Day Trips from St Petersburg - St Petersburg - page 341

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Anyone interested in Prince Menshikov, best friend of Peter the Great, and the first
governor of St Petersburg, will be fascinated by this testament to his growing vanity.
While Peter was building Monplaisir at Peterhof, Menshikov began his own palace at
Oranienbaum (Orange Tree), 12km further down the coast. Peter was unfazed by the
fact that his subordinate's palace in St Petersburg (Menshikov Palace, CLICK HERE )
was grander than his own, and Menshikov also outdid his master in creating this fab-
ulous retreat. While not particularly opulent compared to the palaces that Elizabeth
and Catherine the Great favoured, by Petrine standards Oranienbaum was off the
scale. Today, Oranienbaum (which is also known by its Soviet-era name, Lomonosov)
is in the midst of a vast restoration project, but it remains a great place to visit for
strolling in the beautiful grounds.
The Best…
» Sight Great Palace ( CLICK HERE )
» Place to Eat Okhota ( CLICK HERE )
» Quirky Sight Deer park (in between the palace grounds and the Chinese Palace)
Top Tip
It's very easy to combine Oranienbaum with a visit to Peterhof. From the palace at
Peterhof, walk down to the main road and pick up any marshrutky with Гатчина writ-
ten on it. Tell the driver you want to go 'v gátchinsky dvaryéts' .
Getting There & Away
Marshrutka These depart from Avtovo metro station (R70, 50 minutes).
Train The train from St Petersburg's Baltic Station to Petrodvorets continues to
Oranienbaum (R62, one hour). Get off at Lomonosov Station, an hour from St Peters-
burg, and walk diagonally across the little park in front. Keep going up to the main
road, turn right, pass the unmissable Archangel Michael Cathedral and the park en-
trance is on your left.