Vegetables for the royal table or about botany in the summer garden. History of Dutch gardens in Russia

Summer garden- the oldest garden in St. Petersburg. It didn't come out of nowhere. Back in the 17th century, here, at the place where the Fontanka flows out of the Neva, there was the Usaditsa manor, owned by the Swedish major E. B. Konow. Next to it, a little to the south, is the village of Pervushina (on Swedish maps - Peruzina), which belonged to the sister of the major's mother. The latter was the daughter of B. S. von Steenhausen, who in 1638 received vast lands near the Neva from the Swedish Queen Christina. It was said that before the Konou family, the village was owned by the Novgorod landowner Pervusha Elagin, from whom the name of the area came from.

When developing the banks of the Neva, Peter I used mainly the already developed territories. So it happened with his new summer residence, for which the regular Dutch garden of a Swedish officer, who managed to overgrow with a spruce forest, successfully approached.

Already in the spring of 1704, Peter I wrote to the boyar Streshnev an order to send flowers to St. Petersburg for his estate. Peter himself drew a plan for the future park. At first, he was planted only with annual flowers, that is, "summer". That's why they called it Summer. Initially, the garden occupied about a quarter of its current area.

For Peter I, on the banks of the Neva, a manor wooden house was equipped - the future Summer Palace. Its construction was entrusted to Ivan Matveyevich Ugryumov, who worked here since December 1705. He also planted flower beds in the Summer Garden. In 1706, Peter I ordered chestnut trees to be brought here from Hamburg, and lilac bushes and flower seeds from Lübeck.

Peter I could not imagine his garden without fountains. In 1705, the tsar ordered the architect Ugryumov to prepare piles and wheels for a mechanism that would bring water to them from Nameless Erik (Fontanka). Fountains in the Summer Garden began to appear the following year, becoming the first in Russia. They were created at different times according to the projects of Russian and foreign masters. They were finished with marble, Pudost stone, Tosno slab, granite shell rock and tuff. When water was supplied from the Fontanka, the jets of the fountains turned out to be too small, Peter I was looking for ways to increase them.

In June 1706, Peter I ordered Ugryumov: " Demolish the whole building from this bank and the yards on the other side of the small river"[Quoted in: 3, p. 38].

The first sculptures appeared in the Summer Garden in 1707. They were brought here from the castle of Stanislav Leshchinsky near Lvov. Three years later, the Danish envoy Just Juhl wrote in his diary that there were already more than 30 large marble statues in the Summer Garden, " including busts of the late King Sobessky of Poland and his wife"[ibid.].

After sending southern fruit trees from Lviv in the summer of 1708, a large wooden greenhouse was built in the Summer Garden. In October, 60 oaks were planted here.

The historian K. V. Malinovsky writes in his book St. Petersburg of the 18th Century that the first gardener appeared in the Summer Garden in 1709. They became Johann Efman, who is called "Ivan Yakovlev" in the documents and served in the Summer Garden until 1731. Other sources indicate that the Dutchman Jan Roosen was the first to supervise gardening here. According to Malinovsky, Jan Roosen was engaged in the Summer Garden from 1710 to 1726. It should be noted here that the Dutch gardener was invited to work on the Summer Garden not by chance. Peter I loved exactly the Dutch regular gardens, which, in contrast to the French ones, were divided into several independent parts with their own composition. Their other distinguishing feature was the asymmetrical arrangement of the palace. These features have become characteristic of the St. Petersburg Summer Garden.

On August 18, 1710, the architect Domenico Trezzini began the construction of two-story "people's quarters" along the Fontanka.

In the people's chambers there were the office of the cabinet-secretary A. Makarov, the barracks of guard soldiers, shooters, sailors, a carpenter, tailors, a Dutch watchmaker and others. Prince Fyodor Prozorovsky, who managed the property of Catherine I, also lived there. Dutch paintings and tiles, Chinese dishes, furniture, dresses of the Empress were kept in the people's quarters. Some of the rooms were essentially palace chambers. They housed the Amber Room, the anatomical collection of Ruysch, the library of Peter I. For this library, consisting of more than 2,000 volumes, special cabinets of various sizes and shapes were made in the workshop of the carpenter Semyonov. Later, the library and the anatomical collection moved to the Kikin Chambers.

Summer Garden, 1716

A German traveler in 1710 described the Summer Garden as follows:

"This residence is a small house in the garden (on the very bank of the river), built in the Dutch manner, colorfully painted, with gilded window frames and lead [bindings]. Nearby there is a small aviary in which all kinds of small birds chirp. In addition, in the garden an elegant pavilion was built of small pickets. Nearby stands a large house for court servants and the ship's kitchen of His Majesty. In the depths of the garden one can see a large house, inside a fountain, which is driven by a large wheel. Nearby is a small menagerie with herons, cranes, bells and birds of a similar kind "Behind the fountain is another house for several servants and a guardhouse, which consisted of only a few soldiers. Finally, a conservatory and several small houses are built around. The garden itself is quite large and well laid out, but I did not see any special rarities in it, except several well-executed white marble statues and busts, especially of the Polish King Jan Sobieski and his wife, then Queen Christina of Sweden and a few other busts. In the middle of the garden there is a large pool lined with stone slabs, in the center of which is a grotto from which a fountain flows. And in the greenhouse there are also several orange, lemon, laurel trees, clove bushes and other things that are said to have been brought here from Poland.

In January 1711, regarding the people's quarters and the Summer Palace, Peter I ordered:

"1) Make the conceived chambers double up according to the drawing ... and the other chambers in the place of the current mansion will not be in time next summer, then at least make a foundation, and move the mansions to a new place, which is near Kalinkin ... In a new place near Kalinkin arrange according to the drawing.

The foundation of the stone Summer Palace began to be built in May 1711 [ibid.]. By that time, Havanese had already been dug out from the south side of the construction site, the water came close to the walls. That is, the building was washed by water from three sides, it was possible to enter it only from a boat.

On the same line with the Summer Palace, the architect G. I. Mattarnovi in ​​1714 erected three open galleries (“lusthauses”). Here they rested in bad weather. In the middle of the galleries was a marble statue of the goddess Venus. This sculpture was presented to Peter I by Pope Clement XI. By decree of the king, Venus was guarded by a sentry so that no one could damage her. Venus became the first public image of a naked female body in Russia. galleries as well as summer palace, stood on the very bank of the Neva. The shore was reinforced with piles. Later it was pushed deep into the river.

In 1711-1716, the Swan Canal was dug to drain the territory, separating the Summer Garden from the Amusing Meadow (now the Field of Mars). In local history literature, there is information that this water channel was dug in the place of the Lebedinka River, which once flowed from a local swamp. Approximately in the middle of the Summer Garden from the Swan Canal to the Fontanka in 1716, another "Transverse" canal was dug. The territory to the north of it became the First, to the south - the Second Summer Garden. At the same time, the Moika and Fontanka rivers were connected. Since then, the Summer Garden has been located on the island. The territory south of the Moika, including the modern Mikhailovsky Garden, was called the Third Summer. Since the Palace Embankment did not yet exist, they passed to the Summer Garden from the side of the Amusing Meadow, with which a man-made island was connected by a drawbridge.

According to the plan of Peter I, the Summer Garden was to be decorated with allegorical sculptures. All sculptures were selected on four topics: the nature of the universe (1), collisions from Ovid's Metamorphoses (2), an ideal model of the Earthly world (3) and its real embodiment (4). To implement this plan, special agents were sent to Venice and Rome: P. Beklemishev, Yu. Kologrivov and S. Raguzinsky. Since 1716, they have been purchasing both antique sculptures and works of the late 17th - early 18th centuries. Many of the sculptures were made to order. By 1725, more than a hundred busts and statues were installed in the Summer Garden, by 1736 there were already more than two hundred. Their authors are such sculptors as D. Bonazza, P. Baratta, A. Tarsia, D. Zorzoni, A. Corsini and many other Italian masters.

