Walking around Saint-Petersburg | Peterhof

On a shore of the Gulf of Finland, not far from St.Petersburg, there is a wonderful town called Peterhof. It’s called a capital of Fountains. The largest fountain system in the world is located here. On a hill stands a golden palace. At the foot of the palace there is a blooming park with alleys, ponds and sculptures. A Stone Palace was built for Russian Empror called Peter the First in 1714. Not only was he the founder of Peterhof, but also he was its first architect. Then the Stone Palace was rebuilt by the architect Francesco Bartalameo Rastrelli for Rassian Empress called Elizabeth Petrovna in 1745. It took him 10 years to rebuilt the Great Palace. It has three floors. Francesco Bartalameo Rastrelli increased the length of the facade from 42 to 300 meters. The yellow walls were decorated with white columns and splendid ornaments. The Great Palace was built in a Baroque style. It looks elegant and solemn. In Peterhof there was a residence of Russian Emperors. Each of the country residences has its own unique and special charm. Fountains of Peterhof are the main decoration of the park. In 1720 Peter the Great visited the Ropshinsky heights. They built reservoirs and dug a canal to Peterhof. Water was supplied to the fountains without the help of pumps. There isn’t such fountain water supply system anywhere in the world. The Grand Cascade was built in front of the Great Palace. It includes a lot of waterfalls and 64 fountains. The fountain called “Samson Tearing Open the Jaws of the Lion” is located in the center of the Grand Cascade. It was built by Francesco Bartalameo Rastrelli in 1735. The height of water jets in the “Samson” is 20 meters. Nowadays there are 5 cascades and more than 150 fountains in the parks of Peterhof. Just amagine! Many of them are almost 300 years old. Fountains are all different. They can be huge and tiny, simple and complex, strict and funny. Peterhof is magnificent!