Peterhof Palace, St Petersburg, Russia - 11 June 2011; Peterhof is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof outside St Petersburg. It was c

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Peterhof Palace, St Petersburg, Russia - 11 June 2011; Peterhof is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof outside St Petersburg. It was conceived and commissioned by Peter the Great as a direct riposte to the Palace of Versailles built for Louis XIV of France. Basically, Peter was saying that he could do monstrously large, extravagantly lavish and expensive palaces as well as the next absolute monarch. Somewhat childish, is it not? Built on the toiling labour of thousands of impoverished serfs and labourers for many years, it does sure look a bit like an 18th Century Vegas, but somewhat more stylish and classy.

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Photo credit: © Jon Bower / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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