Palace fountains. Fountains of Peterhof

Fountains of Peterhof (St. Petersburg, Russia) - description, history, location, reviews, photo and video.

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In designing your summer residence, which was supposed to be not inferior to Versailles in its luxury, Peter I assigned the most important role to fountains. The emperor in his decrees explained in detail how and where to build a fountain or cascade. Despite the fact that Peterhof was badly damaged during the Nazi occupation, many of the fountains from the time of Peter the Great have been operating for more than 300 years and their world fame does not fade. The last restoration was carried out in 1995. There are about 150 fountains and cascades in the Lower and Upper Parks of Peterhof. It is not possible to describe all of them, but we cannot fail to mention at least some of them.

A fantastic spectacle is the Grand Cascade, sparkling with gold sculptures and silver water jets. In the center of the water bucket, a powerful jet of the Samson fountain soars up, and the cascade is connected to the bay by the Sea Canal. The Grand Cascade is the most significant building of the Peterhof fountain system and a brilliant monument of Baroque art.

The fountain "Samson tearing the mouth of a lion" (1802) symbolizes the victory of Russia over Sweden, which took place on the day of St. Sampson, the emblem of which includes a lion.

Two large fountains of the "Bowl" are located on both sides of the Grand Cascade and compositionally support the huge water column of the "Samson". The ensemble of the parterre of the Lower Park consists of these powerful fountains, Large flower beds and marble Voronikhinsky colonnades, from the roofs of which jets beat from golden vases, flowing into semicircular bowls. Behind the western Voronikhinskaya colonnade is the amusing Favorite Fountain. In a small pool, 4 ducks and a pug chasing them are moving in a circle, while barking and quacking are heard. This fountain serves as an example of Peter I's plan to build 22 fountains along the Sea Canal with sculptural decorations based on scenes from Aesop's fables.

Behind the western Voronikhinskaya colonnade is the amusing Favorite Fountain. In a small pool, 4 ducks and a pug chasing them are moving in a circle, while barking and quacking are heard.

One of the most beautiful fountains in Peterhof is the Roman Fountains, named after the fountains in the square in front of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. A huge disk rests on a massive marble cubic pedestal, on it is a smaller pedestal with another disk, from the center of which five jets are beating. The fountains are decorated with colored marble, golden garlands, wreaths and mascarons. Next to the Roman fountains, the Chess Mountain cascade flows down the slope of the water, the steps of which are painted like a chessboard. However, at first the cascade was called " dragon mountain”, since the entrance to the upper grotto is guarded by three dragons, from the open mouths of which powerful streams of water pour out.

Many wonderful fountains are arranged in the Monplaisir Garden, adjacent to the Monplaisir Palace - the favorite brainchild of Peter, who wanted to see Petersburg, Kronstadt, and the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland from his windows. The largest of them is the Sheaf fountain, surrounded by bell fountains on four sides: sculptures of Psyche, Faun, Apollino and Bacchus are mounted on pedestals in the form of inverted bowls from which water flows. Two modest white benches in the Monplaisir garden are not as simple as they seem at first glance. As soon as you approach them, you will immediately be overtaken by thin jets of water. And these are not the only trick fountains in Peterhof. Here, for example, "Oak" - a tree surrounded by tulips, and two benches next to it. Those who want to see a blooming tulip so late are immediately doused with a stream of water, retreat under a tree only adds to the sputum of sensations, and flight to the benches, from which water also suddenly begins to beat, completes the job. There are a few more crackers in the Lower Park, but we will give you the opportunity to find out for yourself which ones.

Fountain opening hours

Fountains only work in summer period from late April to about mid-October. The fountains of the Grand Cascade are solemnly launched every day at 11:00 to the music of Gliere's "Hymn to the Great City" and turned off at 18:00. The spring festival of the grand opening of the fountains usually takes place in mid-May.

The season is also closed solemnly - with the Autumn Fountain Festival around mid-September. In mid-October they are turned off for the winter and turned on only at the end of April.

Address: St. Petersburg, Peterhof.

The main attraction of Peterhof - numerous fountains - simple and complex,small and grandfunny and majestic.

The famous Peterhof, also well known as the "capital of fountains" is one of the most beautiful places in Russia. Herein an extraordinary way intertwined human skill and fantasy withpowerful force of nature. splendorthis place leaves no one indifferent.

The first work on the construction and construction of fountains and the incredible beauty of cascades in its summer residencesPeterhof began during the reign of the great Peter I. It is noteworthy that Peter was very well versed in this matter and personallyindicated how to carry out water and construction work.

