Two restored rooms of the Chinese Palace - the Plaster Chamber and the Small Chinese Study - were opened in the Oranienbaum today. Russia’s Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and the Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom Alexey Miller took part in the opening ceremony.
Olga Lyubimova and Alexey Miller saw the results of the restoration, which was carried out in the Chinese Palace interiors since 2009 with the support of Gazprom. Now 12 of the 17 ceremonial palace halls are open to visitors.
Upon conclusion of the event, Alexey Miller and the general manager of the Peterhof Museum Complex Elena Kalnitskaya signed an agreement of cooperation for the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of the complex. This document addresses both the implementation of existing joint initiatives as well as an expansion of cooperation. In part, Gazprom plans to continue its support for the restoration of the Chinese Palace and also to hold an exhibition dedicated to Emperor Peter the Great’s 350th anniversary in 2022. The plan is to create a modern counterpart to the exhibition that was held in 1872, on the initiative of Emperor Alexander II, to celebrate Peter I’s 200th anniversary.