Located 27 kilometers from St.Petersburg and only 3 kilometers from Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), this summer residence of Russian emperor Paul I was founded in 1777, when Catherine the Great presented those hunting grounds to her son – future emperor Paul I to build a summer residence on the banks of river Slavyanka. The construction of spectacular Palace and Park ensemble of the late 18^th century was supervised by Catherine the Great’s favorite architect Charles Cameron. Being fond of ancient Greek and Roman art, Cameron planned the construction in classical style with galleries, connecting the household wings with the main part of the Palace, impressing the visitors with inspiring glory and simplicity of surroundings. After Paul I ascended the throne after Catherine the Great, he hired an Italian architect Vincenzo Brenna to reconstruct the palace in to a more parade and shining residence, as Pavlovsk was meant to obtain a gala status. Destroyed by the fire, the palace was finally redesigned in the middle of 19^th century by architects Voronikhin and Stakenschneider and got impressing classical appearance, retained till nowadays.

During the occupation period of WWII the palace was heavily damaged, but during the further reconstruction in 20^th century many decorative details were restored and the palace was opened for visitors as a museum.  Based on the collections of Paul I and Empress Maria Fedorovna, who visited well-known workshops, purchasing furniture, bronze, silk and paintings, the diverse art collections found its place in state rooms of the former palace.

The Pavlovsk palace is surrounded with one of the biggest and picterscue parks in Europe, covered almost 600 hectares. Designed for almost 25 years by Pietro Gonzaga, the park has several parts. The Private Orchid – a part, adjusted to the west façade of the palace – is laid as a regular Holland park, although the “Private garden and the Great Circles are richly decorated sculptures and elements of regular garden. Walking through the alleys, having romantic names like Young Fiancé, the Green Dame, the White Birch, one can face graceful sculptures, vases and numerous pavilions. Some of them were designed by Catherine the Great’s favorite architect Cameron (Apollo Colonnade, the Temple of Friendship pavilions, the impressive sixteen-column Three Graces Pavilion, and the Summer Bird-Cage), some of them by Paul I’s favorite - architect Vincenzo Brenna (the Spire Tower pavilion and the Amphitheatre). The wide territory of Pavlovsk is the most lyrical and spectacular park in St.Petersburg’s surrounding nowadays.