Park and palace of Kadriorg.

The beautiful baroque palace and Kadriorg Park are 2 km away. from the center of Tallinn - this is one of the best creations of the masters of the XVIII century in the then Estonian province created by order of Peter I during the Great Northern War.

Jean-Marc Nattier (1685–1766)

Benner, Jean Henri - Portrait of Peter I

In accordance with the plan of the architect Nicollo Michetti, specially invited from Rome, the palace was built in the image and likeness of Italian villas, consisting of a main building and two outbuildings. The main hall is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture not only in Estonia, but throughout Northern Europe. In addition to Russian and Italian artists, masters from Stockholm, Riga and Tallinn also took part in the work on the building. The two-story hall is richly decorated with stucco and ceiling paintings. The vestibule and some other rooms in the main building retain their original appearance from the 18th century.

The name Kadriorg (Catherine's Valley) is associated with the name of Empress Catherine II. Most of the rulers of the Russian Empire, starting with the daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth, regularly visited the imperial summer residence.

VIGILIUS ERICHSEN Catherine the Great.

Catherine II. 1770s. Sablukov Ivan Semyonovich

Portrait of Catherine II in a traveling suit. SHIBANOV Mikhail

In 1714, a summer manor was purchased for Peter I from the Drentelnov family for the construction of a park and a palace. Initially, the park was intended for walks of the townspeople (who, having heard about the cool temper of the tsar, were simply afraid to walk there), the palace was for the summer residence of the royal family, named after the wife of Peter I, Catherine I - Kadriorg (Catherine's Valley).

July 22, 1718 is considered to be Kadriorg's birthday. Peter I arrived in Tallinn on a ship on July 19, 1718. With him came the Roman architect Niccolò Michetti, who had been accepted into the Russian service a few months earlier, and his apprentice Gaetano Chiaveri, who later surpassed his teacher. Together they determined the location and composition of the "new palace", as well as the layout of the park and gardens.

The view from the palace Old city, harbor and sea. The choice of location was, of course, not accidental, because Peter I had a special craving for the sea. Unfortunately, the construction of the park and the palace was not completed during the life of Peter I.

In the future, the Kadriorg Palace, as a royal residence, was used relatively rarely. During visits to Tallinn, all Russian emperors stayed in the palace - from Peter I to the last of the Romanov dynasty - Nicholas II.

In 1919, the history of the palace as a museum began, where the Art Museum is currently located. The museum's collection consists of more than 900 Western European and Russian paintings, 3,500 printed publications and about 3,000 sculptures. The lobby and some other rooms in the main building have retained their original appearance.

I really like to visit the Kadriorg park in Tallinn. It is beautiful in all seasons of the year. In summer, there is a riot of greenery, the play of fountains, a pond where black and white swans gracefully swim, which tourists and locals love to feed.

The flowerbeds are real living pictures, skillfully and carefully created by park workers. Palaces, museums, children's playgrounds, Singing field. All this will share your summer mood!

In autumn you will find yourself at a real leaf fall ball. Expanse for children - you can knock down prickly hedgehogs of chestnuts with sticks (they won’t scold), make wreaths of leaves.

In winter, it's just nice to wander along the sleepy alleys covered with snow, feed the birds and squirrels, which here are completely tame and trustingly can take food directly from your palm.

In the spring, you are happy to watch the awakening of nature, breathe in the fresh park air, and the heart also comes to life and thaws.

Interesting fact: It can be said that Estonian spa culture was born in Kadriorg. And the first such salon was founded on the coast in 1813 by a certain adviser Witte.

How to get there

It is necessary to move from Viru Keskus bypassing Tallinn University along the Narva highway. With a brisk step get there in 25 minutes.

Story

The very name “Kadriorg” sends us back to the time of Peter the Great, because it was in honor of the beloved wife of the Great Catherine that the park got its name. True, at first it was pronounced as Yekaterinenthal, but after that it turned into an understandable Estonian ear modern name. “Kadriorg” means “Valley of Kadri”, and Kadri, you guessed it, is the Estonian analogue of the name of ancient Greek origin beloved in Russia - Catherine.

The park is located on 300 hectares. After the capitulation of Tallinn (then - Revel) and the annexation of Estonia to Russia during the events of the Northern War of 1700-1721. Peter the Great and his wife first arrived in Revel in 1711.

In Reval, they really liked the place near Lasnamyagi (Bald Mountain), where noble Revelers had their summer estates. So Peter I bought one of the plots into the state ownership of Russia in 1714. In the house located there, our king arranged his residence (today - a museum: house I). Compared to Petersburg scale, it was very modest.

In the garden adjacent to Peter's house, "unprecedented trees" from Holland grew - chestnuts. According to the plan, it was decided to create in this unique natural place palace and park ensemble, as in the capital Peterhof. The case was entrusted to the Roman architect Niccolo Michetti with his assistant Gaetano Chiaveri, as well as their "colleague" - Petersburger Mikhail Zemtsov.

