Tsaritsino museum and nature reserve

The Tsaritsyno estate is a picturesque place in the south of Moscow which caught the eye of Russian empress Catherine the Great in spring 1775. She was charmed with the beauty of its grounds and bought it from Duke Sergey Kantemir. It was quite pricey at that time 25 000 rubles, knowing that the average servant salary was just 30 rubles. At first it was named 'Chyornaya Gryaz' (Black Dirt) but after Empress had become the owner the name was replaced with a more euphonic one - 'Tsaritsyno', in Russian it means 'belongs to tzarinas'.

The Tsaritsyno estate has a big and magnificent palace. It's the highlight of the architectural complex and looks like a castle from a fairy tale: towers with spires, white pillars, tastefully decorated walls. The concept of the whole park is exclusive. One can spend a wonderful time just strolling around the park, which is surrounded by ponds, lakes and twisting paths over tiny hills, along pavilions and pergolas showing simple refined elegance. There also are fountains, which are accompanied with music and light at night. All this gives an unforgettable experience. Tsaritsyno is famous for its gardens: grapes, oranges, olives, peaches and other kind of different plants grown there.

Now it's one of the most popular places worth visiting not only because of its historical and architectural uniqueness. It is excellent for boat rides and walking, but also since it's a nice venue for concerts, jazz festivals and various other events.