Pedestals for sculptures and busts were sometimes not enough. In such cases, they were made of wood and, like numerous garden shops, painted with whitewash.

Some sculptures came to the Summer Garden with losses and damage. To restore them, it was necessary to invite a restorer, who in March 1717 was Giovanne Passina (Ivan Fashin). He worked in St. Petersburg for less than a year, and died on July 8, 1718. On August 1, his son Marco Passina, mentioned in documents until 1722, was accepted to the post of restorer with the same salary.

By 1728, there were 79 marble statues, 46 marble busts, 13 gilded lead statues and busts in the Summer Garden. In winter, they were covered with special canvas bags.

About the appearance of moralizing sculptures-fountains in the Summer Garden in 1735, Jakob Stehlin wrote as follows:

The Swedish gardener Schroeder, while finishing the beautiful garden at the Summer Palace, by the way, made two curtains or small parks surrounded by high trellises, with seating. The emperor often came to look at his work and, seeing these parks, immediately decided to do something instructive in this place of entertainment. He ordered the gardener to be called and said to him: “I am very pleased with your work and fair decorations. However, do not be angry that I will order you to redo the side curtains. I would like the people who will walk here in the garden to find something in it. something instructive. How can we do it?" “I don’t know how else to do it,” answered the gardener, “unless your Majesty order the books to be put in their places, covering them from the rain, so that those walking, sitting down, could read them.” The emperor laughed at this suggestion and said: "You almost guessed it; however, reading books in a public garden is embarrassing. My invention is better. I think to place images of Aesop's fables here" ... [Cit. according to 1, p. 77]

More than six dozen fountains decorated with sculptures of Aesop's fables were placed in the Summer Garden. At the entrance was a sculpture of the fabulist himself. Each fountain had a tablet explaining the content of the fable.

While in England, in 1717 Peter I bought a powerful steam pump invented by Thomas Sovereign. The king decided to use this unit to supply water to the fountains of the Summer Garden. On this occasion, Peter wrote to the Chief Commissar of St. Petersburg, Prince A. M. Cherkassky, who supervised the construction work in summer garden:

"The sent copper machine, which drives water with fire, was quickly collected at the fountain of the Summer House according to the drawing of the master, who was sent with that machine, so that when I returned to mine I could see its action" [Cit. by 2: p. 101].

Apparently the steam engine did not fulfill the function assigned to it. Therefore, we had to look for other ways to supply water to the fountains. In February 1719, Chief Commissar of the Chancellery of City Affairs, Prince A. M. Cherkassky ordered:

"near the Summer House of His Royal Majesty beyond the Malaya River [that is, beyond the Fontanka] to build a hut on piles in which the machine will raise water by horses according to the drawing of the architect Andrey Trezin" [Cit. by 3: p. 198].

Initially, the water-lifting mechanism that supplied the fountains was horse-drawn. Five horses were bought for his work in June 1719. Two years later, 14 horses rotated the water wheel. But this mechanism could not provide the proper water pressure either. Therefore, in the 1719-1720s, a canal was dug from the Neva all the way to the Fontanka, which brought water from the Neva to the water wheels, and not from the Fontanka, in which the current was not so fast. An aqueduct was built to pass water from this canal through the Fontanka. It is evidenced by the protocol of the Chancellery from the buildings:

"... in the past years, on the Fantannaya River near the Summer House of Her Imperial Majesty, a water wheel was built to raise water from the canal from the Neva River to a stone arangement for the operation of fantans and kashkads in the garden of the Summer House of Her Imperial Majesty, and this water wheel does not work , because it is built above that water tower and from that water wheel the sailing of Her Imperial Majesty and the Particular shipyard and other ships with scales to this shipyard for repair cannot be brought, because the waters [i.e. and it’s impossible for ships in the removal of the scale to be damaged, it’s also impossible for ships to pass through the canal to the Particular shipyard, because the water wheel is built on the canal itself, and so that the aforementioned old water wheel and the water flow made through the river should be removed soon, so that in the drive to this shipyard of the above-announced ships with scales and in the passage of the canal to ships and in the wire of scaffolding to the Particular shipyard, there was no insanity, they ordered the above-mentioned water-cocking wheel and the old car, which the water rose with that wheel, and through that Fantan river the pipe with which the water went to the pool, and that pool to dismantle " [Cit. by 3: p. 199, 200].

From this protocol it becomes clear that the water was supplied to the pool on the roof of the greenhouse, from where it was piped to the fountains.

In order to increase the pressure of the water supplied to the fountains, in the early 1720s, the construction of a canal began, through which water would flow from Lake Dudergof, located 70 meters above the level of the Gulf of Finland, to the Summer Garden. From the lake, water along the Dudergofka River reached a man-made canal called Ligovsky (along the Ligovka River), then flowed to storage pools in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bmodern Nekrasov Street (formerly it was called Basseynaya). From there, through the pipes, she was heading to the water towers.

Summer Palace of Peter I

Since the water of the Ligovsky Canal had to be transferred through the Fontanka, it was necessary to take into account the location of the Particular Shipyard nearby. The aqueduct interfered with the passage of ships with masts to the shipyard, so the water had to be carried in a roundabout way. Through the Fontanka, it was carried out along the first aqueduct south of the Moika, and then along the second through the Moika. A drawing of water towers for these purposes was created in 1723 by engineer Hermann van Boles. On his own initiative, Mikhail Zemtsov also created such a drawing for the "Gezel architecture", but his version was not accepted. In 1725, van Boles made a change to the design of the aqueduct through the Fontanka. For greater strength, with a fair width of the river, it became not one-but two-span. Both aqueducts were completed the following year, and the water towers were completed over three more construction seasons. The old aqueduct that interfered with the Particular Shipyard was dismantled in 1727.

On the territory of the Summer Garden, greenhouses and entertainment pavilions, additional outbuildings were built. In 1718, according to the project of J. B. Leblon, a poultry house was arranged not far from the Summer Palace. Not only birds lived here (black storks, eagles, cranes, swans, pigeons, pelicans), but also rare animals. In 1737, there was even an ostrich here. Under the supervision of the garden inspector Stellich then there was a whole zoo, which contained: one lioness, one beaver, five polar bears, one wolverine, six arctic foxes, one fox, one marten, two badgers.

Near the Ptichnik, where the monument to Krylov is now located, the Dolphin Cascade was arranged. This was the name of the fountain, decorated with vases in the form of dolphins. From July 1737, according to the project of Rastrelli in the western part of the Summer Garden, an Amphitheater with a cascade was built for four years. It was surrounded by a wall of clipped greenery, in front of which were busts of Roman emperors. Opposite the cascade, in the floral parterre, there was a "Crown" fountain, decorated with gilded lead mascarons and shells.

Until the early 1720s, there was a bathhouse at the corner of the Neva and Lebezhya Canal. In its place, in May 1721, it was decided to build the Summer Palace of Tsarina Ekaterina Alekseevna. The corresponding project was made by the architect Stefan van Zwieten. Three years later, when the palace had not yet been completed, the project was supplemented with a gallery. It housed the second art gallery in the Summer Garden. The Summer Palace of Ekaterina Alekseevna was ready by 1726.

An oval pond was dug on the territory of the First Summer Garden. In its center was an island with a gazebo, which Peter I could visit during his thoughts. From the edge of the pond to the arbor of the king, one of the court dwarfs was leading in a small boat.

The southern part of the Second Summer Garden was occupied by an artificial pond, where different breeds of fish were bred. Most often, carp were launched here, and therefore the pond began to be called Karpiev. In addition to fish, a tame seal also lived here for some time.

On the territory of the Second Summer Garden, M. G. Zemtsov arranged a Labyrinth - a complex system of paths surrounded by walls of bushes. The paths to the Labyrinth were laid along the footbridges. Fountain fountains were equipped here, under the jets of which visitors to the Summer Garden often fell. The Labyrinth took its final form in 1725.

