(Source: https://avatars.mds.yandex.net/get-pdb/1881775)

Summer Garden (Russian: Letniy Sad)

This is a breathtaking example of landscape gardening art created by Peter I with the large size and grandeur characterizing all his projects. Historically, this park is the very first in the city: its construction began in 1704 (a year after the city was founded).

The Garden got its name due to the plants grown on its territory - these were exclusively “summers plants” that is, annual flowers and shrubs.

The first half century of its existence, the Summer Garden was considered a territory meant only for the Emperor’s walks. However, already under the reign of Nicholas I it was opened to the city residents, the entrance was paid.

The architects designing and building the park tried to adhere to clear-cut geometric shapes - even today all the alleys and lawns of the park (after numerous reconstructions) correspond to this idea.

The first fountains in Russia were installed in the Summer Garden - in a Western manner. The small territory of the garden encompassed more than 50 fountains, many of which were destroyed by the flood of 1777. In addition to the fountains, the garden was decorated with exquisite marble statues in the antique style.

Due to the harsh weather conditions in the region, the Carraran marble used to make the statues gradually grew old and was destroyed, so in 1986 they decided to replace them with plaster analogues.