Text alina Krasnova photo shutterstock

Saint Petersburg was once the capital of the Russian Empire. During that period, gorgeous summer residences were built by and for the imperial family, and today they are very popular with visitors to the city. So just where did their imperial majesties like to go when they had time to relax?

Peterhof

One of the most well-known palaces round the modern St Petersburg was once a small inn, where Peter the Great stayed during his travels along the Gulf of Finland. In translation, Peterhof means ‘Peter’s court’. The construction of a manor that would be worthy of an emperor due to its size and grandeur began in 1710. The grand opening of this country residence took place 13 years later. Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Alexandre Le Blond, Andrey Voronikhin, Kvarengy and other outstanding architects of the era were all involved in its design, as was Peter himself, who offered his own drawings to architects and engineers and took a hand in the construction and arrangement of the grounds. We can see his influence in the straight and accurate lines of the park, as Peter the Great’s interests were in the engineering sciences.

Peterhof is famous not only for its palatial buildings, but also for its magnificent fountains, of which there are several dozen here. There are also a few trick fountains in the park, which suddenly spray water over surprised passersby. Hundreds of years have passed but this amusement has not lost its fascination – even adults are thoroughly entertained as children leap back from the unexpected splashes. Peterhof is often compared to Versailles, even though St Petersburg residents are convinced that the French residence is inferior to the Russian one. It could be debatable but a fact remains a fact: Peterhof is one of the most superb landscaped palace parks in the world.