After Peter, the construction and decoration of famous fountains was continued by his followers. Yes, in yourDuring the reign of Queen Anna Ioannovna, 22 more fountains, different in size and design, were added to the main composition. ExceptIn addition, a magnificent "Dragon Cascade" was built next to Monplaisir.

With the accession to the throne of Peter's daughter - Elizabeth, great attention was again paid to the fountains. Russian queenwas famous for her love of luxury and everything beautiful, therefore, during her stay in Peterhof, the fountains acquiredmany decorative details that made them even more original and refined. That's how I got minethe magnificence of the composition of the main fountains of the Grand Cascade.

"Neptune" is the largest and most powerful fountain of Peterhof in the ensemble. It includes a giant swimming pool, which recallsa luxurious mirror framed by green lawns and yellow, with a gray tint, stones. In its very center stands proudlya statue of Neptune, made of bronze, which is surrounded by a numerous fountain retinue - riders on sea horses,newts fabulous dragons.

"Pyramid" - one of the most original water complexes Peterhof. Its construction wasover a hundred years andonly at the end of the eighteenth century did the fountain acquire its final form, which tourists and guests can admire andto the present day. In addition, it is one of the largest water compositions in the Lower Park.

A unique creation of masters Roman fountains, the main components of which are made of wood and please Peterhofsince the thirties of the eighteenth century. According to eyewitnesses, they are a copy of the fountains installed inRome. Over time, the fountains were repeatedly rebuilt and replaced the main details. As a result, they remainedmade of granite and marble, and wood has successfully replaced lead.

"Chessboard" or "Cascade of Dragons" is the largest in the ensemble of fountains of Peterhof in the Lower Park. Name himthey gave statues of winged dragons on its top, from the mouths of which water pours out in powerful jets. Its height is 21 metersand it is made of four white and black slabs laid in a checkerboard pattern.

The fountain of Peterhof "Fungus" adjoins the former royal bath, which consists of eighty thin tubules,attached to the roof of the composition. When it works, a transparent water wall is created around, which is truly amazing.resting on benches near its base, guests. It strikes the imagination of tourists and unusual lead fountains"Oak" and "Fir-tree", the coloring of which is made as close as possible to real trees.

There is also a water composition with a “zest” in Peterhof - the Favorite Fountain. In his appearance, he is a littlelooks like a toyin the middle of a small island there is a figure of a shepherdess, around which ducks swim. When the toy dogmakes sounds of barking - a column of water escapes from the fountain. Since ancient times, the tradition of throwing coins on the back has been preserved.ducks sitting in the water. If the coin reaches the goal - the one who threw it will be lucky in business.

honorary title main fountain Monplaisir garden rightfully belongs to a very beautiful fountain"Sheaf".The basis of the composition is statues of Greek gods covered with gold, holding fountains-bowls shimmering in the rays of light.

Fountain "Sun" for a long time played the role of the royal baths. In the very center of the composition is a wheel, movementwhich was launched by the force of water beating into it, creating a jet of incredible beauty.

Paired fountains created by Venetian sculptors in memory of the biblical Adam and Eve, are clearly visible in practicefrom any, even the most remote point, park complex. Sparkling jets of water seem to hug the statues and noisilyfall into a pool made in the shape of an octagon.

Another composition made in the style of Greek gods is the Triton fountain. His main idea is to win humanover the unbridled power of the sea, which Russia was so proud of.

The Lion Cascade is also filled with originality and originality, which initially includedcomposition of eightvases made of marble and bronze sculptures of lions. In the middle of the nineteenth century, the fountain was redesigned by addinga colonnade from which powerful jets burst out. Streams of water beat from everywhere, except for the lions, who regally watch overthis magnificent sight.

Fountain show in Peterhof impresses with its majesty and beauty. Anyone who has ever seenunsurpassedthe skill of human hands and mind, which conquered the wild element of water, will forever leave a piece of its soul here.

With the onset of dusk in Peterhof, the main performance begins, which lasts more than two hours. Underthe enticing music of the audience is enveloped in clouds of multi-colored smoke, dozens of water jets soar into the sky, shimmering in the raysspotlights with unthinkable sparks. At this time, Peterhof plunges into a fairy tale, which resembles the most beautiful fairy tales aboutmagnificent French Versailles.

A large cascade spread out in front of the facade of the Grand Palace. This is not only the most majestic fountain complex of Peterhof, it is one of the most beautiful fountains in the world. The complex was supposed to sing the victory of the Russian army in the Northern War. Peter I dreamed that all guests of the country residence would be speechless at the sight of this masterpiece of park architecture. And to this day, everyone who comes to Peterhof freezes in admiration before this magnificence.

