St Petersburg-Catherine Palace outside

So here it is in all of it's massive Baroque splendor.  In photo 1 you get an idea of how massive the front is.  Photo 2 (above) was taken from inside the palace so that you can get an idea of how long the side wings are and how grand the entrance.

From the back in the gardens nearest the palace.  the gold domes are the chapel which they were restoring.  Thank the goddess that we didn't tour the whole thing. 

From the lake behind the palace. 

Peter I began the building and Elizabeth I hired Rasterelli to add on.  She loved the Baroque.  When Catherine II got it she had quite a bit of the baroque gold removed.  The Wedgewood looking rooms were more to her taste and she hired an architect named Cameron from Scotland to do them.

KG