Built between 1741 and 1750, with input from a slew of architects, including Rastrelli and Rossi, the Anichkov Palace is now officially known as the St Petersburg City Palace of Youth Creativity. It's the location for around 1300 hobby classes and after-school clubs for over 16,000 children. There’s a small museum inside, but it is only open sporadically for tours.
The palace was twice a generous gift for services rendered: Empress Elizabeth gave it to her favourite Count Razumovsky and later Catherine the Great presented it to Potemkin. This was also Tsar Nicholas II’s favourite place to stay in St Petersburg – he far preferred the cosy interiors to the vastness of the Winter Palace.