The Grand Cascade became a large-scale project, which was worked on by leading architects, hydraulic engineers and sculptors of that time: I. Braunstein, J.-B. Leblon, N. Michetti, the Barratini brothers, K. Rastrelli and many others.

⛲ large-scale work lasted from 1714 to 1724;

⛲ more than 2,000 people worked on the creation of a complex plumbing system of cascades;

⛲ the main basin of the Grand Cascade is directly connected to the Gulf of Finland through the sea channel;

⛲ The composition combined 64 fountains and 225 sculptural decorations.

During the Great Patriotic War, the workers of the museum-reserve buried the statues of the cascade underground and hid them in hiding places to protect them from destruction. But far from everything was saved: the statues of Samson, Neva, Volkhov and Tritons were stolen. The period of post-war restoration lasted until 1956. Just imagine - the entire unique sculptural decoration of the cascade was restored bit by bit.

Today you can admire this gem of fountain art. The complex is especially transformed during the opening and closing days of the fountains, which take place in late May and mid-September. For several days, the Grand Cascade becomes a bright decoration for a laser show and theatrical performances.

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Fontana Samson is the compositional dominant of the Grand Cascade and one of the most recognizable symbols of Peterhof. The luxurious sculpture was created in 1735 by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna, who wanted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava in such a solemn way. B.K. Rastrelli himself was involved in the development of sketches.

⛲ Originally Samson was dressed in a cloak and had a beard;

⛲ sculptures of eight dolphins decorating the composition symbolize the calm Baltic Sea;

⛲ gilded lions are the four cardinal directions;

⛲ Samson's water column is able to reach the height of an 8-story building without the help of pumps, the flow is provided solely by the pressure drop.

Samson's story is truly unique. The fountain changed its appearance three times. So at the end of the 18th century, the sculpture lost its gloss and luster, so it was decided to replace lead with bronze. The reconstruction project was led by M. I. Kozlovsky, who tried to preserve the ideological design of the fountain as much as possible.

During the Great Patriotic War the statue was stolen, in the 50s the sculptors V. L. Simonov and N. V. Mikhailov took up the reconstruction of the fountain masterpiece, using pre-war photographs and drawings in their work. Today Samson dazzles us with his splendor and looking at him you will undoubtedly see the reflection of several eras.

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Petrodvorets has a completely unique attraction - the grottoes of the Grand Cascade. These underground structures are the architectural center of the fountain complex. Having made a trip here, you will understand how grandiose the project was conceived by Peter I. According to his plan, all the fountains of the park were supposed to work not at the expense of pumps, but with the help of a special power supply system from nearby reservoirs. A whole team of architects worked on the project: Jean-Baptiste Leblon, Ivan Braunstein and Nicola Michetti.

⛲ the construction of the Upper and Lower grottoes lasted from 1716-1720;

⛲ dungeons were built here, where a complex hydraulic system of fountain pipes passed;

⛲ the pipes are painted in different colors, since earlier the pupils of fountain masters were still very young boys who had to quickly navigate which fountains certain pipes were connected to;

⛲ the profession of a fountain master was incredibly honorable, but the specialists had to work in difficult conditions, due to the constant presence in the dark, many began to have serious vision problems;

⛲ Since the times of Peter the Great, the legendary cracker fountains have been operating in the grottoes: the Cracker Table and the Water Curtain.

A walk through the grottoes will be unforgettable for you. On the way, you will definitely visit an amazing museum. Here is a unique exposition that tells a fascinating story about the work of the fountain masters of Petrodvorets. You will see working suits of master hydraulic engineers, get acquainted with rare documents and photographs. The grottoes of the Grand Cascade will lift the veil of mystery for you, and you will be able to find out exactly how the greatest fountain complex in the world functions.

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Coming up with the composition of the Russian Versailles, Peter I wanted to decorate each of the palaces of the residence with a unique cascade of fountains. Thus, the Hermitage Cascade was to rise near the Hermitage pavilion. Nicolò Michetti thought through all the compositional details in detail, but the construction of the fountain was delayed and the project was never brought to life. Only in 1799 the architect Andrey Voronikhin developed a completely new sketch of the cascade.

⛲ at the end of the 18th century, the cascade looked like a rectangular pool with waterfall ledges and marble bowls;

⛲ The main decoration of the fountain of that time were the figures of Hercules and Flora;

⛲ this is the only cascade of the park located on a flat terrace, and not on a slope;

⛲ the cascade in the style of late classicism, which we can see now, appeared only in 1855 and was designed by Andrey Stackenschneider;

⛲ Only bronze figures of lions have been preserved from the composition of the architect A. Voronikhin.