It is believed that the main function of the Second Summer Garden was the cultivation of fruit trees and berry bushes. There were also flower greenhouses and greenhouses. The Second Summer Garden was often called the "garden".

View of the Fontanka River from the Grotto and the Reserve Palace

Since 1714, the Grotto was built on the banks of the Fontanka - a garden pavilion with columns and a high dome. A. Schluter, G. Mattarnovi, N. Michetti, J. B. Leblon, M. G. Zemtsov, as well as carving masters Hans Konrad Osner and Konrad Hahn worked on it.

F. W. von Bergholz in June 1723 described the Summer Garden and the Grotto as follows:

“I must admit that in two years he has become very handsome and, above all, enriched with many excellent marble statues. Especially the Grotto is unusually well decorated entirely with real large and rare shells, coral branches and many similar things, which you see here in an incredible number, and which all extremely well chosen and put together. This Grotto also contains various beautiful statues, along with many small fountains and an organ which is powered by water and plays very nicely" [Op. according to: 3, p. 204].

The design of the Grotto was completed by 1725. The pavilion was divided into three rooms, each of which contained a fountain. During their work, organ music sounded. The walls of the Grotto were finished with gray tuff, large shells from the Mediterranean Sea, natural stones and crushed glass. Above the central room was a glass dome, under which there was a fountain with a gilded figure of Neptune in a chariot drawn by seahorses. After the death of Peter I, a naked Venus was moved from the Gallery to the Grotto. Later it ended up in the Tauride Palace, and is now exhibited in the Hermitage. In fact, the Grotto became the first museum of sculpture in Russia. According to the inventory of 1737, there were 26 sculptures here, including 19 antiques.

Stone greenhouses were built on the border of the 1st and 2nd Summer Gardens. Southern plants were grown here, among them - tropical spurges, oranges, lemons, tulips and Lebanese cedars. In summer, these plants were exhibited in the alleys of the garden.

Since 1721, when the main landscaping work was completed, the Summer Garden was the official royal residence. In the Summer Garden, Peter I often held holidays, here he held the famous Peter's assemblies. The expressions "penalty" and "drink to the bottom" widely known in Russia began just at these assemblies. It was then that a "penalty" goblet of wine was brought to the latecomer, which he had to drink "to the bottom."

About the beginning of the next holiday, the inhabitants of the city were notified by cannon shots from the bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Guests arrived at the Summer Garden along the Neva, disembarked from boats on a wooden pier. Behind the pier there was an alley and two platforms. Dances were arranged on the Ladies' Square, and tables with chess, checkers, tobacco and wine stood on the Skipper's. It was forbidden to enter the Summer Garden in gray coats and with a beard.

Hall of glorious celebrations

To conduct the solemn marriage ceremony of the eldest daughter of Peter I Anna and the Duke of Holstein in 1725, urgently, in just four months, the "Hall of Glorious Celebrations" was built. It was designed by the architect Zemtsov. The hall is located on the embankment of the Neva. The wedding ceremony was overshadowed by the death of Peter I, although it nevertheless took place on May 21, 1725. The only solemn event that day was the volleys of guns from the yacht "Anna".

The hall of glorious celebrations was wooden mansion on a stone foundation. Its walls were painted white, outside with white, inside - with chalk, and the roof - in red. The French artist Louis Caravaque took part in its decoration. In addition to the two-height "hall" itself, there were four more rooms in the building. In one of them there was a ladder by which one could climb to the roof. The main entrance of the building was decorated with a high two-flight porch with marble sculptures and vases.

The Hall of Glorious Celebrations kept a collection of paintings collected by Peter the Great. It contained paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Salma and other famous painters. Before his death, Peter I managed to order paintings from some Russian artists. Despite his death, the order was fulfilled. The paintings "Battle of Kulikovo" by A. A. Matveev, "Battle of Poltava" by I. I. Nikitin, "Battle of Gangut" by I. Adolsky were placed in the Hall. In fact, this place was the first art museum Russia.

After the death of Peter I, his grandson Peter II lived in the Human Chambers for some time, and the archive of the court office was also located there.

Under Empress Anna Ioannovna, bear, wolf and boar persecution was organized in the Summer Garden. Animals rushed around the garden, breaking the sculpture and trampling the plants. At the end of the "fun", the corpses of animals were given to the St. Petersburg meat rows. It was under Anna Ioannovna that the tradition appeared to hide sculptures in wooden boxes for the winter.

At the suggestion of Count von Munnich, in 1732 the Hall of Glorious Celebrations was moved to the Second Summer Garden by the Karpiev Pond. After that, the building lost its original solemn appearance. It was converted into a theater, named in the documents as a "wooden comedy". It stood on the bank of the pond until it was dismantled in June 1747.

On the liberated bank of the Neva, Anna Ioannovna ordered the construction of another Summer Palace for herself, which would house 28 rooms and one large front hall. One of the conditions of the empress was the construction of such a porch, which would simultaneously become a pier. The corresponding project was made by F.B. Rastrelli, it was implemented by I. Blank and stone master I. Weiss. The palace was built extremely quickly, in just two months.

Under Anna Ioannovna, in the Second Summer Garden they shot at targets, and in the Third "they chased deer and hares." Little attention was paid to the sculpture collection. In January 1741, its keeper Johann Antoni Zwenhof reported:

"1. In the first and second of His Imperial Majesty in the gardens of the marble statues standing there, which are covered with canvas bags and matting covers, there is no guard. 3. Likewise, in these gardens in the summer, many people of all ranks walk and willfully break the fingers and other small fingers of the mentioned statues things. winter time not only people go around meandering day and night and riding horses in sledges and thereby breaking and damaging small things at these statues. 4. And besides, it is dangerous from these gardens without a guard, so that from some standing things at night time it would not be taken out of these gardens, since the person has empty places without guards, from which they can be taken out without any fear; four marble pedestals were taken from these gardens without any knowledge, and if I had seen them in the church of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, I would have been forced to report that they were stolen. And so that it was ordered in these gardens for the guard to these statues from the Chancellery from the buildings to determine a soldier of four people, so that day and night they would be supervised and so that without my knowledge they would not let go of these things anywhere "[Quoted from: 3, p. 254].

After the death of Anna Ioannovna, the ruler Anna Leopoldovna in April 1741 ordered the Summer Palace of Anna Ioannovna to be demolished and a gallery built in its place. But this building stood for several more years, since Anna Leopoldovna managed to be replaced by the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth. In May 1743, Elizaveta Petrovna made the following adjustments to the arrangement of the Summer Garden:

“In the first garden near the bridge, which is the first to the second garden where there are cracker fountains, create ... so that water is not allowed from below, but from above that bridge is allowed ... in the curtains, where there are apple trees, plant a sugar town, beans and cucumbers; in the second garden in the fabols, remove the figures in the likeness of mice, and put some other decent figures in their place; in the third garden, the Golden mansion and with them the soap would be in every order, as they were during the life of Peter the Great ... The Golden Chamber in the third garden paint the roof red, the walls around green, and the pillars and other wooden decorations with white paints" [Cit. according to: 3, p. 326].

The change in the direction of the jets of water in the cracker fountain is obviously due to the fact that the Empress and her ladies-in-waiting did not like the streams of cold water that fell under the crinolines of their dresses. After the construction of the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna (1741-1743) behind the Moika, some marble statues and trees were transferred there from the First and Second Summer Gardens.

The summer palace of Anna Ioannovna in June 1747 was dismantled and moved to Yekateringof. In the same year, 1747, a guard of four guards regiments finally appeared at the two entrances to the Summer Garden. They prevented not only the theft of precious metals, but also the entry into the territory of the garden of cattle, which had previously calmly walked along the alleys and spoiled the plants.

From May 1752, by decree of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, decently dressed visitors were allowed to walk in the Summer Garden on holidays and Sundays. According to this decree, walks were to be controlled by guards, as well as special engineering and gardening teams. Guards kept order, and engineers and gardeners quickly repaired the problems found in fountains and green spaces. Already on July 7, an incident was noted when the corporal " it is not known what rank of a person he beat with a stick without the permission of the chief officer sent with that team"[Quoted in: 3, p. 328].