It is believed that Peter the Great himself laid 3 bricks in the wall of the palace, which was finally built in 1727. They are located in the corner pilaster of the northern wing. At the same time, park ponds were created.

Today we can see a part of the beauty conceived by Peter in the 18th century. Unfortunately, his ideas were never put into practice until the end. By the way, the king himself, the founder of this Tallinn pearl, ordered that the park be made public, that is, with his light hand, Kadriorg became public property.

Initial layout

The three-level natural landscape of the area itself eloquently suggested how to arrange the location of park areas. In front of the palace, majestically spreading 2 wings on a ledge like a giant stage, the Lower Garden was supposed to be, behind the palace - a flower garden with a fountain Mirage wall. And above - Mirage lake with the upper garden.

The lower garden, which had the shape of a cross at its base, was divided by alleys. In its oak forest, even today there are centuries-old oaks that are older than the palace. Arched bridges were thrown over the canals. In front of the palace, the space was decorated with flower beds. The upper garden was courtyard.

Here and today they support the color scheme of flowers to match the pink walls of the palace. Peter also wanted to create a sculptural cascade of fountains, for which a canal was dug from Lake Yulimiste, which fed the ponds and canals of Kadriorg.

But after his death, the new royal court considered noteworthy only bringing what Peter started to the end. But even in this “unfinished” version, the Kadriorg ensemble appeared as a grandiose masterpiece in the Baroque style for little Tallinn.

Reconstructions of "Kadriorg"

At the end of the XIX century. The lower garden began to look more like dark thickets. In 1897, the oak grove was thinned out in accordance with the renovation project of Kadriorg. Sea views have become more open. In 1902, at the end of the Sea Alley near the sea, the Mermaid monument was erected (a story about it below). In 1934 the Swan Pond was changed. An elegant rotunda appeared on the island in the center (architect V. Seidra), in front of which everyone loves to be photographed today. On the site there is a decorative garden - Kivisilla with flower beds, on which, preserving traditions, flowers in the colors of the Estonian folk costume are planted even today. There is also a sundial.

To the south of the pond, the Youth Park appears with a swimming pool and sports grounds. In the part facing Lasnamäe, there is a concert venue of the Song Festival Grounds. On the lower terrace there is a Rose Garden with a fountain, the building of the Presidential Chancellery is being built (architect A. Kotli), where Presidential palace.

Part of the channels of the Lower Garden has been liquidated, but a pond has appeared, into which from the rocky slopes of the Little wolf gorge-Väike Hundikuristik - a quick stream runs down. In 1990, the Small Enterprise of Kadriorg takes on the transformation, rolling up its sleeves. Having gained independence, again draws attention to unique park, which appeared in its capital, by the way, thanks to the Russian Tsar.

In 2000, Catherine's Palace was restored and the Flower Garden with fountains was restored.

In 2005, a bronze sculpture of Poseidon (sculptor M. Karmin) appeared in the cascading niche, and a rose garden with 5,500 rose bushes replaced the alpine hill.
In the summer, I highly recommend visiting this wonderful place. Aroma, beauty, tenderness!

In 2006, busts of Presidents K. Päts and the legendary L. Meri, whose name the Tallinn airport bears today, were installed in the niches of the wall of the Upper Garden.
In 2011, the rarest Japanese garden in Europe was opened in Kadriorg.
Park "Kadriorg" is free to visit all year round and around the clock!

Main Attractions

I really want you to love this wonderful place of rest just like me! Kadriorg should be given a whole day of your trip, because there are so many interesting things here!

Monuments

On the map you can see their location in Kadriorg.

• Monument "Mermaid" (Russalka malestussammas) - No. 1. This is the creation of the famous sculptor and painter, academician, one of the founders of Estonian national art Amandus Adamson. There is a monument by the sea at the exit from Kadriorg. Dedicated to 177 sailors of the Russian Imperial Fleet who died on the battleship Rusalka on September 7, 1893. Created mainly on donations from citizens. Newlyweds certainly come here, and school graduates meet the dawn. A beautiful tradition. Tourists like to take pictures on the site of the monument. Climb the steps of the stone stairs, opposite which is a bronze bas-relief depicting an armadillo fighting a storm. Read the names of 12 dead officers. On the pillars surrounded by the monument are the names of 165 other members of the Mermaid crew. Bronze details were made in St. Petersburg, lanterns - in Reval, granite was brought from Finland.

• Bjust the author of "Mermaid" Amandus Adamson, installed in 1962 (sculptor Albert Eskel, architect Allan Murdmaa) - No. 2.
• Monument Estonian teacher, doctor, writer Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, opened in 1958 (Sculptors: Endel Taniloo and Martin Sachs) - No. 3.

