Tsarina Elizabeth commissioned Rastrelli to build a grand summer palace about 15 miles from St. Petersburg. The Catherine Palace
, named for Elizabeth's mother Catherine I, was the result of his work. The Catherine Palace, also known as Tsarskoe Selo or Tsar's Village, was completed in the mid-1700's, but has been significantly changed over the centuries, first by Catherine the Great (Catherine II), and then after World War II. The palace was ransacked and almost destroyed by the Germans, but photos have allowed the magnificent reconstruction.
The Amber Room is the most famous of the palace rooms, and a recreation of the original room was completed in 2003. The Great Hall, filled with mirrors and gilded carvings, is a perfect remembrance of what life was like for the Russian aristocracy of the 18th and 19th centuries. These photos, accompanied by an article on a day at Catherine Palace, help show why this palace is one of the most popular cruise ship shore excursions in St. Petersburg.