Pavlovsk park in Saint Petersburg region

Pavlovsk Park is the biggest in Europe. Its area is about 600 hectares, so if you enter the park near the railway station, you will have to go several kilometers before you reach the pa-lace and the most beautiful places in the park. If you want to begin your tour from these most beautiful places, you should take a minibus to the palace. You should buy a map of the Pavlovsk Park at the entrance, or otherwise you will run a risk to get lost. You`d better start your excursion from the palace itself.

Pavlovsk Palace (as well as the city of Pavlovsk) was founded in 1777 by the son of Ca-therine II, Pavel (Paul), when he still was the heir to the throne. Considering very difficult relationships with his mother, he didn’t like to be at Tsarskoye Selo, that’s why Catherine gave him lands along the river Slavyanka, several kilometers of her own residence.

Architect Cameron began to build the Pavlovsk Palace. The palace properly isn’t big, but its hoof-shaped galleries form quite an impressive architectural ensemble. Then there worked many famous architects, such as Brenna, Quarenghi, Rossi, and Voronikhin. They finished the palace and built various pavilions at the park.

The most beautiful places of the park are located along the river Slavyanka. There is a stair with lions near the palace, in the Gonzaga Alley. From there you will probably have the most magnificent view of the river Slavyanka. However, you don’t hurry to go down the stair. You should go to the left along the bank, and descend to the Bridge of Centaurs. Having crossed the bridge, you should go on to the Apollo`s Colonnade. From there you will also have a very beautiful view of the river and the palace standing on its high bank.

Then, going along the riverbed, and over the Humpbacked Bridge and Black Bridge, you can get to the Temple of Friendship. This is the most beautiful building in the park. Cast-Iron Bridge is near it. You don’t forget to climb up the high bank to see a beautiful panorama of this bridge and the Temple of Friendship.

Then the road goes on along the river up to the Visconti Bridge. At that place the river Slavyanka is the widest. The bend of the river together with the heights covered with trees form quite picturesque landscapes. It is especially beautiful there in summer and autumn.

Mikhailovsky Alley goes from the Visconti Bridge to the Pill-Tower. This cone-shaped tower is located just on the river, and from the tower, through the oak alley, you may go to the picturesque Ruin Cascade. 

If you are tired by the moment, you may stop your tour of the park at this point, although you will then see only a small portion of the park. But anyway, it will be nearly impossible to look around all 600 hectares of the park. From the Ruin Cascade, through the Twelve Paths and the Triple Lime Alley, you may return to the palace. It would take you several hours to have a deliberate stroll over above mentioned places.

However, if you decide to spare the whole day for Pavlovsk, you may see some other parts of the park, for example, Old and New Silvia, White Birch, Parade Field, and Big Star. They aren’t as picturesque as the riverbed of Slavyanka, but it will give you a pleasure to have a stroll among coniferous and leaf-bearing trees. You may take a boat ride over the Venus` Pond. There is a chance that you will meet tamed squirrels there, so on your way to the park you should buy some nuts for them.