The Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble is a monument of world architecture. The residence of emperors of Russia, not inferior in luxury to Versailles, amazes with grandeur and amazing beauty. A huge number of tourists come to the most popular suburb of St. Petersburg, dreaming firsthand to see a unique attraction, in which every palace, fountain or park has its own history.
An English park, which occupies a vast territory, is no exception. Frustrated by Catherine II still following the European fashion, he became an adornment of her three-story mansion, in which the empress was resting.
Business card
Without exaggeration, the landscape masterpiece can be called the visiting card of Peterhof. Thanks to the efforts of gardeners D. Gavrilov, D. Meders and architect D. Quarenghi, an English park grew in the territory.
His heart was a picturesque pond, which appeared during the reign of Peter I. He commanded to block the Trinity Stream, as a result of work and formed a reservoir with winding banks.
Picturesque pond
In the 1830s, the area adjacent to the pond was given over to a menagerie where wild boars were kept. After a few decades, it was demolished, and in its place appeared an English park, which adorned the nearby palace.
The pond, which gives a peaceful mood, divides the green zone into two parts and is its center. Planting trees and laying flat alleys were engaged in by gardeners who created a real miracle. They very skillfully entered a colorful pond into a broken English park, and a complete impression of the natural origin of the landscape was created.
In 1781, all construction work was completed, and construction began on the structures. Later, the architect Quarenghi created the so-called "Birch House", which emphasized the picturesque decoration.
Guest house
A log cabin with birch-covered walls and a roof covered with a thick layer of straw did not seem to be anything interesting. However, behind the plain facade hid the colorful interiors of the living room for receiving visitors with exquisite mirrors of various shapes, expensive parquet and six rooms decorated with intricate ornaments.
Classical english palace
At this time, by order of Catherine, they began to build a palace, called the English. It became the place where the empress secluded herself, moving away from state affairs. The building, built on the banks of the pond, monumental looking among lush thickets and spreading trees, looked very strict. A powerful granite staircase, six columns supporting the loggia, mezzanine - all this fully expressed the classical style in architecture. The interior decoration of the halls was also laconic, where stucco molding was assigned the main role.
Restraint in everything
The building, located on an artificial hill near the pond, was devoid of all luxury. Even the ceremonial halls did not shine with a lush interior, but were cleaned in a restrained style. The views of the guests were attracted by portraits of European monarchs, hung on the walls.
Architect's flaw
By the way, when designing the palace, the European architect did not take into account the local climate, forgetting about the vestibule, which led to harsh winters. And the masters who worked with him were afraid to point out the mistake.
Original bridges
The English park (Peterhof) included not only the palace, which had been under construction for more than 15 years. Eleven original bridges were also surprising, giving a particular splendor to the landscape. Deliberately decorated in the form of ruins and emphasized by rough stone blocks, they became a real treasure of the park area.
The destruction of the park after the death of Catherine II
Unfortunately, after the death of his mother, the ambitious Pavel I, who dreamed of reinterpreting the existing structure, ordered the pavilions in the park to be destroyed, and the palace turned into a military barracks.
The revival of the palace
The English park (Peterhof), the photo of which is presented in the article, was brought back to life only during the reign of Alexander I, who tried to restore his previous appearance. Quarenghi was engaged in the repair of the palace, which served as the residence of foreign diplomats who came from all countries to luxurious receptions in Peterhof. In addition, they held music concerts and exhibitions of paintings by artists.
Destroyed masterpiece
After 1917, the masterpiece of classicism turned into an ordinary sanatorium, and during the Great Patriotic War it was completely destroyed, as evidenced by the marble pedestal.
Occupying more than 170 hectares, the English Park (Peterhof) was badly damaged.
How to get there
The picturesque green oasis is located 1.7 kilometers from the center of St. Petersburg at the address: Peterhof, st. Peterhof. You can independently get there by train, departing from the Baltic Station, by minibus No. 404, 224, 200, 343, 103, 424 or by meteor from the pier of the Hermitage. Travel time - from half an hour to 40 minutes.
Peterhof with a palace and park ensemble is the most favorite vacation spot for tourists who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of past centuries. The world famous architectural monument is a real achievement of national culture. A visit to the English Park will give aesthetic pleasure, and everyone will be imbued with the magical charm of the historical place.