Peterhof
Researches
Peterhof
is an immensely luxurious and beautifully preserved Imperial estate, founded in
1710 by Peter
the Great
on the shore of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea). It combines several ornate
palaces, a number of beautifully landscaped parks and a dazzling array of
magnificent statues and fountains, lending it the epithet "The Russian
Versailles".
The
focal point of both the Lower Park and the Upper Garden is the
magnificent Grand Palace (Bolshoi Dvorets) with the Grand
Cascade (Bolshoi Kaskad ) in front of it. The original palace was
built for Peter the Great between 1714 and 1725 and was later remodeled by the
Baroque architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter
Palace
in the center of St. Petersburg. Despite all the damage done to the Grand Palace
during WWII, its interiors were meticulously restored to their former glory and
are truly breathtaking.