Hermitage Pavilion

On Location: How HBO’s ‘Catherine The Great’ Retraces the Russian Ruler’s Footsteps

"Lithuania has amazing lakes which a lot of people swim in, but the standout place for me was somewhere called the Hermitage Pavilion—a small palace in the grounds of Catherine’s Palace where we were given unprecedented access to film. Inside the pavilion was a specially designed private dining room featuring a “table volante"—literally a flying table—where food and drink would be delivered to guests at the table from the floor below by a super advanced lift system operated by unseen servants. It was handy for Catherine as it kept the eyes and ears of the servants away from the gossip and goings on of her guests."