Petrodvorets plan. Lower park in Peterhof. Fountains and other attractions of the Lower Park

When Peter I conceived a summer residence near St. Petersburg, he wanted it to be no less luxurious than Versailles. Peterhof fountains and cascades amaze with their splendor. They were made by the best engineers and sculptors, and most of the fountains have been working properly for almost three hundred years.

General view of the Grand Cascade, the Samson fountain against the backdrop of the Grand Palace

How the Peterhof fountains were built

The construction of a country residence in Peterhof began in 1712, and 3 years later large construction began in Strelna. Peter wanted to decorate the park ensemble of the new palace with fountains or, as they were called in those days, “water extravaganzas.” However, in order for the fountains to work around the clock, engineers had to raise the water to 10 m above sea level. The area surrounding Strelna was located below this mark, and if this happened, the territory would be flooded.

A way out of a difficult situation was found by hydraulic engineer Burchard Christoph von Munnich, known in Russia as Christopher Antonovich Minich. He made calculations, proved the impossibility of “water extravaganzas” in Strelna and proposed moving them to Peterhof, where nature itself took care of a suitable landscape. Thanks to the abundant springs of the Ropshinsky Heights, fountains in Peterhof could be made without the use of pumps. The hydraulic structures of the imperial residence were built gradually, and their scale significantly exceeded those of Versailles.

General view of the Alley of Fountains and the Sea Canal from the Grand Cascade

The German occupation caused great damage to the park, its palaces and fountains. In 1946, the restored fountains of the Lower Park began operating, and a year later the jets of the Samson fountain began to flow. Today, visitors can admire one and a half hundred active fountains and four large water cascades.

Fountain Opening Celebration

During the winter, the Peterhof fountains are turned off, and in May a holiday dedicated to the opening of the fountains is held in St. Petersburg. The ceremonial launch of the fountains is accompanied by the performance of the Peterhof anthem.

The holiday starts at 14.00 and lasts until the evening. On this day in the park you can see theatrical performances, concerts, performances of military bands, balls and fireworks. Many tourists from Russia and abroad come to see the vibrant spectacle.

To attend the fountain opening celebration, you need to purchase a ticket to the Lower Park in advance. This can be done in advance on the website of the palace and park ensemble.

View of the fountains of the Lower Park and the Voronikhin Colonnades

Fountains in the Upper Garden

The elevated part of the Peterhof park was laid out under Peter I and was used for growing herbs and vegetables. It has an area of ​​15 hectares and is located on a spacious terrace on the south side of the Grand Palace. All the fountains in this part of Peterhof were built in the 1730s. The green area is open for guests from 9.00 to 21.30, and the fountains here are turned on from 10.00 to 18.00. Free admission.

Square Ponds Fountains

Eastern fountain of the Square Ponds decorated with a statue of Apollo

The elegant fountains around the water reservoirs at the top of the park did not appear immediately. Their sketches were made by the famous sculptor and foundry maker Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli. Today, both ponds are decorated with bronze dolphins, the goddess of love and beauty, Venus, as well as the god of light and patron of the arts, Apollo.

Oak

Oak fountain against the backdrop of the Grand Palace

In the round pool located in the center of the garden, there is a fountain with Cupid wearing a mask. The hero of the ancient epic was placed on a small island shaped like a starfish. The fountain was named “Oak” because originally there stood a gilded oak tree, around which there were statues of tritons and dolphins.

Neptune

Fountain "Neptune" from the west

One of the oldest fountains in the park was restored quite recently - in April 2016. On a high granite pedestal you can see a bronze figure of the ruler of all seas. At the foot of the pedestal there are statues of boys sitting on dolphins and warriors on hot horses. The fountain is decorated with figures of babies and intricate arrangements of corals and shells. During the occupation, German troops took the statues of this fountain to Germany, and when the war ended, the bronze parts were returned to their homeland.

Mezheumny

Fountain "Mezheumny" from the main gate

Next to the main gate there is a fountain with an unusual name, which arose due to the frequent change of its decor. Now the fountain is decorated with bronze sculptures of a sea dragon and several dolphins.

Fountains of the Lower Park

The oldest part of the Peterhof ensemble occupies the land between the Gulf of Finland and the building of the Grand Palace. On an area of ​​102 hectares there are more than 140 fountains and cascades. The park is open to visitors from 9.00 to 21.00, on holidays - until 20.00. Please note that the ticket office closes half an hour earlier. Almost all fountains in this part of the park are launched from 10.00 to 20.45.

Grand Cascade

Grand Cascade from the West

A huge fountain complex at the foot of the Grand Palace appeared in the times of Peter the Great. Like the entire park, the Grand Cascade suffered greatly during the war years and then took a long time to be restored. Today, the wide cascade is decorated with over 225 sculptures made of gilded bronze, lead and marble.

Samson

Fountain "Samson" against the backdrop of the Grand Cascade and the Palace

This is the name of the beautiful fountain that stands at the foot of the Grand Cascade. The sculptural composition covered with gold symbolizes the military power of Russia. Samson, who tears the jaws of a ferocious lion, has long been considered the hallmark of the entire Peterhof complex.

