Pavlovsk, one of the most beautiful suburbs of Petersburg, marks its 225th anniversary

One of the most beautiful suburbs of Petersburg, the town of Pavlovsk, marks its 225th anniversary. On December 12, festivities on the occasion start in the town.

A holiday divine service will be conducted in the court church of the Pavlovsk Palace. The same day the obelisk will be unveiled in honour of the 225th anniversary of the town. The sides of the obelisk, created by architect Knyazev, carry the medallions depicting the Pavlovsk Palace and other symbols of the town.

The same day the inhabitants and the guests of Pavlovsk will have a chance to go to concerts, to visit all kinds of exhibitions and a fair or to take part in public merry-making. In the evening the people will enjoy a spectacular display of firework.

This day will not be an end to the anniversary events. A number of concerts under the title of "Musical Romanticism of Pavlovsk" will be given in the Greek Hall of the Pavlovsk Palace. The works by Dmitry Bortnyansky, Ivan Khandoshkin and Baldessar Gasluppi, which were played at the time of the first owners of the palace - the Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich (the future Emperor Pavel I) ahd his wife Maria Fyodorovna, will be performed at these concerts.

December 12, 1777 is considered to be the day of the foundation of Pavlovsk. That day the son of Pavel Petrovich and his wife Maria Fyodorovna was born. He was given the name of Alexander - the future Emperor Alexander I. On this occasion Empress Catherine II presented her son and daughter-in-law the lands near the Tsarskoye Selo. Soon the work started on building the palace in which famous architects took place. Thus the Pavlovsk Palace appeared.