Pavilion "Birdhouse"

At the end of the 18th century, in 1797, architect Zakharov developed a design for a pavilion intended to house pheasants for the imperial hunt in Gatchina. A year later, construction of a one-story stone building began on the bank of the Kolpanka River. The work was completed in 1801. The building, initially called the "Bird House," also known as the "Pheasantry," was built from limestone quarried in various pits around Gatchina: Paritsky, Chernovsky, and Pudostsky. Wood was partially used as well: for the ceilings and towers that rose above the semicircular projections at the ends of the building. Due to the death of Emperor Paul I, construction was halted — some decorative elements of the building, such as vases and eagle-shaped ornaments, were never completed.

Until 1820, the Bird House was used as intended. Then, until the 1840s, the Gatchina residence was rarely visited by the emperor. During this time, the building fell into disrepair. Uneven foundation settling caused through cracks in the walls, and some of the external cornices partially collapsed. In 1844, the building was dismantled, and restoration work began under the supervision of architect Baykov. This time, only Pudost limestone was used in the work. The towers at the ends of the building (previously wooden) were also rebuilt in stone. The interior walls were made of red brick. Later, a garden was laid out between the Bird House and the Kolpanka River, fenced off on the river side.

During the Great Patriotic War, the building suffered minor damage; after the war, the damage was repaired. Until the early 1980s, the building was used by the management of the Gatchina Palace Museum and by restoration workshops. In 1983, a fire broke out in the Bird House, leaving only the walls standing. To this day, the Bird House has not been restored.

From 2009 to 2012, the ruins of the Bird House were used for military-historical reenactments by clubs from Saint Petersburg and Gatchina. In 2013, the Bird House was fenced off with a metal grille.

In the spring of 2020, the grille was dismantled due to the expansion of the Gatchina Museum-Reserve territory. The Bird House ended up behind the new park fence, which now runs along Pilnenskaya Road in the Zverinets Park.

Source:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Птичник_(Гатчина)