Peter the Great’s House

The emperor’s stopover in Tallinn

The House of Peter the Great, or the “old palace”, is a building with an exciting history. It was the main Tallinn residence of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great between 1714 and 1723, where his wife Catherine also stayed occasionally. You can see the unique items that surrounded the emperor and learn about the history of Kadriorg Palace and the park.

The building, which dates from the end of the 17th century, was bought for the use of Peter the Great from the widow of Tallinn’s Ealdorman Hermann von Drenteln. In combination with the other surrounding manors acquired for the Tsar, a 100-hectare estate was formed where, by order of Peter the Great in 1718, a palace and park complex was built and named Katharinenthal, or Kadriorg, in honor of Catherine the first.

After the death of Peter the Great, the building was neglected and fell into disrepair but, after a visit to Tallinn by Tsar Alexander the first, restoration of the building began in 1804. In 1806, the house was opened as a museum and became very popular among both locals and foreigners. It is also the oldest museum in Tallinn.

Peter the Great’s House is a branch of the Tallinn City Museum.