Peterhof Grand Palace

"UNESCO World Heritage Peterhof (also known, as Petrodvorets) is a series of palaces and gardens begun by Tsar Peter the Great after he moved the capital of Russia from Moscow to St. Petersburg in 1712. It is located near the harbor at Kronstadt, which Peter developed into an important deep-water port to serve the new capital. Peterhof's location also captivated many of the tsars who ruled Russia after Peter, who added to or extended the palace according to their own tastes, creating a magnificent ensemble. Peterhof overlooks the Gulf of Finland and is situated on a bluff near the coast. Peter designed and built a small wooden palace on the site in 1710, but the first major work was Monplaisir, which he began in 1714. Peter added several other palaces as well as a formal French garden (the Lower Gardens) on the coast, and ornamental fountains. The complex was officially inaugurated on August 15, 1723. The main building in Peterhof is the Grand Palace, which was extended by Empress Elizabeth from 1745 to 1755. The Grand Palace overlooks the Grand Cascade a monumental water feature with several fountains. It is powered by a 13.6-mile- (22-km-) long system of gravity-fed pumps. At the foot of the Grand Cascade is a sea channel that runs to the Gulf of Finland. Peterhof was one of the main imperial residences until the Russian Revolution. In 1918 it was made into a state museum. In World War II it was occupied by the Germans from 1941 to 1944, and while retreating they vandalized and destroyed large parts of the complex. However, much of the palace has been restored. In 1990 it became part of a UNESCO World Heritage site that includes historic St. Petersburg and outlying monuments. It is an important and sumptuous legacy of imperial Russia and a testament to the vision of one of Russia's greatest rulers, Peter the Great."