Peterhof is a luxurious park with many fountains and sculptures, which is located 29 kilometers from St. Petersburg, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. In its scope, this park is not inferior even to the French Versailles, but surpasses it in the splendor of the fountains.
The park is divided into two parts: Lower and Upper Peterhof. The upper park is much smaller than the lower one, but it is not inferior to it in beauty and originality. We can say that each of them is unique and interesting in its own way. In our article we will focus mainly on the Upper Park. They help at least a little to imagine the luxury that distinguishes Peterhof, the photos posted in the article.
History of the formation of the park
Today, the royal ensemble of the park includes 4 luxurious cascades and 176 fountains of unsurpassed beauty. And 300 years ago there were only swamps and villages located around. However, in the 1710s, Peter I issued a decree on the beginning of active architectural and landscape work. Thanks to many surviving documents, drawings and drawings, we even got information that the projects of individualfountains, as well as the concept of planning the ensemble as a whole and the development of the water supply system belong to the emperor himself.
By 1723 the main palace residence was completely completed and named "Peterhof". The opening of the park along with the launch of the main fountain structure - the Grand Cascade - also happened this year. The name "Peterhof" is translated from German as "Peter's estate". Since 1762, the city that grew up around the royal residence, and the entire palace and park ensemble that spread around it, began to be called Peterhof. The Grand Cascade and a number of other fountains were dedicated to the Russian victory in the Northern War, after which the Russian Empire appeared. The buildings, which initially served as the residence of the emperor, were turned into a museum after the October Revolution.
Tough period
During World War II, the park fell into a dark period as enemy artillery almost completely destroyed it. However, thanks to the almost inhuman efforts of the museum staff, almost 50 statues and about 8,000 items of palace interiors were removed from here even before the German occupation. This was, of course, an important victory for art, but, unfortunately, the items that managed to be saved were only a very modest part of all Peterhof treasures.
Peterhof began to revive only after the end of the war, and periodic restoration work continues to this day. In 1945, the Lower Park of Peterhof was opened. And two years later, the famous fountain was reinstalled and completely recreated in it."Samson", whose jet rushes up 20 meters and which, due to its incredible beauty, was not destroyed by the Nazis, but was only taken to Germany. The restoration of the Peterhof Palace began in 1952, and 12 years later its first halls were already opened. The reconstructed Peterhof rose practically from the ashes. The opening was very solemn.
Peterhof Palace
The Grand Imperial Palace is the most outstanding building in the luxurious Peterhof park. It proudly rises above the Grand Cascade leading to the park area. The palace was built in a special style of the Petrine Baroque, but over time it continued to be completed in the mature Baroque style. There is a decorative grotto under the palace.
As already mentioned, the park area is divided into Lower and Upper parks. The lower park covers an area of 102.5 hectares and is fed by a 22-kilometer water conduit. The Upper Park occupies a smaller area, but is not inferior to the Lower Park in terms of luxury and uniqueness of its fountains and statues.
Sights of the Upper Park
The main attraction that Peterhof, the Upper Park is famous for, is its absolutely perfect symmetry. The fountains here are also located symmetrically: in the center there are "Neptune", "Oak" and "Mezheumny", the other two fountains flaunt opposite the side palace wings. "Neptune" (fountain) is the dominant of the park, decorated with many unique medieval sculptures.
Another attraction of the Upper Park - fourmarble sculptures created by the Italian Giovanni Bonazza and installed here in 1757. These are Pomona, Zephyr, Flora and Vertumn. The Upper Garden is also decorated with a blooming green alley, which turns bright red in the autumn season.
Neptune Fountain
Being the main building of the Upper Park, this fountain really looks luxurious and richer than the others. "Neptune" - a fountain, decorated with a three-tiered group of sculptures and towering over it by the sea lord himself, holding his unchanging trident in his hand. On the four sides of this composition are pedestals with masks of sea monsters, from which jets of water beat.
On both sides of the base with Neptune, river nymphs sit with oars in their hands. The pedestal itself is decorated with many corals, bas-reliefs and other lead details, as well as bronze figures of a girl and a boy. Still around Neptune are riders on hippocampi (winged sea horses), who seem to protect the mythical god and at the same time chase dolphins. There are also dolphins in the pool of the fountain - eight figures arranged symmetrically.
