The cornerstone of the Kadriorg Palace and Park ensemble, the House of Peter the Great, is Tallinn’s oldest museum, opened in 1806. The former Swedish-period summer mansion was the main residence of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great in Tallinn in 1714-1723. The museum houses unique items that surrounded the Russian Tsar in his day-to-day life here.

The late 17th century building was purchased for Peter the Great from the widow of Alderman Heramann von Drenteln for 1400 roubles. This along with other mansions in the area purchased for the Tsar make up a 100-hectare property. In 1718, the Tsar began the construction of the Palace and Park ensemble here, which he named Katharinenthal (Kadriorg) after his wife.

The summer mansion was purchased in relation to Peter the Great’s preparations for a sea campaign against Sweden in 1714, which culminated in the Russian Navy’s first victory near Cape Hanko. The Lasnamäe cliff behind the building offers great views of the city and the bay. This enabled enemy vessels sailing around the Gulf of Finland during the Great Northern War (1700-1721) to be spotted.

The museum’s home page:: https://linnamuuseum.ee/peetrimaja