The Many Names of Tsarskoye Selo
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The Many Names of Tsarskoye Selo

The oldest name was Saari or Saarimoisa, which are Finnish.  Saari means 'island' and moisa means 'manor' or 'big farm'. From that came the first Russian name, Sarskoye Selo, which means 'Saari Village'. When Peter I began to build there, it became Tsarskoye Selo, Tsar's Village. Revolution changed that to Detskoye Selo, Children's Village, and it is still name of the town's railway station. In 1937 the town was named after its illustrious son, Pushkin. Name Tsarskoye Selo came back in 1990s, but Pushkin is also used.

Link to a virtual tour of  Tsarskoye Selo imperial parks