Underground Passage
An underground passage running to the Silver Lake was arranged back in the time of the Palace’s first owner Grigory Orlov. It leads right from the state rooms into a basement and is hidden behind a forged iron door – a unique folie of the 18th century designed for the entertainment of guests. The passage has survived to this day.
The 130 meter-long tunnel is faced with limestone and lit by four round windows arranged in its vault. Owing to good acoustics, the echo repeats up to four syllables, hence the exit to Silver Lake shore was named the grotto Echo.
An underground passage running to the Silver Lake was arranged back in the time of the Palace’s first owner Grigory Orlov. It leads right from the state rooms into a basement and is hidden behind a forged iron door – a unique folie of the 18th century designed for the entertainment of guests. The passage has survived to this day.
The 130 meter-long tunnel is faced with limestone and lit by four round windows arranged in its vault. Owing to good acoustics, the echo repeats up to four syllables, hence the exit to Silver Lake shore was named the grotto Echo.