Peterhof Palace and its gardens are at times referred to "the Russian Versailles" (which many have said undermines the shear grandeur and scope of it). I have read that some say Peter the Great was inspired by Versailles to build this Palace but that even Versailles cannot outshine Peterhof. Whether this is true of not – unfortunately you’ll have to judge only from the gardens of Peterhof as the interior of the Palace was closed!!! We were devastated.
We did not get a chance to see the town surrounding Peterhof, and this we regret so much as it was incredibly picturesque. I feel as though we barely saw anything, is that not always the way? As for the Palace it was especially loved by Peter’s daughter Empress Elizabeth (who had good taste might I add) and contributed towards extending the fountains in the grounds. The entrance is inexpensive, the transport is cheap and the waiting time to enter the complex is insignificant but the experience is fantastic, taking you to another world. A world of fairy tales and a world where angelic-like peace is a strange idiosyncrasy that lulls the mind and captures the slight movements of squirrels in the forest. A world where tourists roam and a world which seduces you and leaves you wondering did this actually just happen.. so come with me and visit just that..
If you are interested, here is the vlog to really get a sense of this amazing place:
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One of the first buildings when you enter the complex.
This is very famous and extremely beautiful.
My mind wonders in places like this I think about the extravagance and see it as indescribable and simultaneously picture poor Catherine the Great may have thought the Palace perhaps frugal as she roamed the grounds, moving the court to Pushkin for something a little more ‘high end’. On the other hand, I wondered how they walked around the grounds in those large dresses and how they thought about the everyday person, probably thinking something in line with Marie-Antoinette, thinking that everyone lived so lavishly. This is what I loved, as we walked a little further out we found such quite loveliness with no tourists.
This was incredible.
This was so Alice in Wonderlandly strange.
At one moment, I thought about the amount of time that goes into merely the grounds and gardens of the Palace, and I thought about the couples I saw taking their wedding photos there and to me this was strangely interesting because during the time elegant Empress Elizabeth would have been walking around, no person who was not of royal descent would be allowed on the grounds, let alone have a wedding on the grounds. Imagine, princesses, empresses, tsars, kings, princes allowing “commoners” to walk around and take photos on ‘their’ land. It just would not happen. This is the true beauty of Russia. It does now happen. We saw many couples, taking photos, freely roaming the grounds that belong to the people of Russia.
Here’s the money shot. That’s what you come here for!
It is soooo crazy to think someone lived here!
It looks like a beautiful building on the outside unfortunately we went on the one day the even more grand inside was closed!
The gods guarded the complex whilst the rain fell like the beauty of endless love.
Leaving..
Senoval Restaurant for dinner
An alcoholic shot in the colours of the Russian flag – delicious!
Yes! We came here for sushi! But truly everything was fantastic and not very expensive!!! I could go for some of this right now!!!
Like the story of Anastasia, this story of Saint Peterburg too does end. As I stand in my red coat in the city of red loves, red armies and red soviet stars. I cannot help but be sad to leave. I leave you now Saint Petersburg, but not for long. I will be back with my red coat to visit your romantic skies once more.
Saint Petersburg is amazing!!!! Moscow is next!! Yugogirl out! :-::-::-:
