Russkiye Pereplety magazine Russian officials have confirmed that a decaying tsarist palace outside St Petersburg is to be turned into a presidential residence - with a theme park attached. The palace, which was burnt and looted by the Nazis, was salvaged after the war but has since fallen back into disrepair. Accused of tsarist tendencies Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will use the palace as a second residence, has faced criticism of developing expensive tastes and even shades of tsarist tendencies since coming to power. He is himself from St Petersburg, the former Russian imperial capital.
Critics say the project is the latest to display the president's high-spending habits.
His presidential plane has already been refurbished, and his travel expenses are reputed to be significantly higher than those of his predecessor, Boris Yeltin. The state property manager, Vladimir Kojine, said the renovated palace would also be used as a state hospitality centre, and would be the focal point of a larger convention centre with hotels and a theme park. Dating from 1720, the palace remained in royal hands until the 1917 revolution. After its wartime looting, it was repaired and used as a naval academy for decades. The renovation is among plans to mark St Petersburg's 300th anniversary in 2003.