This week I'm featuring *photo essays from our day in St. Petersburg with TJ Travel.
During the afternoon, we took a hydrofoil boat to the Peterhof Palace, the imperial palace and park designed by Peter the Great at the beginning of the 18th Century. We didn't actually go into the Grand Palace but did tour the smaller Monplaisir Palace, a small summer palace.
During the afternoon, we took a hydrofoil boat to the Peterhof Palace, the imperial palace and park designed by Peter the Great at the beginning of the 18th Century. We didn't actually go into the Grand Palace but did tour the smaller Monplaisir Palace, a small summer palace.
When you arrive by boat the first site that greats you is the Grand Cascade that runs from the water's edge all the way to the entrance of the Palace. There are 64 fountains and over 200 statues covered in gold leaf.
The gardens are full of unique fountains and water features. The entire system is gravity-fed.
Apparently, Peter the Great was a big joker and enjoyed getting his noble guests wet. Like this little pathway. Several times a day, the guy in the green overalls turns the crank and the street is drenched with streams of water. There are trees that spray water and fountains that squirt you if you are unlucky enough to step on a certain brick. And watch where you sit, the guy hidden behind the tree in a green box just might turn on the tap.
You can see why it is often called "The Russian Versaille" or "The Capital of Fountains."
