Back to the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg….
One of my favorite rooms was the green dining room done in Jasperware. I can’t even imagine how they did this with the walls. You may have seen Wedgewood Jasperware, but it’s usually dishes.
Isn’t this just the most beautiful doorway?
In no time, we were out the back door. This time I had more than a few minutes to photograph the back of the palace:
Can’t get over the colors against the blue sky.
We then had some free time to explore the gardens….
I thought this structure was so pretty with the reflecting pool and unusual clouds.
I wasn’t wowed by the gardens, but appreciated all the manicured trees and shrubs. It would kind of be overkill to do elaborate gardens with a palace like this.
The Hermitage Pavilion is like a miniature palace. I thought the architectural details were wonderful.
A closer look.
A Turkish bath on the small lake.
The back of the palace.
The Cameron Gallery, which houses temporary exhibitions. We didn’t have time to go inside.
Even the coffee cart in the garden matched the decor.
The sun was shining and really made the gold domes stand out. See on the left side? That’s some kind of screen that’s been painted to match the surrounding walls while the area is renovated. I thought that was such a cool idea and saw it on other buildings in St. Petersburg.
Soon we were on our way out, but I managed to get these final shots.
I loved seeing Catherine Palace. Really could have photographed it all day long.
{carole}
Pearls & Prose 
Absolutely breath-taking – and can’t even begin to wrap my mind around the COST !
I know, I can’t either, Susan. And this is not the only fabulous palace in St. Petersburg!
The dining room is amazing. My food would get cold because I was too busy staring at the decor. Are the statues carved from the wall itself? Or are they hung on the wall?
If it is like “regular” Jasperware, the carved figures are applied by a process called “sprigging,” where they are placed on the greenware while both are still soft with a small amount of water. It’s mind-boggling to think of the craftsmen doing this on such a large scale.
Wow! I never realized how ornate Palaces can be. Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
The only other place that compares so far is Versailles. I think this may beat it, though.
Such a stunning palace – and a stunning post. You took some great shots.
Love that green dining room and the small Hermitage Pavilion.
Those screens are such a great idea.
Thanks so much, Caroline. I’m glad the photos turned out because I was really rushing.
Yes, from a distance you can hardly tell those are screens and not the real deal.