Peterhof is the most famous of the palace suburbs of St. Petersburg. Its fame he owes primarily to the beautiful fountains, so Peterhof is very popular in the summer. But in winter, when the fountains stop working and the trees shed their leaves, the park gets transparency and a special charm.
On this sunny day, my friend and me decided to go for a walk in Peterhof. We were not sure that the paths in the park were free of snow and ice, so we made a route so that we could choose exactly where to walk: in the parks or in the city.
We got off the bus near the Czarist telegraph building, near one of the entrances to Alexandria Park, and saw beautiful clean alleys, freed of snow and sprinkled with granite chips. Sidewalks and narrow paths are still hidden under the snow, but the park staff had prepared the central alleys for walking.
We crossed the Alexandrinsky Stream and went down to the Gulf of Finland, on a long staircase. The main park in Peterhof is called "Lower Park", this simple name fully reflects its location: it is located at the edge of the water.
One of the most beautiful buildings in this park is the Monplaisir Palace (the name of the palace is derived from the French words "mon plaisir" - "my pleasure"). It was built in the early 18th century, designed by Emperor Peter I, so that the windows of the palace had a view of the sea.
We admired the sea views too - not from the windows of the palace, but from the terrace adjacent to it. The views were exactly the same:)
We came to the pier, where in the summertime boats with tourists arrive. So far, the bay is covered under ice, which seems very solid. This is an illusion - the spring sun is quickly destroying the ice thickness, and it is already dangerous to go out on the ice.
From the pier, we walked to the far side of the park, to Marley Palace. Along the way we often met park workers, clearing the paths of snow, trimming the trees, and doing other necessary work.
Marley Palace is a miniature pavilion-palace surrounded by ponds, and several beautiful bridges lead to the palace. While I was taking pictures of the palace and bridges, I was also photographed:
That was the end of our walk. One more look at Marley palace, take a picture of the cute lion's face on the gate... that's it, the walk was over, time to go home.
| ○ | ○ |
|---|---|
| Smartphone | Google Pixel 3a |
| Location | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
This is my entry for the #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.