Russian history: Celebrations marking the 160th anniversary of inauguration of Paul I monument in Gatchina

August 13, 2011 open-air museum "Gatchina" (Leningrad region) holds a holiday dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the opening of the famous monument to Paul I on the parade ground in front of the Gatchina Palace.

Exactly at noon festivities will begin at the memorial with a ceremony of historical reconstruction of the guard mounting and brass band performance. The festival’s program includes: special tours of the palace, boating on the Gatchina lakes, a music concert in the Imperial garden.

The culmination and the main surprise of the day will be an outdoor evening performance, "Paul I», prepared by the museum in joint with A. S. Pushkin Academic Drama Theatre, Pskov.

"Once again we want to say to all of St Petersburg citizens: Look, how beautiful, how unusual, how diverse our Gatchina Park is" - says the museum's director Vasily Pankratov, - "they can simply enjoy it by walking or boating. It can turn into a grand Philharmonic under the open sky, where thousands of people, holding their breath, will listen to symphonic music. Now we are looking for its romantic corners for bright theatrical performances. It will be a new page in the revival of the traditions by which Gatchina lived in its heyday."