The order in the Summer Garden was violated not only by visitors, but also by the harsh nature of St. Petersburg. The humid climate quickly wore out not only wooden, but even stone buildings. A July 16, 1754 " ... a wooden hoist in the first garden near the large Grotto, which pumped water up into the fantans this July, on the 8th of July in the afternoon at three o'clock, just like it was, fell into the Fantanka River"[Quoted in: 3, p. 329].

Under Catherine II, days for walking became more frequent. From May 1773, pupils of the Smolny Institute began to walk in the Summer Garden, they were taken out of the educational institution for the first time. The newspaper "Sankt-Peterburgskiye Vedomosti" then noted that the girls were accompanied by a "crowd of staring walkers" who had conversations with the girls about "different matters" and noted their "noble unshyness."

Summer garden fence

In the 1760s, the Palace Embankment was being equipped. Before that, in 1763, almost all buildings from the side of the Neva and Fontanka were demolished, the Neva bank was moved 50 meters away from the garden. The created wide embankment opened unhindered access to the Summer Garden:

"The side to the Neva river on the occasion of the correction of the stone bank is now without a grate, why people freely enter that garden of any rank in summer and winter and it is dangerous that a bad state from people could not be caused in that garden of any harm and abduction, as already before this the tiles have been stolen, and the view from the Neva without anything seems bad, but in winter there is absolutely nothing to let into that garden" [Cit. according to: 3, p. 428].

To correct the situation, on June 8, 1770, the Office of the Construction of Her Imperial Majesty's Houses and Gardens ordered the architect I. D. Fok and Lieutenant D. M. Vunsh to complete the project and estimate for the fence of the Summer Garden. The project was approved by the Empress on September 29. Subsequently, changes were made to it, but the general idea remained the same. In connection with the resignation of Ignazio Rossi, who led the creation of the stone Palace Embankment, in January 1772, his work, as well as the installation of the Neva fence, was entrusted to the architect Yu. M. Felten and court adviser Mikulin. In the same year, the construction of the fence began.

Granite blocks were prepared until 1784 under the guidance of the stone master T. I. Nasonov, who received the necessary documentation from the architect P. E. Egorov. For the fence, 36 "pillars of wild sea stone" were used, mined in a quarry near the village of Putilov, located on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The pillars were turned into columns by masons in the village of Putilov, Shlisselburg district, and the lattice was made in 1773-1777 by Tula craftsmen at the factory of the merchant Denisov. The construction of the foundation began in 1774. In 1778, the lattice was installed, after which, in December, I. D. Fok was commissioned to create a project for a copper decoration for the large and small gates of the Summer Garden. Finishing the Neva fence continued for another five years.

Yu. M. Felten is often called the author of the Summer Garden fence project. The above information, obtained from the book by K. V. Malinovsky "St. Petersburg of the XVIII century", gives a different version. The author of the fence should be considered I. D. Fock, who later supervised the manufacture of metal bars for the windows of the Winter Palace, designed the fence of the Trinity Cathedral, the Simeon Church, the Italian Palace on the Fontanka.

It is interesting that the granite vases and urns crowning the pillars were not provided for in the original project. They were installed only in 1784.

There is a legend that tells about one Englishman. He was very rich, heard a lot about St. Petersburg, and one day in his declining years he decided to visit it without fail. On one of the white nights, his yacht sailed to St. Petersburg, stopped at the Summer Garden. Looking at the fence, the Englishman decided not to go ashore at all, since, according to him, he could not see anything more beautiful anyway. After some time, the yacht took a reverse course.

Another legend tells that in the 1930s the Americans offered to sell them the fence of the Summer Garden for a hundred new locomotives.

Which was founded in the early years of the city's founding by a large group of architects and gardeners. Peter I dreamed of creating a garden in the Versailles style. First, he rested in his house and monitored the progress of work, and then lived here with his family in the summer.

Opening hours of the Summer Palace of Peter the Great in 2019

• The museum is only open summer period. Estimated start time - May 2019.
• Visiting is possible only as part of a group, sessions at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 for 15 people. Check the exact schedule and availability on the official website.

The cost of tickets to the Summer Palace of Peter the Great in 2019

• Full ticket - 400 rubles
• For students and pensioners - 200 rubles
• For children (under 16 years old) - free of charge

How to get there

On the second floor of the building, in addition to the kitchen, dressing room and room for maids of honor, there is a throne room, a bedroom and a nursery, as well as a dance room. Particularly attractive is the Green Cabinet, decorated with picturesque inserts, stucco and gilding.

The city, which is rightfully considered cultural capital Russia - St. Petersburg. Having visited it once, you want to return again and again. Every corner, every centimeter is saturated centuries of history Russian Empire. Streets, squares, gardens, parks, bridges, museums and architectural monuments create a unique atmosphere in this city. Anyone who comes to St. Petersburg will be able to feel the unique harmony of the excellent locality. The sights of St. Petersburg never cease to amaze its guests. Especially popular with tourists is the main pearl of which is the palace of Peter I, on which we will focus our attention.

The history of the appearance of the first Summer Palace

After the construction of the Admiralty began on the left bank of the Neva, residential buildings began to appear house by house. Peter I also chose a site for his residence - the territory on the coast of the Neva between the river Mya (Maika) and the Nameless Yerik (Fontanka). The first Summer Palace was a small wooden structure. The plastered and painted building did not stand out among other buildings located in the neighborhood, and did not much resemble a royal residence.

Symbol of Russia's new policy

The victory near Poltava in 1709 meant a turning point in the Northern War in favor of the Russian army. In St. Petersburg, the hasty construction of numerous stone buildings began. During this period, the Lebyazhy Canal was laid, which connected the Moika with the Neva. As a result, a small island formed between the rivers. It was on this piece of land that Peter I decided to build a stone palace. By order of the tsar, a project was created, symbolizing the new political direction of Russia. The architect of the Summer Palace Trezzini proposed to arrange the building of the future royal residence in such a way that the same number of windows faced both west and east. Peter I approved this idea, and on August 18, 1710, the construction of the palace began, which was completed in April 1712.

Summer house

An amazing feature of this structure was that during its construction, the first sewerage system of the city was built. Water was supplied to the house with the help of pumps, and the drain went to the Fontanka. Since the Summer Palace was surrounded by water on three sides, the driving force was the flow of the river itself. However, after the flood that occurred in 1777, the small bay of Gavanets, located in front of the house, had to be filled up. This led to the fact that the first sewage system ceased to function.

First floor of the palace

The king moved to the Summer Palace, the photo of which is presented below, with his entire family immediately after the completion of construction and lived in it from spring to late autumn. He occupied six rooms located on the first floor, including a bedroom with a fireplace. Nearby was the reception room, where various meetings were held and important matters were decided. The favorite room of the king was a lathe with a machine tool, where the emperor in free time mastered the craft of carpentry. He did not spare any strength for work and was proud that there were calluses on his hands.

Second floor of the palace

The Summer Palace of Peter the Great also had a second floor, which was reached by a massive oak staircase. There were six rooms in which the queen was accommodated with her ladies-in-waiting and children. The interior of the second floor was significantly different from the first, as there were a huge number of mirrors and paintings. Next to the bedroom of Catherine I was a beautifully decorated throne room, in which the queen decided her business. The Green Cabinet astonished visitors with its magnificent gilded finishes, numerous ivory and wood figurines, and amazingly beautiful Chinese frescoes. A special room was set aside for parties and dances.

