Krasnoye Selo - attractions and interesting places

?In 1709, Peter I decided to build the first paper mill in Russia and chose a place for this business located in the valley of the Dudergofka River. As soon as the construction of the mill began, he settled the workforce here - serfs. They had to monitor the production of paper products. It is not known for certain where the name of the city came from: whether it was because the serfs were brought from Krasnoe Selo in the Moscow region, or because the place was beautiful. It is worth noting that in Peter’s times many villages were called “red”, i.e. beautiful.

Krasnoe Selo is located right in the middle of forests and lakes, which makes it incredibly attractive for lovers of outdoor recreation. For example, there are the cleanest bodies of water in which you can swim. But from an architectural point of view, the city, unfortunately, is not of great interest to tourists, since many buildings were destroyed during Soviet times.

Nevertheless, some buildings have been preserved or have been restored, thanks to them you can find out how the members of the royal family lived, where they walked and spent most of their time.

Other notable suburbs of St. Petersburg
The most interesting places in St. Petersburg for children and adults

For ease of route planning, we have marked all the mentioned attractions on the city map:

Duderhof Heights

The Duderhof Heights are a group of three mountains: Mozhaiskaya (Voronya), Orekhovaya and Kirchhoff. Two of them are located in Krasnoye Selo.

Mozhayskaya Mountain (pictured below) is covered with forest. Between the trees there is a road and a ladder, both leading to the top. Having risen, you can relax pleasantly in the clearing. Take a cool selfie or just enjoy the panoramic view of Lake Duderhof, the city and its surroundings.

The mountain, like the railway station closest to it, is named in honor of A.F. Mozhaisky . At the end of the 19th century, he created the first Russian aircraft. Since he tested his invention in the Krasnoe Selo area, his name remained in the history of the city. During the war, Mozhaiskaya or “Voronya” mountain was an important strategic point; a few days after it was liberated by Soviet soldiers, the blockade of Leningrad was lifted. From this hill in clear weather there is a view of the southern regions of St. Petersburg.

One hundred meters from Voronya Mountain rises Mount Orekhovaya . The Nagorny Park will be located on it. There are information boards in the park with all the notable points on them. The top of Orekhovaya Mountain is the highest point in St. Petersburg, 176 meters. On the way to it, you can meet different species of birds and plants from the Red Book, unusual for the local latitudes. Almost at the top, an active source of spring water gushes from the depths.

Historical sites and museums

Museum of Russian Bridge Construction

Address: Lenina Avenue, 77 Phone: Website: https://www.mo19.ru Opening hours: 11:00-16:00 Mon-Fri Cost: to be specified when registering for excursions

The museum was opened in 1992 on the basis of the Central Museum of Railway Transport. The exhibits here include various drawings and models of bridges, rare paintings and photographs depicting bridge structures. Many of these structures are monuments of science and technology.

The museum is divided into six thematic halls, in each of which you can learn about the history of the creation of bridges, about the first crossings that appeared on the territory of our country, about interesting events related to domestic bridge construction, etc.

The pride and main treasure of this museum is the collection of miniature bridges: they are an exact copy of the structures of the 19th-20th centuries. At the exhibition you can see one of the most valuable miniatures, which was made back in 1833 - this is a copy of the ferry connecting Kamenny and Krestovsky Islands.

You can visit the museum only by appointment; you must take your passport with you.

Palace of Prince Mikhail Pavlovich

Address: Lenin Avenue, 114

The summer palace of Mikhail Pavlovich is made entirely of wood, and it is also considered the last surviving summer palace in Krasnoe Selo.

The house was built according to the design of the architect Dildin in the 1830s. By the way, the Kamennoostrovsky Palace, which is located in St. Petersburg, is also the work of Dildin.

Inside the prince's summer residence you can see a large number of paintings, many of them by Schwartz and Fendi. There is also an opportunity to look at how the life of the royals was organized.

