Peterhof Palace

Lore & Background

The end of the Great Northern War resulted in the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, ceding much of the Swedish Empire's claim to the Baltic Sea to the rising Tsardom of Russia. Peter the Great began construction of his new capital St Petersburg in 1703 after capturing Swedish provinces on the eastern coast. Throughout the early 18th century, he built and expanded the Peterhof Palace complex as part of his goal to modernize and westernize Russia. In 1714, Peter began construction of the Monplaisir Palace based on his own sketches, later expanding his plans to include a vaster royal château of palaces and gardens further inland on the model of Versailles.

The dominant natural feature of Peterhof is a 16-m-high bluff lying less than 100 m from the shore. The Lower Gardens, at 1.02 km², are confined between this bluff and the shore. Atop the bluff stands the Grand Palace, and upon the bluff's face below it is the Grand Cascade, the centrepiece of the entire complex. The Grand Cascade is modelled on one constructed for Louis XIV at his Château de Marly. At the centre of the cascade is an artificial grotto with two stories. In the 1730s, the large Samson Fountain was placed in a semicircular pool at the terminus of the Sea Channel, depicting Samson tearing open the jaws of a lion, representing Russia's victory over Sweden in the Great Northern War.

Perhaps the greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps, supplied from natural springs and reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. The palace was captured by German troops in 1941 and held until 1944. Employees saved only a portion of the treasures; three quarters of the fountain sculptures, including all of the largest ones, remained in place. The Samson Fountain masterpiece by Mikhail Kozlovsky was looted by the invading Germans during the Second World War; a replica was installed in 1947.

Reader's Guide

The Peterhof Palace stands as a monumental expression of Peter the Great's ambition to modernize and westernize Russia, directly emulating the grandeur of Versailles. Its construction, spanning from the early 18th century through expansions by Elizabeth of Russia, established the Petrine Baroque style that became foundational for Saint Petersburg. The complex's innovative hydraulic system, which powers all fountains without pumps using natural springs and elevation differences, represents a significant technological achievement of the Baroque period. The palace's history also reflects the tumultuous events of the 20th century, including its occupation during World War II and the subsequent restoration of looted artworks. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Peterhof remains a key symbol of Russia's imperial past and its cultural connections to Western Europe, illustrating both the transfer of artistic ideas and the unique adaptations that created a distinctly Russian interpretation of the Baroque palace and garden tradition.

Did You Know?

• All of Peterhof's fountains operate without pumps, using water from natural springs and reservoirs in the Upper Gardens.
• The Samson Fountain depicts Samson tearing open the jaws of a lion, symbolizing Russia's victory over Sweden in the Great Northern War.
• The original Samson Fountain by Mikhail Kozlovsky was looted by German troops during the Second World War; a replica was installed in 1947.