# Oranienbaum, St Petersburg

> Oranienbaum is an 18th-century palace and park in Lomonosov, 40 km west of central St Petersburg and 10 km past Peterhof. The park opens daily at 9:00 and is free before 10:00, then 1,100 ₽ at the full rate foreigners pay. The Grand Menshikov Palace costs 1,800 ₽, closed Tuesdays. Allow 3 hours on site, half a day with travel.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/oranienbaum

- City: [St Petersburg](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg), Russia
- YesGo score: 28/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 3 h
- Entry: Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽
- Opening hours: Park daily 9:00–18:00, free before 10:00; Grand Menshikov Palace 10:30–18:00, closed Tuesdays; Chinese Palace closed for winter
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Park, full price (foreigners): 1,100 ₽
- Park, Russian and EAEU citizens: 550 ₽; children 7–14 from Russia and the EAEU 100 ₽
- Under 7: Free, any nationality
- Free park entry: Every day before 10:00; in summer also 18:00–19:45
- Park hours now: 9:00–18:00, last entry 17:45, ticket desks from 10:00
- Paid season: 25 April – 4 November 2026
- Park in winter: Free all day last winter (9:00–19:00); the 2026/27 winter timetable isn’t posted yet
- Grand Menshikov Palace: 1,800 ₽ full price (800 ₽ for Russian and EAEU citizens); 10:30–18:00, last entry 17:00; closed Tuesdays
- Sliding Hill Pavilion: 1,200 ₽ full price; 10:30–17:00, last entry 16:00; closed Mondays
- Picture House, Peter III Palace: 1,000 ₽ each, full price; now open Saturdays and Sundays only
- Chinese Palace: Closed for winter; in summer, entry in time slots and closed when it rains
- Stone Hall pavilion: Closed for restoration, no reopening date
- Not allowed: Dogs and any pets; bikes and scooters (except for children under 7); drones
- Train: Baltiysky station to Oranienbaum-1, ≈ 50–60 min, then a 15-min walk
- Information line: +7 (812) 602-23-46, daily 10:00–17:00, break 13:00–14:00
- Coordinates: 59.91352, 29.75232
- Facts checked: 29.10.2026

## Key facts

- **Never occupied** — in WWII — the Oranienbaum bridgehead held, so the palaces survived with original interiors (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website, history of Oranienbaum; English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **1711** — Prince Menshikov began the Grand Palace, the oldest building on the estate (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **12 panels** — of glass bugle beads and chenille line the Glass Bead Cabinet — original 1760s decor (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website, Chinese Palace; Russian Wikipedia)
- **1990** — UNESCO World Heritage, part of site No. 540, Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg (source: UNESCO World Heritage List; English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **1762–1768** — Antonio Rinaldi built the Chinese Palace for Catherine the Great (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **532 m** — the length of the vanished Sliding Hill galleries — only the pavilion remains (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website, Sliding Hill Pavilion; Russian Wikipedia)
- **“Orange tree”** — the meaning of the German name Oranienbaum (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **1948** — the town of Oranienbaum was renamed Lomonosov (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **1762** — Peter III was arrested at his toy fortress here, Peterstadt (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **722 m²** — of inlaid parquet in the Chinese Palace, up to 15 kinds of wood in one floor (source: Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website, Chinese Palace)

## Oranienbaum tickets and opening hours

Foreign visitors pay the **full rate: 1,100 ₽ for the park** in the paid season (25 April – 4 November 2026). Lower prices are only for citizens of Russia and the EAEU with a passport. Children under 7 of any nationality go free, and **the park is free for everyone before 10:00** — in summer, also from 18:00 to 19:45.

The park is open **daily 9:00–18:00** (last entry 17:45; in July 2026 it ran 8:00–20:00). The palaces have their own tickets at full price: **Grand Menshikov Palace 1,800 ₽**, Sliding Hill Pavilion 1,200 ₽, Picture House and Peter III Palace 1,000 ₽ each, Chinese Kitchen pavilion 600 ₽.

Buy at the ticket desks by the park gates or on the official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website. Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad don’t work in Russia, so bring roubles in cash or a Russian Mir card.

> **The Chinese Palace is closed in winter** Oranienbaum’s highlight, the Chinese Palace with its Glass Bead Cabinet, is shut for the winter and opens only in summer. In late autumn the Picture House, Peter III Palace and Chinese Kitchen open on weekends only. The park and the Grand Menshikov Palace stay open — except the palace on Tuesdays.

