Marly Palace, Baroque palace in Petergof, Russia
Marly Palace is a two-story stone structure in Petergof set between two rectangular ponds with symmetrical facades. The building displays classical baroque forms featuring a central corridor layout and refined exterior proportions inspired by French design.
Peter the Great commissioned architect Johann Friedrich Braunstein in 1720 to build this palace and named it after the French château Marly-le-Roi. Construction finished in 1723, making it an important example of how French architecture was brought to the Russian imperial court.
The palace reflects Peter the Great's love for French style, with rooms like the Oak Study showing his personal taste in decor. The furnishings and 18th-century paintings inside reveal how the Russian tsar brought European elegance to his court.
The palace is open to visitors as part of the Peterhof Museum Complex and displays personal objects and period furnishings from Peter's era. Visiting on clear days allows you to explore the surrounding gardens and ponds alongside the interior exhibits.
Two artificial ponds beside the palace have been used since Peter's time as fish breeding grounds to supply fresh catch for the imperial court. This practical function remains visible today and shows how the tsar cleverly combined beauty with everyday usefulness in his designs.
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