/Kadriorg Palace

>Palace and Park

Kadriorg Park is an outstanding palatial and urban park, covering around 70 hectares. Its construction began in 1718 on the orders of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great (Tsar Peter I) as a gift to his wife Catherine II to use as summer residence. The palace, originally an imperial summer residence, has been extremely well preserved since the early 18th century. Designed to resemble the Italian palaces of the time, the palace has a facade which is three levels at the front and sides and two levels at the rear in a mix of architectural styles. A banquet hall and winter garden were added to the rear facade of the palace in 1933/34. Now elements of park design from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries can be seen. There are a number of museums in the park, including KUMU (the Estonian Art Museum), Kadriorg Art Museum and the Mikkeli Museum, as well as monuments to cultural figures such as sculptor Amandus Adamson, author F. R. Kreutzwald and artist Jaan Koort.