The world-famous "capital of fountains" or "Russian Versailles" was founded by Peter the Great. Located right on the Gulf of Finland, royalty and visitors alike would sail from St. Petersburg to enjoy the gardens and fountains. During the WWII, Peterhof was razed to the ground. Restoration work began in as early as 1944, and, for the most part, the ensemble was returned to its former splendour.
Highlights:
The Great Palace is the centrepiece of the Peterhof ensemble (1714-25). The interiors of the palace - the Throne Hall, Peter's oak-panelled study (carved by Nicolas Pineau), the Chinese Lobbies, the Portrait Hall, the White Dining-Room - are true master pieces of decorative and applied art.
Walk through the picturesque Parks made of Upper Gardens, the Lower Park, the gardens of Venus and Bacchus and the landscaped English and Meadow Parks.
Enjoy Peterhof's network of fountains. There is a total of 3 cascades and 144 fountains. The Great Cascade is definitely the beauty. It has 64 fountains (the largest of which is the Man Struggling with Lion's Jaws) decorated with 225 sculptures.
Visit one-storey Monplaisir Palace (1714-23). Western European paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries are on display in the rooms and galleries.
See Peter the Great's relics, and paintings by Western European artists in the Marly Palace (1720-23).
The Hermitage Pavilion (1721-25) has a rich collection (124) of Western European paintings.
The Cottage Palace in the Alexandria Park (1826 - 1829) was a summer residence for Nicholas First family. It was built in the style of medieval English architecture. Its interiors have been completely restored and now contain display of works by Russian and European painters and sculptures.
In 1988 the museum of the Benois family opened in the western wing of the Maid-of-Honour Houses, built in 1864 according to a design of Nikolai Benois. The bulk of its collection consists of gifts presented by Benois' descendants. The museum holds temporary exhibitions of works from the Peterhof palaces and private collections and hosts displays by modern artists.
Itinerary:
[Option 1] - 4 hrs, Great Palace+Parks & Fountains; From St. Petersburg, accompanied by our guide, we will drive to Peterhof's Palace Ensemble (1-1.5 hours). Upon arrival, we will visit the Great Palace and walk through Peterhof's Parks and Fountains. Return to St. Petersburg same day.
The Peterhof Palace are open from 10:00 till 17:00 daily except Tuesdays and last Monday of each month;
The fountains schedule: late May - end of September.
During high season (May-Sep), book this tour early to make sure we have enough time to obtain entrance vouchers. Without advanced reservation, there are only few hours for public access and most likely, there will be a long line.
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