Petrodvorets

formerly (until 1944) Peterhof

City (pop., 2002: 64,791), northwestern Russia. It is located near St. Petersburg and was founded by Peter I as a country estate in 1709. After visiting France in 1717, he decided to create a residence that would rival the Palace of Versailles. The Baroque Grand Palace (1714–28) was designed by Domenico Trezzini and its gardens by Alexandre Le Blond (1679–1719). It became the most lavish and popular of the Russian royal summer residences. Today the Grand Palace (now a museum) and the vast park, with 39 mi (63 km) of canals that connect the intricate system of fountains, are part of the 2,500-acre (1,000-hectare) preserved area in the city of Petrodvorets.

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