I wasn't going to look around at all, on the contrary. I was in a hurry to run some errands, and my gaze went beyond the gate without my brain's permission. But even that cursory glance was enough to make me realize that it was impossible to pass by. I turned through a small gate and found myself in front of the front façade of the Anichkov Palace.
The palace's central staircase is now under restoration, and the main entrance is covered with scaffolding. Workers are trying to preserve the appearance of the building during the renovation; the scaffolding is draped with cloth with the pattern of the building's façade. A huge round flowerbed with tulips sits in front of the palace facade.
In the front garden near the side wall, lilacs are in bloom. They are young shrubs, recently planted. In a few years these bushes will grow and almost completely cover the wall in the background.
The main decoration of the yard is a bed of tulips. At first I photographed this flowerbed standing up from my height, but then I decided that if I lowered myself down I could get more interesting shots. I must have looked funny from the side as I tried to find better angles.
I entered the courtyard through a gate that overlooks Nevsky Prospekt. Nevsky Prospect is the city's main street, with a lot of traffic. I took a few photos with that gate as a backdrop. But about 200 years ago, another gate - the one opposite the palace facade and facing the Fontanka embankment - was considered major. Now the old gate is closed.
Not far from this place on the Fontanka embankment I met another flowerbed with tulips. White tulips were planted in front of the entrance to the Institute of Railway Transport, near the monument to engineer and architect Augustin Betancourt.
In the lilac bushes near the fountain on Manezhnaya Square architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli lays his face in the warm sunlight. Chestnuts and lilacs are in bloom all over the city. Any walk at this time of year is a pleasure, even if you're just strolling to the nearest shop to get some bread.
| ○ | ○ |
|---|---|
| Smartphone | Google Pixel 3a |
| Location | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
This is my entry for the #BeautifulSunday challenge by 