Nameless lake

For many years, the Nameless Lake was recognized as the only one in St. Petersburg suitable for swimming. Due to ongoing cleanup work, swimming in it is now officially not recommended. Despite this, many people come during the season to relax on the well-maintained sandy beach. There is a cable wake park on one of the beaches of the lake. By the way, you don’t need to be able to swim to ride a wakeboard. Near the lake there is a volleyball court, playground and sports grounds for children.

Village hotels

The closest to St. Petersburg, and also a twenty-minute drive from Pulkovo airport, is the RedVill Residence complex. On its territory there is an outdoor swimming pool and spacious free parking for vehicles. The comfortable rooms have a bathroom with shower, TV, refrigerator. Guests can use Wi-Fi services. This is a free service. The complex includes a restaurant, banquet rooms, as well as a sauna and hammam.

Most local hotels are mini-hotels. "Transotel" on Lenin Avenue is from this category. There are only twenty double and single rooms. The rooms are inexpensive and pet friendly. And most importantly, close to St. Petersburg.

Park "Krasnoe Selo" (Palace)

The park is located between Lenin, 1st May and St. Equalities. Today it is a landscaped area with beautiful ancient trees and alleys for walking. It has paths for walking and cycling, and areas with benches.

There is an open stage at the top of the park. It hosts city holidays and events. Over the course of its history, the park has changed 5 names and has changed a lot. At different times, it housed seven royal palaces; unfortunately, they have not survived to this day.

Krasnoselskaya Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church is the symbol of the city. A bright and elegant building in the early Baroque style, it stands out against the background of the utilitarian architecture of Krasnoye Selo. The church reminds of the distant past of the city. It is considered one of the oldest churches in St. Petersburg, as it was first built and consecrated in 1735.

The church is active, services are regularly held there, and it is open to the public. At the entrance there is a memorial plaque about the bookmark. For a long time the building was under reconstruction, but now you can get there and appreciate for yourself how spacious, intimate and cozy it is inside.

Location: Lenin Avenue - 108.

City today

In mid-September 2014, the city solemnly celebrated its tricentenary. The formation includes 2 more settlements - Khvoynoye and Mozhaisky. According to the Wikipedia portal, the population in 2022 is 58,110 people.

It may not be entirely obvious whether Krasnoe Selo belongs to St. Petersburg or the Leningrad region. The city is a municipal entity within the Northern capital.

There are 2 historical districts on the city map:

Skachki - located between the Gorelovo overpass and the Gatchina railway.
Mozhaisky-Dudergof - between the Dudergof lakes and Krasnoye Selo.

The distance from St. Petersburg to the suburbs is 11 km. Len on the map. region Krasnoye Selo is located on several hills of the Izhora Upland.

The St. Petersburg - Gatchina - Baltiysk railway line runs through the territory. There is a railway station on the eastern outskirts.

At the beginning of the 21st century, representatives of the imperial dynasty visited the city on an official visit. The delegation was headed by Maria Vladimirovka Romanova, the head of the Russian Imperial House in exile. She met with the head of the Krasnoselsk administration and also visited the main city attractions. In addition, Maria Vladimirovna attended the service in Trinity Church.

Triumphal Arch of Victory

The arch is a monument to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Second World War. It was opened in May 2015. It depicts figures of warriors, wreaths, and the inscription “Glory to the conquering warriors.” The arch is lined with granite and is beautifully illuminated in the evening. The simple yet majestic architecture of the monument perfectly complements and decorates the main thoroughfare of the city.

Location: Lenin Avenue - 99.

Attractions in Krasnoe Selo

What are the top attractions to visit in Krasnoe Selo?

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Triumphal Arch of Victory

Religious sites

Krasnoselskaya Holy Trinity Church

Krasnoselskaya Holy Trinity Church is one of the oldest churches in St. Petersburg. Its history began in 1732. It was here that all members of the royal family from Catherine I to Nicholas II prayed.

The history of the church is quite complicated, since it was rebuilt several times, burned down and in 1944 suffered from military operations.

