Peterhof (Petrodvorets)

The Russian Imperial court was known to be the largest and the most extravagant in Europe, thus the ravishing Imperial Palaces established to the south west of Saint-Petersburg during the 18th century can be treated as a reflection of luxurious life the court used to lead during that period of time. Petrodvorets (Peter''s Palace), formerly called Peterhof, stands out from the rest of them not only because it was the first one to be established as a Summer Residence of the Imperial family but what is more important that it was conceived by Peter the Great to be a triumphal monument commemorating Russia’s victory over Sweden in the course of the Northern War (1700-1721) as a result of which Russia gained the outlet to the Baltic Sea.

Lying on the shore of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) this palace-and-park complex is known all around the world as "the Russian Versailles", "the Capital of Russian Fountains". On the territory of the Lower and Upper Gardens there are more than 150 diverse fountains and four major cascades staggering the onlooker’s imagination. Among them the true pride and joy of Peterhof is the Grand Cascade. Its masterpiece is a highly symbolic statue of Samson rending the jaws of a ferocious lion. The decisive Poltava battle in the course of the Northern War occurred on St. Samson’s Day (June 27,1709) thus Samson signifies Russian military glory and the lion being an central element of the Swedish coat of arms represents the ultimate defeat of the Swedish king Charles XII.

It’s worth mentioning that unlike the principle of functioning of the fountains in Versailles, the Peterhof water supply system is a great technological achievement of the very beginning of the 18th century. All of the fountains operate without the use of pumps, on the contrary they function on the principle of gravity and interconnecting vessels. Water comes from natural springs on Ropsha heights 22 km away from Peterhof and collects in reservoirs on the territory of the Upper Garden then goes down along the pipes and finally empties into the gulf of Finland.

One can endlessly stroll along the Peterhof paths and never gets tired of the harmonious unity of nature and architecture. On the territory of the Peterhof’s Parks one can visit numerous pavillions such as Monplaisir Palace, Catherine Wing, Bath House, Marly, Hermitage and many others. All of them, being accomplished in diverse architectural styles, can be treated as an encyclopedia of the development of architecture between the 18th and 20th centuries and have their own unique history.

The focal point of both the Lower Park and the Upper Garden is the magnificent yellow and white Great Palace with its windows overlooking the grandiose Grand Cascade and the panorama of the Marine Canal and the Baltic sea at the end of it. The original Palace was built for Peter the Great in 1714-25 and then in 1745-55 was remodeled to its present baroque glory by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palace in Saint-Petersburg.

During the WWII this harmonious union of art and nature didn’t escape the tragic fate of the rest of the imperial residences. In the course of the Nazi occupation lasted from September 23, 1941 to January 19, 1944, the palaces were almost raised to the ground and the invaluable items of the interior decoration which were not evacuated were either damaged or stolen. Moreover the unique water-supply system was wrecked and more than 15000 trees were cut down. Nevertheless, after a long and pains-taking period of restoration, Peterhof like the legendary Phoenix raised from the ashes overwhelms the onlookers with sparkling splashes of water, emerald greenery and gorgeous facades of numerous palaces and pavilions.