Peterhof
An extravagant collection of palaces, fountains and landscaped gardens, Peterhof is located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Having originally come across the site in 1705, Peter the Great commissioned the building of a palace here in 1714. He intended the estate to resemble, and indeed rival, that of Versailles in France. The Great Palace (1714–21), originally designed by Jean Baptiste Le Blond, was later transformed during the reign of Elizabeth by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palace, who added its distinctive Baroque element.
Peterhof, 30 km (19 miles) W of St Petersburg • 450 5287 • Great Palace open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun (closed last Tue of month) • Parks open 9am–8pm Mon–Fri, 9am–9pm Sat–Sun • Fountains operate mid-May–Oct: 10am–6pm daily (to 7pm Sat & Sun) • Hydrofoil: Early Jun–early Oct; every hour from 9:30am to 6pm daily • Adm: Estate 450 roubles, children 250 roubles; Palace 550 roubles, children 300 roubles • www.peterhofmuseum.ru
1. The Grand Cascade
Comprising 37 gilded bronze sculptures, 64 fountains and 142 water jets, the Grand Cascade descends from the terraces of the Great Palace, through the estate, and finally out into the gulf.
2. The Throne Room
This opulent room, initially created in Baroque style in 1753 and redesigned by Yuriy Velten in 1770, contains portraits of Russia’s imperial family.
3. The Imperial Suite
Located in the palace’s east wing, the suite contains Peter’s Oak Study – a rare example of Le Blond’s original design. The oak panels date from 1716–21.
4. The Main Staircase
With its allegorical sculpture of Elizabeth in the guise of Spring, Rastrelli’s creation is a stately sight.
5. Monplaisir
Monplaisir (“my pleasure” in French), with its beautiful gardens and flowerbeds, was Peter’s favourite palace. He often held parties here, during which his guests were subjected to a punishing regime of drinking. While not as lavish as the Great Palace, the interiors are still impressive.
6. The Hermitage
This pavilion (1721–5), once used as a private dining venue by the tsar and his friends, stands aloof on the shores of the gulf. To highlight the need for solitude, the building is surrounded by a moat.
7. Marly Palace
The palace, built for the tsar’s guests, is set in a formal garden with sculptures, fountains and Niccolo Michetti’s Golden Hill Cascade. A few of the rooms are open to the public.
8. Cottage Palace
More imposing than its name suggests, this Neo-Gothic house (1826–9), set in the gardens of Alexandria Park, was built for Nicholas I and his wife, who had bourgeois tastes and wanted a domestic environment.
9. The Neptune Fountain
The Neptune Fountain’s Baroque sculpture was originally erected in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1658. It was sold to Paul II in 1782 by local authorities as a lack of water in the town had rendered it unusable.
10. The Pyramid Fountain
The fountain, dating from 1721, is formed by 550 jets rising in seven tiers. Commemorating the Russian victory over Sweden in 1709, it was badly damaged by Nazi bombs during WWII.
Nazi Occupation
Peterhof was occupied for three years during World War II by Nazi soldiers laying siege to the city. They burnt the Great Palace and extensively damaged several of the structures. The estate was gradually restored after the war.
Tip: An exciting way to travel to or from Peterhof is by hydrofoil. Boats depart from the Gulf of Finland for the city, and leave St Petersburg from Dvortsovaya nab., near the Winter Palace. The journey across takes less than an hour. Tip: Restaurants and cafés are scattered around the estate.
