Chinese palace

The Chinese Palace is part of a palace and park ensemble called Oranienbaum. It was built in 1762-1768 by architect Antonio Rinaldi for Catherine II.

Some elements of the interior of the palace are decorated in the Chinese style, from which its name came. In 1922, the building turned into a museum, which houses collections of works of Japanese and Chinese applied art. It is unique in that it is made in the Rococo style, which was a rarity for buildings of the middle of the XVIII century.

In 2011, the building was restored. Now there are 4 halls - the Hall of Muses, the Large Anti-Camera, the Glass Cabinet and the Blue Living Room.

The exterior of the palace is characterized by simplicity and severity of the appearance, at the same time, the whole structure speaks of sophistication, luxury and variety of interior decoration. Door and window openings are glazed and have large dimensions. Each room differs in shape and decoration depending on its purpose. The furniture was created separately for each of the rooms according to the architect’s sketches.

Rinaldi connected the appearance of the palace with the nearby park and pond. The northern facade looks more solemn. Its center stands out, thanks to the oval risalite with four pilasters. The protrusion ends with a small pediment and a baroque figure attic. On it are three white sculptures, along the axes of which there are windows-doors. These doorways have semicircular finishes.

The southern facade is different from the northern facade. Two protruding risalites are attached to the building. On the first floor there is a glazed gallery.