First of all I'd like to wish to our beautiful women,
who are yet the rare guests on the Internet, all the happiness on their (and our) day.
Better later then never, especially since my trip to Peterhof, results of which you are
going to see today, happened right on the 8th of March. Zhenia Kuleshov kindly agreed to serve as our guide.
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul. Looks amazingly
similar to Savior on Blood.
Upper Garden from the side opposite to the Gulf,
Southern facade of the Grand Palace.
Although you can't see it on the picture (not counting the
paths) there are people in the park, not many though. We've seen two or three groups of
foreign tourists. Rather strange choice of a place for a winter walk.:)
View from the terrace on the Lower park.
The gilded dome of one of the two Voronikhin colonnades is seen in the opening between the
trees.
Sea canal.
The view on the Palace and the Grand Cascade from the side of the Gulf. For some reason
everybody loves to take their pictures on this bridge.
The Grand Cascade and grottoes. Almost all the statues
(except Samson) are covered tenderly with wooden panels in winter time.
You can see a vase with gilded figures on the rooftop of the Palace.
All day you could watch the flights of a hang-glider, under
cheers of the skiers it was taking off from the Gulf and circled above the park.
The western part of the park, one of the main alleys,
pavilion Hermitage.
By the way, if you would like to visit Peterhof I can give you some
useful information:
A train from Baltiiskaia station: 4 rubles one way, goes every half an hour, travel
time is about 30-40 minutes.
Or there is a bus - 10 rubles, but , I think, only twice a day..
Last summer I used a boat - 40 (thousand) rubles, about half an hour. But there is a
drawback - the last one leaves for the city at 17:00 or about that time.
There are also taxies from Baltiiskaia station.
Part of the facade of the Marly palace.
In winter time the entrance to the park is free as far as I understand. In the summer
you'll have to pay everywhere and for everything. Even to get from the wharf anywhere
except back in the water. :)
I hope that in about four month I'll be able to give you
the possibility to see the summer Peterhof without stepping away from your monitor.
Let me share a legend with you:
There was a plan of
development of Leningrad, including the metro, that provided for the extension of one of
its branches to Peterhof. However, very soon they found a large swamp on the way of that
branch and the project was changed. Peterhof and the new University campus were forever
cut off..
Granite lion on the Voronikhin colonnade.
On the right side, behind the border of the frame, there is his symmetrical twin. :)
Summer pavilions.
Palace Monplaisir and its western service wing.
Immediately
behind the arch - a small observation platform with the Gulf view.. I tried to take a
picture, but the only thing that comes out is a white square, everything is so white and
clear. You can see a couple of frozen buoys, but that's not very interesting.
One of the two fountains-surprises.
They say that there
is a special man hidden somewhere nearby who turns the fountain on from time to time. :)
no, right now he is on vacations ;)
Pavilionne Volier
Roman fountain.
This is perhaps the only fountain that
retains its decorations in winter.
It would be rather difficult to come that close in summer.:)
Dragons' cascade.
The dragon came out of its den.
I couldn't climb higher :)
Railroad station "New Peterhof". Definitely need
some restoration..
I've tried somewhat your patience and the disk space today, but I just couldn't cut the
number of pictures any more... ;-)
Thanks are due to Vladimir Beshenkov for
corrections.