Bowls

View of the eastern bowl

In the 1720s, beautiful paired fountains were built at the foot of the Grand Palace. At first the bowls were made of painted wood, but as time passed they were made of beautiful Carrara marble.

Alley of Fountains

View of the Alley of Fountains from the Marlinsky Bridge

The main entrance to the Grand Palace is decorated with a long Alley of Fountains. There are 22 water cannons installed on it, the thin jets of which resemble the branches of beautiful trees.

Favorite

View of the Favorite fountain

An interesting mechanical fountain is hidden from the west of the Voronikhin Colonnade. He appeared here in 1725. Four ducks hurry one after another through a deep pool, and a small dog, Favorite, catches up with them. Thin streams of water erupt from the mouth of the dog and the beaks of birds.

Adam and Eve

Fountain "Adam"

Paired fountains appeared in the park in the 20s of the 18th century. Their decor is completely the same, with the exception of the central sculptures. One fountain is decorated with a white marble statue of Eve, and the other with Adam.

Golden Mountain

View of the Golden Mountain cascade from the north

In the west of the Lower Park, on the hillside, you can see an unusual cascade, built in the likeness of a fountain at the palace of the kings of France in Marly-le-Roi. The last restoration of the picturesque cascade was carried out in the fall of 2015.

Triton

Fountain "Triton (or Orangery)" from the side of the Great Orangery

The garden area to the south of the Orangery is decorated with a gilded sculptural group. It depicts the struggle of the lord of the waves, Triton, with a sea monster.

The victory of the lord of the waves over the forces of evil symbolizes the triumph won by Russia in the wars for the Baltic.

Management fountains

One of the Menager fountains

At the foot of the Golden Mountain cascade there are Menager fountains. Their name comes from the French verb “menager”, which means to save or save. It is curious that the original nozzles, thanks to which the water pressure significantly increased, were invented by Emperor Peter I.

Chess Mountain

Cascade "Chess Mountain" from the side of the Roman fountains

The central place in the largest square in the east of the Lower Park is occupied by a large water cascade. It is called “Chess Mountain” because of the drainage steps painted in black and white squares. On both sides the water cascade is framed by marble statues of Greek gods.

Roman fountains

View of the Roman fountains

To the north of the “Chess Mountain” cascade there are two symmetrical two-tier water cannons. They were made in the likeness of the fountains in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the capital of Italy and began to be called “Roman”.

Lion Cascade

View of the Lion Cascade from Birch Alley

According to the idea of ​​Peter I, a separate fountain was supposed to be built at each park pavilion. An elegant Lion's Cascade was built near the Hermitage. Unlike other Peterhof cascades, this one was placed on a flat terrace, and not on a hillside.

whale

General view of the “Whale” fountain

Not far from the Lion Cascade you can see a small Sand Pond. A large column of water shoots out in the middle of it, and it is surrounded by four smaller jets. The design of the fountain changed several times. The name “Whale” has been preserved since the mid-18th century, when a wooden sculpture of a fish similar to a whale stood in the pond.

Sun

Fountain “Sun” from the side of the Lower Park enclosure

The central pond of the Menagereiny Garden is decorated with a beautiful fountain. The gilded discs on the column are turned by a hidden mechanism, and the streams of the watery Sun shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow.

Pyramid

Fountain "Pyramid"

The fountain that forms a high pyramid is considered the most original in the park. It differs not only in its unusual shape. The pyramid is a very high-water fountain. In just a second, it passes 100 liters of water through itself.

Triton bells

Fountain "Triton with a bell"

The fountain, decorated with four gilded sculptures, is located near the Marlinsky pond. In the hands of the newt boys you can see flat bowls.

Fountains at Monplaisir

Fountain "Sheaf" in the garden of the Monplaisir Palace

The garden adjacent to the Monplaisir Palace is divided into four porters. In the center of each of them there are water fountains, decorated with gilded figures of Apollo, Bacchus, Psyche and Faun. The water flowing from them forms transparent bells, which is why the fountains were called “Bells”.

The central place of the garden is occupied by the luxurious Sheaf fountain. It is made of stone and decorated with tuff. The jets rush upward in two tiers and are located at an angle, like ears of corn in a sheaf of rye. All fountains near the Monplaisir Palace are turned on from 10.00 to 19.00.

Cracker fountains

Fountain-joke "Water Road"

The most unusual decoration of the Lower Park is rightfully considered to be the cheerful joker fountains. They have different decorations, act differently and are very popular among visitors. When you try to get close or touch individual parts, splashes or jets of water suddenly fly out. It’s easy to guess the location of the water activities by the noise and cheerful laughter of tourists.

Fountain-joke "Sofa"

The very first of the joker fountains built is called “Divanchiki”. It is located in the south of the Monplaisir garden. Nearby, on the alley, rises the arch of the “Water Road”, about which guests of Peterhof often refer to the “Water Road”. The arch is turned on three times a day for 15 seconds - at 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00.