Summer garden

Near the palace was broken in 1720 magnificent garden which reminded huge park. Beautiful alleys stretch through the entire territory of the garden. They share an array with beautifully trimmed trees and shrubs. Sculptures symbolizing Russia were installed throughout the territory. In addition, there were many marble busts in the garden, which were created by the best Italian masters. Particular attention was paid to the construction of fountains, which served as decoration of the palace territory. Due to the fact that the Summer Palace was surrounded by water on three sides, special boats were offered for walks.

historical memo

The king was very fond of the Summer Palace. It was here that he spent last days own life. In 1725, in the vestibule of the palace, there was an attack on Peter I, led by one of the schismatics, which ended in death. After the death of the Tsar, Catherine I never lived in the residence. For some time meetings were held here, but in the end the palace became a resting place for the imperial courtiers.

Everything beautiful is forever

After three centuries, the Summer Palace in St. Petersburg has remained virtually unchanged. Time has not made adjustments to the exterior decoration of the palace. To this day, not only the strict appearance of the building, built in the Baroque style, but also the summer frieze under the roof, consisting of twenty-nine bas-reliefs that separate the floors, has been preserved. Under the high hipped roof, drains built in the form of winged dragons have been preserved, and a weather vane in the form of St. George the Victorious has been installed on it, showing In addition to the external appearance, the main part of the interior decoration has been preserved: artistic carvings on the walls, painted ceilings and tiled stoves. The Green Study, the dining room and those rooms in which the royal ladies-in-waiting lived have almost the same look.

Tour of the Summer Palace

Today this palace is rightfully included in the section "The best sights of St. Petersburg". Thousands of tourists aspire to visit it. What can be seen in the palace?

The main decoration of the lobby is a large panel - a bas-relief of Minerva, carved from wood. It is impossible not to pay attention to the door, the platbands on which are made of black marble. It leads to a room that was once the reception room of the king. The next room is intended for batmen, it is not of particular interest. Next is the Assembly (Second reception room), the main decoration of which is the ceiling "Triumph of Russia". And between the windows there is an Admiralty chair, which previously belonged to Peter I. Behind the second reception room is a narrow room that once served as the king's dressing room.

Continuing to inspect the Summer Palace, let's move on to the next room - the emperor's study, where some more personal belongings of the king have been preserved. So, of interest is the gift of the English king George I - ships. In the corner there is an oak cabinet, on which a beautiful carving is applied. In the center is a huge table and an office chair. A door leads from the study to the royal bedroom. Here, the ceiling attracts attention, on which the god of sleep Morpheus is depicted, holding poppy heads in his hands. Looking at it, determining the purpose of the room is not difficult. There is a beautiful fireplace in the bedroom, in which, according to legend, the royal court jester Balakirev hid.

On the second floor, the most interesting will be the Green Cabinet, which has preserved all its decoration in its original form, we have already talked about it. In the corner there is a fireplace, on which sculptures of cupids are installed. After going to the dance room, you will enter the world of mirrors. special attention deserves a large mirror in a walnut frame with a unique carving. In the children's room you can see the ceiling, which depicts a stork holding a snake in its beak, which symbolized the glorious reign of the heir and the death of enemies. Finally, you need to go to the throne room of Catherine, where her throne still stands.

The palace still has a cozy homely atmosphere that attracts many tourists. People come here not only to see this landmark of St. Petersburg and get acquainted with history. Many want to understand exactly how the emperor lived and what surrounded him.

Where is the Summer Palace and how to get to it

The palace is located at the address: Summer Garden, Building 3. To get to this place, you need to get to the Gostiny Dvor metro station. After that, go along Sadovaya Street to the Swan Canal embankment. It is necessary to go in the direction of reducing the numbering of houses. Near the embankment and is the entrance to the Summer Garden.

St. Petersburg looks like a carved box of turquoise and gems. Its carved and painted walls are bas-reliefs with a hundred or two old fairy tales and half-forgotten stories. The lid is the domes of churches and high spiers crowned with weathercocks and crosses. The bottom is the foundations of old buildings that still remember the breath of their creators, high vaults and powerful beams that continue to solemnly hold the weight for several centuries. And it is worth opening the box, and inside there will be an eclectic style and amazing combinations - grace, strength and power that bloom with new colors with the onset of each century.

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The Summer Palace of Peter the Great can hardly be called the most beautiful palace complex of the Northern capital - this building looks somewhat modest or even pale compared to other giants - real poetry in stone, however, this particular palace is part of the Russian Museum, representing a residence where most of its time, not occupied by traveling or military campaigns, the great monarch saw off. So, it is here that you should look if there is a desire to understand what exactly and how this person lived.

The Summer Palace was originally built precisely as an imperial residence, appearing on the map of St. Petersburg almost with the very foundation of the city. The main concerns for its appearance and design fell on the shoulders of the eminent master of his craft - Domenico Trezzini, according to whose project a small two-story mansion was subsequently erected in the rhythm of the Baroque. It is worth noting that, despite the fact that formally Trezzini is still the architect, the first plan of the future mansion was developed personally by the monarch, and only then these drawings were corrected and somewhat processed in a creative manner. The location of the residence was also personally chosen by Peter the Great - between the Fontanka and the Neva.

Some find the design of the Summer Palace somewhat meager - its walls are decorated with only twenty-eight bas-reliefs, which, as one would expect, turned out to be another variation on the theme of perpetuating the victory over the Swedes in the Northern War, brilliant for Russia, and the layout of the rooms is the same for both floors, but this simplicity buildings are more than compensated by the complexity of the laconic arrangement of the Summer Garden, which was conceived as an imitation of Versailles. It is noteworthy that the imitation was more than complete - and today the Summer Garden continues to be considered one of the most sophisticated examples of landscape art.

exposition

The monarch's summer residence is pretty interesting place to visit not only from the standpoint of deepening into the life of the emperor himself, but also from the point of view of observing those innovations that this energetic man decided to adopt from his more technically confident neighbors. So, the weather vane, unusual in its form, which represents the figure of St. George the Victorious, with the usual gesture of striking a snake, is the work of one mechanic, whom Peter the Great met in Dresden.

The unusualness of this mechanism was that its main component is located just under the roof of the mansion and is a panel that was difficult for that time, by which it was possible to track not only the direction, but also the strength of the wind. Another peculiar detail of the Summer Palace is the presence of a sewage system, which was the first example of structures of this direction in the entire city.

Today, a visit to the Summer Palace includes not only the opportunity to personally look at the monarch's study, his dressing room, private rooms and workshops, but also visit another rather remarkable building, which is called the People's Chambers. What is the value of these premises? It was here that the so barbarously stolen Amber Room was once located, as well as a number of collections that were replenished on the personal initiatives of Peter the Great. So, it was here that the very collection of Ruysch, the Dutch anatomist, was kept, which aroused genuine interest in the Russian monarch and admiration for the results of his work. Today, this collection can be viewed during a visit to the Kuntskamera, as it became one of the first components of the future Museum of Oddities.

The most interesting sights of St. Petersburg in our article.

Opening hours and ticket prices

A visit to the palace complex usually starts at ten in the morning and ends at 18:00. The box office closes an hour earlier. The choice of a day off is rather atypical - it's Tuesday. There are differences in ticket prices for citizens of Russia proper and some CIS countries, for foreign citizens. The former, in the general case, will spend no more than one hundred rubles on tickets, of course, if they are not included in preferential categories, while the latter will have to pay up to three hundred rubles for an entrance ticket.

Summer Garden (original)

1704-1706 - garden laying

1721 - completion of major work

Peter I chose a place for his summer royal residence on the left bank of the Neva and the Nameless Yerik (Fontanka), almost opposite Peter and Paul Fortress. The best architects I. M. Matveev (Ugryumov), J.-B. Leblon, M. G. Zemtsov created the appearance of the Summer Garden, the masters of landscape art J. Roozen, and later I. Surmin were engaged in green decoration.

A small part of the coast of the Neva at the headwaters of the Nameless Erik (Fontanka) belonged to the Swedish dignitary Konan. On a map of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. This location shows a building - a residential building. The domain of Conau did not extend far, and to the south the country was swampy.

