The Grand Cascade
Water and gilded statues.
Vasilii Martynov — CC0 · Je-str — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jorge Láscar from Melbourne, Australia — CC BY 2.0 · Perituss — CC0 · Concierge.2C — CC BY-SA 3.0
Peterhof Palace is a series of palaces and gardens in the suburb of Peterhof, commissioned by Peter the Great as a response to Versailles, which earned it the name the Russian Versailles. It looks over the Gulf of Finland, and its gardens are famous for a chain of fountains running from the palace to the sea. It is part of the Saint Petersburg World Heritage Site and the finest day trip from the city. It began in 1709 as a country house, and Peter expanded it after visiting the French court in 1717. Domenico Trezzini worked here from 1714 to 1728, and Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond designed the gardens from 1714. Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli completed a major expansion from 1747 to 1756 for Empress Elizabeth. Before the yellow palace lies the Grand Cascade, with steps of flowing water among bright gilded statues. Below it the Samson Fountain throws its jet high, and a straight canal runs from it through the trees to the sea. Above stands a church with gold domes, seen from outside, and inside the palace are gilded halls and rich decoration. It is about 23 km from the Winter Palace in a straight line, reached by bus or train, or by fast boat in summer. The fountains run from late spring to early autumn, so check the dates before you go. Allow time for the Lower Park, and wear comfortable shoes. Morning queues are long, so book early. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.
Water and gilded statues.
A high jet.
Through trees to the gulf.
Peterhof, on the Gulf of Finland, Saint Petersburg, Russia
From late spring to early autumn, so check the dates before booking.
The Lower Park is the core of a visit, and the palace adds gilded halls on a separate ticket.