PETERHOF "the Russian Versailles", "the Capital of Russian Fountains"

Estate, lying on the shore of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea), a combination of several palaces and parks, the "capital of Russian fountains" and "the Russian Versailles". The estate was founded by Peter the Great and shortly after 1710 the tzar had a beautiful park with several palaces built.

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 in 1714-25 and in 1745-55 was remodeled to its present baroque glory by Bartolomeo Rastrelli.

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.

The Upper Garden is a pretty baroque "formal garden" which separates the Grand Palace from the St Petersburg-bound highway.

PUSHKIN (TSARSKOYE SELO) AND PAVLOVSK

The town of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo), just outside St Petersburg, has a marvelous ensemble of palaces and parks. It is particularly famous for its impressive baroque Catherine Palace where Catherine the Great lived and died. The palace was almost totally destroyed during World War II, but has risen like a phoenix from the ashes due to the unparalleled restoration effort undertaken since the war.

The present-day palace was designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the Royal architect, who created the Winter Palace and the Smolny Cathedral. Most of the restored interiors date back to the times of Empress Elisabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, though there are some early 19th century interiors too. Catherine the Great used to live in a separate wing of the palace, and when she was in her sixties she would still walk through the whole palace on her way to church.

Visit the palace, stroll along the alleys of the park with its numerous pavilions, ponds and sculptures. Next to the palace there is Lyceum (Litzei), a 19th century school for the elite, where the famous Russian poet Alexander Pushkin and many other celebrities studied.