Beijing's Summer Palace welcomes treasures from Russian palace museum

Aside from the picturesque view of lotus ponds, the Summer Palace in Beijing now gives you one more reason to put it into your must-visit list for this summer holiday.

Beijing's Summer Place welcomes 228 artworks and collections from its Russian counterpart, the Peterhof Palace, as it hosts the exhibition titled "Appointment of Summer Palaces" displaying these valuable cultural treasures, which opened on Thursday.

The State Peterhof Museum Reserve, as a summer residence of the Russian monarchs in the course of 200 years, was built in the early 18th century on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, 29 kilometers from St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia.

The exhibits from the State Peterhof Museum Reserve include oil paintings, furniture, silverware, clothing, books and toys, showing imperial life and exquisite craftsmanship from the Romanov Dynasty in the 18th and 19th centuries, organizers said.

Portraits of 14 Russian czars including Peter the Great and Catherine II are on display with other relics of great historical value such as the throne of Catherine II crafted in 1760 and the model ship of Peter the Great produced in 1754.

The exhibition, which will run through Oct. 9, aims to promote the mutual understanding of Russian and Chinese cultures, according to the Summer Palace in Beijing, which signed a cooperative art exchange deal with the Peterhof last year.

From Xinhua News