Kadriorg Palace – The Kadriorg Art Museum

Peter I began building the palace in 1718, and it was called Ekaterinenthal, or Catherinenthal, in honour of Catherine I.

The architect of the temporary summer residence palace and park was the Italian Niccolo Michetti, who was later involved with the famous Peterhof Palace. It is said that the tsar himself laid the first foundation stones for the palace.

In the 1930s, Kadriorg Palace became a residence for the head of state. On the same level as the palace, across the back flower garden, lies the president’s office building, built a few years before World War II, which today serves as the residence of the President of the Republic of Estonia.

Currently, the baroque Kadriorg Palace is housing the foreign art collection of the Estonian Art Museum, which organizes concerts and theatre performances, lectures and receptions, in addition to art exhibitions.