|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Cultural tour - Educational tours - Musical tour - Winter tour
Alexander Palace - Novgorod - Pavlovsk - Peterhof - Tsarskoye Selo
Peterhof world-famous for its wonderful parks, 176 fountains of
various forms and styles, majestic palaces, remarkable collections
of sculpture, painting and works of the minor arts is a veritable
gem of art. Often called the "Capital of Fountains", it is unique in the world.
If you happen to be in St. Petersburg somewhere between May and
September, the best way to get to Petrodvorets is by sea.
A hydrofoil will take you from the Winter Palace to the pier in
Peterhof. If you get there by eleven o'clock, you will witness the
wonderful scene of the fountains coming to life to the accompaniment
of Reinhold Gliere's "Hymn to the Great City".
The 176 fountains of Petrodvorets are a magnificent symphony of water.
Peter the Great was intent on building his summer residence on a
grand scale so that it would vie with the palaces at Versailles.
The energetic tsar drew up the general plan of the project himself.
A gardeners' school, the first in Russia, was founded here on his
orders and a picture gallery, the country's first, was arranged in
Monplaisir, his favourite palace. Although the ceremonial opening
took place in 1723, construction continued for another 150 years.
Architects, sculptors, engineers and gardeners combined their talents
to build ten palaces, landscape parks and construct
one of the biggest water conduits in the world.
The focal point of both the Lower Park and the Upper Garden is the
magnificent Grand Palace with the Grand Cascade in front of it.
The original palace was built for Peter the Great in 1714-25 and in
1745-55 was remodeled to its present baroque glory by Bartolomeo
Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palace in downtown St.
Petersburg.
Despite all the damage done to the Grand Palace during WWII,
its interiors have been carefully restored and are truly breathtaking.
The Grand Cascade, which goes downhill from the palace towards the
Baltic Sea, is one of the largest fountain ensembles in the world.
From the Grand Cascade's largest fountain, the Samson, a channel
goes through the park to the pier, where hydrofoils and boats from
St. Petersburg arrive. Multiple fountains and pavilions (the
Monplaisir Palace, Marly and the Hermitage- Palace) are scattered all over
the park.
(Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Grand Palace is closed Monday.
The fountains work from early May to early October).
Peterhof Photo gallery
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Russian Tours - Details and Prices - Essential Information -
Russian Newsletter Archive
Site Map
Address: 907 Bradwell St., Hinesville, GA 31313-2204
Phone: +1 (912) 368-0668, Fax: +1 (912) 877-4897
e-mail: info@mmarttravel.com
www.mmarttravel.com
|
|
|