The summer garden was planted in early spring 1704 Formed in 1704-1706. and at first occupied only the northern part of the site, which goes directly to the Neva. At the same time, a system of straight perpendicular alleys was determined, which has survived to this day. The summer garden was created in a regular (architectural) style, in the manner of the parks that existed at that time in Europe. Some researchers believe that Peter I himself outlined the direction of the alleys, the position of flower beds and fountains. In the first years (1704-1707), work under the direction of Peter was led by arch. Ivan Matveev (Ugryumov). He expanded the boundaries of the garden, determined the initial layout, began the construction of fountains, drainage of the territory, the creation of solid soil and the planting of trees, prepared the mansions of Konau for the sovereign. The architect Fyodor Vasiliev, who arrived at the request of Peter, built the first oak galleries of the Corinthian order. In 1707, Matveev dies, and Peter instructs A.V. to organize all the work and supervise the construction. Kikin, and since 1709 - A.A. Menshikov.

Russian and foreign architects, gardeners, gardeners worked on the implementation of what was conceived under the control of the tsar in the garden. In 1709, a group of young people were brought from Moscow to learn how to garden. Some of them subsequently worked independently: S. Lukyanov, I. Surmin, I. Yakovlev.

The first known plan of the Summer Garden was drawn up by Jan Roosen in 1713. This plan already shows the Summer Palace of Peter I, just built according to the project of D. Trezzini, which occupied the northeast corner. It was the Summer Palace that gave its name to the Summer Garden, which was originally called the "royal garden". The gardener Jan Roosen arrived in St. Petersburg in 1712 and worked in the Summer Garden for 13 years (1712-1726), supervising all garden work. Several garden plans have survived: J. Roosen (1716 (1714?)), J. Leblon (1717), M. Zemtsov (1723), as well as a drawing attributed to Peter (1714-1716?).

The planning scheme of the original garden is based on the central longitudinal alley, on which there are figured flower beds inscribed in squares with images of currencies, cartouches and other ornaments. Each of the flower squares was crossed by diagonal paths and had a pavilion-lusthaus in the center. Behind the flower beds were plots planted with young lindens. Two more longitudinal alleys were laid parallel to the central one. The eastern one separated the residential part of the garden from the palace of Peter I. The western one was a solid green trellis, separated the bosquets along the Swan Canal and led to the Karpiev Pond. The engraving by A.F. Zubov (1717) gives an idea of ​​the original form of the Summer Garden ensemble, which was dominated by metrically planted trees, the crowns of which were cut into the shape of a cube, ball or pyramid. A trellis (up to 2-3 m high) stretches along the straight alleys of the garden, forming green walls with niches for statues. Garden work was led by the Dutchman Jan Roosen.

In 1714-1716. a pond was dug in the southern part of the Summer Garden, where different breeds of fish began to be bred. Most often, carp were launched here, and therefore the pond began to be called Karpiev. In addition to fish, a tame seal also lived here for some time. There was a multi-jet fountain in the center of the pond. The pond has survived to this day.

Part of the modern Summer Garden and the Field of Mars was then a lowland, overgrown with stunted shrubs. In 1711-1716. to drain the territory along the western part of the garden, a canal was dug (later called the Swan Canal), which separated the Summer Garden from the Big Meadow (Field of Mars). Approximately in the middle of the Summer Garden from the Swan Canal almost to the Fontanka, by 1716 another canal was dug - the Cross. Thus, the 1st and 2nd Summer Gardens appeared. On the bridge thrown over the Transverse Canal there were cracker fountains. At the same time, the Moika and Fontanka rivers were connected. Since then, the Summer Garden has been located on the island. The modern Mikhailovsky Garden was called the 3rd Summer Garden.

The Summer Garden consisted of three parts: the Front Garden (1st Garden) - from the Neva to the Transverse Canal, the Red Garden (2nd Garden) or the household one, where fruit trees, - from the Cross Channel to the Moika, "Her Majesty's Garden" (3rd garden) - behind the Moika, on the site of the modern Mikhailovsky garden and Garden Street. Peter gave this garden to Catherine.

Simultaneously with the construction of reservoirs, work was carried out to strengthen the soil for planting trees. For several years, earth was brought into the garden. Trees of various species were brought from all over Russia and from abroad by decree of Peter the Great, and they were planted both in summer and winter. There were many fir trees in the garden, which Peter loved. They stood in several rows along the Swan Canal, along the alley leading to the Coffee House, along the Fontanka. In the first quarter of the XVIII century. oaks, lindens, elms, maples, mountain ash, spruces, as well as boxwood, elm, chestnut, etc. grew in the garden. Fruit trees also grew in the Summer Garden: apple trees, cherries, pears, cassava bushes. Between the trees in the beds planted "cooking herbs": parsley, carrots, beets, parsnips, peas, beans, fragrant herbs. In the summer, tubs with tropical plants were exhibited on the alleys and platforms of the front garden.

The summer garden was distinguished by its diverse and rich flora. A.E. Regel reported where the plants were delivered from: lindens and lilies from Narva, elms from Moscow, hornbeams from Kiev, cedars from Solikamsk, apple trees from Sweden, peonies and barberries from Holland and Germany, peas, meadowsweet from Siberia. In the garden, work was underway on transplanting mature trees, acclimatizing foreign varieties.

On the Neva along the main axis, the garden went to the gallery, located near the water. Three open galleries (on the site of the current fence of the Summer Garden) were built by architect. G. I. Mattarnovi in ​​1714. Here they rested in bad weather. We got into the Summer Garden directly from the boats, along the steps of the galleries. Two side galleries roofed on wooden columns with carved capitals were richly decorated. The roof of the central gallery rested on twelve paired columns (“on pillars of Russian marble”), the floor in it was lined with black and white marble slabs, the roof was decorated with a balustrade of fine balusters and tubmas. Central gallery adorned with a marble statue of Venus ("Lady Venus"). This sculpture was presented to Peter I by Pope Clement IX. By decree of the king, she was guarded by a sentry in the uniform of the Preobrazhensky Regiment with a halberd, so that no one could damage her. Venus became the first public image of a naked female body in Russia. The statue of Venus was in the Summer Garden until the middle of the 18th century. The statue was later moved to the closed Grotto.

On the main alley (from the "Venus Gallery" to the Cross Pond) there were four sites: 1st - Palace (Lady's), 2nd - Skipper, 3rd - Virtues, 4th - Cycle of the day. Fountains were located on each site. Near the first white marble fountain, the queen and court ladies usually sat down. Near the second, on the octagonal Skipper platform, was Peter with visiting foreigners. A little further on was a fountain adorned with gilded vases.

To the west of the cellars on the banks of the Moika stood the palace of Catherine I - the Golden Mansions. He was, perhaps, on the site of the Rossi pavilion. According to indirect data, the palace was built in 1710-1711. On the roof of a small wooden building was a gilded lantern with eight windows. The lantern ended with a high spire. The walls of the main hall of the palace were trimmed with golden leather, the ceiling was covered with picturesque canvas. There were tiled stoves in every room.

In 1717, near the river. In front of the Golden Mansions, a pavilion with fountains was built, where they placed a huge Gottorp globe with a starry sky in the inner sphere (then the globe was transferred to the Kunstkamera).

In 1717 A. Leblon compiled new plan Summer Garden, which, without changing the existing layout, made additions and improvements. This project also included the areas around the Summer Garden (the future Field of Mars, the Mikhailovsky Palace and the Engineering Castle). In the new project, the longitudinal compositional axis of the garden was fixed. On southern territory Garden (3rd Summer Garden) on the plan is the residence of Catherine I. This palace, built only 25 years later, with its wide courdonaire facing the Moika, was supposed to play the role of an architectural dominant. The garden behind this palace continued the Summer Garden of Peter the Great by its layout. The garden behind the Moika was divided into small rectangular parts. At that time, Catherine's old wooden palace - the "golden mansions" - already existed here. Fruit plants were planted around it in the regular quarters of the garden, and among the garden paths there were many trellis alleys.