Fountain-joke "Umbrella"

The Umbrella fountain was built in the park towards the end of the 18th century. In the Soviet years it was called “Mushroom”, so “wetting fun” retained both names. “Dubok” appeared earlier, in 1735. This is not a separate fountain, but a whole complex of water entertainment, from which no one manages to escape dry. “Dubok” and “Umbrella” run from 10.00 to 20.45.

Fountain-joke "Oak"

Three small Christmas tree fountains look very similar to natural trees. Many tourists, not seeing the catch, come close and receive thin streams of water from the “branches.” You can have fun at the Christmas Trees from 10.00 to 19.00.

Attraction rating

It is not for nothing that St. Petersburg is called the Northern capital of Russia, because Peter built the city precisely as the main city of the empire, and emperors and tsars were supposed to not only rule, but also relax. Therefore, many residences of both the emperor himself and the entire royal nobility are concentrated around St. Petersburg. Today, most of the country palaces have been turned into museums, or more precisely, they are all united into a single whole: the “Peterhof State Museum-Reserve”, which includes the Alexandria palace and park ensemble, the Colonial Park in Peterhof, the Palace of Peter I and the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, museums “Imperial Yachts”, the Benois family and bicycles. In 2007, after the liquidation of the Oranienbaum State Museum, the Oranienbaum palace and park ensemble in Lomonosov was also transferred to the Peterhof State Museum. However, some objects (for example, the Konstantinovsky Palace) are still used to receive distinguished guests. Our initial route included visiting all of the listed places, as well as Kronstadt. But, as a rule, it is only when planning that it seems that the distances are small and only take an hour or two at each point. In reality, everything looks completely different and there is a catastrophic lack of time. As a result, from all of the above, we were able to visit the residence of Peter I in Strelna, Peterhof and stop by Kronstadt. But this program was enough to return to the hotel, which is called “without arms, without legs.”

Travel Palace of Peter I

As I already said, initially our first goal was the Konstantinovsky Palace (also known as the “State Complex “Palace of Congresses”) with the adjacent park. From the photographs and descriptions, I got the feeling that in terms of beauty and abundance of luxury, the palace is definitely not inferior to Peterhof. However, we were not able to see this man-made miracle. The fact is that Konstantinovsky is officially one of the residences of the President of the country and is used, among other things, to host various events. At this time, of course, the entire complex is closed to mere mortals. By coincidence, we found ourselves at just such a moment.

Konstantinovsky Palace “State Complex “Palace of Congresses”

St. Petersburg, pos. Strelna, Berezovaya Alley, 3

show on map

In a word, if you are going to this complex, find out in advance whether it will be open to the public. Without getting to the Imperial Palace due to the above-described opportunity, we move further along the Peterhof Highway. It must be said that even from a car window, without a tourist guide, it is clear that to get to know the surroundings of St. Petersburg in detail you need at least three days. Here you have a new building like the South Primorsky Park and a lot of other parks built for tsars and emperors - Mikhailovsky, Aleksandrovsky, Kolonistsky. But it is absolutely impossible to cover all this in one or even two or three days.

Very close to the Konstantinovsky Palace is the Traveling Palace of Peter I - this is the earliest building in the suburb of St. Petersburg - Strelna, which has survived to this day from the times of Peter the Great. Once on the territory of the museum complex, you would never say that the small wooden building is a palace. Modest in both size and decoration, the building was intended as a stop for the emperor during his frequent trips from St. Petersburg to Kronstadt, which was under construction.

On the territory of the “palace” there is a park with a fountain and a vegetable garden. And, as it turned out, this is not just a vegetable garden, but a historical vegetable garden. It has existed here since the time of Peter I. There is a version according to which it was here that Peter I first planted potatoes brought from Holland in Russia. In the 19th century, they experimented with growing rare plant species, new varieties of potatoes and similar rarities. In general, this is not just a vegetable garden, but a famous, historical vegetable garden.

Museum – Traveling Palace of Peter I
Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 10:30 to 18:00, ticket office until 16:00

In the Travel Palace itself, today there is a museum in which unique exhibits are collected - things and objects that belonged to Peter I and Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov. The furniture in the museum, although not original (that is, did not belong to Peter), corresponds to the times of the Emperor’s life. You are not allowed to take photographs in the museum, so we leave our cameras in the dressing room, put on special shoe covers and go to inspect the exhibition.

Throughout your visit, you will be closely watched by the museum's caretakers, every step and every careless movement is under control. I personally even had some feeling of discomfort, as if I had gone to visit someone and decided to closely examine the owners’ house, which they were not very happy about. And yet, visiting the museum left a very pleasant impression; you plunge into “that era”, imagine exactly how life was structured in the 17th century.

Peterhof

From the Travel Palace of Peter I to Peterhof it takes no more than half an hour. It so happened that the trip to the suburbs of St. Petersburg took place on weekends, when the flow of people wanting to experience culture increases many times over, so I had to look for a parking space. It is very difficult to comment or say anything about the park itself, except that it is a concentrate of luxury. Gilded statues, fountains, openwork gazebos, domes sparkling with gold leaf... You can literally go blind from the abundance of gold and the splashes of the fountains sparkling in the sun. Everything here is only in superlatives - luxurious, chic, dazzling. Of course, Peterhof is one of the most popular and visited places in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, and it is almost impossible to take a picture here that would not include a tourist.

