Peterhof
Posted by: 
NevaP
N 59° 53.083 E 029° 54.531
35V E 662778 N 6642147
Peter the Great began construction on his magnificent summer palace in 1714, not long after he founded St. Petersburg.
Waymark Code: WM3G87
Location: Russia
Date Posted: 04/01/2008
Views: 24
Peter began to plan his country palace in 1709, after his victory over the Swedes. A visit to the French palace at Versailles inspired many of his plans. The palace was officially opened in 1723 but many of the fountains, secondary buildings and landscaping features were added later. The palace sits atop a bluff about a hundred yards from the shore of the Gulf of Finland, about twenty kilometers from St. Petersburg, near the town of Peterhof (also known as Petrodvorets)
Jean Baptiste Le Blond was the chief architect of the original early Baroque style palace. During the reign of Tsarina Elizabeth in the mid 18th century her favorite architect, Bartoloemeo Rastrelli, added a third story and wings at both ends of the palace. He also redesigned the interior installing much gilded baroque decoration.
During World War II the area was occupied by the Germans. Most of the palace and its fountains were destroyed or badly damaged. Restoration work began immediately after the war and by the 1960s the palace and most of the fountains had been returned to their original glory. Peter's oak paneled study, which was one of the few rooms unaltered from Le Blonds design, partially survived the war and some of the wall panels are the 18th century originals.
The fountains are a famous feature of the extensive gardens. There are about 150 of them, with over 60 grouped in the Grand Cascade in front of the palace. Others, most of unique design, including some trick ones that turn on automatically when approached, are scattered throughout the gardens. The fountains operate from May to October. The palace can be toured at anytime of year with limited hours during the winter. In summer there are enormous crowds and visiting with a pre-booked tour is advisable.
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