📖 The Environs of Saint Petersburg. Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo, Pavlovsk, Oranienbaum, Gatchina

If we were to cast a mental gaze over the majestic panorama of palace and park ensembles situated on the banks of the Neva and its tributaries, lining the shores of the Gulf of Finland and prevailing over the rural landscape, our hearts would be filled with an indescribable sense of emotion. The image renders conventional descriptions flat and meaningless. Instead, 18th-century panegyrics and odes spring to mind, their imagery and lexicon embodied in the highest degree. The imperial palace and park ensembles are a unique visual chronicle of the Russian empire, the pages of which record the fate of all the family members of the Romanov dynasty in both its years of success and days of tragedy. The names of architects and sculptors, skilful creators of artistic treasures who have contributed to the immortal spirit of Russia, live on in the memory of the grateful heirs to this legacy. This explains the incredible efforts that were made to restore Saint Petersburg's royal...