Gatchina is a town and the administrative center of Gatchinsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It lies 45 kilometers south of St. Petersburg, along the E95 highway leading to Pskov. Population: 92,937; 88,420; 79,714.
It was previously known as Khotchino, Gatchina, Trotsk, and Krasnogvardeysk.
Gatchina, the largest town in Leningrad Oblast, is best known as the location of the Great Gatchina Palace, one of the main residences of the Russian Imperial Family during the 18th and 19th centuries. The historic center and Gatchina Palace are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site's "Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments". Another popular tourist attraction in Gatchina is Prioratsky Palace.
Gatchina has placed high in quality-of-life rankings in Russia.