Wooden Palace of Tsar Alexey


In the mid-17th century, Tsar Alexey built a palace so fabulous it was dubbed ‘the eighth wonder of the world’. This whimsical building was famous for its mishmash of tent-roofed towers and onion-shaped eaves, all crafted from wood and structured without a single nail. Unfortunately, this legendary building fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1768 by Catherine the Great. Some 230 years later, a kitschy gingerbread replica was built on the grounds of Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve.

Come here for the opulent interiors, which allegedly replicate the originals, based on historical records.


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