Dvortsovaya Square, Alexandriysky Stolp (Alexander Column, Pillar), and Winter Palace (Hermitage museum). Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 25, 2003
Dvortsovaya Square, Alexandriysky Stolp (Alexander Column, Pillar), and Winter Palace (Hermitage museum). Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 25, 2003
Billiard pool in Alexander Palace. Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2, 2007
Piano in Alexander Palace. Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2, 2007
Children s House (Detsky Domik) near Alexander Palace. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 30, 2011
Reading room in Alexander Palace. Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2, 2007
Room in Alexander Palace. Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2, 2007
Equestrian statue of Emperor Alexander III in front of Marble Palace. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 25, 2005
Parlor in Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 29, 2010
Living room in Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 29, 2010
Museum keeper in Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 29, 2010
Backyard of Farm Palace of Tsar Alexander II in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 12, 2013
Children s House (Detsky Domik) near Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), a suburb of Saint Petersburg. Russia, June 21, 2009
A decoration in Alexander Hall in Hermitage museum (Winter Palace). Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 22, 2005
Farm Palace of Tsar Alexander II in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, June 6, 2011
Foot bridge near Farm Palace of Tsar Alexander II in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 12, 2013
Farm Palace of Tsar Alexander II in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 12, 2013
Alley behind Catherine Palace in Alexander Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 3, 2016
Tiger head in Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 29, 2010
Children room in Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 29, 2010
Replica of a statue in backyard of Farm Palace of Tsar Alexander II in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 12, 2013
Backyard of Farm Palace of Tsar Alexander II in Alexandria Park in Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 22, 2015
Chinese and Cross bridges in Alexander Palace. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016
Pack of stray dogs resting at the entrance of Alexander Palace in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 29, 2010
This view from the Small Chinese Bridge captures the northwestern stretch of the Krestovy Canal. The canal creates a straight, reflective corridor lined with golden maples, emphasizing the transition from the formal "New Garden" to the more naturalistic landscape park areas. Looking northwest, the canal leads toward the Alexander Palace and its kitchen buildings, which are situated to the right of this axis, hidden behind the dense tree line. The scene highlights the park s quiet, wooded character, contrasting with the architectural focus of the opposite view towards the Cross Bridge. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
Naturalistic style of the English landscape garden, which dominates the areas surrounding the formal canals, with rich textural contrast between the golden maples and dark evergreen firs, creating a painterly composition typical of 19th-century Russian park design. The untamed, wilder growth of the underbrush and tall grasses contrasts with the manicured lawns found elsewhere, evoking a sense of romantic melancholy suited to the "golden autumn" season. The dense, layered foliage creates an intimate, enclosed space that feels removed from the grand palace architecture, focusing entirely on the mood of the forest. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
This perspective from the St. Nicholas Church tower looks south-west towards Toompea Hill, highlighting the architectural contrast between the medieval fortifications and the 19th-century Russian influence. The dominant feature is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a grand Russian Orthodox church built between 1894 and 1900. Its distinctive black onion domes and Russian Revival style stand out vividly against the red-tiled roofs of the Old Town. This location on Toompea Hill was chosen symbolically to face the governor s palace, representing the power of the Russian Empire at the time. In the foreground, you can see part of the city s defensive wall system. The limestone wall connecting the Maiden Tower to the other fortifications (like the Kiek in de Ko"k, just out of frame to the left) marks the historic boundary between the lower town and the upper citadel of Toompea. Estonia, October 16, 2025
