Wednesday Walk around the Imperial Palace in Gatchina

After the dark and gloomy last week of February, we got some bright spring sunshine and I decided to go for a walk in one of the suburban parks. I chose Gatchina for my walk. The choice I made was very simple - I remembered which of the parks I hadn't been to for a long time, so I went there.

The distance from St. Petersburg to Gatchina is longer than to other imperial parks. This difference is not so great, but it often makes you choose in favour of other palaces and parks. Indeed, everywhere is very beautiful, but it takes 15 minutes less to drive... A serious argument:) However, yesterday I discovered that such an argument doesn't work anymore. One of the railway lines has launched high-speed commuter trains and the journey time has been significantly reduced.

However, some logistical inconveniences still remain. Other suburbs such as Peterhof or Tsarskoe Selo are administratively included in the borders of St Petersburg, while Gatchina is located in the region. So my bus pass is not valid here, and to get around the city, or if I want to get home by bus, I have to buy a separate ticket each time. Not to mention that I'm not very good with local bus routes. However, this time I had no need for extra transport, from the commuter train station I went straight towards the Imperial Palace, it's not far away.

I only got a little distracted to walk up to a transformer box turned into a piece of cheese. I had already photographed this box last summer to show in the StreetArt community. I walked up to the transformer box to see if the graffiti was still there. There is a wide avenue of old trees leading from the station towards the palace. The lower parts of the trunks are painted white. The white colour of the trees, the melting snow in the field and the dried asphalt underfoot all combine to form a beautiful perspective.

Soon I came out to the Imperial Palace. The palace was built by Empress Catherine II for her favourite Grigory Orlov in the second half of the XVIII century. The palace was built by the famous Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi. Grigory Orlov owned this palace for a very short time. After his death, the empress bought the palace from his heirs and gave it to her son, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, the future Emperor Paul I.

The Gatchina Palace is usually associated with the name of Paul I. There is a monument to this emperor in front of the palace facade. Paul I somewhat changed the appearance and surroundings of the palace. Initially the palace looked like a hunting castle, but after some transformations it began to resemble a fortress. There were moats and a wide plaza for military parades. Also this palace was a favourite of Emperor Alexander III. The monument to Emperor Alexander III is installed in the inner courtyard, next to the entrance to the museum.

Around the palace there is an extensive park in the English style, with a free layout. It includes a complex system of lakes. In summer you can hire a paddleboat for a trip around these lakes. The islands in the park are home to ducks and swans. I didn't walk around the park for very long this time - the side paths are difficult to access at the moment, and I had to limit my walk to the main alleys.

This is my entry for the #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.