Russia 2012: St. Petersburg Peterhof Palace

View of the church - the gilded domes incredible.

Peterhof Palace grounds - front.

Peterhof Palace grounds - front.

Peterhof Palace - fountains leading to the sea.

Peterhof Palace.

Peterhof Palace.

Kate and Peterhof Palace.

A great way to start the day.

Driving up to the palace. 

More of the Palace grounds.

Some refer to Peterhof Palace as the Russian Versailles; I can see why. Though the gardens and fountains weren't in full bloom, it is easy to imagine what the palace grounds and gardens would look like during the summer. Peter the Great built this palace as a place for him to stay en route to Europe. It is  strategically close to Kronstadt fortifications. It was important for Peter to have the fountains, one of the main beauties of the palace, so site selection was time consuming - legends say it took two years to find the ideal location. It took another 11 years from 1714 to 1725 to complete it. Construction continues today as,  like Catherine Palace, the Nazis captured the Palace in 1941, looted and destroyed anything that remained at the Palace. Restoration began after the war continues today. The splendor of this Russian treasure is truly a site to see. No photos are allowed inside, so we can only share the exterior.