In Europe, in terms of luxury, abundance of fountains, statues and gold, only the Palace of Versailles and, with some stretch, Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna can compare with Peterhof.

Layout of fountains and museums in Peterhof (Upper Garden, Lower Park)

Fountains on the map Museums on the map

• 1 “Mezheumny” 1 Grand Palace
• 2 “Neptune” 2 Special storage room
• 3 “Oak” 3 Museum of Fountain Making
• 4 “Venus of Italy” 4 Grottoes
• 5 Apollo 5 Collectors Museum
• 6 “Grand Cascade” 6 “Imperial Bicycles” Museum
• 7 “Samson” 7 Benois Family Museum
• 8 “Chalice” (Italian) 8 Playing Card Museum
• 9 “Chalice” (French) 9 Monplaisir
• 10 “Favorite” 10 Bath building and Kitchen
• 11 Alley of Fountains 11 Catherine's Building
• 12 “Greenhouse” 12 Aviaries
• 13 Cascade “Chess Mountain” 13 Museum “Imperial Yachts”
• 14 “Roman Fountains” 14 Marly Palace
• 15 “Water Road” 15 Hermitage
• 16 “Pyramid”
• 17 Cracker “Christmas Trees”
• 18 Cracker “Oak”
• 19 Cracker “Umbrella”
• 20 “Sun”
• 21 Crackers “Benches”
• 22 “Bells”
• 23 “Sheaf”
• 24 “Adam”
• 25 “Eva”
• 26 “Whale”
• 27 Cascade “Lion”
• 28 Cascade “Golden Mountain”
• 29 “Management”
• 30 “Cloches” (“Tritons”)

I have provided a map of the park for clarity and some idea of ​​the scale of luxury: 11 museums and 30 fountains. But that's not all. There are many different statues, gazebos and ponds in the parks. The squirrels feel extremely at ease here and are always ready to accept some treat from visitors.

Tickets to Peterhof

Beautiful is beautiful, but everything has its price. And this price cannot be called symbolic (prices are indicated as of 2015).

Lower Park 500 rub. Sales time: 9:00 – 16:45

Lower Park + two museums of the Lower Park to choose from (except for the Grand Palace Museum) 1000 rubles. Sales time: 9:00 to 15:00

Lower Park + Lower Park Museum of your choice (except for the Grand Palace Museum) 800 rub. Sales time: 9:00 to 15:45

Lower Park + Fountain Case Museum (daily except Monday) 700 rub. Sales time: 9:00 to 15:45

Nizhny Park + Museum “Imperial Yachts” (daily from June 6, 2015) 700 rub. Sales time: 9:00 to 15:45

In other words, the minimum cost of visiting the park will be 500 rubles. Well, if you want to admire the beauty like a king - from the window of a carriage (its role is played by an electric car), then the figure will already be four digits. For royal services - royal prices. Everything is fair. A two-day ticket to Versailles will cost 25 euros, so prices to Peterhof are quite European. But the entrance fee to Vienna will be 9.5 euros, and even less if you have a Wien Karte discount card. By the way, such a system of discounts is not yet developed at all.

Prices for excursions to Peterhof usually include the cost of admission to the park, so this option is also worth considering.

Kronstadt

Kronstadt is an island and actually a separate city, although it is considered the Kronstadt district of the federal city of St. Petersburg and its intra-city municipality. Despite the fact that Kronstadt is an island, you can get to it without the help of floating craft, since the island of Kotlin (where Kronstadt is actually located) is connected by a ring road (Ring Road), passing through the complex of flood protection structures of St. Petersburg (KZS), with northern and southern shores of the Gulf of Finland. Kronstadt also includes the adjacent islands of the Gulf of Finland and the dam.

However, we arrived on the island when the sun had already begun to disappear behind the horizon, so we didn’t manage to do anything other than walk along the Petrovskaya pier and watch the leisurely movement of the huge cruise ship.

But the island has a lot of interesting places and historical monuments; their list will take at least one page.

Instead of an epilogue

In general, the trip around the outskirts of St. Petersburg turned out to be not too full of vivid impressions, but it left a clear feeling that it was not only necessary to come here, you would have to return in order to become more thoroughly and carefully acquainted with the local attractions. We only pretended that we saw Kronstadt (there are also islands with forts around the island), we only admired the city of Lomonosov from the car window (and it is worth coming here for the whole day), we did not get to Konstantinovsky. From all this, I concluded for myself that when the question arises “where to go?”, we know exactly the answer: to St. Petersburg and its environs, and if the vacation is full, then also Karelia.

Dates of formation of the ensemble: 1714 - 1723,

Architects: Johann Friedrich Braunstein (years of life unknown), Jean-Baptiste Leblon (1679-1719), N. Michetti (1675-59), Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700-1771), Andrei Nikiforovich Voronikhin (1759-1814), Andrei Ivanovich Stackenschneider (1802-1865).

