A Testament to the Human Spirit
Destruction and Reconstruction of Peterhof
Tsar Nicholas II was still slowly adding to Peterhof when the Russian Revolution of 1917 overthrew the Romanov monarchy. The grounds and palaces became property of the state and were finally seen by commoners. Until the start of World War II, Peterhof was a museum, fountains collection, and historical site that anyone could visit.
During World War II, as Nazi troops neared the city, curators of the Soviet museum tried to save some of the priceless art works and statues. A few of the fountains were buried before the Nazis arrived, but salvaging efforts were useless. Peterhof was taken over by an occupying Nazi force from 1941 through 1944, which participated in the siege of the city. Millions of Russian soldiers died defending Peterhof while the Nazis demolished everything during their three year occupation. Land mines were planted under the Hermitage, palaces burned; gardens were shelled while the fountains were used for target practice. All of Peterhof was broken, vandalized or burnt. It is estimated that almost 34,000 pieces of irreplaceable Russian art were destroyed and the Hermitage left open to the elements. Some pieces, centuries old, were gone in an instant.
As soon as the war ended, the Herculean task of reconstructing Peterhof was undertaken by the ravaged nation. Since then, repair has continued, with much of the money coming initially from Germany as part of war reparations. Several phases of construction on the grounds and buildings have occurred in the intervening years. Peterhof first reopened in 1952, though much yet remained to be completed. Reconstruction has been slow at times, with attention paid to precise detail. The fountains began working in 1996 for the first time since the war. They have since delighted hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world.
Many of the artworks (there are far more than can be displayed at any one time despite the size of the building) remain hidden while detailed art restoration continues behind the scenes. Some art pieces that were thought to be unrecoverable have since been restored at Universities and conservatories in other countries. Now, 60 years later, work on pieces that can be restored with current technology is nearly complete. Peterhof is preserved at the height of its glory with tended gardens and replicas of the statues that were looted or destroyed.
The brainchild of Peter the Great who loved the sea perhaps more than anything, Peterhof is a testament to the power of water; symbolized by water wall fountains. More than that, it is part of what gives his city the charm that has lured millions to the edge of the Baltic Sea. For more than 300 years, Peterhof symbolizes what the human spirit can accomplish in the face of human or natural adversity. From what was once a muddy cliff has arisen a monument so grand that the world will never forget the name or the leader Peter the Great.