The image of the Lion's Cascade has become absolutely unique for Peterhof: no luxury, gilding and pomposity. Strict, seasoned composition captivates with its symmetry and sophistication. To decorate the center of the cascade, the sculptor Fyodor Tolstoy created a unique sculpture - the Nymph Aganip with an elegant jug on his shoulder.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Lion Cascade was practically destroyed; in fact, only the plinth remained, the columns and bowls were completely destroyed. Large-scale restoration work was completed only by 2000 and solemnly marked the completion of the post-war restoration of the Lower Park.

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chess mountain

In front of large area In the lower park you will find a picturesque cascade of fountains with black and white slopes. This is the famous Chess Mountain, which is also called the Dragon Cascade. Initially, Peter I planned to create a unique fountain composition here, which would become a symbol of the victory of the Russian Empire over the Swedish fortresses. The fountain was supposed to be stylized in a special way: to build a complex in the form of a ruined tower. But due to lack of resources, this project was not destined to be implemented.

⛲ The appearance of Chess Mountain was formed from 1737 - 1769;

⛲ cascade height 21 m;

⛲ just like the Grand Cascade, the composition includes the Upper and Lower grottoes;

⛲ next to the steps there are 10 unique marble statues brought from Italy in 1724;

⛲ according to the initial project of Peter I, at the top of the complex it was supposed to install the Neptunian cart with four horses, later a sculpture by B.K. Rastrelli was transferred to the Upper Park;

⛲ Chessboard-style painting did not appear until 1769.

In creating a cascade in different time leading architects of the 18th century took part: Johann Braunstein and the Barattini brothers, Mikhail Zemtsov and Timofey Usov. The leading fountain master Vasily Tuvolkov was responsible for hydraulic engineering work.

The key reconstruction of the cascade took place in 1737: Mikhail Zemtsov developed in principle new project. The cascade was decorated with figures of dragons, which were carved from wood. So the fountain complex acquired a new name - Dragon Mountain.

During the Great Patriotic War, employees of the park ensemble buried fountain statues in the ground, thus the greatest sculptures of the 18th century were saved. After a complete restoration, they returned to their places, but the chess slopes and dragon figures were recreated anew. Today you can see for yourself that this is one of the most solemn fountains of Peterhof, it majestically spreads out on a natural hillside and impresses with its bright composition.

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Once you see the magnificent decoration of the Golden Mountain, you will remember it forever. The gilded steps and sumptuous sculptures on the hillside are mesmerizing. Peter I decided to create the Golden Fountain Cascade after he saw country residence Marly le Roy of the French King Louis XIV. Peter was struck by the grandeur of the fountain cascades and wanted to decorate Peterhof with a similar solemn composition.

⛲ work on the composition of the cascade was carried out from 1722 to 1732;

⛲ the composition of the cascade is decorated with 18 sculptures, among which one of the best works Italian architect Pietro Baratta: Andromeda chained to a rock;

⛲ According to the original design by Nicolo Michetti, the staircase of the cascade was supposed to consist of 80 steps, but Peter I had to reduce their number to 21, given the limited length of the slope of the Lower Park.

Unfortunately, Peter I did not see the final work on the cascade, the creation of the complex continued after his death. The project was headed by the architect M. Zemtsov. It was under him that the feet were covered with gilded sheets. The Marlin cascade acquired a second name - the Golden Mountain.

In 1870, a key reconstruction of the fountain complex took place. To Petrodvorets from Italian city Carrara delivered ten mythological statues to order, which replaced the time-worn lead sculptures.

During the Great Patriotic War, all the statues of the cascade were hidden in underground vaults. The steps of the fountain were completely destroyed. The restoration work was divided into several large-scale stages, the final reconstruction was completed in 2015.

The Golden Mountain has an incredible colorful facade, compositionally it is connected with the Grand Cascade and also glorifies the sea power of the Russian Empire. The solemn appearance of the cascade will amaze your imagination, it looks especially festive on a sunny day, when the feet shine especially brightly with their gilding.

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crackers

A sea of joy and laughter will be brought to you by the famous cracker fountains. Peter I had an incredible sense of humor, so he was inspired by the Versailles tradition to organize such fun for guests of country residences.

Fountains-crackers are the true symbols of the park traditions of that time. They were extremely popular in the 18th century and reflect the stylistic features of the Baroque and Rococo.

Crackers are hidden in different parts of Peterhof. If you get too close to such fountains, you will certainly fall under a scattering of spray. However, in tsarist times, not all guests were satisfied with such fun, as the ladies liked to walk along the alleys in luxurious expensive outfits.

