Water Avenue, the Samson fountain and the Grand Palace.

© Sergei Afanasev/Shutterstock


Criss-crossed by bridges and bedecked by smaller sprays, the Water Avenue is a canal leading from the hydrofoil dock to the palace. It culminates in the magnificent Grand Cascade, a symphony of more than 140 fountains engineered in part by Peter himself.


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1. Grand Cascade

0.21 MILES

Peterhof's uncontested centrepiece is the Grand Cascade, a symphony of over 140 fountains and canals partly engineered by Peter himself. To see the…

2. Catherine Building

0.26 MILES

Built by Rastrelli between 1747 and 1755, this building was where Catherine the Great was living when her husband Peter III was overthrown, paving the way…

3. Hermitage

0.27 MILES

Along the shore to the west, the 1725 Hermitage is a two-storey yellow-and-white box featuring the ultimate in private dining: special elevators hoist a…

4. Special Treasury

0.27 MILES

This small museum within the main palace is a repository for the personal effects of the Romanovs from Peter the Great onwards. On display you'll see…

5. Orangery

0.27 MILES

A former greenhouse that today houses a simple restaurant.

6. Monplaisir

0.29 MILES

This humble, sea-facing, wood-panelled villa was always Peter the Great’s favourite retreat and it’s easy to see why. It is snug, elegant and peaceful,…

7. Grand Palace

0.33 MILES

The Grand Palace is an imposing building, although with just 30-something rooms, it is not nearly as large as your typical tsarist palace. From the start…

8. Bath Building

0.33 MILES

In the complex of Monplaisir, this was built over various periods. Although the interior isn't spectacular, it does provide insight into life among the…