I think you will be interested to know that the main work of this unique writer is the Estonian national epic Kalevipoeg, based on folk tales. And we see the images of Kalev and his wife Linda on the wrappers of the most popular Kalev chocolates.

• Monument to politician and activist Jaan Poska, installed in Kadriorg in 2016 (architect Pille Noole, Yllar Ambos and Joannis Likuras, sculptor Elo Liiv) - No. 4.

• Monument to Estonian sculptor Jaan Koort, installed in 1983 (authors: Edgar Vieyes and Andres Mänd). The works of Koort himself are presented in the KUMU museum, located in Kadriorg (which I will also talk about) - No. 5.

• Monument to Gustav Ernesaks- Estonian songwriter, composer and conductor. (2004, work by E. Valli and V. Lillimets). A large 2.5 m sculpture is located on the Singing Field - No. 6.

One gets the feeling that the composer is sitting and looking at the song arena. On the base of the monument is an autograph of Ernesaks himself. Children and adult tourists really like to be photographed on his lap.

Museums

For convenience, I offer a map of the museums I describe.

Catherine Palace (№1)

Today one of the 5 branches of the Art Museum of Estonia is located here. Here are works of foreign art of the 16th - early 20th centuries: Western European and Russian painting, graphics, sculpture and applied art (more than 9,000 works). That is, it is the only museum entirely dedicated to masterpieces created outside of Estonia. Its branch is the Mikkel Museum.

The main goal of the Kadriorg Art Museum, so to speak, is “to bring the beautiful, created outside the country, to the masses”.

The conferences held here and the outgoing scientific publications serve for this purpose. Therefore, the network of friendly contacts at this museum is wide. It includes collegial relations with museums, restoration centers and scientific institutes in Europe and Russia, cooperation with the institutions of Estonia itself.

Classes for students and student practice are held here. It also has its own educational center - with the pompous name of the Palace School, where more than 1000 excursions and a lot of events for children are organized every year, dozens of youth programs are carried out, as well as lectures from the Saturday Academy for adults, guide courses are organized, even birthday celebrations are held.

The museum often hosts chamber concerts and receptions.

Opening hours and tickets

• October-April: Wed: 10:00-20:00; Thu-Sun.: 10:00–17:00
• May–September: Wed: 10:00–20:00; Tue, Thu–Sun. 10:00–17:00
• Tickets: adult 4.80 EUR, preferential - 2.80 EUR, family - 9.30 EUR.
• With TallinnCard - free of charge.
• General admission to KUMU, Kadriorg Art Museum and Mikkel Museum - 11 EUR (the most convenient option)

Mikkel Museum (#2)

Also - a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia. Located in a small house of the former kitchen of the Catherine Palace. All exhibits were donated in 1994 by collector Johannes Mikkel (1907–2006). This is the richest private collection in Estonia. Such is the “micro Tretyakov Gallery”. Here is a mass of works of art of different techniques of execution of the period of the 16th-20th centuries.

Mikkel himself considered himself a philosopher, and with his philosophy he preached, as a collector, that it is not necessary to look for art objects, since art itself has the gift to come where it is understood and loved.

Opening hours and tickets

• Opening hours: Wed: 10:00-20:00; Thu–Sun: 10:00–17:00;
• Adult ticket (since 2017) - 5 EUR, reduced ticket - 3.50 EUR, family ticket - 10 EUR

Museum KUMU (№3)

I, who had seen enough museums in different parts of the world, was pleasantly surprised by it. Here's something right away! Just plunged into his melody, and wanted to sing along! It will take at least 2 hours to visit the galleries of this one of the 5 branches of the Art Museum of Estonia (and by the right of scale - the main building, opened in 2006). Estonian art from the 18th century is represented here. to the present day.

I wrote about him in . The museum has a cafe, so you can drink coffee and even have lunch right between viewing exhibition displays. I especially draw your attention to the interactive exhibitions of young talented designers and artists that take place here. Taking part in their plans, you yourself seem to start playing some kind of game that has suddenly opened up for you. The museum is good for inspiration and relaxation.

Ticket prices from 2017: adult 8 EUR, reduced 6 EUR; family 16 EUR

Miiamilla Children's Museum (#4)

The branch of the Tallinn City Museum is located near the Swan Pond in a cozy house with a turret. Open since 2009 for children from 3 to 10 years old. Children under 7 years old will certainly be accompanied by adults, for whom everything here will be interesting. Mandatory condition - you need a change of shoes. Not captured, the choice is yours - either stomp in socks, or buy slippers at the checkout.

There is also a nice innovation in this museum: if you come with several children, and one of them is a baby (and there is no one to leave at home), then they will give you a lock for the stroller, with which you will fasten it from the outside and avoid "theft of this vehicle"!