Almost all the fountains with a surprise are hidden in the eastern part of the Lower Park, near the Monplaisir alley. It was here that “playing places” were organized for the royal guests.

⛲ Fountain "Oak"

- was created in 1735 according to the project of B.K. Rastrelli;

- consists of a metal tree, five tulips and two benches;

- when you approach the composition of branches and tulips, jets of water rise;

⛲ Fountain "Sofas"

- was created in 1723 according to the project of Nicola Michetti;

- visually decorated in the manner of trellis sofas, which were in vogue at the beginning of the 18th century;

- jets of water rise from the platform in front of the sofa when you try to get closer to it;

⛲ Fountain "Christmas Trees"

- was created in 1784 according to the project of the architect F. A. Strelnikov;

- visually designed as three decorative Christmas trees;

- the mechanism works as soon as you pass by;

⛲ Fountain "Water Road"

- was created in 1721 according to the design of Nicola Michetti;

– in the time of Peter the Great, the alley was illuminated by a canopy of three hundred jets of water, the fountain was not popular due to the effect of surprise and was quickly closed, the idea received a second incarnation in 2001;

– the water arch appears according to the schedule at 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00;

⛲ Fountain "Umbrella"

- was created in 1796 by the architect F. Brower;

- visually designed as a Chinese-style canopy, decorated with armchairs with carved armrests along the perimeter;

- you must run under the canopy before jets of water begin to scatter from one hundred and sixty-four tubes;

⛲ Fountain "Table with splash" and "Water Curtains" in the Lower Grotto of the Grand Cascade

- were created in V1727 according to the project of Peter Eropkin;

- a luxurious table was specially placed in the grottoes, on which there was always a bowl of fruit, as soon as the guest tried to reach out to the vase, streams of water scattered from the tubes placed around the perimeter of the table;

- when leaving the grottoes, to this day, an invigorating water curtain suddenly appears.

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Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve is an amazing composition of fountains located on Marlinskaya Alley. Structurally, Adam is the eastern center of the Lower Park, and Eve is the western one. These fountains were planned by Peter I. The figures were created by the Venetian sculptor Giovanni Bonazza. Today you will find them in the center of the squares, where alleys converge, forming a star pattern.

⛲ the fountain project lasted from 1717 to 1728;

⛲ technically, water flows are not sprayed, but arranged in such a way as to fall off in large jets;

⛲ fountains are unique in that you can see them from all points of the Lower Park;

⛲ since 1726, Adam and Eve acquired a new allegorical meaning: the fountains sang of the first emperor and the first empress of the Russian Empire - Peter the Great and Catherine I;

⛲ Adam and Eve are the only composition in Peterhof that has retained its original sculptural decoration.

Diplomatic representative of Peter I Roguzinsky S.L. actively engaged in the purchase of statues in Italy for summer garden. At the same time, on the orders of Peter I, he ordered the Venetian sculptor Giovanni Bonnatz to make majestic sculptures of Adam and Eve. The result exceeded all expectations, Peter was delighted.

The first fountain was created for the sculpture of Adam, designed by Nicolo Michetti. The fountain started working under Peter I, but the Eva fountain was launched only during the reign of Catherine I. The Eva pool was designed by famous architects N. Usov.

During the Great Patriotic War, employees of the palace and park ensemble buried the sculptures in the ground, miraculously the figures were saved. In the post-war period, a long period of restoration of the statues began. The pedestal of the sculpture of Adam was completely destroyed and had to be recreated. Today you can travel back in time and see Adam and Eve in their original form, the paired composition of the fountains has been reconstructed and fully conveys the original plan of Peter I.

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The sun is a real masterpiece of fountain work. From an engineering point of view, its design is one of the most complex in Peterhof. This unique fountain adorns the central pond of the Menagerie Garden in the Lower Park in the immediate vicinity of the Monplaisir Palace.

⛲ a wheel is placed in the fountain, which comes in motion with the help of water flows, this is how the column rotates;

⛲ the discs at the top of the column have 187 water outlets;

⛲ On a sunny day, jets of water create an amazing spectacle: multi-colored rainbows flash everywhere.

Initially, the pond was decorated with a more unpretentious fountain. At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I wanted to organize a real menagerie in Peterhof. By his order, the Menagerey Garden, decorated with a long pond, was laid out. In 1724, the architect N. Michetti made a number of changes to the general concept and gave the garden a formal look. It was during this period that the first fountain was installed in the pond, which did not at all strike the imagination.

