (nobody sits in an Orthodox Church). The intricate details include huge monolithic columns of red Finnish granite (almost 18 metres (60 feet) high and weighing a mighty 114 tonnes), three great doors of oak and bronze (each with carved reliefs and weighing 20 tonnes), walls of spectacular coloured marble inlaid with semi- precious stones and minerals and floors of marble too. Many fine mosaic icons which, from only a short distance, appear as paintings and a silver dove hanging from the centre of the dome as a symbol of the Holy Spirit will also enthral us. After a thrilling tour, we return to our ship with many a tale to tell. This tour requires a considerable amount of walking and standing, and there are no lifts available at any of the places visited (Catherine Palace, Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul or St Isaac’s Cathedral), therefore it is unsuitable for those passengers with limited mobility or wheelchairs. There are approximately 30 steps in the Catherine Palace, and 8 big steps in St Isaac’s Cathedral to negotiate.