The town of Gatchina is home to one of the country residences of Russia’s emperors. The town’s picturesque lakes — surrounded by marble statues — and a magnificent palace reminiscent of a romantic castle from the Middle Ages all lend to the town’s unique and enchanting atmosphere. The residence’s dark secrets are kept out of sight in an underground passage — a source of shelter for the palace’s owner in case of danger. Who knows — perhaps the palace coup that put an end to Paul the First could have been avoided and history taken a different path if he had been in Gatchina instead of St. Petersburg’s Mikhailovsky Castle. RTG TV presenter Alexander Uvarov took a trip to Gatchina where he had the chance to explore the rich history of this impressive residence.