The Sun Fountain appeared much later: under Catherine II. She decided to reconstruct the pond and arrange a royal bath in the garden. I. Yakovlev and Yu. Felten took up the project. It was during this period that the multi-level design of the fountain was developed, which became a real decoration of the garden.

For more than a hundred years, the bath was hidden by walls that completely blocked the fountain. Only in 1926 the fence was completely dismantled. During the war years, the fountain was badly damaged; its final restoration was completed only in 1956. During the restoration work, it was taken as a basis open version fountain. So now you can endlessly admire the most iridescent fountain of Petrodvorets.

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Roman fountains are majestically located on the square in front of the Chess Hill cascade. Seeing them, you will undoubtedly be transported to the capital of Italy, because they are incredibly similar to the famous fountains near St. Peter's Basilica. Two symmetrical compositions were designed in 1739 by famous 18th century architects Johann Blank and Ivan Davydov.

⛲ fountains have a two-tier design, which was incredibly popular in the 18th century;

⛲ in the middle of the 18th century, the garden master Bernhard Fock created unique flower lawns that exactly repeated the shape of Roman fountains;

⛲ from the center of the upper bowl, water flows can rise to a height of more than 10 meters;

The appearance of the Roman fountains underwent several stages of reconstruction, which were carried out under the guidance of F. B. Rastrelli and F. P. Bower, the chief architect of Peterhof. So the wooden parts were replaced with stone ones, brick and granite became the main materials, marble was used in the cladding of the facades. Thus, the design became more durable and acquired a solemn look.

During the Great Patriotic War, the twin fountains suffered greatly: the pipeline, stone pools were destroyed, decorative decorations were lost. But despite the serious damage, it was the Roman fountains that were among the first to be reconstructed. Their launch took place already in 1949. And in 1954, decorative elements were completely recreated according to the models of Andrey Gurzhy. So today you can fully enjoy the incredible grace of the Roman fountains, which have become a true decoration of Peterhof.

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is the capital of fountains. Fountains of Peterhof are monuments of world culture. Water enters the fountains of Peterhof in a natural way through a system of locks, canals, reservoirs and springs from the Ropsha Heights, and the height of the jets can vary depending on their content. Pumps in Peterhof were never used. Almost 60 km of rivers, 16 ponds, canals and streams from the Ropsha Heights to the Monplaisir Palace itself participate in the unique “dance of water”. Water along the road is collected in metal pipes laid underground. For more than 3 centuries, this unique system has been supplying the pearl of Peterhof - lower park. In winter, in the off-season and always at night, the fountains of Peterhof do not work. The design of all 147 fountains and 4 cascades should create in the air the picture that the architects of the era of Peter I conceived. The summer season of Peterhof fountains opens in May holidays and lasts until mid-October. The opening of the Peterhof Fountains is accompanied by a costume theatrical performance and colorful fireworks at the Grand Palace. The opening of the fountains in 2019 took place on May 18. Autumn Festival of Fountains closing fountains in Peterhof in 2019 will be held on 20 and 21 September. You can go to the evening grandiose show as part of an excursion.

The valves of the fountains of Peterhof are opened daily in the morning by a team of eleven people manually in a strictly prescribed sequence - this is a whole ritual. Among the fountains of Peterhof, four cascades stand out: the Grand Cascade, the Golden Mountain, the Lion and Chess Mountain. All active fountains of Peterhof throw more than 1000 liters of water into the air in a second.

Since 1990, the fountains, parks and museums of Petrodvorets have been part of the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve. The main composition is located near the Grand Palace: the Upper Garden, the Lower Park, the Grand Cascade, the Samson Fountain. Jets of water merge with the surface of the Sea Canal and head towards the Gulf of Finland.

Upper Garden of Peterhof

The Upper Garden is decorated with fountains: Oak (1734), fountains of Square Ponds (sculptures "Italian Venus" and "Apollo"), a round pool of the Mezheumny fountain with a winged dragon at the main entrance to the Upper Garden. The oldest of them is the Neptune Fountain. His statue was cast back in 1660 and it turns out that he is 50 years older than Peterhof.

Lower Park of Peterhof

The lower park occupies 102 hectares. The lower park is an elongated triangle. The lower park stretches for 500 meters from south to north and 2.5 km from east to west along the shores of the Gulf of Finland. The lower park has two systems of intersecting radial alleys. If you look from the Grand Palace to the Gulf of Finland, then the central axis of the Lower Park is formed. The central axis is seen as the fountain "Big Cascade" and the Sea Canal, overlooking the Peterhof pier. The Sea Canal is decorated with the Alley of Fountains (12 pairs of fountains with a jet height of 4 meters).

