May 20, 2007

The Great Hall in Catherine's Palace named for Peter the Great's wife, Catherine the First. The original palace was heavily damaged during WW II and the restoration is said to be the finest replica in the world. The famous Amber Room is in this palace and is indescribable, paneled entirely with different colors of amber. We were unable to take pictures in that room. During the war the Amber Room was dismantled and taken away for safety, but has not been found to this day. The restoration was done entirely with black and white photos. (I'm reading a fun, fiction, mystery about this room and the search to find it, The Amber Room by Steve Berry. Amazon says his research was very thorough and the historical facts accurate.)