Century-old dachas (country cottages) and mansions, inhabited by very wealthy locals, line the wooded lanes that twist their way around Kamenny (Stone) Island. The island is punctuated by a series of canals, lakes and ponds, and is pleasant for strolling at any time of year. At its east end, the Church of St John the Baptist (built 1776–81) has been charmingly restored.
Behind it, Catherine the Great built the big, classical Kamennoostrovsky Palace for her son; at the time of research it was under restoration.
For years a dead oak, supposedly planted by Peter the Great, stood in the middle of the Krestovka embankment. The old oak has been removed and replaced with a young, healthy tree; but it is still known as Peter’s Tree .
