Summer Garden

Welcome, esteemed visitors, to the Summer Garden—the very soul of Saint Petersburg. Laid out in 1704, just one year after the city's foundation, this is the oldest park in our metropolis. …

Dominating the southern entrance is the spectacular Porphyry Vase, a gift from King Charles XIV of Sweden to Tsar Nicholas I in 1839. This five-meter-high masterpiece, including its pedestal, is carved from solid Swedish porphyry…

In a quiet alcove of the garden stands the monument to Ivan Krylov, Russia’s most famous writer of fables. Erected in 1855, this is one of the city's most beloved sculptures. …

Peter the Great was a firm believer in the power of education, and he used the Summer Garden as a tool to 'unsavvy' the Russian people of his time. He commissioned dozens of marble sculptures from Italy, many of which are…

One of the most significant changes to the Summer Garden in recent years was the restoration of its fountain system. Originally, Peter the Great had numerous fountains throughout the garden, powered by water pumped from a nearby…

At the northeastern corner of the garden, facing the Neva River, stands the Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Built between 1710 and 1714 by the city’s first architect, Domenico Trezzini, this is one of the oldest surviving stone…

Facing the Neva River is the world-famous iron railing of the Summer Garden, a masterpiece of late eighteenth-century metalwork. Designed by Yuri Felten and Pyotr Egorov, this railing is considered a 'cultural brand' of Saint…

As our scholarly tour of the Summer Garden comes to an end, I hope you have enjoyed this journey through the oldest 'paradise' of Saint Petersburg. From the Swedish vase to the fables of Krylov, and from the marble myths of Italy…