Here, children ask questions, twist and turn everything, try it by eye and by mouth (probably). It's fun and interesting here! In addition, for you - a cozy cafe: pastries, juices, coffee, ice cream!

Opening hours and tickets

• You can come here Tue–Sun: 12:00–18:00 (ticket office closes at 17:30).
• Tickets: family (two adults and up to four children) - 6 EUR; preferential (children from 3 years old, schoolchildren, students, military personnel, pensioners) - 2 EUR; adult - 3 EUR. Babies under 2 years - free! Active Tallinn Card.
• We photograph everything, but only with the condition - without a flash!

House Museum of Peter the Great (№5)

Since 1941 - a branch of the Tallinn City Museum.

This is the same house-residence, the modesty of which I have already mentioned. Here the royal couple Peter and Catherine stopped from 1714.

Emperor Alexander I took care of the preservation of this house, who visited Revl () in 1804, seeing the state of this house, he demanded to restore the dilapidated "old palace" of Peter I. And, it should be noted that already in the 19th century this museum became popular both among Revelians and their guests. Today, educational lectures, events and excursions are also held here (including in Russian).

Opening hours and tickets

• Tickets: adult - 2 EUR; students - 1 EUR; with TallinnCard - free of charge.
• Open: (May–August) Tue–Sun: 10:00–18:00; (October–April) Wed–Sun: 10.00–17.00

Also worth seeing

These sights can be seen here:

Japanese garden

When I saw this garden for the first time, I was very happy that another wonderful decoration appeared in Kadriorg!

The garden has been open since 2011, created in the refined Japanese tradition by landscape artist, hereditary gardener Masao Sone, and occupies 6 hectares. Such parks exist only in London and Amsterdam. The Japanese do not encourage the spread of their garden school throughout Europe. But they treated Tallinn favorably.

The very formation of the Japanese garden takes a long time, for years, therefore, with each visit to I find something new in this corner. On weekdays, it is more deserted here, so meditation lovers have a chance to be in solitude. But in general this place is popular, and is becoming more and more visited.

At the exit you will see a boulder brought from Hiroshima. It commemorates the victims of the atomic bombing. Such a combination of blooming life, and, as I felt, a reminder of its fragility.

It is better to visit here in the summer, during the flowering of irises, rhododendrons and azaleas. Near the paths there are information tables telling Interesting Facts about this wonderful place.

singing field

In Estonian lauluvälja. Song festivals, concerts during the Beer Festival, various musical events are held here. Indoor arena - a unique stage under open sky built in 1959.

In 2004, a large statue of the famous Estonian composer and choir conductor Gustavs Ernesaks appeared here (see the Memorials section).

As for the Singing Field, once in my childhood I myself participated among thousands of people in this legendary song festival. There were certainly choirs in all schools in Tallinn, and we all prepared in advance for this apotheotic event for the world of culture. No wonder this holiday is on the list of UNESCO cultural heritage.

The atmosphere was amazing. The next holiday will be held in 2019. And in winter, children love to sled here from the snow-covered slopes, and head over heels too.

presidential residence

Opposite the Catherine Palace is another palace - the presidential one. It was built in 1938 in neoclassical style. The president living here is guarded by a guard of honor of two fellows in military uniform. It is interesting to watch the change of guards, and for this guard in general.

We somehow saw that one of the sentries - a young guy - suddenly returned to his post with 2 paper cups. Apparently, the lads decided to cheer up coffee. Yes, yes, he passed one cup to another, and right at the post they began to drink with pleasure! And then I imagined something that, in principle, it is impossible to imagine! Someone from any of our guards of honor, or from the guys that guard the same Buckingham Palace, would also run for coffee. It's unthinkable! And here! Maybe that's what "freedom in Estonian" means! In general, these brave guys from the security are usually quite friendly. Once they even started joking with us when we took pictures at the palace, asking us to immortalize them on camera. Once I had to observe another curiosity: in front of this residence, one day, some strange-looking “tired traveler” was snoring calmly under an umbrella opened from the sun, and no one drove him away. Apparently, this is why this place is known as the "most homely" of the presidential residences of the Baltic countries.

Where to dine

Since it’s really quite possible to stay in Kadriorg for the whole day, it’s time to think about where weary travelers can eat!

• Good restaurant for lunch "Kadriorg" on A. Weizenbergi 18. Reviews about him are good. You can taste European cuisine with Estonian zest.

• Be sure to check out a cute cafe near the Lebidin Pond "Park Cafe" in the style of a Viennese patisserie. Stylized clothes of waitresses, engravings on the walls, an open summer terrace, excellent pastries, good coffee.
• The Kumu and Miiamilla museums also have decent cafes.
• In the park, often nice girls in national costumes from stalls stylized as carts sell fried almonds of various varieties and some other sweets, so you can also feast on them.

