On the territory of the Leningrad region in Gatchina is located the only unique earth-scraping structure in Russia. This Priory Palace. Its uniqueness is not only in history, but also in construction technology. For the construction of the palace, wooden forms were used, in which the earth was compacted with a high clay content. Each layer 6-10 centimeters thick was poured in for lime mortar strength. It is from such peculiar bricks that the Priory was built. The whole building is surrounded by a retaining wall made of porous pudost stone, which is very light, but at the same time is durable.
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A bit of history
Before starting construction, the architect Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lvov, who directed the project, built a house for the favorite of the emperor by a similar technology, as well as a corner of the hut. The soldiers tried it for strength with sabers, the ladies were pricked with umbrellas, but the monolithic structure stood. After this, it was decided to proceed with construction, and in 1799 the Emperor Paul accepted the finished work, after which he transferred the castle to the Order of Malta.
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In France, the Knights of the Order of Malta were subject to persecution and were forced to ask for help from the Russian Empire. Only the young emperor who came to the throne created the Great Preoratstvo in Russia and became in fact the head of the order, and all subsequent years the Priory Palace belonged to the royal family.
Gatchina Priory Palace is not in the usual for us understanding of the palace. There are no excesses and pompous decoration. Both externally and internally the palace is more than modest, like a hunting lodge outside the city. On what side of the visitor would not look at the Priorat - it will always be different. Particularly beautiful is the palace from the side of the Black Lake - it seemed to come up from the depths.
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In different years the palace was used for various needs. In the 19th century, the Lutheran church was built here with the permission of the Great Empress Maria Feodorovna. Later, during the First World War, there was a hospital for the wounded. In the thirties of the last century Priorat had a tourist center for Leningrad workers. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, reconstruction was carried out, after which there was the House of Pioneers, and then the Museum of Local Lore. Since the beginning of the eighties, restoration began, which lasted until 2004, then the Priory opened its doors to visitors.
Priory Palace - address and time of work
Visiting the main attraction of Gatchina - the Priory Palace - is possible all year round, but in different seasons the schedule of this museum's work changes slightly. So, in the cold season (October-April), the Priory is open from 10.00-18.00 (tickets can be purchased until 5 pm), and from May to September, visitors are waiting from 11.00 to 19.00 (the ticket office is open until 18.00).
You can get here by various means of transport - by train from the Baltic station in St. Petersburg to the station "Gatchina Baltiyskaya". If you go by bus, you need to take the route number 431 or shuttle bus 18, 18a, 100. All of them depart from the metro station "Moskovskaya", and number 631 from the metro station "Veterans". Address: Gatchina, Chkalov street, Prioratsky park. The first Tuesday at the beginning of each month is a sanitary day, and the museum is closed for visits.
In the museum of Priorat there are excursions, and in the Capella there are concerts, which due to excellent acoustics and cozy atmosphere have their permanent listeners. On the second floor there is an exposition of what is connected with the Priory Palace, and on the first one you can visit the exhibition of Oriental art.
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