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Peterhof (Petrodvorets)

St. Isaac’s Cathedral Originally there was only a small house on the land where the Peterhof suburb is currently located, which functioned as a rest point for Peter I on his journeys from Petersburg to Kronstadt. Taken by the spectacular location on the Gulf of Finland, and wanting a summer residence to complement the splendour of his pet project – St. Petersburg – Peter decided to build a country residence on the coast similar to the Parisian Versailles. While the Grand Palace is an eye-opener, most symbolic of Peterhof is the grandiose system of fountains, decorated with sculptural images of mythological characters. The central fountain "Samson" is considered a symbol of Peterhof. Now there are museums in the palaces of Peterhof and the fountains continue to work from spring until the middle of autumn. Peterhof is very popular with tourists, especially in summer, but don’t let that put you off. A stroll around the park in good weather may well be the highlight of your St. Petersburg experience.

The lower park contains enough attractions to distract visitors for at least a day, and you may well choose this alternative rather than wait in line for the palaces. Apart from the numerous fountains, there are a number of buildings on the grounds, including Monplaisir (“my pleasure”), Peter’s small stopover house, and the Hermitage, built in 1725. Both are open to tourists (the former only in summer). The Hermitage was designed for unusual feasts – diners would literally be lifted by means of a movable floor to the upper story of the building, until a mishap occurred involving the tsar’s chair and a new trick invented. Fishermen should investigate the Marly Palace, or rather the ponds behind it, which, as in the past, are especially stocked with trout…

Peterhof’s impressive array of fountains – which number more than 150 – is crowned by the Great Cascade, located on the 16-meter-high ridge separating the lower park from the Grand Palace.The centrepiece of the cascade is a gilt statue of Samson defeating the lion, a symbol of Russia’s 1709 defeat of Sweden (they liked to rub it in). Apart from Samson, the cascade is made up of three waterfalls, 64 fountains and 37 sculptures. Continuing on from the cascade in a direct line to the sea is the aptly-named sea canal, which divides the lower park into its eastern and western sections. If you arrive by hydrofoil the canal, great cascade and grand palace which towers above it will be your first, unforgettable impression of Peterhof. Other notable fountains are the Basket, Siren, Naiad and Triton fountains. Perhaps more amazing than the fountains themselves is the fact that the water supply system created in 1721 is still in use today.

While it should be stated first-up that much of the Grand Palace was reconstructed after WWII, it is a reconstruction of a worthy original. In Peter’s time the imperial residence was a relatively modest mansion, but during his daughter Elizabeth’s reign the Palace as it exists today was created by the renowned Italian architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli. Today the palace’s interiors are a combination of Rastrelli’s baroque style and later improvements, which reflect the classicism popular in the late eighteenth century. Highlights of the palace are the enormous Throne Room, the Chesma Hall – which, like Samson, celebrates Russia’s military successes – and the Chinese Study Rooms, magnificant examples of the 1760s European fascination with the east. Also be sure to check out Peter’s Oak Study, the only part of the emperor’s original design to have survived some 300 years of reconstructions.

The above-mentioned attractions are probably as much as you can take in a day, but if you are tired from the excesses of the palace and the ordered chaos of the lower park fountains, the prim, manicured upper park, featuring its own magnificant fountain (the Neptune) might be the perfect antidote.

Essential Information for Visitors

►How to get there

Take the electric train from the train station "Baltiysky". You can also take the "Meteor" hydrofoil from the Dvortsovaya Embankment (in front of the Winter Palace/Hermitage) – this option is more expensive but highly recommended.

►Contact Information

Phone: (812) 427-74-25

►Opening Hours

All the fountains function from May to mid October, daily, between 11:00 and 17:00.

Opening hours vary between winter and summer (May to October).

Winter: The Great Palace is open between 11:00 and 18:00 (the cashier is open until 17:00). Closed Monday and last Tuesday of the month. Monplaisir is closed; other museums open Saturdays and Sundays.

Summer: everything open between 10:30 and 18:00 (the cashier is open until 17:00). Closed Monday and last Tuesday of the month.

►Admission Prices

Park: for foreigners 150 - 300R (admission to the park free after 17:00)
Palaces: for foreigners 215 - 430R

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Peterhof (Petrodvorets)

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