The Mystery of The Amber Room
How the Nazis stole and lost one of the marvels of the modern world.
As the Nazis cut a swath of horror through Europe, they also stole many valuable treasures from the lands they conquered. Many works of art and cultural artifacts were taken and shipped to Germany. While some of these items were returned to their rightful owner, other treasures were lost forever.
One such treasure was the Amber Room, part of the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg. This 18th-century work of art was called the Eighth Wonder of the World before it was stolen and disappeared during World War II.
A replica of the Amber Room was built in 1979 and decorated the Catherine Palace after its completion in 2003. Still, many historians wonder what the ultimate fate of the original Amber Room is. Was it destroyed in the war’s closing days, or is it still hidden, waiting to be found?
A Gift Fit For a King
Construction of the Amber Room began in 1701. It was created to adorn the Charlottenburg Palace, the residence of King Frederick I of Prussia. The room was constructed entirely of gold and…