Garden masters: L. Garnihfelt, A. Borisov, B. Fok, T. Timofeev.

Park area - 102.5 hectares

The lower park was created on the model of regular gardens and retained all the features of its French originals. Although many decorative elements have disappeared by now, time has not been able to destroy the marvelous architectural harmony of the garden created by J.-B. Leblond, a talented student of the creator of the Versailles gardens A. Le Nôtre. The park is divided into three interconnected parts: central (Paradnaya), western (Marlinskaya) and eastern (Monplaisir).

The layout of the Lower Park is determined by two systems of alleys, fanning out from the Grand Palace and the Marly Palace. The layout is thought out so deeply that not a single garden decoration or detail is hidden from the eyes of guests. Each alley ends with either a palace or a fountain. A regular park is characterized by a symmetrical arrangement of its main structures. On the slopes of the hill there are cascades - “Big” (in the central part, at the foot of the ceremonial palace), “Chess Mountain” (in the eastern part) and “Golden Mountain” (in the western part). In front of each of them there are paired fountains: “Bowls”, “Roman”, “Menazhernye”. Only one of the four cascades of the Lower Park is located on the ground floor - this is the latest in creation, the “Lion” cascade, but it is the one that completes the embodiment of Peter’s idea embedded in the composition of the park: each palace and pavilion has its own cascade.

The park, with an area of ​​112.5 hectares, is decorated with about 150 fountains, including the “Oak”, “Umbrella”, “Fir-trees”, “Water Road” and “Sofas” firecrackers so beloved by children and adults.

The Mezheumny fountain is located in front of the main entrance to the Upper Garden of Peterhof. Currently, the image of the fountain is one of the postcard views of Peterhof.

The fountain also has a second name, “Uncertain,” which reflects numerous changes in the sculptural design.

In 1738, the sculptural group “Andromeda” was installed in the fountain, which depicted Perseus on a horse, protecting Andromeda from the dragon. Four dolphins swam around the sculpture. The sculpture remained in the fountain until 1775. It was too big to provide water for the fountain. Of the entire sculptural group, only a dragon and four dolphins remained.

In 1859, a crater vase was installed in the middle of the fountain.

During World War II, the fountain was completely destroyed. After the war it was restored by A.F. Gurzhiy based on surviving sketches.

Fountain Eva

The Eva Fountain in Peterhof is named after the legendary biblical ancestor of the human race. Its construction began in 1725 under the leadership of T. Usov, in 1726 the fountain was tested. Located in the western part of the park, the Eva Fountain is paired with the Adam Fountain, located in the eastern part . Both fountains are located on the axis of Marlinskaya Alley.

The Eva Fountain is a sculpture of Eve located on a high pedestal in the center of an octagonal basin made of hewn profiled granite. The sculpture is surrounded by sixteen fan-shaped water jets seven meters high.

There is a small area around the fountain, from which large and small alleys radiate.

Fountain - joker Dubok

The joke fountain "Dubok" is a funny fountain-curiosity in Peterhof. It was originally made according to the design of B.K. They were shot in 1735 as part of a fountain in the Upper Garden. In 1802, it was installed in the Lower Garden as part of a composition of several jokes.

The Oak Fountain is a six-meter tall metal tree with a hollow trunk, five hundred tubular branches and several thousand metal leaves painted green, standing on an oval island surrounded by a narrow stream. Jets of water shoot out from the tips of each branch. There are five fountain tulips under the tree. Next to the tree there are two benches, on which you just sit down and water jets rise from behind the backs.

During the war, the entire composition of the fountains, including oak trees, tulips and benches, was destroyed. The fountain was created anew in 1947 by the Lavrentyev craftsmen, according to the design of the architect A.A. Olya and according to the surviving fragments and a drawing from 1828.

Sea canal with fountain alley

The creation of the Sea Canal, 12 meters wide, was the idea of ​​Peter I. The canal was assigned not only a decorative, but also a shipping role; in the middle of the 18th century, light ships could sail through it to the harbor in front of the Great Palace. The Alley of Fountains is 22 pools with fountains on the lawns on both sides of the Sea Canal.

According to the idea of ​​Peter I, 22 swimming pools were installed along the canal. Initially they were called Nishelnye, as they were located in niches, and further from the water than they are now. Four pools had fountains decorated with sculptural groups based on scenes from Aesop's fables. There were also vase fountains. In 1835, the pools with fountains were moved closer to the canal, the fountain pipes were altered in such a way that the water jets formed different geometric shapes, including pyramids. Therefore, the fountains began to be called Pyramid.

In 1854-1860, fourteen pools were replaced with new ones made of Carrara marble. The eight pools remained the same, only they were painted the color of marble; they were replaced later, in the 60s of the 20th century. Single-jet water cannons were installed in the pools, shooting to a height of four meters; perhaps it was from then on that the name Alley of Fountains appeared, since the jets looked like amazing trees made of water.

Fountain "Pyramid"

The Pyramid fountain, created by the architect Nicolo Michetti in 1724 on behalf of Peter I, is located in the eastern part of the Lower Park of Peterhof. It is one of the most beautiful fountains in Peterhof.

