Tsaritsyno

the unfinished country residence of Empress Catherine II, now located within the city limits of Moscow. Tsaritsyno is situated on a high hill between the dammed-up Gorodenka and Iazvenka rivers and a deep ravine. The ensemble consists of several pavilions picturesquely situated amid a landscaped park, designed in 1788 by the architects M. F. Kazakov and P. S. Valuev. The buildings were designed by V. I. Bazhenov in the classical style with Old Russian and pseudo-Gothic motifs and were built between 1776 and 1785. The Great Palace (1779–82) was razed in 1786 and only partially rebuilt in 1787 by Kazakov. The other buildings include the Little Palace, the Opera House, the Cavalier Blocks, the Khlebnye Gate, and several bridges. Originally Tsaritsyno occupied more than 400 hectares (ha). It now covers an area of 110 ha.