In 1777, Catherine the Great gifted a plot of land near her summer residence, Tsarskoe Selo to her son Pavel and his wife Maria Fedorovna in honor of the birth of their son Alexander.
The Pavlovsk Palace was started in 1782 and was constructed mainly under the supervision of the royal architect, an Italian Vincenzo Benna. When Pavel was coronated in 1796, the palace became the emperor’s residence. Later, the tradition was established to pass the ownership of the castle only to male heirs.
In 1918, the Pavlovsk Palace became the state museum. Unfortunately, many of its treasures were sold abroad to raise funds to develop industries in communist Russia.
During WW2, the palace and the park were occupied by the German troops and greatly suffered from a fire in 1944.
A huge restoration effort in the 1950s to 1970s resulted in the Pavlovsk to be the first restored architectural complex in the Soviet Union.
Today, the palace is an extremely interesting place. You can see the actual living chambers of the 19th-century nobility as well as the lushly decorated palace halls.
There are various permanent and temporary exhibitions in addition to the palace interiors. For example, the private chambers of Empress Maria Fеodorovna, the Russian interior in the 19th and the early 20th century, a noble woman’s world and her hobbies, and the museum of the Emperor’s clothing.
The Pavlovsk Park is considered to be one of the best landscape parks not only in Russia, but also in Europe. It is located in a very beautiful place – in the picturesque valley of the Slavyanka River.
The landscape park was built with an only small adjustment to nature – there are no straight paths and clipped trees, and the outskirts of the park more resemble a forest.
The park is quite big (approximately 600 hectares or 1,500 acres). It is my favorite place for hiking and cross-country skiing.
Opening hours of the Pavlovsk Park and Palace and Entrance Tickets
The museum’s address is Sadovaya St., 20, Pavlovsk, St. Petersburg, 196621.
The palace is open from 10 am to 6 pm. The park opens at 7 am and closes its gates at 11 pm (summertime).
Tickets to the palace are 600 rubles ($8.50) and the park tickets are 100 rubles ($1.30). The park entrance is free before 9 am and after 9 pm.
The Palace is closed on Fridays and the first Monday of each month.
The official web page of the Pavlovsk museum can be found here.
Tickets are sold in the ticket boxes in the Palace. You can also join one of the organized tours to Pavlovsk from Saint Petersburg.
From St Petersburg to Pavlovsk by Train
Trains to Pavlovsk depart from the Vitebsky Train Station (Витебский вокзал) in the center of Saint Petersburg (Metro Pushkinskaya). It will take 40 minutes by train from St Petersburg Vitebsky Train Station to the Pavlovsk train station.
Alternatively, you can catch the same train at Metro Kupchino in the south part of Saint Petersburg for a shorter 20-minute ride.
For train schedules check here (in Russian).
There are trains that terminate in Pavlovsk. I recommend these trains over the ones with final stops in Novolisino, Poselok, Oredezh, as it would generally be less crowded.
The short-haul train (electrichka) is the most authentic way of transportation in St Petersburg. Coaches are equipped with heating. There are no AC or washrooms onboard. In the summer, you will find many retirees traveling to and from dacha on these trains.
As you get off the train, you can take a bus or a marshrutka minibus to the Pavlovsk Palace. Buses 370, 372, 375а, 383, and 493 and minibuses 286, 521 circulate between the Pavlovsk train station and the tourist attractions.
Alternatively, enter the Pavlovsk Park right across the train station and enjoy a picturesque walk to the Palace (Дворец) through the park for approximately 20 minutes.
From St Petersburg to Pavlovsk by Bus
Marshrutka is a minibus, a very popular mode of transport in St Petersburg and the suburbs. Some minibuses go to the Pavlovsk train station, while others will go all the way to the Palace.
- From Metro Moskovskaya – minibus 545a, 545b (to the Pavlovsk train station)
- From Metro Kupchino – minibus 521, 286 (directly to the Pavlovsk Palace) and 363, 545a (to the Pavlovsk train station)
- From Metro Zvezdnaya – bus 179, minibus 363 (to the Pavlovsk train station)
Tours from St Petersburg to Pavlovsk
There are private and small group tours that look like a good option to visit Pavlovsk. A driver will pick you up from your hotel.
Tours to Pavlovsk are often combined with the visit to the Catherine Palace which is only a few miles away.
Pavlovsk can be a part of visa-free tour programs to St Petersburg.
Alternatively, get a larger group tour from in front of the Gostinyi Dvor shopping center. There are quite a few companies that offer all kinds of tours in coach buses.
Look for booths like the one on the phone below marked ЭКСКУРСИИ (Excursions).
