Peterhof
Peter the Great's seaside estate, famous for its terraced gardens and gilded fountains.
About
Peterhof sits on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland and is best known for the Grand Cascade, a staircase of golden statues and water jets rolling down to a canal that leads to the sea. In the Lower Park, dozens more fountains work without pumps, fed by gravity from springs uphill.
Beyond the fountains are small palaces, pavilions and trick fountains designed to splash unsuspecting visitors. The Grand Palace itself holds opulent state rooms, though the gardens are the main reason to come.
Plan a full day. The Lower Park charges separate entry from the palace interiors.
History
Peter the Great began the estate in the early 1700s as a rival to European royal residences. It was extended by later rulers and severely damaged during the Second World War, then carefully rebuilt in the decades after. The Grand Cascade was built in the 1720s, and the golden Samson fountain, honouring the victory at Poltava, was added in 1735. During the German occupation of 1941 to 1944 the palace and its park were badly burned. Restoration began soon after the war and has continued ever since.
UNESCO World Heritage: Inscribed 1990.