The sights of St. Petersburg are known all over the world. Peterhof (fountains, Cottage Palace, cathedrals, other architectural structures located in it are of cultural and historical value), museums, gardens - this is not a complete list of them. To visit all places in one day is simply impossible. Many tourists decide to start the tour from Peterhof. What is remarkable for this area of the Northern capital?
general information
Peterhof is a city in Russia, which is part of the Petrodvorets district of St. Petersburg, representing a municipality. It is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland and is a major scientific, educational and tourist center. If you decide to go on a city tour on the Neva, you should definitely visit the sights of Peterhof.
History
Peterhof was founded in 1710. At first it existed in the form of a suburban imperial residence and only in 1762 received the status of a city. In the tourist center is the Peterhof Museum-Reserve. Sights of St. Petersburg, as you know, attract thousands of tourists. Many people come to North Palmyra just to visit the "Peter's Court". Peterhof is a monument of palace and park art and world architecture of the 18-19th centuries. From 1944 to 1997, the city was called Petrodvorets. In 2005, he was awarded the status of a science city. According to the census for 2010, 73.2 thousand inhabitants inhabit Peterhof. Sights (photos are presented in the article) are mostly beautiful architectural structures.
Palace Cottage
What conquers tourists Peterhof? In St. Petersburg, attractions can be seen on a sightseeing tour. Some routes pass through the "Peter's courtyard". It’s better to start sightseeing in Peterhof from the Cottage Palace. It is the center of the Alexandria ensemble, which is built in the Neo-Gothic style. The building was built specifically for the imperial family by the architect A. A. Menelas. The construction of the palace began in 1826 by decree of Nicholas I. For construction, a place was chosen in the ruins of the estate of A. D. Menshikov. The cottage was built over three years. The palace served as a summer residence for the Emperor and his wife Alexandra Fedorovna.
Decor
The decoration and painting was carried out by V. Dodonov and D. B. Scotty. For decoration, elements of wood carving, stucco moldings, arches, as well as marble trim were used. Uniqueness was sustained in everything, down to furniture, which was made in the workshop of G. Gams on an individual order. Gothic ornaments can be seen on carpets, watches, chandeliers, candelabra and other objects and decorations. It is worth noting that, especially for the Cottage, rare services were made at the factory of Nicholas I. After the death of the Emperor, the palace began to be used as a museum. During the Second World War, almost two thousand exhibits were evacuated from here. German troops arranged a hospital in the museum, as a result of which not only the remaining items were damaged, but the building itself. The restoration took place under the direction of the architect I.N. Benois.
Peter and Paul Cathedral. Features of the building
When sightseeing Peterhof, you should definitely visit this magnificent building. Peter and Paul Cathedral is located on the shore of Lake Holguin. He belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church. The cathedral accommodates 800 people, its height is about 70 meters. The construction is made in the form of a pyramid, on top of which there are five chapters. The facade is decorated with dark red and light yellow bricks, which harmoniously combines with columns and tiles. Previously, near the entrance there were icons depicting the patrons of the imperial family. Around the cathedral is a covered gallery. There are four entrances on each side of the building, previously there were canopies for storing visitors' outer clothing. The stairs to the choirs were on the side of the facades. There is a belfry and a chapel near the main entrance.
Peter and Paul Cathedral. Interest for tourists
The temple is visited by tourists from all over Russia and foreign countries. It offers amazing views of St. Petersburg, Kronstadt and other cities. During the existence of the cathedral, there were only two burials on its territory - Major General D.F. Trepov and his wife. However, during the Soviet period everything was torn up here, the remains were taken out in an unknown direction.
Fountain "Samson"
It is the central fountain of the palace ensemble. The height of its stream is more than 20 meters. The project of the architect implied in the center of the composition the figure of Hercules defeating the Lernean hydra. However, during the construction of the fountain, the statue of the Greek hero was changed to a sculpture of Samson, tearing the lion's mouth. It is believed that this happened in honor of the victory in the Battle of Poltava over the Swedes won on the day of Samson the Stranopriemts. The figure of a lion on the Swiss flag made a very symbolic composition. The fountain was installed in 1735, 25 years after the victory. Initially, it was not even in the plans, since the large cascade did not require such refinement. Over the entire period of history, there were three different versions of Samson. The first was designed by M. Zemtsov and consisted of lead. At the beginning of the 19th century, the statue was outdated, and it was changed to bronze. During World War II, sculpture was badly damaged. It was damaged either after an air raid, or it was destroyed by the German army, which entered the city. At the end of the war, thanks to sculptors and artists, the surviving photographs and archival data were raised. As a result, the statue was recreated.
Church of Alexander Nevsky
This is another place to go when exploring the sights of Peterhof. The people of the temple has the name Chapel. After the completion of the construction of the Cottage Palace in 1828, there was a need for the construction of a house church. The place for construction was chosen by the Emperor himself. The church is located on the territory of the Alexandria Park Complex. Several architects worked on the construction. Initially, the design was carried out by the German architect K. Schinkel. Construction was led by A. Menelas. After he died in 1831, I.I. Charlemagne took his place. In a festive atmosphere, the laying of the church was made by the confessor of the Emperor Nikolai Muzovsky in the presence of Nicholas I. The church worked exclusively in the summer. It was then that the imperial family visited Peterhof. Divine services were held only for reigning persons. In 1918, the imperial temple was closed, and two years later a museum was opened there, in which they made repairs and reconstructed for a long time. In 1933, an exhibition on the history of the Alexandria Park opened in it . During the Patriotic War, the church was significantly destroyed, after which it was rebuilt only in the period 1970-1999. The museum building was consecrated, but services have never been held there. In September 2006, a coffin with the late Maria Fedorovna Romanova was brought here, delivered from Denmark. After some time, she was reburied in the fortress of Saints Peter and Paul.