Leblon worked out in detail the layout of flower beds along the Swan Canal, which were outlined in Peter's sketch (1716). Moreover, each figured parterre and bosquet was designed as a non-repeating separate micro-composition. The main bosquets with inventions were located around the Main Alley. In one bosquet, Leblon designed an oval pond, in another - a cascade with a flower garden and a sculpture, in the third, with a fountain in the center, cross-shaped enveloping roads, in the fourth - an aviary and an "animal yard". New sculptural groups, green cabinets, gazebos, ponds and fountains have been introduced into the garden plan.

The Oval Pond was dug on the territory of the 1st Summer Garden. In the center of the pond there was a small island with an arbor, the dome of which ended with a carved lantern. Along the perimeter of the almost square bosquet there were trellises and lattices. Between the bars along the shore of the pond were placed 8 wooden houses - "bird chambers" for the birds living in the pond. Rare fish swam in the pond and a small boat on which a dwarf jester rode. On the roof of the pavilion in the form of a Chinese pagoda, a weather vane sparkled - a golden dragon.

Where the monument to Krylov is now located, a bosquet with a Dolphin cascade and a pool was arranged. The cascade was finished with gilded lead, decorated with vases in the form of dolphins. The floor and walls of the pool were finished with white marble. In the southern part of the bosquet there was a greenhouse. The platform with the cascade was surrounded by wooden lattices, on the pillars of which 24 lanterns with intricate carvings hung.

Opposite the bosquet with a cascade was a platform with bird and animal cages. There was a gallery stretched from east to west. In the gallery, the floor was covered with Putilov slabs, the walls were covered with canvas. In the middle of the roof was a double dome. It was a dovecote. The bosquet was framed by tapestries; inside, 13 canopies with gratings were arranged on three sides. Between the canopies there were three galleries - the animal yard. Birds (black storks, eagles, cranes, swans, pigeons, pelicans) and rare animals (porcupines, blue foxes, large hedgehogs, sables) lived here. In the center of the bosquet there was a fountain with a round pond made of white marble, the cornice was trimmed with black marble.

To the north of the animal yard was located the last of the 4 main bosquets with inventions - a spruce grove. Spruce trees growing in regular rows crossed covered (roundabout) paths that went crosswise, forming a platform with a fountain in the center of the bosquet. The fountain was decorated with a marble group "Venus with Cupid". The reservoir of the fountain was finished with lead, shells, white and black marble tiles. Candles in hanging lanterns burned in covered alleys.

Covered paths were in the 2nd and 3rd gardens.

In addition to the spruce in the 1st garden, there were also oak and linden groves. An oak grove with a fountain in the center was located near the Summer Palace of Peter I. The linden grove was on the site of the Tea House.

Leblon's death in 1719 interrupted his work. Bosquet with a cascade was completed according to the project of Leblon M.G. Zemtsov. Pavilions near the roundabouts of the road were built by G.-I. Matarnovi. The grotto, the construction of which was led by Leblon, continued to be built by G.-I. Matarnovi and Michetti, and Zemtsov completed and decorated the interiors.

The garden was also decorated with three picturesque panels of art. George Gzel. The wooden panel (366.5 x 70 cm) consisted of four panels separated by pilasters. Polychrome images on them are taken from the book "Symbols and Emblems..." (unicorn, lion, warrior...).

Greenhouses were built to store tropical trees in the winter. One of them was in a bosquet with a cascade, another stone greenhouse was located in the Red Garden on the border of the 1st and 2nd Summer Gardens. In 1728, another stone greenhouse was built not far from it according to the project of arch. K. Schroeder. Southern plants were grown here, among them - tropical spurges, oranges, lemons, tulips and Lebanese cedars. In summer, these plants were exhibited in the alleys of the garden. Later, 7 small wooden greenhouses appeared in the 2nd garden - steam, winter, pineapple, African, etc. There was a hut in which in the 1730-1740s. the sculptor "Jagan Zweigof" worked. He restored damaged statues and busts.

In 1723-1725. M. G. Zemtsov made a measured drawing that reflects the state of the Summer Garden in the last years of the life of Peter I. By this time, a stone palace had been erected at the intersection of the Swan Canal and the Neva. The central bosquets received a new layout. In 1725, Zemtsov built a "Hall for glorious celebrations" next to the second palace and made a new breakdown of the flower garden adjacent to the palace. The territory of the garden was expanded due to the plot sprinkled near the Neva, but there was no passage along the Neva yet. At the same time, the grotto on the Fontanka was rebuilt and decorated with gilded sculpture. The summer garden was often rebuilt and replenished with new buildings. Therefore, what is shown in Zubov's engraving does not largely correspond to Zemtsov's plan.

A labyrinth was created on the territory of the 2nd Summer Garden between the Transverse Canal and the Carpian Pond, in imitation of the famous Versailles Labyrinth (it was completed in the 1730s). The labyrinth was a complex system of paths among the bushes, with recesses-niches (there were 32 of them), where the fountain beat, and each fountain was decorated with sculptural characters of Aesop's fables, cast in lead (according to the drawings of M. Zemtsov, as well as the project of the labyrinth). Each fountain had a tablet explaining the content of the fable. At the entrance to the Labyrinth stood a gilded lead statue of the humpbacked Aesop. The paths to the Labyrinth passed along the footbridges with cracker fountains.

In the Summer Garden for the first time in Russian garden art a large complex of various fountain devices was built. In 1705-1706. under the guidance of master I. Matveev, the beginning of a complex water-pressure system of the Summer Garden was laid. In 1725, there were 25 fountains in the Summer Garden, and by 1736 there were more than 50. Fontanka. Water towers were placed on the shore of the erik. Initially, the water-lifting mechanism was horse-drawn, from 1719 a steam engine worked. For a more reliable supply of fountains with water, they began to break through the Ligovsky Canal. Water was supplied from the Liga River to the pools, arranged on the street, called Basseynaya. From there, water went through lead pipes to water towers, where it was raised by a wheeled vehicle. This first water pipeline began to operate in 1725. He rebuilt the old water towers in the middle of the 18th century. F.-B. Rastrelli, he gave the buildings the appearance of elegant pavilions and decorated them with baroque decor.

sculptures

According to the plan of Peter I, the Summer Garden should be decorated with allegorical sculptures. (See Summer Garden. Sculpture). All sculptures were selected on four themes: the nature of the universe, collisions from Ovid's Metamorphoses, an ideal model of the Earthly world and its real embodiment. To implement the plan, special agents were sent to Italy: P. Beklemishev, Yu. Kologrivov and S. Raguzinsky. They purchased both antique sculptures and works of the late 17th - early 18th centuries. Many of the sculptures were made to order. By 1725, more than a hundred busts and statues had been installed in the Summer Garden, by 1736 there were already more than two hundred of them. Already at that time, the Summer Garden had the largest collection of garden sculptures in Russia.

In 1721, when the main landscaping work was completed, the Summer Garden became the royal residence. The garden was intended not only for walking, but also as a place for entertainment, ceremonies, and diplomatic meetings. Festivities were constantly held in the garden in the open air, the famous Peter's assemblies and receptions of foreign ambassadors were held. About the beginning of the next holiday, the inhabitants of the city were notified by cannon shots from the bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Guests arrived at the Summer Garden along the Neva, disembarked from boats on a wooden pier. In the summer, court festivities were held in the alleys of the garden and in the covered galleries near the Neva. In the middle gallery they set up a table with treats, in the side galleries there were tables with snacks for officers and ordinary people. Dances were arranged on the Ladies' Square, and tables with chess, checkers, tobacco and wine stood on the Skipper's. After dinner and dancing, the grenadiers of the Guards appeared in the alleys, they carried large tubs of grain vodka on poles. Each of the guests had to drink a cup. During the festivities, an orchestra played in the garden. As a rule, the holiday ended with fireworks.

