Summer Garden

Why go

Summer Garden rewards attention to scale, orientation, and setting. The Summer Garden (Ле́тний сад) occupies an island between the Fontanka, Moika, and the Swan Canal in Saint Petersburg and shares its name with the adjacent Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Before leaving, compare one close detail of Summer Garden with its broadest public view.

What to look for

• Summer Garden: Read the main silhouette against the open space around it.
• Summer Garden: Look closely at facade materials and ornament.
• Summer Garden: Step back to place the landmark in the skyline.

The full story

The Summer Garden (Ле́тний сад) occupies an island between the Fontanka, Moika, and the Swan Canal in Saint Petersburg and shares its name with the adjacent Summer Palace of Peter the Great. The park, first conceived by Peter in 1704, was laid out by foreign garden planners between 1712 and 1725 in a Dutch Baroque style. Three years later, the walks were lined with a hundred allegorical marble sculptures, executed by Francesco Penso, Pietro Baratta, Marino Gropelli, Alvise Tagliapietra, and other Venetian sculptors. In the late 20th century, 90 surviving statues were moved indoors, while modern replicas took their place in the park. A delicate iron-cast railing, separating the park from the public walk of the Palace Embankment, was installed between 1771 and 1784 to a design by Georg von Veldten. The grille is suspended between 36 granite columns crowned with urns and vases.

Useful to know

• Walk Summer Garden in daylight, then compare its outline with the Marble Palace.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.