Its peculiarity lies in its layout, thanks to which the fountain site is not visible from the alleys. Therefore, the water pyramid sparkling with splashes suddenly opens up to the eyes of visitors when they find themselves in close proximity to the fountain.

The fountain consists of four cascades oriented to the cardinal points. It also has important symbolic meaning. In the 18th century, the Russian army had a tradition of installing pyramid-shaped obelisks at battle sites. One of these obelisks was a water pyramid on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, dedicated to the victory of Russian troops in the Northern War.

Fountains "Clochy"

In 1724, near the Marly Palace in the western part of the Lower Park, on the alley along the reservoir, it was planned to build four fountains based on the scenes of Aesop's fables. However, the plan was not realized, and the figures of four “Tritons”, made in 1721 from bronze according to a drawing by the architect I.-F., were transferred to the prepared places from the arches of the Grand Cascade grotto. Braunstein. Wooden bowls with tubes, from which water flowed over the heads of the Tritons, were replaced at the end of the 18th century by flat disks with a conduit outlet in the center. Water flowing out under low pressure forms something like a bell. “Tritons”, surrounded by a transparent veil, seem to be in their native element of the underwater kingdom. Since then, the fountains began to be called "Cloches", which translated from French means "bells".

Destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, the Cloches were recreated in 1955.

Terrace fountains Peterhof

Terrace fountains are located on the sides of the Grand Cascade in Peterhof, on the terraces in front of the Grand Palace. The idea of ​​creating fountains on terraces arose in the first quarter of the 18th century. In 1799-1800, the architect F. Brower and the fountain master F. Strelnikov, according to the design of A. Voronikhin, created 20 bowl fountains and 10 cascades from Pudost limestone. In 1852-1854, according to the drawings of A. Stackenschneider, the details of the cascades and bowls were made of marble. The fountains have been preserved in this form to this day.

Ten identical fountains are located five to the left and right of the Grand Cascade. There are marble bowls on the ledges, from each of them a stream of water shoots upward. Below the bowls are marble cascades of four steps, their vertical walls ending in triangular pediments with gilded mascarons, from which water flows down the steps. At the bottom of the cascades, single-jet water jets can be seen in the long marble trough that connects the five fountains together.

Fountain Favorite

The Favorite Fountain, or Favorite, is one of the most interesting and original fountains of Peterhof. It is located behind the western Voronikhin colonnade. The fountain was made in three months in 1725 by order of Catherine I, it was designed by the architect M. Zemtsov. The fountain clearly illustrates J. Lafontaine’s fable “Ducks and the Poodle”: “The dog Favorite is chasing ducks on the water, then the ducks told her this: you are suffering in vain, you have the strength to chase us, but you do not have the strength to catch us.”

The composition of the fountain is constantly in motion: in a small pool, a funny dog ​​chases four copper ducks, brightly painted in oil, in a circle. Streams of water fly out of the duck beaks and the dog's mouth. The musical accompaniment is the barking of a dog and the quack of ducks.

The fountain figures are set in motion by a special mechanism hidden at the bottom of the pool.

During the Great Patriotic War, the fountain was destroyed. In 1957, the water supply system of the fountain was reconstructed, and the ducks and dog Favorite were recreated from copper.

Fountain "Adam"

The Adam Fountain was built in St. Petersburg between 1718 and 1726. designed by the Venetian sculptor Giovanni Bonazza.

This fountain, located on the territory of the Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble, is part of a single architectural concept, along with the “Eva” fountain. The fountains are similar in artistic style and engineering design.

The “Adam” and “Eve” fountains are located on the axis of the main alley of the park (Marlinsky Alley) at the central points of the eastern and western parts of the park, respectively.

The fountain's pool has the shape of a regular octagon, in the center of which there is a sculpture on a pedestal, which is surrounded by sixteen inclined jets of water.

These are the only fountains on the territory of Peterhof that have retained their original appearance.

Fountain "Sheaf"

The Sheaf Fountain is located in the Monplaisir Garden of Peterhof. The garden, like the palace itself, was created according to the design of Peter I in the eastern part of the Lower Park.

Construction began in 1721 under the direction of the architect N. Michetti.

The fountain is a powerful water jet. Twenty-four jets shoot from the base of a circular pool whose diameter is twenty-one meters. The streams burst out in the form of ears of corn, which form the shape of a sheaf. The central jet shoots up four and a half meters.

The fountain is surrounded by four bell fountains, which create a complete composition of the Monplaisir Garden.

Currently, the garden is one of the most popular places in Petrodvorets.

Oak Fountain

The Oak Fountain is the first fountain in the Upper Garden in Peterhof. In 1734, P. Sualem created a plan for the future fountain. B.K. Rastrelli created sculptures for him from lead: an oak tree, modeled after the same sculpture at Versailles, three tritons and six dolphins. The lead oak was moved to the Lower Park in 1746. Over the course of two hundred years, the fountain was constantly rebuilt; by the 19th century, only dolphins remained from the original composition. In 1929, the fountain took its final form.

