The Structure Of The Peterhoff Palace
The ensemble is divided into two major portions by a bluff that ranges sixteen meters in height. The bluff has been built about a hundred meters from the shore and it separates the Lower Gardens from the Upper Gardens.
The Lower Gardens consist of the majority of the area covered by the Peterhoff and the region is made up of many small palaces, fountains and outbuildings. On the eastern end of the Lower Gardens, one can find the famous Alexandria Park which houses several impressive structures belonging to the 19th century Gothic Revival School of Art. One of the most acclaimed and well known of these structures is the Kapella.
The bluff houses the Grand Palace, which marks the distinction between the upper and the lower regions.
The Upper Gardens are known for the beautiful Grand Cascade, the premier attraction of the Peterhof Palace.
The Grand Cascade
The Grand Cascade finds at its heart a manmade grotto, two stories carved out of hewn brown stone. It is home to a small museum that traces the history of the fountains and also showcases some exhibits. The foot of the Grand Cascade marks the beginning of the Sea Channels, which is an intricate waterworks system devised in the Baroque style that runs through the Lower Gardens, dividing them into two.
The Fountains at the Palace
The fountains are an exquisite feature of the Peterhof and are one of the biggest tourist attractions in St. Petersburg. They have been built underneath the grotto and on both sides of it. The water jetted out by the fountains pours into a semicircular pool, which then leads to the Sea Channel. The original statue at the fountains was a large Samson Fountain, which represented the time when Samson tore open the lion’s jaws (from the famous fable). The statue was stolen by the Nazi army during the Second World War and a replacement was created in 1947. The fountains are open from June to October, so plan your trip with the Baltic Travel Company well in advance.