Fountains at Peterhof, Peter the Great's favourite summer residence near St Petersburg
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Peterhof
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When:
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Daily; not Mon
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Where:
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Peterhof
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| Opening Hours: |
Nov-Apr: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm; ticket office closes at 5pm
May-Oct (when fountains operate): 10.30am-6pm; ticket office closes 5pm
Closed last Tue of each month
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For 200 years after its foundation by Peter the Great as one of his summer palaces, Peterhof was the playground of the Russian nobility. Following the Russian Revolution it was subsumed under state control as an architecture and art museum, so its wonders have survived intact into the 21st century. These include 176 fountains, which explains its sobriquet as "capital of fountains." There are five palaces to visit - the Great (with its fantastic throne room), Monplaisir (Peter's favourite), Marly, Cottage and Hermitage - as well as acres of parkland, so take a whole day to explore.
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