The world-famous palace-and-park ensemble of Peterhof, conceived and created at the will of Peter the Great as a
counterpart of Versailles, is located on the Southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, some 29 km. from the center of St. Petersburg. Petergof (until
1944), now Petrodvorets, was founded in 1714 as a summer residence of the Russian Emperors.
The Peterhof's Ensemble consists of regular Upper Garden and Lower Park with 173 fountains; the parks complex
in the landscape style includes Alexandriysky Park and Park of Alexandria, English Park, Colonist Park, Meadow Park; the four resplendent cascades
in the Lover Park - Grand Cascade, Chessboard Hill Cascade, Lion Cascade, Golden Hill Cascade; six museums - Grand Palace, Monplaisir, Catherine's
Pavilion, Marly Palace, Hermitage Pavilion, Cottage Palace. The centerpiece of the Peterhof ensemble is the Grand Palace, which stands on 16-meter-high
natural terrace overlooking the Gulf of Finland (original building 1714-24, designed by J.-B.Leblond, I.Braunstein and N.Miketty). To this
day, the palace retains the appearance that it acquired in 1746 after reconstruction work was carried out by the outstanding representative of Baroque architecture,
Bartolomeo Rastrelli.
Peterhof unique water-supply was built in 1720-1721 by the project of V.Tuvolkov, the Hydraulic engineer. The peculiarity of Peterhof water-supply system is the absence
of any water-towers or pumps: the water for Peterhof fountains and cascades goes by its gravity feed from Ropshinskie Hills that are full with plenty of springs.
The canal divides the Lower Park, which occupies an area of 112.5 hectares, into two parts named conventionally the western and eastern sections. Peterhof ensemble has two front doors -
Sea Canal in the Lower Park and the monumental gate of the Upper Garden.
In the eastern part are the fountains of Monplaisir and the Chessboard Hill Cascade, the Pyramid, the Sun and the Roman
Fountains as well as some trick fountains. Especially charming is Monplasir, Peter's favorite palace, built between 1714 and 1723 by
the same architects who worked on the Grand Palace. One of its most interesting rooms is the Lacquered or Chinese Study, decorated with
replicas of the destroyed Russian panels painted in Chinese style. The Naval Study offers a fine view of the sea. In the weastern part are
the fountains of the Marly Palace, the Golden Hill Cascade and Lion Cascade, Eva and Adam fountains, the Menager or Economical Fountains
and the cloche (bell) fountains.
The visitor to Peterhof we shall describe will find it difficult to believe that when the Germans were finally
driven out of the area towards the end of World War II, everything (or almost everything) was in ruins. Many priceless objects had been removed
to safety before the Germans advanced, but a great deal had to be left behind for the invaders to loot and destroy. Now, most of the damage
has been made good. Painstaking work, using old plans, photographs, and descriptions has made it possible to recreate these palaces, parks,
fountains and bring them back to their original splendor. Art historians and craftsmen have combined to make the reconstruction a great success.
There are two different ways of getting to Peterhof from St. Petersburg. The easiest is by car, minivan or coach, and - best of all - by hydrofoil
from Palace (Dvortsovaya) Embankment. The Peterhof's disembarkation (located in the Lover Park) is about 30 minutes' hydrofoil ride from the city center.
However, this option is available only from 09.05 till 30.09.
| Number of pax | Car | Minivan | Coach | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 - 9 | 10 - 14 | 15 - 19 | |
| Price are in EUR per person | 147 | 85 | 67 | 57 | 41 | 37 |