Restoration of Peterhof

The International Institute for Baroque Studies has organised a lecture for students following conservation courses in both the Institute and the Department of Architecture and Urban design, on the restoration of the Peterhof, near St Petersburg.

Perhaps the most famous and spectacular Baroque Imperial estate in Russia, the Peterhof palace was built by Peter the Great in the early 18th century by the architects Braunstein, Zemtsov, Leblond and Rastrelli as part of the Tsar's westernisation policy.

The vast complex of buildings and gardens adorned by fountains and pavilions were therefore inspired by Versailles. Particular features of interest in the Peterhof are the impressive interiors and the Grand Cascade, located directly below the palace.

The lecture on the Peterhof was delivered by Dr Anna Lobovikov-Katz, head of the B.Sc. in Conservation Studies programme in the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning of the Haifa Technion in Israel.

Professor Denis De Lucca, director of the International Institute for Baroque Studies, said that Dr Lobovikova's late father, an architect, had masterminded the extensive restoration project at the Peterhof, following the extensive damage caused to both the buildings and the gardens in the siege of Leningrad during World War II. In her well-attended lecture, Dr Lobovikova explained the restoration methodology used by her father in restoring the Baroque Imperial estate with the help of images of the Peterhof, both before and after restoration.

Another guest lecturer to the Department of Architecture and Urban Design was Professor Paolo Brescia who delivered a series of lectures on colour design and its applications in architectural projects, particularly schools and health care establishments. Paolo Brescia is a visiting lecturer in several Italian universities and specialises in the subject of colour used in both external and internal environments.