Finally

It is good to visit Kadriorg in any season. Here you will always get a lot of wonderful experiences. After all, even in rainy weather or in winter, you can visit museums and sit in cozy cafes. And let the natural splendor delight you with its fairy tales. What do I advise? Take an umbrella, a camera, wear comfortable shoes for hiking And don't forget to grab a good mood too!

Address: Estonia, Tallinn
Start of construction: 1718
Completion of construction: 1727
Architect: Nicolo Michetti
Coordinates: 59°26"18.4"N 24°47"29.3"E

Content:

Short description

Only 10 minutes by car from Old Tallinn, and the tourist finds himself in the prestigious seaside district of Kadriorg.

Palace and park ensemble Kadriorg from a bird's eye view

Thanks to the fresh sea air and beautiful park Kadriorg has long been a favorite place for walking among the townspeople and guests of the city. Wooden houses of the 19th century and luxurious villas peacefully coexist in the Kadriorg ensemble, but the Kadriorg Palace (Ekaterinental) is rightfully recognized as the main attraction of the area.

The history of the palace dates back to the time of the Northern War (1700 - 1721), when Peter I conquered the Estonian lands and ordered to build a mini-Versailles for his wife Catherine. On July 25, 1718, Peter I, together with the court architect Nicola Michetti, measured the site for the foundations, determined the composition of the new palace and gardens. Tradition says that the Russian Tsar himself laid the first stone in the foundation of the building.

At that time, Michetti was up to his neck in St. Petersburg affairs, completing the construction of the Monplaisir, Marley pavilions in Peterhof, the Hermitage and the palace in Strelna, so the tsarist architect sent his deputy, M. G. Zemtsov, to Revel. In 1721 - 1725, Zemtsov led the construction of Kadriorg, guided by the drawings and instructions of Michetti. By the time of the last visit of Peter I to Tallinn (1724), the interiors of the palace had not yet been completed, finishing work was completed only after the death of the king. Kadriorg was rarely used as a royal residence. While the construction of the main building was going on, the royal couple lived for some time in the side pavilions. Later, all Russian emperors who visited Tallinn stayed at the Kadriorg Palace. Initially, the palace was called Ekaterinenthal (German: Catherine's Valley), but the townspeople changed the name to the Estonian style - Kadriorg ("Kadri Valley").

The main hall of Kadriorg - imperial luxury in the Baroque style

Like Italian villas The Kadriorg ensemble consists of a palace built on a hill and two pavilions. The facade of the main building is decorated with a projecting risalit with a central portal leading to the vestibule. A cenotaph with the image of the Russian coat of arms and an anchor is installed in the vestibule wall. In the middle of the slab is an engraved text in Latin, the translation of which reads: "Peter I, by God's grace, the Tsar of All Rus', ordered to build a house in Reval in July 1718 on this site."

Also noteworthy in the vestibule are three replica sculptures: Venus de Milo (work by G. Voss, 1859) and two lions by A. What, similar to those in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome. The suite of palace rooms occupies two floors. The main pride of the palace is the Great or White Hall, richly decorated with stucco. The lower part of its walls is decorated with pilasters crowned with openwork capitals with volutes and flower wreaths, while the upper part is rhythmically divided by decorative spatulas.

The ceiling is decorated with picturesque plafonds, framed with stucco decoration in the form of leaves, shells and flowers. The central plafond painting “Diana and Actaeon” captures the moment of the myth when Actaeon spied on the bathing of Diana and her nymphs, provoking the wrath of the goddess. The Great Hall is furnished with fireplaces, richly decorated with vases with flowers and busts, and above them, on the walls, against the background of stucco scrolls, cartouches topped with crowns with the Latin letters "E" and "R" - the initials of Peter and Catherine, are placed.

Kadriorg park and the house of Peter I

Ponds, fountains with pavilions, fanciful flower beds and a rose garden are equipped in Kadriorg Park. Alleys lead from the palace, and open-air concerts are held on an island in the middle of the Swan Pond in summer.

In 2011, Japanese landscape architect Masone Sone created a Japanese garden in the park with rhododendrons, azaleas and irises. In the immediate vicinity of the Kadriorg Palace are the residence of the President of Estonia, the house-museum of Peter I and the Kumu Art Museum, covering Estonian art from the 18th century to the present day. Peter's two-story house is furnished in the spirit of Peter's times, the tsar's personal belongings have been preserved - a table with a map of the Baltic laid out on it, a model of the Shlisselburg ship, two secretary cabinets, etc. In 1714, Peter I bought this house with the lands adjacent to it from a widow landowner Drenteln for 3500 thalers. While the Kadriorg Palace was being built, the All-Russian Emperor was content with a modest burgher dwelling.

