[CPProt.net] Famed Russian palace damaged by blaze

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Famed Russian palace damaged by blaze
Last Updated Fri, 23 Dec 2005 09:24:39 EST 
CBC News
A 19th century palace outside St. Petersburg, Russia has been badly damaged
in a fire. 

  
Firefighters battle a blaze at a 19th-century czarist palace outside St.
Petersburg, Russia on Thursday, Dec. 22. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)  
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/12/23/Palace-fire-051223.html

The fire broke out Thursday at the Peterhof summer palace, which is located
on a sprawling estate. 

There's no word yet on what caused the blaze, which gutted a large part of
the complex. 

The building was undergoing restoration at the time, fire officials said. 

Peterhof is a popular tourist attraction. 

The website for the palace describes it as as "an outstanding landmark of
Russian artistic culture of the 18-19th centuries." 

Peterhof was established by Peter the Great as a summer residence. 

After the Russian revolution in 1917, the palace was turned into a museum
showcasing both its art and architecture.