The palace and park ensemble of Peterhof is considered the pride of our country, its cultural, natural and historical monument. People from all over the world come to see this unique site, which is the heritage of the UNESCO world organization.
The history of the creation and formation of the palace and park ensemble of Peterhof
The idea to create a unique palace and park ensemble that has no analogues in the world belongs to the great Emperor Peter I. The complex was planned to be used as a country house for the royal family.
Its construction began in 1712. Initially, the construction of the ensemble was carried out in Strelna. Unfortunately, it was not possible to realize the emperor's idea in this place due to problems with the water supply to the fountains. Engineer and hydraulic engineer Burkhard Minnich convinced Peter I to move the construction of the complex to Peterhof, where the natural conditions were ideal for year-round use of the fountains. The work was postponed and was carried out at an accelerated pace.
The grand opening of the Peterhof palace and park ensemble took place in 1723. Even then, the Great Peterhof Palace was erected, the palaces - Marly, Menagerie and Monplaisir, separate fountains were set in motion, in addition, the Lower Garden was laid out and planned.
The formation of Peterhof was not completed during the life of Peter I, but continued until the beginning of the 20th century. After the October Revolution, the complex became a museum. The Great Patriotic War became a tragic moment in the history of the palace and park ensemble. The Nazi troops occupied Leningrad along with its suburbs, most of the buildings and fountains of Peterhof were destroyed. They managed to save a negligible part of all the museum exhibits. After the victory over the Nazis, the reconstruction and restoration of Peterhof began almost immediately. It continues to this day. To date, almost the entire complex has been restored.
Grand Palace
The Grand Palace occupies the central niche in the composition of the palace and park ensemble of Peterhof. It is one of the oldest buildings and was originally relatively small in size. During the reign of Elizabeth I, significant changes took place in the appearance of the palace. Several floors were added to it, and elements of "mature baroque" appeared in the facade of the building. There are about 30 halls in the Grand Palace, the interiors of each of which have unique decorations from painting, mosaics and gold.
Lower park
The Lower Park is located right in front of the Great Peterhof Palace. The garden is divided into two parts by the sea channel connecting the Grand Palace and the Gulf of Finland. The composition of the Lower Garden is executed in the "French" style. The park itself is an elongated triangle; its alleys are also triangular or trapezoidal.
In the center of the Lower Garden, right in front of the Grand Palace, there is the Grand Cascade. It includes a complex of fountains, gilded antique statues and waterfall stairs. The main role in the composition is played by the "Samson" fountain, the jet of which is 21 meters high. It has been functioning since 1735, and during the Great Patriotic War, like many compositions of the palace and park ensemble of Peterhof, it was very badly destroyed, and the original statue of Samson was lost. After the restoration work, a gilded figure was installed.
On the western side of the Lower Park, the main building is the Marly Palace. It is a small two-storey building with a high roof. The facade of the palace is very graceful and refined due to the balcony gratings made of thin lace. It is located between two ponds on an artificial island.
Three alleys stretch from the Marly Palace across the entire garden, which play an important role in the composition of the entire ensemble. Not far from the palace there is a magnificent cascade "Golden Mountain", which consists of gilded steps from which water flows down, and two high fountains.
In the eastern side of the Lower Park, right on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, there is the Monplaisir Palace. It is made in the Dutch style. Monplaisir is an elegant, long one-story structure with huge windows. There is a magnificent garden with fountains next to the palace. Now the building houses a large collection of paintings from the 17th-18th centuries, which is available to visitors.
The Peterhof Hermitage was built symmetrically to the Monplaisir Palace. During the time of Peter the Great, poetry evenings were held here, feasts and holidays were arranged. The building currently houses a museum.
Other attractions of the Lower Garden:
- Fountains "Adam" and "Eve"... They are located at different ends of the Marly Alley. They are notable for the fact that they have retained their unchanged appearance since the time of Emperor Peter I.
- Fountain "Pyramid"... It is one of the most impressive and original buildings in Peterhof. In its central part, a powerful jet, beating upward to a great height, just below a row of jets forms 7 successive levels.
- Cascade "Chess Mountain"... At the top there is a grotto and three dragon statues with water flowing out of their mouths. It runs along four checkerboard-shaped ledges and flows into a small circular pool.
- East and West Aviaries... They are pavilions modeled on the Versailles gazebos. Each of them has a dome and is very elegant. In summer, birds sing here, and a pond is laid out near the eastern enclosure.
- "Lion" cascade... Located in the far part of the alley leading from the Hermitage. The ensemble is made in the form of a temple of Ancient Greece with high columns. In the center is a sculpture of the nymph Aganippa, and on the sides there are figures of lions.
- Roman fountains... They are built symmetrically to the left and right of the "Chess Mountain" cascade. Their waters soar up to 10 meters.
Upper park
The Upper Park is an integral part of the palace and park ensemble of Peterhof and is located behind the Great Peterhof Palace. It was defeated during the reign of Emperor Peter I and served as his garden. The current appearance of the park was formed by the end of the 18th century. It was then that the first fountains began to work here.
The Neptune Fountain is the central link in the composition of the Upper Garden. It is a composition with a statue of Neptune in the middle. Around it, on a small granite pedestal, there are about 30 more figures. The water flows into a large rectangular pond.
Tourists will see the Mezheumny fountain near the main entrance to the Upper Park. The composition is located in the center of a round reservoir. It consists of a statue of a winged dragon surrounded by four gushing dolphins.
We advise you to look at the Winter Palace.
The oldest fountain in the Upper Garden is considered to be Oak. Earlier, the lead oak was the central figure of the composition. Now the fountain has completely changed, and in the center of the round pool there is a statue of Cupid.
Another remarkable place in the upper park is the fountains of the Square Ponds. Their pools, as conceived by the architects, have been used since the time of Peter the Great as reservoirs for supplying water to the Lower Park. Today the main place in the composition is occupied by the statues "Spring" and "Summer".
Information for tourists
When planning a trip to St. Petersburg, it is better to choose the time from May to September. It was during these months that fountains function in Peterhof. Every year, in early May and in the second half of September, grandiose festivals of opening and closing fountains are held in Peterhof. They are accompanied by a colorful performance, performances of famous artists and end with a fantastic fireworks display.
The Peterhof palace and park ensemble is located just 29 kilometers from St. Petersburg. Tourists can buy an excursion in advance and travel as part of an organized group. You can visit Peterhof yourself and buy a ticket at the box office already on the spot. It will not be difficult, since you can get here by train, bus, taxi and even by water on a meteor.
The price of an entrance ticket to the Lower Park of Peterhof for adults is 450 rubles, for foreigners the entrance is 2 times more expensive. There are discounts for beneficiaries. Children under 16 are admitted free of charge. You don't need to buy a ticket to get to the Upper Park. Opening hours of the palace and park ensemble on any day of the week from 9:00 to 20:00. On Saturday he works an hour longer.
The palace and park ensemble of Peterhof is one of those places that you need to see with your own eyes. Not a single photo will convey the beauty, grace and grandeur of this historical object of our country.