Returning to his residence a few years later, Peter I expressed surprise that the people of Reval did not go to new park. The guard officer reported to the tsar that the commandant forbade the townspeople to roam around the tsar's possessions. The very next day in Tallinn, to drum roll, the imperial will was announced: all residents of the city are allowed to visit Kadriorg and enjoy its beauties.

Even if you only have one day to see the sights of Tallinn, Kadriorg Park should definitely be included in the list of places to visit. After all, this is not just a corner of nature in the middle of the city.

Several museums are collected there, a Japanese garden is laid out, fountains are noisy. And the main pearl of the park is the imperial palace. In this article we will tell the entertaining story of Kadriorg.

The park itself is open all year round. Entrance to it is absolutely free. But the museums located on its territory have opening hours. How to get to the park, what is better to visit - we will tell in this short essay. We will back up our story with photographs.

The history of the foundation of the park

As a result of the Northern War, in the first years of the 18th century, Revel (modern Tallinn) fell into the possession of Russia. In the autumn of 1710, the troops entered the city, and already in 1711, Peter the Great and his wife arrived here.

Ekaterina really liked the surroundings around the Lasnamägi hill. This land belonged to a certain widow of Drenteln. In 1714, the tsar bought the land from her for three and a half thousand thalers. Moreover, the land immediately passed into state ownership. Peter the Great decided to build a summer residence here.

The estate of the Drentelnov family was urgently converted to suit the needs of the royal couple. The structure has survived to this day under the name "Peter's House". But this building of modest size did not correspond to the status of an autocrat. Therefore, the king ordered to build a real palace nearby.

Since the wife of Peter the Great really liked these lands, he named the residence Ekaterinental, which means “Catherine's Valley” in German.

Later this name was changed to the Estonian way. "Valley" in the local dialect is "org". And the name Katya in Estonian sounds like Kadri. This is how Kadriorg Park got its modern name.

Construction of the palace complex

The site on which the autocrat wished to build a summer residence turned out to be difficult. Everywhere ground waters lay at a shallow depth. In some places the land was heavily swamped. Therefore, before starting to build the palace building, the workers dug ponds, later called Lebedins.

This was done to drain the area. On the drained site, the Italian masters of palace and park art Nicolo Michetti and Gaetano Chiaveri began the construction of the main building with outbuildings. As a model, they took a typical Renaissance country villa-palazzo with elements of baroque and classicism.

It is known that Peter the Great was keenly interested in the construction of his residence. He personally put three bricks into the masonry. The workers did not cover these stones with plaster to separate them from others. Bricks remain "bare" until now. They are located in the corner pilaster in the north wing of the palace.

The king also chose the color of the plaster. It was then called "Mars" - in honor of the god of war. With the color of dried blood, the king wanted to emphasize that he did not inherit the palace and the Kadriorg park, but as a result of the battle.

Kadriorg park

Photos of this wonderful place are reminiscent of illustrations of either Versailles, or the untouched nature of Estonia, with its meadows and groves, or even the landscapes of Japan. And there is nothing surprising in this. The central alleys adjacent to the imperial palace were laid out in the style of a regular French park.

The Swan Pond is only a fragment of the cascade of ponds that can be seen in Versailles. Just like in the palace of the French kings, the far corners of the garden were made according to the canons of English garden art, that is wildlife only slightly retouched, and beautiful paths were laid among the meadows and groves.

According to the then fashionable philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Catherine the First decided to take up gardening. But now nothing remains of the cabbage patches and the apple orchard at the back wall of the palace. But earlier it stretched to the Mirage Pond (now the Presidential Palace stands there).

The newest attraction of Kadriorg Park is the Japanese Garden. It only appeared in 2011. The project for him was developed by the famous landscape designer Masao Sone. Despite the harsh Estonian climate, you can see blossoming flowers in the Japanese garden from early spring to late autumn.

Park buildings

Kadriorg is famous for the fact that it has never been a closed territory. The residents of Tallinn could walk around the park, admire the flowers and black swans swimming in the ponds. Therefore, Ekaterinenthal got its affectionate Estonian name.

What other buildings, besides the Imperial Palace, can be seen in Kadriorg Park? Of course, the "House of Peter the Great", which, in fact, is an old family estate of Estonian landowners. After the death of the king and his wife, it was abandoned, but restored again under Alexander the First and turned into a museum - the oldest in Tallinn.

The Mirage Pond was overgrown at the beginning of the 20th century. It was covered with earth, and a palace was erected on the resulting site, in which the first president of Estonia, Konstantin Päts, settled in 1938. Heads of state still not only work there, but also live there.

At the edge of the park rises modern building Museum of KUMU. On Lydia Koidula Street, adjacent to the green zone, there is another building, which previously housed a cotton manufactory. Now there is the Russian Museum of Estonia.

Next to the Imperial Palace you can see the outbuildings, which used to be the master's services: a kitchen, a cellar, a guardhouse. Now these buildings are occupied by a cafe and an exposition of the Mikkel Museum.