## How to get to Oranienbaum from St Petersburg

1. **Train from Baltiysky station** is the easiest way. From Palace Square, walk 10 minutes to **Nevsky Prospekt** metro (blue line 2), ride 2 stops to **Tekhnologichesky Institut**, change to red line 1 and go 1 stop to **Baltiyskaya**. Take a suburban train towards Oranienbaum or Kalishche and get off at **Oranienbaum-1** — about 50–60 minutes; the Lastochka express is quicker.
2. From Oranienbaum-1 it’s a 15-minute walk along Peterburgskaya Street and Dvortsovy Prospekt to the Picture House and the Grand Menshikov Palace.
3. **By bus from Avtovo** metro (red line, 4 stops past Tekhnologichesky Institut): buses 200, 204e and 401 or minibus K-401A to Lomonosov. Around an hour, depending on traffic.
4. **From Peterhof**, buses 200 and 204e continue west to Lomonosov in about 20 minutes, or take the train from Novy Peterhof station to Oranienbaum-1. That makes it easy to pair with [Peterhof](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof).
5. **By taxi or car**, it’s about 40 km from the centre. Cars can’t enter the park — get dropped at the Dvortsovy Prospekt 50 gate by the Menshikov Palace.

## Is Oranienbaum worth visiting?

Yes — if you’ve already seen Peterhof and the Catherine Palace, or you want 18th-century palaces without the crowds. YesGo rates it for something its neighbours lack: **original interiors**. Oranienbaum sat inside the Soviet-held bridgehead during WWII and was never occupied, while most palaces around St Petersburg were looted and rebuilt after the war.

Probably not on a first 2–3-day trip: Peterhof’s fountains and the [Catherine Palace](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/catherine-palace) make a bigger first impression. And don’t make a winter trip just for the Chinese Palace — it’s closed until summer. In winter, Oranienbaum is a snowy park walk plus the Menshikov Palace.

## What to see at Oranienbaum

- **Grand Menshikov Palace** (1711–1727) — the oldest building, with a princely crown on top, curved galleries and a terrace looking down the Lower Garden and the canal to the sea.
- **Chinese Palace** by Antonio Rinaldi — summer only. The Glass Bead Cabinet has twelve panels embroidered with milky glass bugles and silk chenille; ceilings were painted by Venetian masters.
- **Sliding Hill Pavilion** — a turquoise-and-white pavilion on the slope. In the 18th century, courtiers rode carts down wooden slides over half a kilometre long. Inside: an artificial-marble floor and a porcelain cabinet with Meissen groups.
- **Peter III Palace** and the Gate of Honour — all that remains of Peterstadt, the toy fortress of the future emperor. A tiny rococo palace, Rinaldi’s first work in Russia.
- **Picture House** — Peter III’s gallery, library and cabinet of curiosities, with more than 80 old-master paintings.
- **Upper Park** — about 160 hectares of landscaped paths and ponds, and a lot quieter than Peterhof.

## How long to spend at Oranienbaum

Plan **about 3 hours** for the park and one or two palaces — YesGo’s planner allows 180 minutes. The Chinese Palace, Sliding Hill and Peter III Palace sit deep in the Upper Park, 15–25 minutes’ walk from the Menshikov Palace, so the whole estate means a fair bit of walking.

Add an hour or more each way from central St Petersburg. A good full day: Peterhof in the morning, Oranienbaum after lunch, the train back from Oranienbaum-1.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Not a Tuesday — the Menshikov Palace is closed
- [ ] Chinese Palace: it’s summer, and it isn’t raining
- [ ] Picture House and Peter III Palace: it’s a weekend (in autumn)
- [ ] Roubles in cash or a Russian card — foreign Visa and Mastercard don’t work
- [ ] Before 10:00 if you want free park entry
- [ ] No dog — pets aren’t allowed
- [ ] Times of the last trains back from Oranienbaum-1

## Oranienbaum vs Peterhof vs Pavlovsk

|  | Oranienbaum | Peterhof | Pavlovsk |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Best for | Original 18th-century interiors, quiet park | Fountains and the Grand Palace | Long walks in a huge landscape park |
| Interiors | Original — never occupied in WWII | Largely rebuilt after the war | Rebuilt after the war |
| From the centre | Train from Baltiysky station | Train, bus or summer hydrofoil | Train from Vitebsky station |
| Crowds | Few | Very busy in summer | Moderate |
| Time needed | Half a day | A full day | Half a day to a day |

In summer, see Peterhof first and add Oranienbaum the same afternoon. For long walks, YesGo suggests [Pavlovsk](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/pavlovsk-palace). Oranienbaum is for travellers who care about authentic rooms and quiet.

## St Petersburg palaces compared

Every palace in St Petersburg and its suburbs rated by YesGo.