Now the fountain, which has retained its former name "Oak", delights with its elegant decor. In the middle of the round pool, the bottom of which is lined with slabs of dark and light granite, there is a tuff slide in the shape of a starfish with six rays. At the ends of the starfish there are six bronze dolphins, from whose mouths thin streams of water are directed upward. In the center of the hill you can see the marble sculpture "Cupid Putting on a Mask".

Fountain Adam

The Adam Fountain is located on Marlinskaya Alley, Lower Park in Peterhof - the main alley of the park, running parallel to the seashore. Adam is located in the eastern part of the park. The fountain's water jet is designed in such a way that the water, having risen high, does not spray, but breaks up into large drops; their fall into the pool is noticeable from afar.

Fountain "Neptune"

The Neptune Fountain, decorated with a three-tiered sculptural group, is the central fountain of the Upper Garden of Peterhof. The statue of Neptune stands on a high pedestal, surrounded by masks of sea monsters, from which slanted streams of water shoot out.

The composition entitled “Neptunov’s Cart” was installed in the central pool of the Upper Garden in 1736. The sculptures were made of gilded lead. In 1797, instead of the “Neptune’s Cart”, a sculptural group “Neptune” was installed, which has survived to this day. After the war and the dismantling of the fountains, they were launched again by craftsmen under the leadership of A. Smirnov only in 1956.

The fountain figures were made in Nuremberg to commemorate the Peace of Westphalia and then sold to Russia. A copy of the fountain, installed in the Nuremberg city park, has been there since 1902.

Western Square Pond (with the "Venus of Italy" fountain)

One of the so-called “Square Ponds” (which are actually rectangular) is located next to the Special Storeroom of the Grand Palace.

Square ponds were intended to store water supplied to the Grand Cascade.

In the center of the pond there is a fountain with a sculpture of the Italian Venus - a copy of the sculpture of the same name by Antonio Canova.

Fountain Sun in Peterhof

The magnificent fountains of Peterhof are famous not only for their extraordinary beauty but also for their great diversity of both architectural and engineering ideas. One of the most interesting fountains in the park is without a doubt the Sun Fountain.

Going to St. Petersburg, we knew for sure that we would visit Peterhof Park. To our great joy, the weather was wonderful and we were able to see the upper and lower parks, admire the stunning fountains of Peterhof, and also see other sights. Read on for our reviews, photos and detailed descriptions of a walk through the park, as well as other useful information: ticket prices, park opening hours and schedule.

There are many interesting sights in Peterhof, but we would like to dwell in more detail on the most important one - the Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble.

Upper and lower park

The most visited park in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, Peterhof Park, is divided into two so-called levels - Upper and Lower Park. The area of ​​the park is more than 15 hectares, it’s good that a diagram is attached, so before you go for a walk, stock up on comfortable shoes, and also, just in case, you can take warm clothes, since the Gulf of Finland is located nearby, from which cold winds sometimes blow.

Entrance to the Upper Park is free; there are numerous fountains, walking paths, a lot of greenery, everything is neatly trimmed and laid out. If you look at it from the perspective of a pleasant pastime in the park, then everything is very good, everything has been so ennobled: the palaces have been restored, paths and fountains have been made, lawns have been perfectly mowed, and evening and night lighting have been installed. But personally, we would be more pleased to see not new buildings, but more ancient buildings from tsarist times.

Still, there is no sense of history in this place, but this does not mean that crowds of tourists will stop visiting Peterhof Park; we are sure that it will become more and more attractive for visiting, along with which we wrote about earlier.

Our photos and reviews

Neptune - the largest fountain in the Upper Park

Fountains of Peterhof

The lower part contains the main attractions of Peterhof - stunning fountains. It was precisely to see them that we, like the crowds of tourists, came to Peterhof. There are more than 60 fountains in the entire park. And in Nizhny there is the culmination of the entire park in Peterhof - the Great Cascade, which is the key element, according to the architect’s idea, in the entire palace and park ensemble, and is also considered one of the largest fountain structures in the world.

The large cascade consists of three waterfall staircases, a huge number of fountains and more than 300 sculptures and bas-reliefs on ancient themes. Well, and of course, the sculpture of Samson, which crowns not only the waterfall cascade, but also the palace and park ensemble itself in Peterhof.

Gulf of Finland - view from the park

We believe that the Gulf of Finland is also, to some extent, a landmark of Peterhof. It’s not for nothing that the city of Peterhof itself was founded on its shore. The embankment and pier of the Gulf of Finland are landscaped and equipped with benches where you can sit and admire the scenery.

During our trip, several tourists even managed to swim in the Gulf of Finland, although it is generally known that the water area of ​​the bay is very polluted and it is difficult to swim in it. strictly prohibited. But you can go on excursion boats for a reasonable fee, but we, apparently, were not in the mood for boat trips and did not do it.

Gulf of Finland in Peterhof

The pier where water transport with tourists from St. Petersburg arrives

What to do in Peterhof Park

In addition to the fact that you can simply walk and see the sights in Peterhof Park, there are also various activities for tourists to have a good time. Each palace in Peterhof has its own excursion program, and for an additional paid ticket, you get the opportunity to look inside. By the way, we did get to Petrodvorets itself, and not without incident, but photography and video shooting are prohibited there, so, unfortunately, there are no photographs left for memory, only memories. It should be noted that in, which we wrote about earlier, you can take photographs, and besides, we liked it much more than Petrodvorets in Peterhof.

