Peterhof's uncontested centrepiece is the Grand Cascade, a symphony of over 140 fountains and canals partly engineered by Peter himself. To see the fountains you have to pay to enter the Lower Park and they only work from mid-May to early October (11am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 11am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday), but at any time of the year the gilded ensemble still looks marvellous.
The central statue of Samson tearing open a lion's jaws celebrates – as so many things in St Petersburg do – Peter's victory over the Swedes. If you're interested in knowing how the fountains work, pay a visit to the Grotto beneath the Grand Cascade, where there are also some trick fountains.
