A small town of Lomonosov is on the Gulf of Finland Coast, 10 kilometers to the west of Peterhof Palace. In the beginning of the 18th century Count Menshikov who was the closest companions of Peter I began to build his country residence on the outskirts of the town. According to the most trusted version, the name of this estate has got from the conservatory of common orange trees called Oraniebaum.
Great Menshikov Palace was built on the terrace from which one could descend to the lower park by cascade stairs. The length of the palace façade is 210 meters. In the time of Menshi-kov the luxury of the Oranienbaum was superior to that of the existing buildings of Peterhof.
Two pavilions were built on both sides of the Great Palace, and each of them faced the pond Karpin. Lower Park was created on the front side of the palace. The huge territory of the Upper Park is behind the palace.
In the Upper Park the architect Rinaldi designed the architectural ensemble of the Peterstadt surrounded by the Peter`s Garden. It consisted of a diminutive palace and a poteshny (amusing) fortress, of which only the Gate of Honor survived. In the second half of the 18th century there was built the so-called Own Dacha of Catherine II with Chinese Palace and Sliding Hill Pavilion. In winter there were also built ice sliding hills for amusing events.
In the Chinese Palace you are to see the Bugles Study, which retained the original trimmings of 1760. Bugles are elongated glass cylinders with lengthwise holes for threads. And so the technology was invented in France the panels in the Chinese Palace were made in Russia. The Bugles Study is rightly considered to be the world`s masterpiece of palace interiors.
