Peterhof

Peterhof, (originally Piterhof, Dutch: "Peter's Court") is a series of palaces and gardens, laid out on the orders of Tsar Peter the Great, and sometimes called the "Russian Versailles". It is located about 20 km west and 6 km south of St Petersburg, overlooking the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The same name refers to the adjacent town of 82,000 people.

Other features

The Grand Palace is not the only historic royal building in Peterhof. The palaces of Monplaisir and Marly, as well as the pavilion known as the 'Hermitage', were all raised during the initial construction of Peterhof during the reign of Peter the Great. The Lower Gardens also contain a large greenhouse, and in the Alexandrine Park stands the palace of Nicholas I.

Related Topics:
Monplaisir - Marly - Nicholas I

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Like the Lower Gardens, the Upper contain many fountains, distributed among seven broad pools. The landscaping, though, is entirely different; the Lower Gardens are strictly geometric. While a few of the fountains have curious sculpture, the waterworks themselves are comparatively unimpressive.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~