The Sea Canal conditionally divides the Lower Park into two parts: eastern and western.

Eastern part: Catherine's building, Monplaisir Palace, Bath building, Aviaries, cascade "Chessboard Mountain", fountains "Bells", "Sheaf", "Pyramid", "Sun", fountains "Crackers" (you step on its secret part and the fountain splashes), "Roman fountains", "Greenhouse".

Western part: the Hermitage pavilion and the alley leading to it with the Lion Cascade fountain with a U-shaped pool with water ledges and a colonnade of 14 eight-meter columns, the Marly Palace, the Menager Fountains, the Golden Mountain cascade, the Cloches (Tritons).

Grand Peterhof Palace

The central place in the Lower Park is given to the majestic building "The Great Peterhof Palace", which observation deck with a parapet rises above the Grottoes Museum and the Grand Cascade fountain. Below, opposite the "Great Peterhof Palace" in park ensemble two symmetrical Voronikhinsky Colonnades (designed by architect A. Voronikhin) and two symmetrical Chasha fountains are organically inscribed. Fountains "Bowl" (Italian) produces luxurious jets of water in the western part of the Lower Park, and "Bowl" (French) - in the east. Behind the western Voronikhinskaya Colonnade, the original Favoritny Fountain, a favorite of children and adults, smiles kindly at the guests. The idea of this fountain is as follows: the dog Favoritka is trying to catch up with the ducks and all this action is accompanied by acoustic effects.

Photo of the fountain "Big Cascade" in Peterhof

Russia's victory for access to the Baltic Sea is embedded in the architectural idea of the Grand Cascade fountain, the largest triumphal monument of the 18th century. The Grand Cascade fountain is the most beautiful and solemn among the fountains of Peterhof. The "Great Cascade" has a length of 42 meters along the facade, three staircases, along which water rain flows like waterfalls, two grottoes, 252 sculptures, 29 bas-reliefs, 64 fountains. The Upper and Lower Grottoes are the architectural center of the Grand Cascade fountain. The entrance to the Grottoes Museum is through the upper terrace of the Cascade. The lower grotto is crowned by the Basket Fountain, the strongest and most watery (9 high jets and 28 sloping side jets intertwined in the shape of a basket).

The ensemble of the central part of the Lower Park is the fountain "Samson tearing apart the mouth of a lion" (1735). The jet of water from the fountain "Samson" hits up to 20 meters, the weight of the sculpture is 5 tons, the height is 3.3 meters. The Samson Fountain was restored after the Great Patriotic War in 1947, and in 2011, after restoration, it sparkled with new colors.

On the axis of Marlinskaya Alley, which stretches along the shore of the Gulf of Finland for two kilometers, there are two paired fountains, originally preserved for more than three centuries, surrounded by four Trellis arbors: the Adam fountain and the Eve fountain. Fountain "Adam" (1722) is located in the eastern part of the Lower Park. Fountain "Eve" (1726) takes its place in the western part of the park. These multi-water symmetrical fountains with a varied pattern of 16 jets differ only in the sculptures in the center of the fountains, made of Italian marble. As conceived by the architects, these fountains symbolize the imperial power of the first owners of Peterhof - Peter I and Catherine I.

The fountains of Peterhof are unique, diverse and very beautiful. Admire the water the color of lapis lazuli pearls, because lapis lazuli is gilded stars that shine from the inside! Come to Peterhof, touch the "dance of drops on the water" and treat yourself to a few moments of magic in the captured photographs.

Every tourist who has ever visited St. Petersburg must visit one of the pearls northern capital-Petrodvorets, better known as Peterhof. So we could not resist and decided to go to Peterhof. Which time.

Once Peter I decided to build a country residence in no way inferior to the French Versailles, and his dream came true. At that time, many rulers of the world were sick of Versailles, so we can be proud that our attempt to outdo everyone was a success, as it seems to me. IN short time was erected grand palace and a park with amazing fountains. The descendants of Peter I also completed and decorated this beautiful corner. In 1941, the Germans occupied the territory of Peterhof, many park trees were cut down, fountains were destroyed and the Grand Peterhof Palace was blown up, and numerous valuables of the palace complex that could not be evacuated in time were taken abroad. Restoration work began immediately after the war, and with the help of the hard work of numerous artists and volunteers, now everyone can see all the splendor and extraordinary beauty of the creation of Peter I. So, welcome to Peterhof.

