Peterhof Palace Grand Cascade, Russia Postcard

Tourists watch the Grand Cascade of Peterhof Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia. The sculptures are covered in gold. Peterhof is a series of palaces and gardens located in Peterhof, Saint Petersburg, Russia, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great. These palaces and gardens are sometimes referred as the "Russian Versailles". The palace-ensemble along with the city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Grand Cascade is modeled on one constructed for Louis XIV at his Château de Marly, which is also modeled in one of the park's outbuildings. At the center of the cascade is an artificial grotto with two stories, faced inside and out with hewn brown stone. The "purpose" of Peterhof was as a celebration and claim to access to the Baltic Sea. Peterhof was vandalized and nearly destroyed by occupying German forces during World War II. Restoration began immediately after the war.