Our Peterhof Gardens Promenade

Often referred to as Russia’s Versailles, the Peterhof Palace gardens (Петерго́ф) offered us a picturesque — albeit congested and hectic — spot to stroll during a visit to St. Petersburg earlier this month. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Peterhof was commissioned by Peter the Great in the 18th century.

Under shadows cast by heavily-gilded cupolas, palace caretakers brusquely ushered us through this grandiose palace complex. When we encountered artists dressed in Baroque garb, we tried to imagine Peterhof in its heyday. Then, we tried to visualize the destruction its Nazi occupiers inflicted between 1941-1944.

Aside from the elegant gardens, we simply enjoyed people-watching. Visitors young and old brought life to the formal palace. There were Russian school-children visiting this UNESCO-World Heritage Site on a field trip. Some of them seemed more interested in games of hide-and-seek.

There was even a bride that resembled a delicately painted matryoshka doll.

Elsewhere, aggressive salesmen peddling matryoshka dolls, miniature wooden buildings with colorful spires, and Siberian cashmere shawls. Some of their expressions evoked Cold War intrigue.

Where in the World?

About the author

Hi! My name is Tricia Mitchell. I delight in telling stories about my slow travels through more than 65 countries. Some of my highlights have included sharing meals with locals in Armenia, Cambodia, and Tunisia; sipping sparkling wine with French cousins in Alsace; milking goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village; and training with a Japanese mine-clearance team in Laos. My husband, Shawn, and I are based in France’s Loire Valley.

2 responses to “Our Peterhof Gardens Promenade”

Sartenada

February 10, 2013

Lovely post. It was wonderful to see Your very beautiful photos from Russia. They differ so much from those which I presented in my series of posts “Return to the roots”.

Thank You.

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 16, 2013
  
  Thank you for your compliment. I have yet to post pictures from St. Petersburg’s urban corners. Indeed, they’re more gritty than the picturesque gardens at Peterhof. How much time did you spend in Russia?

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