ARRE - Network of European Royal Residences

Peterhof Palace, Russia

Catherine Block © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Chapel © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Church Wing of the Grand Palace © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Cottage Palace © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Cupolas of the Church Wing © Peterhof Museum

Palais de Peterhof
Grand palace and Grand Cascade © Peterhof Museum

Palais de Peterhof
Golden Hill Cascade © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Grand Cascade © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Grand Palace - view from Lower Park © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Grand Palace - view from Upper Garden © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof
Marly ponds and Marly Palace © Peterhof Museum

Palace of Peterhof

Peterhof is composed of a series of palaces and gardens built for Russia’s Peter the Great. Peterhof was a summer residence built for the Emperor at the beginning of the 18th century. Initially it was a simple hunting lodge beside the Baltic Sea, intended for relaxation. But Peter the Great liked his summer residence so much, that following a visit to Versailles, he decided to expand it according to the French style and turn it into the “Stone Palace”: Peterhof. Not only was the inspiration for this collection of palaces and gardens French, the architect, Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Leblond was also French. Inspired by Versailles, Peter I commissioned the construction of numerous fountains; the Palace Park contains one hundred and seventy-six fountains, connected by a huge network of pipes and a large canal linking the Estate to the Gulf of Finland. Tsars would often come by boat to relax at Peterhof. Today, the Royal Residence is renowned worldwide for its water fountains.
The interior of the residence is as luxurious as the park

Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, Russia
ul. Razvodnaya 2
198516 Saint-Pétersbourg

Email: http://peterhofmuseum.ru/page.php?id=17
Website: http://peterhofmuseum.ru/

Tel: +7(812) 450-52-87

Peterhof Park and Gardens

The French-style gardens at Peterhof cover a large surface area on the surrounding coastland. Water is a determining feature of this natural landscape and a significant element in the overall character of the park. In many cases, the sources of water actually defined the layout of the park. The canals form the axes of the composition; the pools are its centre and the fountains and waterfalls punctuate the small interior gardens.

The main strengths of the park’s composition lie in the close arrangement of its plants, its architectural construction and sculptures, and the care devoted to the spatial and esthetic qualities of the pools and fountains.

Peterhof and Versailles

fontaines Peterhof and Versailles share a strong resemblance due to the period of their construction and their layout which combines palaces and fountains. Peter I brought master builders and craftsmen from Europe to Russia to ensure that Peterhof did not lag behind its contemporaries in its architectural style. Peterhof is smaller than Versailles in terms of size and also has fewer ornate facades and fountain ensembles. However, the two palaces share a common characteristic – symmetry, achieved by regular architectural design and layout. Time has brought many changes to the exterior aspect of Peterhof, including modifications to all the facades of the Palace. The Grand Palace was altered several times up until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, Peterhof has difficulty piecing together the missing links of its architectural history, which have either disappeared over time or been destroyed, mainly during the Revolution and the Second World War.