Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg - Site of Amber Room

By Linda Garrison, About.com Guide

The amber room is probably the most famous room in Catherine Palace, and it was used as a study. King Frederick William of Prussia gave Peter the Great the original inlaid amber panels after Peter admired them in a room in Frederick's palace. The 16-foot jigsaw-looking panels were constructed of over 100,000 perfectly fitted pieces of amber. The Nazis dismantled the amber panels and shipped them to Germany during World War II, and they have never been found. Much mystery surrounds the fate of the amber room panels, and many Russians believe that they still exist somewhere in Germany. Russian artists began recreating the amber panels using the old techniques in the early 1980's, and the room was opened to the public in 2003.

I made this photo in 2001 while the room was still under construction. Photos are no longer allowed.

Another Amber Room Photo

Amber Room Panel Close-up Photo