So, when we approached Petrodvorets and asked how we could get inside for an excursion, we were surprised when we were told that it was impossible to go into the Peterhof Palace, all tickets had been sold and excursions had been held (and it was about two o’clock in the afternoon). At this time, to the side of the ticket office, we noticed animated people, from whom we learned that an additional 200 tickets would be allocated within an hour, and that they were compiling a list of those wishing to get in, and there were a lot of them. And this is where the adventures began, if anyone has ever stood in such queues, they will understand that everyone wanted to manage and get through before their neighbor. From such an organization of the visit to the palace, the impression of it turned out to be somehow blurred and we left it with the thought: “Or maybe it wasn’t worth going to Petrodvorets?”

There are joker fountains in the Peterhof park that will not leave either adults or children indifferent. This fun has been preserved since tsarist times. Children really like these fountains, so, just in case, bring a change of clothes for your child.

Also, various excursion trains and mini buses run through the park, which will give you the opportunity to relax and at the same time take you around the park.

Large joker fountain

Sights of Peterhof outside the park

When we left the park, we still had the desire and strength to see other sights of Peterhof, but, to my great regret, our opinions were divided, and therefore we did not see much. However, we stopped near the cathedral, which fascinates with its appearance. This is the current Orthodox Cathedral of Peter and Paul in Peterhof, in which services were held at that time. The cathedral has an observation deck from which an amazing view of Peterhof opens.

A very noticeable house in Peterhof

How to get to Peterhof from St. Petersburg

There are a lot of options to get from St. Petersburg to the park and see the sights of Peterhof, for every taste.

The first option, You can get there by minibus or bus, which depart from the metro stations Baltiyskaya, Kirovsky Zavod, Avtovo, Leninsky Prospekt, Prospekt Veteranov. It’s very easy to see the minibuses; they all have Peterhof or fountains written on them. The stop where you get off in Peterhof is called Fountains.

Second option, for those who like a calm, measured ride, you can get to Peterhof by train, which departs from the Baltiysky station (Baltiyskaya metro station) to the New Peterhof station. From this station to the park, in good weather, you can walk (about 3 km) or take a bus.

VIEW ELECTRIC TRAIN SCHEDULE

Third option the most romantic, you can get there by water or sail on a meteor. A meteor or rocket is a ship on air wings. They depart from the piers of the Palace and Admiralteyskaya embankments and arrive directly at the Lower Park of Peterhof.

Fourth option The one we chose and probably the most convenient is by car. The easiest way to get from St. Petersburg is along the Petergofskoe highway, or along the Ring Road with an exit to Ropshinskoe highway and then along the St. Petersburgskoe highway to Petergof. The road is generally not bad, but if you drive during rush hour, you can be stuck in traffic jams for a long time. There are no problems with parking either - there is a large paid parking lot, as well as a free parking lot just to the side.

Fifth option- the most convenient way to get acquainted with Peterhof and find out all the most interesting details. All you need to do is book an excursion to Peterhof from St. Petersburg. Prices for excursion tours start from 600 rubles. You can learn more about the excursions by clicking on the offers below.

Excursions to Peterhof

Operating mode

The lower park and fountains in Peterhof are open daily, seven days a week, opening hours from 09:00 to 20:00, ticket offices are open from 09:00 to 19:30, fountains (on weekdays) - from 10:00 to 18:00, on Sunday and holidays opening hours from 10:00 to 19:00. The grand launch of the Grand Cascade takes place every day at 11:00.

On Saturdays, the park in Peterhof is open from 9:00 to 21:00, ticket offices are from 9:00 to 20:30, fountains are open from 10:00 to 20:50. More detailed information on opening hours and tickets to the palaces and museums of the park, opening and closing of fountains can be found on the official website of the palace and park complex.

Address: 198516, St. Petersburg , Peterhof, st. Adjustable, 2.

http://www.peterhofmuseum.ru/ - Peterhof Park official website.

Ticket prices

For foreign visitors:
— entrance ticket for adults – 500 rubles, after turning off the fountains – 100 rubles;
- pupils, students and cadets - 250 rubles, after turning off the fountains - 50 rubles.
For citizens of the CIS:
- adult on weekdays - 300 rubles, on weekends - 400 rubles, after the fountains are turned off - 50 rubles;
— pupils, students and cadets on weekdays – 150 rubles, on weekends – 200 rubles, after the fountains are turned off – 20 rubles;
- preferential categories of citizens on weekdays - 200 rubles, on weekends - 250 rubles, after the fountains are turned off - 20 rubles.

Where to stay in Peterhof

Many, including us, come to Peterhof for one day, but after walking around the park and going to Petrodvorets, you are left with the feeling that you haven’t seen everything, so we recommend staying overnight in Peterhof itself and not returning to St. Petersburg, because Moreover, all conditions have been created for this.