Cruachan
30-08-2011, 07:28 PM
The Peterhof Palace is located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland close to the city of St Petersburg. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and it isn't difficult to see why! This place has more gold leaf than a 1960s tobacconist's. I don't want to beat the history of the place to death because it's all over the Internet as it is. Suffice it to say that construction began in 1714 under the direction of Tsar Peter the Great. By 1725 the work was substantially complete although bits and pieces were added after that date. The Palace was occupied by German troops during World War 2 and they more or less immediately embarked on a campaign of destruction, setting fire to the palace and destroying or looting many of the sculptures and art works. Restoration began almost as soon as the war was over and the work continues to this day. So here's a small selection of the several hundred photographs that I took during the course of this visit.
1. Exterior of the Grand Palace showing the Grand Cascade
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/001_DSC04255_peterhof.jpg
2. Exterior of the Grand Palace from the Morskoi Kanal
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/002_DSC04259_peterhof.jpg
3. The upper gardens - view over the lake.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/003_DSC04156_peterhof.jpg
4. Grand Palace - The Orthodox Church
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/004_DSC04170_peterhof.jpg
5. The Ballroom
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/005_DSC04175_peterhof.jpg
6. The Ballroom - detail
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/006_DSC04184_peterhof.jpg
7. The Throne of Nicholas I
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/007_DSC04188_throne_peterhof.jpg
8. Another throne!
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/008_DSC04181_throne.jpg
9. Throne with portrait
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/009_DSC04180_peterhof.jpg
10. Having the lads round for a chinky takeaway and a few tins - do it in style.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/010_DSC04191_peterhof.jpg
11. Afternoon tea anyone?
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/011_DSC04214_peterhof.jpg
12. The old "infinite mirror trick"
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/012_DSC04196_peterhof.jpg
13. I hate to harp on about it - but this is a fantastic place.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/013_DSC04201_peterhof.jpg
14. Even the central heating system is spectacular - but then with those Russian winters...
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/014_DSC04211_peterhof.jpg
15. You wouldn't want to be a migraine sufferer with wallpaper like this...
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/015_DSC04209_peterhof.jpg
16. ... or this.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/016_DSC04207_peterhof.jpg
17. View down the Morskoi Kanal to the Gulf of Finland.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/017_DSC04198_peterhof.jpg
Thanks for looking.
J
1. Exterior of the Grand Palace showing the Grand Cascade
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/001_DSC04255_peterhof.jpg
2. Exterior of the Grand Palace from the Morskoi Kanal
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/002_DSC04259_peterhof.jpg
3. The upper gardens - view over the lake.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/003_DSC04156_peterhof.jpg
4. Grand Palace - The Orthodox Church
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/004_DSC04170_peterhof.jpg
5. The Ballroom
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/005_DSC04175_peterhof.jpg
6. The Ballroom - detail
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/006_DSC04184_peterhof.jpg
7. The Throne of Nicholas I
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/007_DSC04188_throne_peterhof.jpg
8. Another throne!
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/008_DSC04181_throne.jpg
9. Throne with portrait
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/009_DSC04180_peterhof.jpg
10. Having the lads round for a chinky takeaway and a few tins - do it in style.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/010_DSC04191_peterhof.jpg
11. Afternoon tea anyone?
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/011_DSC04214_peterhof.jpg
12. The old "infinite mirror trick"
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/012_DSC04196_peterhof.jpg
13. I hate to harp on about it - but this is a fantastic place.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/013_DSC04201_peterhof.jpg
14. Even the central heating system is spectacular - but then with those Russian winters...
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/014_DSC04211_peterhof.jpg
15. You wouldn't want to be a migraine sufferer with wallpaper like this...
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/015_DSC04209_peterhof.jpg
16. ... or this.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/016_DSC04207_peterhof.jpg
17. View down the Morskoi Kanal to the Gulf of Finland.
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr335/JimStanMau/Peterhof%20Palace/017_DSC04198_peterhof.jpg
Thanks for looking.
J