Rising conflict in Eastern Europe led to an alliance between Russia and Prussia against Sweden.
This alliance was later symbolized by gifting the Amber Room toPeter the Great of Russiain 1716.
The amber had become so fragile in the years since its molding that it crumbled.
Interior of the original Amber Room (Photo:Wikimedia Commons[Public Domain])
The room was successfully packaged for travel, but was never seen again.
Others believe that the panels lie somewhere at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in a sunken ship.
The reconstruction was a massive undertaking, costing about $11 million and taking 25 years to complete.
Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg (Photo:Alex “Florstein” Fedorov[CC BY-SA 4.0])
Its opening in 2003 marked the 300-year anniversary of St. Petersburg.
Hand-colored photo of the original Amber Room (Photo:Wikimedia Commons[Public Domain])
Königsberg Castle (Photo:Wikimedia Commons[Public Domain])
