Visiting Oranienbaum and Lomonosov
Oranienbaum is perhaps the least visited of St. Petersburg's suburban palaces, despite the rich and unique treasures it has to offer. This can partly be attributed to the decades of neglect that have left most of the buildings in critical condition and allowed the park to be overrun by nature. Thankfully, the estate has now come under the auspices of Peterhof's management, and a massive renovation programme is already underway. For the next several years, however, it will be necessary to check which parts of the park and which buildings are currently open to the public.
Oranienbaum is only 12km along the coast from Peterhof, so it is possible for those with some stamina to combine the two in a single daytrip. A marshrutka minibus (K-348) connects the two estates. From St. Petersburg it is possible to take a minibus (K-300) from Avtovo Metro Station, or suburban trains from Baltiskiy Station. Either way, the journey takes a little under one hour.
| Address: | 50, Dvortsovy Prospekt, Lomonosov (town) |
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| Phone: | +7 (812) 450-5287 |
| Website: | http://peterhofmuseum.ru/page.php?id=7 |
Oranienbaum Park
Located on a slight incline, this pretty landscaped park is slowly being restored to its former glories, and contains a number of unusual architectural features.
| Open: | Daily, 9 am to 8 pm. |
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| Admission: | RUB 200.00 (Ticketed admission: May to October 9am to 5pm in Saturday, Sunday and public holidays) |
| Accessibility note: | Wheelchair access to the park |
Grand Menshikov Palace
This superbly elegant baroque palace was originally built for Peter the Great's closest adviser, and was the only suburban palace to survive World War 2 intact.
| Open: | Daily, except Tuesday, 10:30 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5 pm. Closed: May 1 to October 9: Monday. October 10 to April 30: Tuesday and the last Wednesday of each month. |
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| Admission: | Adult: RUB 500.00 Children: RUB 250.00 |
| Accessibility note: | No wheelchair access in the museum. |
Chinese Palace
The favorite retreat of Catherine the Great, this small but exquisitely designed neoclassical villa has superbly restored interiors in "Oriental" style.
| Open: | May 1 to October 9: Daily, except Monday, 10:30 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5 pm. |
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| Admission: | Adult: RUB 400.00 Children: RUB 200.00. Photo not allowed |
| Accessibility note: | No wheelchair access in the museum. |
Palace of Peter III
This modest two-storey building was built for the future Peter III, and was the centre of Petershtadt, his peculiar model fortress of which he styled himself the Commandant.
| Open: | May 1 to October 9: Daily, except Monday, 10:30 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5 pm. October 10 to April 30: Saturday and Friday, 10:30 am to 5 pm. Last admission is at 4 pm. |
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| Admission: | Adult: RUB 400.00 Children: RUB 200.00. Photo not allowed |
| Accessibility note: | No wheelchair access in the museum. |
Stone Hall
Built as part of a Summer Palace for Peter III, this simple two-storey block by Antonio Rinaldi was later used as a Lutheran church, and is now an exhibition and concert hall.
| Open: | May 1 to October 9: Daily, except Tuesday, 10:30 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5 pm. October 10 to April 30: Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 am to 5 pm. Last admission is at 4 pm. |
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| Admission: | Adult: RUB 250.00 Children: RUB 150.00 |
| Accessibility note: | No wheelchair access in the museum. |
