Sparkling Fountains Of Peterhof
Visit the "Capital of fountains" to enjoy the unforgettable specticle, of Peterhof and the Grand Palace and Fountains. The Peterhof grounds feature over 150 fountains and four cascades, all a marvel of hydrolic engineering, feed entirely by gravity fed water sources 13 miles away.
WHAT YOU VISIT
Exterior Visit of Peterhof Palace - Built to rival Versailles, the palace sits atop a hill overlooking the Gulf of Finland. Peter the Great drafted the layout for the 300-hundred acre park and supervised the design of the palace fountains.
The Grand Cascade - Comprises 3 waterfalls, and avenue of 64 fountains and 37 gilt statues. Now their powerful jets make up a majestic crystal-like colonnade leading to the Grand Cascade. Faced with granite and decorated with gilded statues, the Sea Canal is one of the most spectacular sights of Peterhof, emphasizing the geographic and artistic integrity of the seashore residence with the watery expanse around it.
Lower Park - Famous for its numerous wonderful fountains and cascades, is considered a true jewel of the 18th-century Russian park architecture, a splendid specimen of a formal Baroque garden. From the terrace by the north façade of the Grand Palace you have a splendid view of the Lower Park (covering an area of more than 100 hectares) and the sea, the focal point being the Grand Cascade that is fed by the underground springs of the Ropsha Hills about 13 miles away.
Samson Rending The Jaws of a Lion - This is largest fountain of Peterhof which is 21-meter high. It is a symbolic representation of Russia's victory over Sweden in the Northern War.
WHAT YOU SEE ALONG THE WAY
Board your motorcoach and drive west from St. Petersburg, passing through the city's residential and suburban districts, to Peterhof on the Gulf of Finland. (Peter the Great chose the site so that he could observe his infant navy at maneuvers.)
