Day Trips from St Petersburg - St Petersburg - page 325

thrown. The interior contains the bedroom and study of Alexander I, as well as the
huge Yellow Hall. On the right side is the magnificent Bath Building OFFLINE
MAP ( Банный корпус ; adult/student R360/180; 10.30am-6pm Thu-Tue) , built by
Quarenghi in 1800, which is nothing special inside. Look out for some more trick
fountains in the garden in front of the buildings.

HIST HISTORIC ORICAL B AL BUILDING UILDING

HERMITAGE
OFFLINE MAP
( Эрмитаж ; adult/student R150/100, combined ticket for 2 buildings adult/student R250/120;
9am-6pm Wed-Mon) Along the shore to the west, the 1725 Hermitage is a two-storey
yellow-and-white box featuring the ultimate in private dining: special elevators hoist a
fully laid table into the imperial presence on the 2nd floor, thereby eliminating any
hindrance by servants. The elevators are circular and directly in front of each diner,
whose plate would be lowered, replenished and replaced. Further west is yet another
palace, Marly OFFLINE MAP (adult/student R150/100; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun) , inspired
by the French hunting lodge of the same name so loved by Louis XIV.

PARK ARK

PARK ALEXANDRIA
(adult/student R100/50; 9am-8pm) Even on summer weekends, the rambling and
overgrown Park Alexandria is peaceful and practically empty. Built for Tsar Nicholas
I (and named for his tsarina), these grounds offer a sweet retreat from the crowds. Ori-
ginally named for Alexander Nevsky, the gothic chapel OFFLINE MAP (adult/stu-
dent R140/70; 10.30am-6pm Tue-Sun) was completed in 1834 as the private chapel of
Nicholas I. Nearby is the cottage (adult/student R250/120; 10.30am-6pm Tue-Sun)
that was built around the same time as his summer residence. Also part of this same
ensemble is the beautifully restored Farmer's Palace OFFLINE MAP (adult/student
R400/200; 10.30am-6pm) , built here in 1831 as a pavilion in the park and designed
to reify pastoral fantasies of rural life for the royal family. It became the home of the
teenage Tsarevich Alexander (later Alexander II), who loved it throughout his life.

TOWWN

PETERHOF TOWN
In case you have not had enough, there is more to see in the centre of the town of
Peterhof (also known as Petrodvorets). You'll need to leave the Lower Park grounds
(and won't be able to re-enter to get to the hydrofoil without buying a new ticket) to
do this. In front of the Grand Palace is the Upper Garden (admission free) , which
backs onto the Grand Palace. It is far more manicured (and far drier) than the Lower