We will not go far from the Mikhailovsky (Engineers') Castle and look at the huge park located to the left of the castle on the bank of the Moika River. This is the Summer Garden, which is surrounded completely around by water. The Summer Garden is the most beautiful monument of landscape art from the beginning of the 18th century. The garden was laid by order of Peter the Great himself in 1704. The Summer Garden was originally created as a summer royal residence.
The history of the formation and development of the Summer Garden has several stages.
Stage one (1704 - 1710). Construction began Ivan Matveevich Ugryumov by leadership of Peter the Great. Ugryumov made a garden layout, drained the territory, planted trees. built the first fountains, prepared places for the first buildings, made ameliorative works. Ponds were created. In 1707 Ugryumov died and the works were suspended. Then the construction was headed by Alexander Vasilyevich Kikin (first chief of the Main St. Petersburg Admiralty). The Summer Palace was built. The Summer Garden has become a venue for assemblies, balls and fireworks.
The second stage (1710 - 1716). The Swan and a Cross channels were dug there. The stone summer palace is built by the architect Domenico Andrea Trezzini in 1712. A large greenhouse, Green offices, Lusthauses, False alleys, three galleries on the banks of the Neva are under construction. To decorate the garden, marble sculptures are ordered, mainly in Venice.
The third stage (1716 - 1725). In 1716, the French architect Jean-Baptiste Alexander Leblo came to Petersburg, who was a famous specialist in the arrangement of gardens and parks of Versailles. And under the leadership of Leblon Russian architect Mikhail Alexandrovich Zemtsov leads further work in the Summer Garden.
The fourth stage (1725 - 1750). Architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli erects in 1732 the summer wooden palace of Empress Anna Ioanovna, creates fountains "Crown" and "Amphitheater" with sculptures and carvings.
The fifth stage (1750 - 1787). Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (daughter of Peter the Great) opened access to the Summer Garden for the public. Many works were carried out to improve the garden and repair works to restore the destroyed buildings after the storm and floods in 1777. But the main event of this stage was the creation of the famous "Fencing of the Summer Garden". In the construction of the fence took part architects Yuri Matveevich Felten, Petr Egorov, Jean-Batiste Wallen-Delamot.
The sixth stage (the 19th century). Installation of many monuments and sculptures, improving the appearance and arrangement of the garden. Celebrations and celebrations in the Summer Garden. In 1851-1855 the sculptor Pyotr Karlovich Klodt installed a monument to Ivan Andreevich Krylov. In memory of the rescue of Emperor Alexander II during the attempt on his life on April 4, 1866 in the Nevsky fence was built a granite chapel on the project Kuzmin.
Seventh stage (20th century). Restoration of the Summer Garden and giving the garden the status of a monument to the Cultural Heritage of Russia.
We visited the Summer Garden of St. Petersburg. I hope you enjoyed the tour. See you on the streets of the city, thank you for your attention.