In 1938, its premises were intended for imprisonment of convicts; in the 1960s it was equipped as a House of Culture. And only in 1995 the consecration of the temple took place.

Hospital of the Community of Sisters of Charity of St. George

Address: Twenty-Fifth October Avenue, 105
The hospital is located near Krasnoe Selo. The building was built in the early 1900s according to the design of the architect Grigory Lyutsedarsky.

The community of sisters of mercy decided to build an oncology department for the poor on the territory of the hospital, which ultimately existed until 1914.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to see what has been preserved inside, since at the moment there is a ski center for a youth sports school in the hospital building. But you can definitely look at the architecture of that time, because the building has practically not been reconstructed.

Temple of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky

According to the design of engineer Vladimir Kolyanovsky, a wooden temple was built in honor of Alexander Nevsky in 1885.

Since during the Great Patriotic War Krasnoe Selo was located in the zone of German occupation, most of the churches were damaged or completely destroyed. And this one turned out to be the only one untouched by bullets and shells.

Church in the name of the Holy Archangel Michael

Address: Khvoyny village.
(Krasnoe Selo), 13e Opening hours: Mon-Fri - 09:00-18:00; Sat-Sun - closed In 1774, a wooden temple was built on the site of the modern church, which was soon destroyed. In 1910 it was rebuilt.

The church is still active to this day; various services are held there every day: memorial services, baptisms, all-night vigils and liturgies.

Temple-chapel of the Holy Blessed Queen Tamara

The temple was built in the 1850s, and funeral services for the dead were usually held there. After the 1917 revolution, the chapel was closed and the building was used as a morgue.

In the 2000s, the temple-chapel was returned to its original function, but due to the fact that it had become quite dilapidated, it was decided to dismantle it and build a new one in this place - an exact copy. The temple was consecrated in 2008 and is currently operational.

Chapel of the Holy Righteous Simeon the God-Receiver

Back in 1800, according to one peasant Vasily Kislyakov, a fountain began to flow on the site of the current chapel and a lake was formed, in which the icon of Simeon the God-Receiver was found. In memory of this event, a small chapel was built near the place where the icon was found, which was soon destroyed and has not survived to this day.

Construction of the new chapel began in 2014, it was carried out by the Architectural Studio of G. P. Fomichev. The chapel has existed in its new appearance since 2015.

WWII monuments

Krasnoye Selo was occupied and suffered greatly during the Great Patriotic War, so the monuments to its heroes deserve special mention.

The memorial " Mass Grave of Soviet Soldiers " is located in the Palace Park. Since 2010, an eternal flame has been burning at the memorial of the year. Above the fire there is a monument to the unknown soldier, and next to it there are signs on which are engraved the names of soldiers who died in battle. The memorial is located in the area of the broken blockade ring. On memorable dates, residents bring wreaths and fresh flowers to him.

Prisoners of Nazism was opened in 2009 . The memorial was created in the form of a granite stele, inside which is the figure of a child and figurative figures of those who were not destined to return.

The “Grieving Mother” monument is dedicated to mothers who did not receive their sons back from the war. They never believed in the death of their sons and always waited, even when the war was long over.

Karvala is a good option for tourists

Hotel "Karvala" has found a place between the cities of Gatchina and Krasnoye Selo. The hotel is located on the territory of the Duderhof Nature Reserve, as well as next to the famous ski resort “Tuutari Park”. Beautiful nature, a lot of ponds, a chain of Mozhaisk lakes with running water. People come here on a pilgrimage to the Oryol Springs. The hotel's capacity is small - about forty people. The rooms have a kitchen space with household appliances, where guests prepare their own food, as well as a shower, toilet, and TV. You can have a quick snack at the buffet, and have a good soak in the Russian bathhouse. Guests have access to an outdoor swimming pool with spring water, picnic areas with tables and barbecue facilities. The hotel is a fifty-minute drive from the center of St. Petersburg.