From the south side of the fountain "Neptune" there is a small cascade, on three steps of which water flows down and above which there is a statue of Apollo Belvedere, made of bronze (earlier in its place there was a statue of "Winter" made of lead). Both "Apollo" and "Neptune" did not appear here immediately, but only in 1736. Initially, in the heart of the pool there was a "Neptunov's Cart", made of lead, however, after it fell into disrepair, it was replaced by a sculptural one.composition "Neptune" (created in the XVII century in Nuremberg). So the initial period of the existence of the sculpture took place in Germany.
History of Neptune
The creation of a unique fountain group took place during the heyday of the German Empire, when hundreds of beautiful monuments were erected in the country. Nuremberg also creates something unique to decorate the city market. The fountain was decided to coincide with the Peace of Westphalia, which put an end to the Thirteen Years' War - the most important event in German history. In this regard, the best craftsmen in the empire worked on the creation of sculpture. The nymphs next to Neptune personified at that time not nameless rivers, but concrete ones - Pegnitz and Regnitz. On the pedestal to this day there are coats of arms of Nuremberg, the city hall and the chancellor. In total, the sculptural composition included 27 figures.
However, upon completion of the work, it turned out that there was not enough water in the Nuremberg rivers Pegnitz and Regnitz for the functioning of such a monumental fountain composition. Then I had to dismantle it and put it off until the so-called better times. As a result, only after 130 years the sculpture came in handy - the city authorities decided to replenish their budget at its expense and offered at that time the heir to the Russian throne, Pavel, who had come to Nuremberg during a trip to Western Europe, to purchase "Neptune". Pavel, wanting to demonstrate the we alth of the Russian Empire, did not hesitate to agree to this step, buying a sculptural group for 30,000 rubles - a lot of money at that time.
Mezheumny Fountain
Uentrance to the "Peterhof" (Upper Park), south of the "Neptune", there is a round pool, decorated with bronze sculptures of a dragon and four dolphins. A water jet bursts out of the dragon's mouth, dolphins also splash water. The lead "Andromeda" was originally located in this pool, then more than one sculpture visited its place over the course of a number of years, and as a result, the figure of a bronze winged dragon was installed. In this regard, the composition was called "the fountain" Mezheumny "(or" Indefinite ").
But the story of the inconstancy of this composition continued. The dragon was exchanged for a dolphin-like sculpture "Starlet", and eventually - for a cast-iron vase. The dragon returned to its place in 1958, but it was already completely new. Both the dragon and the dolphins were recast from the few drawings that have survived.
Oak Fountain
The Oak Fountain in Peterhof is located nearby, in the middle of another, also a round pool. It is a hexagonal star, at the ends of which are dolphins, and in the center is a gilded marble sculpture "Boy with a Mask". It also looked different originally. In 1734, there was a lead "Oak" surrounded by six dolphins and three dragons, but after 12 years it was removed. In 1802, this composition was installed in the Lower Park.
Nevertheless, the name "Oak" was originally assigned to the fountain, although there was no longer any "Oak" in the composition. For some time in the center of the fountain there was a carved wooden “HornAbundance", but it fell into disrepair and was eventually replaced by "The Boy with the Mask".
Other sculptures
"Peterhof" (Upper Park) is also famous for its oldest reservoirs - Square Ponds, dug in 1719 to provide water to the Lower Park. In 1773, sculptural groups surrounded by lead dolphins were installed in the center of these reservoirs. But many years later they fell into disrepair and were replaced by ordinary unpretentious vertical jets. Only in 1956, the Square Ponds were restored to their former appearance.
In the Upper Park you can also see such Peterhof sculptures as the Italian Venus Fountain, which is a sculpture surrounded by six dolphins. In the background of the fountain you can see the Church of St. Peter and Paul, which is part of the Peterhof Palace.
Famous park
And this is just a little to learn about Peterhof and its precious fountains and sculptures. Of course, it is worth visiting such an unsurpassed park - the impressions will be truly unforgettable. They also allow you to enjoy what Peterhof is famous for, photos that, although not in full, but still convey the beauty of the world-famous park.