What you need to know before visiting Kadriorg

The area of ​​the park is quite large. Even if you plan to just enjoy nature and not go to any museum, you need to set aside at least an hour to explore it. There are many beautiful sculptures in Kadriorg Park in Talin that you will want to take pictures of.

Comes ashore Baltic Sea. One ticket is valid for all museums. It doesn't matter which exhibition you want to start your tour of the temples of art with. Tickets can be purchased at any of the museums in Kadriorg.

Despite the fact that during the years of the October Revolution the Council of Workers' Deputies of Revel was located there, the vestibule, the large hall and some other rooms retained rich stucco and beautifully decorated. Now the Palace houses the Art Museum.

How to get to Kadriorg Park (Tallinn)

The address of this vast green area is quite simple: Kadriorg, A. Weizenbergi 37, Tallinn. It is easy to get here from the city center. All residents of Tallinn know this landmark of the capital of Estonia and will be happy to show you the way.

The large street of Laagna Tee passes by Kadriorg, which extends on one side of it, and on the other there is another green Zone. This is Pae Park, famous for its beautiful large lake.

The easiest way to get here is by tram. Kadriorg is listed as the final stop of routes 3 and 1. After getting off the tram, you need to go further in the direction of travel until you see the gate to the park.

You can also come here by bus. Stop "Kadriorg" (not the final one!) There are routes 5, 1A, 8, 35, 34A, 38, 63 and 60.

If you came to Tallinn by car, do not rush to leave it in paid parking lots on Laagna Tee Avenue. Look for a small Valge street. Free parking is located next to the KUMU Museum, which can be reached via an underground passage.

Want to get to the park faster? Cross the road, walk along the KUMU fence and go down the stairs. Before you will be the Presidential Palace.

Which museums to visit

We have already mentioned that the entrance to Kadriorg Park (Estonia) is free. And for visiting the numerous museums located in this green zone, there is single ticket. So when choosing a temple of art, you can proceed only from your own taste preferences.

The richest collection in Imperial Palace. In addition to the enfilade of rooms where Peter the Great and Catherine the Great once lived, you can admire paintings and sculptures by foreign masters. In KUMU there is an exposition of the Art Museum. Peter's house will be of interest to those who are interested in this period Russian history. A private collection of paintings is in the Mikkel Museum.

If you came to the park with a child, call Miyamilla. This museum has a collection of toys from different eras and peoples. On the territory of Kadriorg there are also houses, whose exposition is dedicated to the classics of Estonian literature Tammsaare and Eduard Vilde.

When to go to museums

Even in bad weather, you can walk in the Kadriorg park. You need to know the opening hours of museums so as not to “kiss the doors”. In the warm season (from May to September) closed on Mondays, and in the cold - also on Tuesdays.

On the rest of the week, museums are open from ten in the morning to five in the evening, with the exception of Wednesdays, when the doors for the last visitors are closed at 20:00.

Ticket price

To get into the museums of the Kadriorg park (it doesn’t matter - one or all at once, if you have time), an adult needs to pay less than five euros (365 rubles). For children, schoolchildren, students, pensioners there is a reduced ticket. It costs only 2.80 euros (about 200 rubles).

It is better to visit museums with the whole family. "Family ticket" in this case will cost only 9.30 (683 rubles). Travelers strongly recommend purchasing a tourist "Tallinn-kart". It, among other bonuses, gives the right to free admission to all museums of Kadriorg.

Kadriorg park(Kadrioru park) is a baroque palace and park ensemble in Tallinn, located two kilometers northeast of the Old Town. It was originally called Ekaterinental in honor of the wife of Peter the Great Catherine I, the modern name "Kadriorg" is "Catherine's Valley" in Estonian.

Greater Tallinn: Kadriorg Park

Address: A. Weizenbergi, 37. Coordinates: 59.4385, 24.79099.
Working mode: from January 1 to April 30 (Thursday - Sunday) from 10:00 to 17:00, Wednesday - from 10:00 to 20:00;
from May 1 to September 30 (Tuesday, Thursday - Sunday) from 10:00 to 17:00, Wednesday - from 10:00 to 20:00;
from October 1 to December 31 (Thursday - Sunday) from 10:00 to 17:00, Wednesday - from 10:00 to 20:00.
Monday is a day off.
A ticket to the palace costs 6 euros.

If you go to Kadriorg Park by car from the side of old Tallinn, then between the park and the glass-high-rise business center

there will be a very pleasant area with cozy wooden buildings:

- a sort of Estonian Jurmala. Moreover, it is not wooden houses in the center that attract attention. European capital as such, but rather abrupt sudden transitions: skyscrapers - "two-story Tallinn" - Kadriorg Park. By the way, these wooden Tallinn houses appearance you can’t confuse, for example, with Russian ones - and the point here is not in grooming or safety, but in style: Baltic wooden houses (either Estonian or Latvian) are outwardly quite different from ours.

