Today, your intrepid hero (well not really but I can take liberties since it’s my narrative) went to one of the most wondrous places I have ever been to. It is call Peterhof (Петергoф) and was the summer place of the Russian court from the time of Peter the great on. It is often called the Versailles of Russia and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But first, a few things that happened along the way during the 1.5 hour drive out of the city and up the coast:
1. We passed the summer homes of Russia’s new elite who all like to go to St. Petersburg to be close to where Russia’s president and prime minister spend a lot of their time.
2. We passed a combination monastery and police academy.
3. Some of the huge manicured public gardens along the way looked like golf courses already, they just need to add greens and some bunkers and it would be all set. The fairways, trees and water features are there already and in pristine condition.
In short, Peterhof is an amazing place. It has a huge palace complex, several smaller and much older (and still original) complexes of buildings as well as immaculate gardens, old growth trees and dozens of ornate, playful and even devious fountains.
We were lucky to arrive in time to see all of the fountains started in the morning in a programmed fashion with musical accompaniment. It was spectacular despite the weather which was already quite cold (it’s hit by wind straight off of the Gulf of Finland) and rainy. That place would be just that much prettier on a sunny day I am sure.
After the opening we spent the next 3 hour wondering the grounds, touring a small palace that was used by several of Russia’s leaders while the main place was being constructed, viewing the many fountains and walking the quite gravel paths. Interestingly this place had the boldest squirrels I have ever seen, they almost demand food from you and one of them jumped on our tour guide and another student in the process.
Several of the walkways and benches had triggers that would spray people with water of they walked on the wrong portion of the path, an original feature of the palace recreated for tourists today. There is a canal through the center f the grounds where the gulf of finalnd meets the water running off from the many fountains. Most of the fountains are dedicated to Peter the Greats victories in the Great Northern War against sweede, and often invote biblical imigry in doing so including a grand golden fountain of Sampson wrestling a crocodile (Sweden) to its defeat.
Unfortunately the main palace a reproduction, the original was blown up during the siege of Leningrad during World War Two. Everywhere around the grounds where couples getting wedding pictures, and for the first time this trip I saw other Americans (these where off a Baltic cruise ship).
It was quite a phenomenal place and is really hard to describe using words. I took pictures of it, but those can’t really do justice to the feeling off walking on a well groomed gravel path with tress moss beds, freshly rolled grass lawns, thousands of flowers, and the small of rain, the sea and trees everywhere. To truly appreciate it one has to see the majesty and feel of such a place and think back.
But first, a few things that happened along the way during the 1.5 hour drive out of the city and up the coast:
1. We passed the summer homes of Russia’s new elite who all like to go to St. Petersburg to be close to where Russia’s president and prime minister spend a lot of their time.
2. We passed a combination monastery and police academy.
3. Some of the huge manicured public gardens along the way looked like golf courses already, they just need to add greens and some bunkers and it would be all set. The fairways, trees and water features are there already and in pristine condition.
In short, Peterhof is an amazing place. It has a huge palace complex, several smaller and much older (and still original) complexes of buildings as well as immaculate gardens, old growth trees and dozens of ornate, playful and even devious fountains.
We were lucky to arrive in time to see all of the fountains started in the morning in a programmed fashion with musical accompaniment. It was spectacular despite the weather which was already quite cold (it’s hit by wind straight off of the Gulf of Finland) and rainy. That place would be just that much prettier on a sunny day I am sure.
Several of the walkways and benches had triggers that would spray people with water of they walked on the wrong portion of the path, an original feature of the palace recreated for tourists today. There is a canal through the center f the grounds where the gulf of finalnd meets the water running off from the many fountains. Most of the fountains are dedicated to Peter the Greats victories in the Great Northern War against sweede, and often invote biblical imigry in doing so including a grand golden fountain of Sampson wrestling a crocodile (Sweden) to its defeat.
Unfortunately the main palace a reproduction, the original was blown up during the siege of Leningrad during World War Two. Everywhere around the grounds where couples getting wedding pictures, and for the first time this trip I saw other Americans (these where off a Baltic cruise ship).
It was quite a phenomenal place and is really hard to describe using words. I took pictures of it, but those can’t really do justice to the feeling off walking on a well groomed gravel path with tress moss beds, freshly rolled grass lawns, thousands of flowers, and the small of rain, the sea and trees everywhere. To truly appreciate it one has to see the majesty and feel of such a place and think back.
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| The MAN himself! |
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