There are several ways to get to Petrodvorets:

1) We decided to get to Petrodvorets by water on a meteor. They depart from the pier at the Bronze Horseman. The ticket price is 650 rubles. Meteors arrive at the pier near the Lower Park.
2) Minibuses depart from Avtovo and Leninsky Prospekt and Baltiyskaya metro stations. The minibus numbers are 424,224,103,404 and 054. We chose a minibus for the return trip. She rides for about half an hour and winds a lot, so I even got sick there. But it costs only 70 rubles, unlike the meteor.
3) Electric trains from the Baltic Station also run to Petrodvorets once an hour. Travel time is about 30 minutes. The fare is 50 rubles.

Near the stop of the meteor at the pier of the Lower Park, you need to buy a ticket to the park at one of the ticket offices, it costs 450 rubles. In general, as I understand it, you have to pay extra for the entrance to every palace or museum located in Peterhof. And they are all expensive.
By the way, nearby we saw helipad. It turned out that you can also get to Peterhof from St. Petersburg by helicopter. However, it must be ordered in advance, because helicopters carry groups of 15 people or more. The ticket price will then be 3000 rubles per person.

We entered the park along the Sea Canal, which divides the Lower Park into two parts. Our inspection began with one of the oldest fountains in Petrodvorets - the fountain "Adam", surrounded by gazebos. It has been preserved since the time of Peter I.

On the other side of the Sea Canal, there is a steam fountain "Eva".

There are several trick fountains in the Lower Park. They are easy to find by the laughter and squeals that are heard nearby. The fact is that during the construction of the park, original water games were copied, with the help of which the European nobility of the 18th century had fun. When dressed up ladies and gentlemen walked along the alleys of the park, they could suddenly be splashed by a nearby Christmas tree or some other structure. If earlier these fountains entertained adults, now children mainly frolic near them, specially running through those places where jets of water suddenly appear.

We also admired the beauty of the oldest fountains of Peterhof - "The Sun" and "Pyramid", walked along the numerous alleys of the park, watched the squirrels that often run out to please tourists.

The favorite palace of Peter the Great with a well-groomed courtyard, Monplaisir, which translates as “my pleasure”, amazes with its grace.

And the garden, laid out near the palace, is one of the most beautiful places in the Lower Park. If you move away from the center, then there are fewer people in the alleys, here in good weather Walking is a real pleasure.

Another construction of the Lower Park impresses with its grace and beauty - the building of the greenhouse with a magnificent garden and the Triton fountain.

But the most grandiose fountain complex, which is calling card Petrodvorets are the fountains of the Grand Cascade. Created in the 18th century, they were supposed to symbolically glorify Russia's victory over the Swedes and the conquest of access to the Baltic Sea.

The central figure - the fountain "Samson tearing the mouth of a lion" was created on the day military glory in honor of the Russian victory in the Northern War. Why Samson? The fact is that the triumphal battle of Poltava took place on the day of St. Samson. In the fountain, he thus allegorically depicts Russia, and the lion of Sweden, in whose coat of arms these animals are depicted.

Then we went to the Marly Palace. It was erected on an artificial embankment between two ponds. Ever since the time of Peter I, the fun of feeding the fish that are bred in these ponds has been invented. The guests were gathered around, a footman appeared who rang the bell, and a flock of a wide variety of fish swam up to the feeding place. We did not see the fish in the pond, perhaps it was not yet time for dinner, and they were looking for food in the depths of the pond. The palace itself seems like a fabulous house, reflected in the surface of the pond.

Also of interest is another small palace in the western part of the Lower Park - the Hermitage Palace. This building was built in a rather remote place for a meeting of the courtiers, here close people could retire. Even the table was set below, and then, with the help of a special mechanism, it was raised to the banquet hall so that guests could do without the presence of servants.

I must say, by the end of our walk through the Lower Park, we were quite tired. And if at first each fountain delighted us, then after a couple of hours we examined many structures very cursorily.

I think a week is not enough to visit Peterhof. It is impossible to visit all the palaces and see all the parks and fountains in one day. Once, when we came here in November, only a tour of Grand Palace took us almost all day. It is sad, of course, that visiting individual palaces is not cheap.

According to my calculations, an inspection of all the objects of Peterhof will cost more than 5,000 rubles. It seems to me that it would be better if they made some kind of medium-priced ticket, giving the right to see all the sights of Petrodvorets.

After a walk through the Lower Park, we went up to the Upper Park and left Peterhof on a minibus.

Despite the fact that we spent the whole day in nature, among the magnificent and stunning masterpieces of architecture, such a number of objects and huge crowds of people tired us out. Nevertheless, Petrodvorets is the place where you want to return again and again.

useful links

Hotels in Peterhof: booking

Hotels in St. Petersburg: hotels and reservations