With parking near Kadriorg Park, the situation is far from rosy (as, in principle, everywhere in the center of Tallinn) - the closer to Kadriorg Palace, the more difficult it is to find a free place - so if you decide to go to the park by car, I recommend logging into your navigator these are the GPS coordinates: N59.44217°; E24.80022°. This is a small free parking at the northeastern corner of the Kadriorg park, from it to the palace it is noticeably 400 meters on foot, a decorative pond and all sorts of beautiful bridge paths are located a stone's throw from it:

Mossy boulders in Kadriorg park:

Neat paths are laid parallel to the asphalt roads in Kadriorg Park:

This is for runners - if you want to run on the asphalt, but if you want - on the ground. As a former cross-country skier, this topic is especially close to me :-)

Sights of Tallinn: Kadriorg Palace

All the main attractions of the Tallinn Kadriorg Park are located either near Weizenbergi Street or directly on it. And the main one is considered to be the Kadriorg Palace:

Kadriorg Palace was built for the royal family after Russia's victory in the Northern War and its conquest of Estonia. Emperor Peter the Great actively participated in the construction (he even personally laid three bricks in the northeast corner of the future palace wall - they are still visible, they are not traditionally plastered). Peter I was going to use the Kadriorg Palace as a summer residence and wished it to look like an Italian country palazzo.

It seems to me that the builders overdid it a little: as far as I remember from history, Tsar Peter was very modest and unpretentious in everyday life - and therefore the magnificent Kadriorg palace somewhat does not fit with this idea of ​​\u200b\u200bPeter I's attitude to luxury. Although, perhaps it is not the king himself, but his courtiers who decided to please the king? By the way, Peter himself did not live to see the completion of the construction of the Kadriorg Palace, and after his death the building was rarely used: mostly Russian emperors stayed in it during their visits to Tallinn. Currently, the palace houses the Kadriorg Art Museum with over 900 paintings.

Peter I, as you know, was distinguished by a special love for everything marine - here in Kadriorg Park, right in front of the palace, there is a statue of Neptune, kicking the unfortunate dolphin with such force that foam comes out of its mouth:

Moreover, the trident of the mossy Neptune looks suspiciously fresh, it looks like a shiny table fork.

Not far from the palace there is a children's playground:

and the rose garden of Kadriorg park:

Near each rose bush there are signs with the names of the variety and other useful botanical information. It is very convenient if you are a gardener or an amateur summer resident: he went into the park, was impressed by a certain variety of roses, wrote out the name and went to the store for seedlings.

Another attraction of Tallinn and Kadriorg Park is the residence of the President of the Republic of Estonia:

It is located literally a stone's throw from the former royal palace, but it looks modest unlike the latter - apparently, in this way the closeness of the Estonian authorities to its people is emphasized.

To get to the coastal part of Kadriorg Park, you need to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Narva and Pirita Maantee streets. How can you use a guide Monument to the battleship "Mermaid", which is perfectly visible right from the Kadriorg Palace itself.

Sights of Tallinn: the monument to the "Mermaid"

Monument to the "Mermaid"- this is one of the few monuments to a warship that died in peacetime within the boundaries of the former Russian Empire. The news of the death of an armadillo sailing from Reval (then the name of Tallinn) to Helsingfors (Helsinki) deeply shocked both Tallinn, where many personally knew the members of the ship's crew, and all of Russia. The ship sank in the Baltic during a 9-magnitude storm, and the circumstances of its death remained unclear until the end.

The famous marine painter Aivazovsky wrote a picture about the death of the battleship, and in Tallinn on the Baltic coast, it was decided to erect a monument to the dead battleship "Mermaid" and its officers and sailors. The monument to the "Mermaid" is a bronze angel who stands on tiptoe and holds an Orthodox cross high above his head.

The pedestal is made of roughly processed granite blocks, which is intended to suggest a raging sea.

I thought that today, after such a tragedy, a maximum of mourning would be declared, the flags would be flown at half-mast there - and that’s it, no one would put up any monuments. There the submarine "Kursk" sank in 2000, the tragedy was of an all-Russian scale, but I have not heard about the monument to the deceased submarine and its sailors. Or maybe I'm wrong and there is such a monument somewhere?

Near the monument to the "Mermaid" there is a good beach, so you can not go to Pirita beach in order to sunbathe. True, for some reason it is forbidden to swim there - and disciplined Tallinners observe the ban - either the current there is some kind of dangerous, or the bottom is not the most suitable for swimming. One way or another, there are a lot of people sunbathing, but I personally have never seen bathers.

Basically, everyone is sunbathing with a view of the Tallinn ferry port:

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