Quote: Built by Peter the Great for his wife Catherine, provides an opulent backdrop to much of Estonia’s Foreign Art Collection.

The palace was designed by an Italian architect Nicolo Michetti and it was intended that it would serve as a Summer residence for Tsar Peter I and his family. Externally the palace is an impressive building with its rose petal pink and cream facade, columns and oval windows. Internally the main hall has an exuberant ceiling painting, baroque fireplaces and stucco work. It is very easy to imagine lavish receptions and parties being held there, the participants spilling out onto the balcony and into the park beyond.

Also striking is also a small marquetry room -a 20th century addition, I think, when the palace was residence to the Estonian Head of State - with a frieze of wooden inlay depicting views of Tallinn.

Non-flash photography is allowed inside the palace.

The galleries contain paintings, prints and sculpture by mainly Flemish, Dutch and Russians artists of the 16th -19th century and include works by Breughel the Younger and Cranach. There are some excellent portraits by Anton Graff and an interesting room dedicated to 19th century views of Tallinn. As the information plaques explained these were produced almost as equivalents to today’s postcards, souvenirs for the more well-heeled visitor.

Also impressive are the Russian realist pictures - such as "A Soldier’s Tale" by Ilja Repin and Ivor Shisnkin's "The Pine Forest" - which have a very earthy, tactile feel to them.

There was also a small but interesting temporary exhibition about copies of Masterpieces - not fakes but copies made, again, as a kind of souvenir or as a tribute to the original artist or practice for an apprentice painter.

Information plaques, in Estonian and English, are found in each room and the exhibits themselves are well labelled.

The Palace is open 10.00am-5.00pm closed Mondays May-September and both Monday and Tuesday October-April.

Take Tram No. 3 to Kadriog then it is a short - and rather pleasant walk



From journals Tallinn - Warm Heart in Cold Weather

Quote: It is a very pretty place just two kilometers east of the Old Town of Tallinn, and I would highly recommend to anyone a walk there, especially if the sun is high (yes, it can be pretty hot there, too!).
The Park and another attraction almost hidden in it - Kadriorg Palace - where designed by Nicolo Michetti, who was hired by the first Russian Emperor - Peter the Great - soon after Russia conquered Estonia in the Northern War with Sweden in the beginning of 18th century.
Now you can not visit some rooms in the interior of the palace as it became official residence of Estonian President (which usually tells us a lot anout the quality of the place we are about to visit, does it not? I mean, these guys with power usually choose well), but the grounds are public dominion still. Oterh rooms are accesible as part of the Estonian Foreign Art Museum. Last time I've been there I paid some 25 Estonian Kroon (1 USD buys you approximately 120 Estonian Kroons) - well worth the experience.
Getting there:
Take tram number 1 or 3 till you get to the last stop, or bus #1 if you are starting from Parnu maantee.
From journals Take a break in Tallinn

Quote: This is a park built by Russian tsar Peter the Great (the same guy who found St. Petersburg in Russia) for his wife Jekaterina (Katariina, or Kadri in Estonian, hence the name). Very green, quiet area close to the sea coast, it has a pound with swans, old trees, a museum of the tsar himself, and a royal palace, which is now renovated and serves as a museum of classical arts.
From journals My Home City