Catherinehof

Ekaterinhof or Catherinehof (Russian: Екатеринго́ф) is a historic district in the south-west of St Petersburg, Russia. Its name originated in 1711, when Peter the Great presented the Ekanerinhof Island and adjacent lands along the Ekateringofka River to his wife Catherine, whose name they memorialize.

The emperor apparently conceived Catherinehof as the first imperial estate located on the road leading from the capital to his main summer residence, Peterhof. He commissioned a two-storey wooden palace, a canal, and a harbour to be constructed there. For his daughters, the estates of Annenhof and Elisavethof were projected.

A pet project of Peter I, the estate was abandoned following his death. Empress Anna added two wings to the palace, but these were demolished in 1779. As the succeeding monarchs preferred to develop Tsarskoe Selo as their alternative summer residence, Catherinehof suffered from neglect until 1800, when Emperor Paul donated it to his mistress, Anna Gagarina.

Four years later, the estate passed to the City of St Petersburg, which developed it as a municipal amusement park, with many garden pavilions and a "vauxhall" for musical exercises constructed on the grounds. The main palace housed a library and a museum dedicated to Peter I. The Petrine park was considerably expanded and became so popular with St Petersburgers that allusions to it may be found in such works as Casanova's memoirs and Dostoyevsky's novels.

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, the formerly quiet and reclusive neighbourhood became an industrial suburb of the Russian capital. The park fell into neglect after the palace had been destroyed by fire in 1924. Several years ago, a private fund announced plans to rebuild the derelict palace. [1]

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