Big Peterhof Palace: address, description, excursions

On the shores of the Finnish Gulf, Peter I built several country residences for Russian tsars. The palace and park complex includes park ensembles in which palaces and magnificent fountains are harmoniously placed. The idea of creation and architectural design belong to Peter I, and in translation from the Dutch "Peterhof" - "Peter's court". The central place in the ensemble occupies the Great Peterhof Palace (address: St. Petersburg, 2, Razvodnaya Street).

History of Peterhof

More than three hundred years ago, the construction of a summer country residence of Russian emperors began in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. The main works began in 1714, and in August 1723 Peterhof was opened, including the Upper Chambers (now the Great Peterhof Palace), the Monplaisir and Marley Palaces. By the opening of the complex, several parks were planned and laid, part of the fountains were put into operation. In subsequent reconstruction and restoration work after the Great Patriotic War, the architects preserved the plans of the great Peter, embodied in his drawings and sketches.

Upper Garden

For the grand entrance to the Great Peterhof Palace was laid Upper Garden, which was formed in three stages for fifty years under the leadership of different architects. But initially it was used for growing vegetables and fruits, and the upper ponds served as fountains and fish. The upper garden was completed according to the design of BF Rastrelli in the early to mid-eighteenth century. Then in the park appeared the famous statues of Apollo Belvedere, Pomona (goddess of fertility), Zephyr (god of wind) and Flora (the goddess of spring), as well as the composition "Neptune", located in the central basin.

The Great Peterhof Palace

Description of the palace can begin with the history of construction in 1714-1725 by the architects I. Braunstein and J. Leblon, modest upper chambers with several rooms for receptions, banquets and the emperor's bedchamber were built. Later in 1745-1755 he was rebuilt by the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Under the direction of the world-famous architect BF Rastrelli, a 300-meter-high palace with magnificent facades was built according to the Versailles model. Thirty rooms, decorated in different styles, delight with their splendor and wealth. After a walk in the Upper Garden, visitors enter the Great Peterhof Palace. Tickets costing 600 rubles and preferential costs of 300 rubles can be purchased at the ticket offices from 10:30 to 17:00. The palace today became a historical and artistic museum with a huge number of exhibits, objects of painting and sculpture. The palace, as in former times, is the summer cultural center of Russia, where official meetings and receptions are held, as well as cultural and mass events.

The main staircase, dance and reception halls

According to the idea of the imperial family, the palace had to perform protocol functions and emphasize the growing strength of the Russian state. And diplomatic receptions, balls and masquerades surprise with wealth and abundance. With this task, the architect Rastrelli successfully coped. Already getting on the front staircase, visitors see magnificent carved statues symbolizing the seasons, monumental bas-reliefs on the walls, cartouches richly decorated with gilding. In the interior harmoniously intertwined tempera painting, stucco molding and metal forged elements. Further the passage is made in the style of the Arc de Triomphe, the snow-white columns of which support the pediment with the allegorical figures "Fidelity" and "Justice". The dance hall ("Merchant") is made in a festive style for balls and entertainment. This is a large room with an area of 270 square meters. Numerous mirrors in the fake windows of the blind walls increase its volume several times. Then visitors get to the Chesme Hall, the passage to which is also through the Blue Reception. The Great Peterhof Palace was built by Peter I on the coast in order to emphasize the assertion of Russia as a sea power. The Chesme Hall is named after the victory over the Turkish fleet at Chesme and the consolidation of Russia not only on the Baltic, but also on the Black Sea. This goal is dedicated to decorating the hall and battle painting. From here guests go to the Throne Room.

The central part and the throne room

The Great Peterhof Palace has a through lobby, which is a passage between the Upper Garden and the Lower Park. Here there is a cabinet of Peter I ("oak") and an oak staircase leading to the Picture Hall. Originally, its walls were decorated with French tapestries and several paintings of the Italian school. During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, the court painter appointed Count Pietro Rotary. It was the portraits of his work that filled the entire interior. After viewing the paintings, passing the Western Cabinet, visitors enter the White Dining Room, which is made in light matt colors. The dining room was used for its intended purpose, and the modern exposition consists of a light dining room of furniture and two hundred items of utensils made of faience. The throne room has an entrance from the side of the Chesme Hall and Audients Hall, which adjoins the White Canteen. This is the largest room of the palace (330 square meters), it features a massive stucco depicting imperial and military symbols, as well as numerous portraits of the royal family.

The West Wing of the Palace

The Western Wing is the feminine half with the quarters of the Empress and her closest associates. It consists of a dozen small rooms. From the Eastern Chinese cabinet, visitors found themselves in the Kuropatochnaya living room, where the Empress spent the morning hours. It is connected directly with the queen's quarters: the Sofa, the Toilet, the Cabinet and the Crown Rooms. On the other hand are the Secretarial, the Blue Living Room, the guardhouse of the cavalry guards. The western wing ends with a palace church. The temple of the royal family Rastrelli designed in his style - elegantly and magnificently. It is not just a church, but a small palace with rich decoration and lots of gilding.

Lower park

The Great Peterhof Palace is built on a natural elevation and conditionally separates the melancholic Upper Garden from the pompous, gilding fountains of the Lower Park. The canal, dug from the palace to the Gulf of Finland, was adopted as the center line for the layout of the park ensemble. From the canal, four alleys lead to the Monplaisir Palace and the Hermitage pavilion in different directions. The park is designed in the French style, which is also called regular. It is characterized by the presence of sculptures, pavilions and symmetry in the planning of avenues and green spaces. The gardeners planted a large number of trees and shrubs brought from all over Russia, combining the already existing groves into a single complex.

Great cascade and fountains

The facade of the palace, overlooking the sea, harmoniously flows into the ledges of the Grand Cascade with a variety of fountains and sculptural compositions. Inspection of the fountain ensemble "Grand Cascade" can begin by leaving after the tour the Great Peterhof Palace. The operating mode of the fountains varies annually, depending on the weather conditions. Tentatively, the opening takes place at the end of April, and the closing ceremony of the season is in the middle of September. The cost of tickets ranges from 500 to 150 rubles. The cascade consists of two waterfall staircases, along which numerous sculptures of the Upper and Lower Caves are located. Two powerful streams of water fall from the cascade into the bucket of the Sea Canal, where the central water cannon "Samson, tearing the jaws of the lion." The fountain group includes eight dolphins and four lions at the foot. They with their jets form a kind of wreath around Samson. Around the central composition is a large number of fountains, depicting fairy-tale maidens, naiads, newts, ancient Greek gods and heroes. In a short review it is impossible to describe more than 140 different fountains-sculptures, so it's better to see them once.

Excursion to the Great Peterhof Palace and the museums of Peterhof will not leave visitors indifferent, and cascades and fountains will be remembered for life.