Catherine's Summer Palace

In the early 1720s. Peter decided to build a palace for Catherine symmetrically to the first palace - on the banks of the Neva and the Swan Canal, in the place where the soap room and the hut to her used to be. Here, within 4-5 years, an ensemble was created, which included Catherine's Palace, the Art Gallery and the Hall of Glorious Celebrations.

The second summer palace or the New Chambers was built in 1721-1726. The construction of the palace began. Dutchman Stefan Van Zwieten according to the drawing of Peter I, but did not cope with the work. D. Trezzini began to observe the work, and then M.G. Zemtsov, who had to actively correct the project. Completed the construction of Zemtsov. The part of the building overlooking the Neva was two-story, the rest of the premises were one-story. The building had a large terrace and a stairway down to the water. The palace had 4 rooms along the Neva and 15 along the Swan Canal. The interiors were close to the interiors of Peter's palace. The ceilings of some rooms were decorated with picturesque plafonds, thin. B. Tarsia.

Art Gallery

The wooden gallery was built perpendicular to the elongated part of the second palace along the Swan Canal. It had 12 glazed windows-doors with semicircular transoms, on the sides of which stood columns with capitals of the Corinthian order. The perimeter of the flat roof was decorated with a balustrade of turned balusters and pedestals. The gallery was designed and supervised by the master of the ward buildings Francois de Waal.

While in Amsterdam in 1716-1717, Peter acquired many art paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Stein, Brueghel and others. Many of these paintings are housed in the Art Gallery in the Summer Garden.

The courtyard between Catherine's palace and the gallery was paved with yellow bricks. To the south of the Art Gallery, a parterre flower garden with a fountain in the center was laid out.

Hall for glorious celebrations

In 1725 arch. M. G. Zemtsov built a hall for glorious celebrations next to the second palace - a palace for holding especially important festivities. At this time, the wedding of Peter's eldest daughter Anna with the Duke of Holstein was being prepared. The hall was built in 4 months. The wedding took place in May 1725, after the death of Peter

The building of the Hall was erected next to the palace of Catherine, on the bank of the Neva. The wooden building on a stone foundation consisted of a two-height ceremonial hall and four small rooms. In one of them was a staircase leading to a lantern. Pilasters of a large order with Corinthian capitals combined the composition of the two floors of the building. The building was crowned with a balustrade with vases. A high two-flight staircase led to the main entrance. The main entrance was richly decorated.

Inside the hall was striking in its richness and splendor. The walls were finished with carved oak and decorative paintings, tapestries and gilding. The ceilings were decorated with story paintings inside gilded frames. The picturesque plafonds for the Hall were made by art. L. Caravak and B. Tarsia. According to Peter's plan, the walls were to be decorated with paintings based on scenes from the history of the victories of the Russian army: the Battle of Kulikovo (A. Matveev), the Battle of Poltava (I. Nikitin), the Battle of Gangut (I. Odolsky).

With the accession of Anna Ioannovna in 1732, the Hall was dismantled and transferred to the Karpiev Pond.

Second Summer Palace of Anna Ioannovna

In 1732, approximately on the site of the Hall for Glorious Celebrations, arch. F.-B. Rastrelli built the Second Summer Palace - the residence of Anna Ioannovna. The main facade of this wooden building overlooked the Neva, where the steps of the porch descended, which served as a pier. The one-story palace of strict proportions was decorated with restrained decor. The palace had 28 rooms. The palace was built in 2 months. After the death of the Empress, E. I. Biron was arrested in this palace. In 1747, by order of Elizabeth, the palace was dismantled and transported to Yekateringof.

Grotto

The construction of the Grotto - a garden pavilion with columns and a high dome on the banks of the Fotanka - began in 1914. Drafted by the architect-sculptor. Andreas Schluter, started the construction of J.-B. Leblon, continued the work of G.-I. Matarnovi and N. Michetti, and from 1723 completed and decorated the interiors of M.G. Zemtsov. Construction was completed in 1725. This pavilion was divided into three rooms, each of which had a fountain, in the central hall - a fountain with Neptune and a water organ.

During the time of Peter I, the Summer Garden was available to almost everyone (decently dressed and without a beard).

After the death of Peter I, in the short years of the reign of Catherine I, the Supreme Privy Council often met in the Summer Palace - in fact, the highest authority in the country, since the decree on the establishment of this body read: "No decrees should be issued before they are discussed in the Privy Council" . In the 1730-1740s. The Summer Garden remained the grand royal residence. To enter the Summer Garden at this time, one had to obtain a special permit. Citizens in decent clothes were allowed to walk in the 1st and 2nd gardens, access to the 3rd garden was prohibited. Since the 1760s free access to the 1st Summer Garden.

Already after the death of Peter in 1725, the garden continues to strictly follow the established order.

In 1725, the Hall for Glorious Celebrations was built on the banks of the Neva (architect M. G. Zemtsov). In 1725, in the “green cabinet” to the left of the grotto, Catherine ordered the construction of the “Favorite” fountain, modeled on the one in Peterhof. In 1736-1738, in the right "office" the fountain "Lacoste" was arranged, named after Peter's favorite jester. In the 1730s Zemtsov completed the Labyrinth.

In 1732, architect. F.-B. Rastrelli on the Swan Canal creates an amphitheater with a cascade, flower beds, turf benches, many gilded lead sculptures, vases and urns. At this place, a light bridge was thrown across the canal. The Summer Garden joined the Amusing Field.

In 1740, Anna Ioannovna gave the order to shelter the sculptures for the winter. In the garden, old greenhouses are being repaired and new greenhouses are being built. In 1744 Elizaveta Petrovna orders the "big birdcage" to be replaced with a new one. With all care, garden work was carried out to care for trees, trellises and flower beds. In the 1730-1740s. Russian gardeners were already working in the garden. For many years, Ilya Surmin, a student of Roosen, supervised garden work. By the middle of the 18th century, the Summer Garden reached its peak as a regular garden.

Under Anna Ionnovna, celebrations were still taking place in the Summer Garden, though not so magnificent. More often, the queen in the garden or on the Big Meadow was fond of hunting.

In the 1740-1750s. under Elizaveta Petrovna in the Summer Garden, masquerades for the St. Petersburg nobility were replaced by balls with dances until dawn. In 1741 in the 3rd garden according to the project of arch. F.-B. Rastrelli began construction of the Summer Palace. The court of Elizabeth moved there.

The Summer Garden, having lost its significance as a royal residence, gradually turned into a walking garden for the nobility and is changing its appearance. In 1743, some of the sculptures of the Labyrinth were removed, and the fountain in the Birdcages was dismantled.

In 1763-1767. there was a large reconstruction of the Neva embankment at the northern border of the Summer Garden. An artificial embankment pushed the Neva away from the border of the garden by 50 m. In the 1760s. equipped Palace embankment, on piles (architect Yu.M. Felten).

1770-1784 - construction of the lattice of the Summer Garden from the side of the Neva (architect Yu.M. Felten, P.E. Egorov).

In 1777 there was a severe flood. The fountain system was destroyed, the grotto and a significant number of sculptures and trees were damaged. Instead of restoration work, the "Havanese" near the Summer Palace, the transverse canal and the Oval Pond were filled up, the grotto was destroyed, galleries, arbors, and poultry houses were dismantled.

In 1798-1799, a view terrace was built on the banks of the Lebyazhye Canal (architect G.P. Pilnikov).

Anna Ioannovna turned the Summer Garden into an animal enclosure. Here, bear-baiting and hunting for wild boars were arranged, which rushed among the marble statues and fountains, destroyed trees and flower beds.

At the end of the XVIII century. landscape style replaced the regular park style.

(. pp. 49-52, . pp. 48-63, . pp. 21-33. added Mary)

(N. A. Naryshkina. Summer Garden - the soul of St. Petersburg. History of St. Petersburg. No 3 (13) / 2003)

(B.G. Sinyukhaev, Sadovaya street, Lenizdat, 1974)

(E. Nikolin, Briefly about Leningrad, Lenizdat, 1988) (text by Mary)