Strelna brings together several distinct chapters in the history of palaces and gardens. The local complex includes the Konstantin Palace as well as the Lower and Upper Parks; alongside these are the legacy of Peter I and the history of the former estate of the Princes Orlov. Visitors planning a stay can choose between different points of focus, including gardens, architecture and the history of individual buildings.

The Palace Ensemble and the History of the Parks

The restored Lower Park is one of Russia’s earliest formally laid-out parks. Together with the Upper Park, it forms part of the complex in Strelna, which also includes the Konstantin Palace. The three components offer different ways to explore the area: the history of the parks, garden landscapes and palace architecture sit side by side here.

Strelna’s garden and vegetable-growing complex was established in the time of Peter I. In the vegetable garden, aromatic and medicinal plants were grown together in one bed. The tradition originated in the Netherlands and is called “Ogorod na gollandskiy vkus” in Russia.

Peter I and the Early History of the Buildings

The small wooden palace of Peter I is Strelna’s earliest building and the only surviving structure from his modest country estate. Its interiors were reconstructed using surviving materials and now house a museum exhibition. The collection in the Peter I Palace includes Peter I’s personal belongings, including a formal suit, a silk dressing gown and a bedroom screen painted in the chinoiserie style. As one of the few surviving monuments of early 18th-century Russian architecture, the building is protected by the state.

The Former Estate of the Princes Orlov

The Neo-Gothic Orlov Palace belonged to the estate of the Princes Orlov in Strelna and was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. Some buildings of the former estate, listed as surviving in 2016, are considered cultural heritage sites of Russia. The contrast between the destroyed palace and the surviving estate buildings sets this history apart from that of Peter I’s small wooden palace.

Tours and Planning Your Visit

A tour of the Lower Park is offered in spring and summer. It includes a walk through the avenues and along the canals of the restored park, a visit to the grottoes of the Konstantin Palace and views of the panorama of the Gulf of Finland. Tours of the Konstantin Palace are also available. All tour routes start at the tour office in Strelna, 1 Glinki Street. Check current tour arrangements with the organiser before your visit, especially if you are planning the seasonally described park walk.

St Petersburg in the Wider Context

In the wider travel destination of St Petersburg, the mouth of the Neva, where the river flows into the Gulf of Finland, is part of the cityscape. St Petersburg is described as the greatest urban-planning creation of the 18th century. Its architectural heritage combines Baroque and Neoclassicism; examples include the Admiralty, the Winter Palace, the Marble Palace and the Hermitage. Urban planning in St Petersburg began in 1703 under Peter the Great. Numerous canals and more than 400 bridges shape the urban landscape.

Discover more destinations: Pushkin, Komarovo, Pargolovo, Solnechnoye, Kolpino, Kronstadt, Pontonnyy, Lomonosov

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