Summer Palace of Peter the Great, St Petersburg, Russia

The Summer Palace (Летний дворец) is a diminutive residence of Peter the Great that was built in 1710-14 in his new capital, St. Petersburg, on the bank of the Fontanka River, in what is now the Summer Garden. This simple Dutch-style (Petrine Baroque) mansion contains just 14 main rooms.

The mansion was designed as an entertainment pavilion and was intended for warm weather use only. Peter moved into the partially completed palace in 1712 and spent summers here until his death in 1725. He occupied the lower level while his wife Catherine preferred the upper rooms.

An innovative feature of this palace is the extant central heating system which featured solid fuel burning boilers and elaborate porcelain ductwork, with extensive ornamental painting.

The Summer Palace seen through the railings of the Summer Garden