- [State Hermitage Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/hermitage) — YesGo score 76/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · 500–1,200 ₽
- [Mikhailovsky Castle](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/mikhailovsky-castle) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 700 ₽
- [Peterhof](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 4 h · Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
- [Yusupov Palace on the Moika](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/yusupov-palace) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · from 950 ₽
- [State Russian Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/russian-museum) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · from 700 ₽
- [Catherine Palace](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/catherine-palace) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · 2,200 ₽ for foreign visitors
- [Fabergé Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/faberge-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 700 ₽
- [Yelagin Island](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/yelagin-island) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free weekdays, 200 ₽ at weekends
- [Oranienbaum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/oranienbaum) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽
- [Pavlovsk Palace and Park](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/pavlovsk-palace) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Palace 800 ₽, park 300 ₽

## Peterhof in the morning, Oranienbaum after lunch

Head out early to Peterhof for the Lower Park, then take the bus about 20 minutes west to Oranienbaum for the Menshikov Palace, the Upper Park and the Sliding Hill. Train back from Oranienbaum-1. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Palace Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/palace-square) — YesGo score 71/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
2. [Peterhof](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/peterhof) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 4 h · Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors
3. [Oranienbaum](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/oranienbaum) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽

> **The best view is from the Menshikov Palace terrace** Stand on the terrace by the main block: the Lower Garden lies below, the canal runs straight to the sea, and on a clear day you can see Kronstadt on the horizon. Menshikov’s guests once arrived along this axis by ship.

## Good to know

The town is now called Lomonosov; the palaces and the railway station kept the old name. Get off at Oranienbaum-1 — the station the museum’s own walking directions start from. The Menshikov Palace on the University Embankment in central St Petersburg is a different building, a branch of the Hermitage.

## Tips

- Arrive at 9:00 and walk the Lower Garden and Upper Park before 10:00 — free, and nearly empty.
- Only time for one palace? The Grand Menshikov Palace — it has the longest hours and opens almost all year.
- In summer, aim for the first morning slot at the Chinese Palace: entry is in time windows and it shuts in wet weather.
- Kronstadt lies right across the gulf. See it on a separate day or on a combined Oranienbaum and Kronstadt tour — more on the [Kronstadt](https://yesgo.io/russia/saint-petersburg/kronstadt) page.
- Children under 7 may ride balance bikes, bicycles and scooters in the park; adults may not.

## Questions

### How much is the entrance fee to Oranienbaum?

Foreigners pay the full rate: 1,100 ₽ for the park in the 2026 season (until 4 November), 1,800 ₽ for the Grand Menshikov Palace. Children under 7 go free, and the park is free for everyone before 10:00.

### What are Oranienbaum’s opening hours?

The park is open daily 9:00–18:00 (last entry 17:45). The Grand Menshikov Palace is open 10:30–18:00 and closed on Tuesdays; the Sliding Hill Pavilion 10:30–17:00, closed Mondays.

### How do I get to Oranienbaum from St Petersburg?

Take a suburban train from Baltiysky station (Baltiyskaya metro) to Oranienbaum-1 — about 50–60 minutes — then walk 15 minutes to the palace. Buses 200, 204e and 401 run from Avtovo metro.

### How do I get from Peterhof to Oranienbaum?

Buses 200 or 204e heading west take about 20 minutes, or ride the train from Novy Peterhof to Oranienbaum-1. The two are about 10 km apart.

### Is the Chinese Palace open?

Not in winter — it is closed for the season. In summer it opens in time slots and closes in rain or high humidity to protect the original decor.

### Is Oranienbaum worth visiting?

Yes, if you want original 18th-century interiors and a quiet park — it was never occupied in WWII. On a short first trip, Peterhof and the Catherine Palace come first.

### Why are Oranienbaum’s palaces original?

During WWII the area was held by Soviet forces as the Oranienbaum bridgehead, so the palaces escaped the looting and destruction suffered by Peterhof, Pushkin and Pavlovsk.

### What does Oranienbaum mean?

It’s German for “orange tree”. Legend says Peter the Great found an orangery of bitter-orange trees here and named the estate after it.

### Can I bring my dog to Oranienbaum?

No. Museum rules ban animals of any kind in the parks and palaces.

## How we checked

Prices, hours, closures and rules come from the official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website: we opened each Oranienbaum building’s day-by-day timetable for 20 October – 4 November 2026, plus January–March and July 2026. The site has no timetable from 5 November yet, so the winter regime is marked “checking”: last winter the park was free, the pavilions were shut and the Menshikov Palace ran in time slots. The museum gives the park’s area as both 162 and 165 hectares, and Wikipedia about 160 for the Upper Park, so we say “about 160”. Train times vary by service and come from timetable aggregators; the walk from the station is from the official site; walking times inside the park are our estimate from the map.

## Sources

- Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website: hours and prices of Oranienbaum Park, the Grand Menshikov Palace, Picture House, Sliding Hill Pavilion, Peter III Palace, Chinese Kitchen, Chinese Palace and Stone Hall; daily timetables, 29.10.2026
- Official Peterhof Museum-Reserve website: getting there, concessions, visitor rules, history of Oranienbaum, object pages
- UNESCO World Heritage List: Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments, No. 540, 1990
- English Wikipedia: Oranienbaum, Russia; Russian Wikipedia: Oranienbaum palace and park ensemble; Wikidata Q2315050
- spb.guide: train timetable Baltiysky station — Oranienbaum-1
- Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022

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