Gatchina Palace

Leningrad oblast · Ryssland · Palace

In Paul I's beloved Gatchina, a room was kept nailed shut around the emperor's bloodstained deathbed – and his ghost is said to stroll the park.

Gatchina Palace south of Saint Petersburg was Paul I's dearest residence, and after his murder in 1801 his camp bed was brought here from Mikhailovsky Castle – blood-soaked pillows and blankets included – and locked in a room whose door was nailed shut. Museum attendants tell of creaking parquet floors, slamming doors and footsteps in empty halls, and by tradition the emperor's ghost sometimes strolls the palace park as well. Anyone who meets him is advised to step aside and bow politely – then he will leave you in peace. His lady-in-waiting Yekaterina Nelidova is also said to be heard rustling her skirts in the corridors.

FAQ

Where is Gatchina Palace located?

Gatchina Palace is in Leningrad oblast, Ryssland.