Another fantastic place I visited in Russia, a feast for the eyes and another example of Russian understatement.
One of St.
Petersburg's most famous and popular visitor attractions, the palace and park
at Peterhof (also known as Petrodvorets) are often referred to as "the
Russian Versaille", although many visitors conclude that the comparison
does a disservice to the size and grandeur of this estate.
Versailles was the inspiration for Peter the Great's desire to build an imperial palace in the suburbs of his new city. The estate was equally popular with Peter's granddaughter, Empress Elizabeth, who ordered the expansion of the Grand Palace and greatly extended the park and the famous system of fountains, including the truly spectacular Grand Cascade.
Improvements to the park continued throughout the 18th and 19th
centuries. Catherine the Great, after leaving her own mark on the park, moved
the court to Pushkin (to the Catherine Palace seen in the previous post), but Peterhof once again became the official Imperial
Residence in the reign of Nicholas I.
above and below - The Grand Cascade;
Below - Peterhof Church;
Below - a building nestling in the parkland;
Nicholas I ordered the building of the modest Cottage Palace below;
Below - The Hermitage;
Below - Monplaisir;
Below - The Marly Palace;
Like almost all St. Petersburg's grand estates, Peterhof was ravaged by
German troops during the Second World War. It was, however, one of the first to
be resurrected and, thanks to the work of military engineers and over 1,000
volunteers, most of the estate's major structures had been fully restored by
1947. The name was also de-Germanicized after the war, becoming Petrodvorets,
the name under which the surrounding town is still known. The palace and park
are once again known as Peterhof. If you get a chance to visit pray for a day of glorious sunshine when the gold glinting off the Grand Cascades statues and sparkling water is truly spectacular.