The Great Gatchina Palace (Russian: Большой Гатчинский дворец) was built in 1766–1781 in Gatchina town (near St. Pertersburg) by Antonio Rinaldi for Count Grigori Grigoryevich Orlov who was a favourite ofCatherine II. The Gatchina Palace is located on the hill above Lake Serebryannoe. It combines themes of a medieval castle and a country residence. Palace interiors are exemplary of Russian classicism at the turn of 18th—19th centuries. The Gatchina Palace was one of the favourite residences of the Imperial family.