Peterhof Grand Palace

The Peterhof Palace (Russian: Петерго́ф, romanized: Petergóf, IPA: [pʲɪtʲɪrˈɡof]; an emulation of German "Peterhof", meaning "Peter's Court") is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof, Saint Petersburg, Russia, commissioned by Peter the Great as a direct response to the Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV of France. Originally intending it in 1709 for country habitation, Peter the Great sought to expand the property as a result of his visit to the French royal court in 1717, inspiring the nickname of "The Russian Versailles". The architect between 1714 and 1728 was Domenico Trezzini, and the style he employed became the foundation for the Petrine Baroque style favored throughout Saint Petersburg.

Also in 1714, Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond, likely chosen due to his previous collaborations with Versailles landscaper André Le Nôtre, designed the gardens. Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli completed an expansion from 1747 to 1756 for Elizabeth of Russia. The palace-ensemble along with the city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Text adapted from “Peterhof Palace” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Peterhof Grand Palace ranks #702 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #32 of the 141 mapped in Russia. Founded 1747, it is older than 19% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 525 atlas entries founded in the 18th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 23,643 times in the last 60 days, more than 97% of the atlas. 28 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Saint Petersburg, 24 km away. See how Russia compares in the castle statistics.

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