In one of my recent articles, I wrote about the unique and unusual "Cottage" palace located in the Peterhof Alexandria Park. Today, the main focus will be on the Farmer's Palace, situated in the western part of the park.
How to Get There
Alexandria Park is on the way to the famous Peterhof palace ensemble. You can reach it by minibus or bus from Avtovo metro station or take a train to the "Novy Peterhof" station. Buses stop near the park entrance. From the train station, it's about a 20-minute walk, but you won’t have to worry about traffic jams. Choose the option that suits you best.
The Farmer's Palace is open only during the warm season, from May to mid-October. The entrance fee for Russian citizens is 250 rubles, while entry to the park itself costs 200 rubles. Students, pensioners, large families, and several other categories of visitors can purchase tickets at a discounted price. Make sure to bring your passport and documents confirming your eligibility for the discount.
You can also buy combined tickets at the Alexandria ticket offices for visits to several attractions at once. For example, you can purchase a single ticket for the park and the palace or the park and all its pavilions. In this case, the cost will be somewhat lower.
Tour of the Farmer's Palace
The Farmer's Palace is a logical continuation of the theme of tranquil country life in "Alexandria." In 1831, a farm with cow sheds and several auxiliary buildings was erected a few hundred meters from the "Cottage." In the late 1830s, a two-story structure was added to the farm, which housed rooms for the future Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich.
Over time, the farm was expanded and remodeled several times, and by the time Alexander II ascended the throne, it had transformed into a sufficiently large imperial Farmer's Palace. Like today, the palace served as a summer residence. When you visit, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a country estate. Throughout the palace grounds, containers with various plants are installed, and a small flowering garden is arranged in the western part.
During Soviet times, the palace housed a sanatorium for the NKVD, and later it became a dormitory for the Peterhof Watch Factory. The building remained vacant from the 1970s until it was opened after restoration in 2010.
The tour covers only the first floor of the palace, while the second floor hosts the "Peterhof Dacha Owners" exhibition, for which separate tickets must be purchased. Your journey into the everyday life of the imperial family begins with a 15-minute film about the history of "Alexandria" and the palace itself. After the screening, you will be able to explore several living and working rooms. The services of a tour guide are included in the admission fee.
The tour will take about an hour. If you wish, you can also visit other attractions in "Alexandria," such as the "Cottage" palace or the Gothic Chapel. Alternatively, you can take a leisurely walk along the shore of the Gulf of Finland, which is about a 15-minute walk away.
In summary:
- An informal palace with interesting interiors,
- In summer, the grounds are lush and green,
- You can choose to visit just the palace or manage to see all the park pavilions in one day.
