Walking around the Summer Garden with the Presidential Library

The Summer Garden is considered to be the same age as St. Petersburg; it was founded by Peter I in 1704. The line “This hand of Poltava planted a garden” by the poet Pyotr Vyazemsky is not accidental - indeed, the plan of the Summer Garden was created by the emperor himself. More information about the main milestones in the history of the Summer Garden is available in the materials published on the Presidential Library’s portal.

Created following the example of the best European gardens and parks, the Summer Garden is a favorite place for "meetings and feasts that Tsar Peter I arranged when business did not interfere with fun". In the book of Sergei Knyazkov “Pictures on Russian History” (1908–1913), which is stored in the electronic reading room of the Presidential Library, it is said that “this garden has an oblong shape; on the east side, the Summer Palace of the Tsar adjoins it, on the south - a greenhouse, on the west - a large beautiful meadow, on which, during all the festivities, the guard stands in the ranks, and on the north it is washed by the Neva, in this place is quite wide. Here, on skiffs and galleys moored to a wooden pier, guests arrived in the Summer Garden to stroll along straight alleys, listen to the music of a horn orchestra, and admire outlandish flowers and trees brought from overseas countries.

The entrance to the Summer Garden from the Neva is still considered “correct”, since from this angle one can see the famous fence of the Summer Garden, sung by Anna Akhmatova. It was created by decree of Empress Catherine II and "under the supervision" of the architect Yuri Felten. The fence consists of pillars carved from Karelian granite and a geometric forged lattice, which was created by Tula craftsmen for 13 years.

In the Petrine era, the Summer Garden was conceived as a "royal garden" - vegetables and herbs were grown here. Rare species of fish lived in its ponds, ducks, geese and swans swam. Alexander Pushkin called it "his garden". In a letter to his wife Natalya Nikolaevna on June 11, 1834, he writes: “The summer garden is my garden. I get up from sleep and go there in a dressing gown and shoes. After dinner I sleep in it, read and write. I'm in it at home".

The traditions of the Summer Garden, founded by Peter, are preserved to this day. Walking in the Summer Garden is full of unexpected twists and turns - as soon as one turns off the straight alleys, he suddenly sees a dovecote with a zoo or a greenhouse with garden beds.

The Summer Garden is not only a “royal garden”, but also a museum, in the halls of which about a hundred marble sculptures “live”. Most of them were executed by Italian masters of the late 17th - early 18th centuries. After the restoration of the Summer Garden, already in our century, the original sculptures were replaced with copies that are in no way inferior to the originals in terms of beauty.

The sculptures of the Summer Garden are especially good on a summer evening, when the sun's rays, shining through the leaves, fill the entire garden with a golden stream, and the statues seem to come to life. One of the most poetic sculptural groups in the Summer Garden - Cupid and Psyche - symbolizes the beauty of eternal love.

Fountains have always been the pride of the Summer Garden. For their work, during the time of Peter I, special mechanisms were installed that supplied water from the river - so the former Nameless Erik River became known as the Fontanka.

For three centuries, walks in the Summer Garden have been a tradition of residents and guests of St. Petersburg. The significance of the Summer Garden, aspiring to contemplation and reflection, for Russian culture is undeniable. Beginning with Alexander Pushkin and in all subsequent times, Russian poets admired the grandeur and peace of the Summer Garden, considering walking along its alleys the best reward and consolation.

The meeting with the Summer Garden becomes an event that inspires the creation of pictorial masterpieces. The electronic reading room of the Presidential Library stores a collection of images - unique engravings, drawings and photographs, which depict the Summer Garden at different times of the year and in different historical times. It is depicted in the paintings of Isaac Brodsky, Yuri Pimenov, Mark Ulupov, Efim Volkov and other Russian painters.

The beauty of the Summer Garden is timeless. Isn't that why the Summer Garden is so attractive for walking, reading books under the canopy of ancient trees, for secret and open dates (by the way, brides' reviews have been held here since the time of Peter the Great), for friendly gatherings, passionate meetings and partings. According to Nadezhda Teffi “when parting in the Summer Garden, it is highly recommended to stop near the urn and, turning around, take a last look at the cherished alley with a sad look. It comes out very well. An urn, death, eternity, dying love, and you are half-turned, the hat is in perspective. This moment will not soon be forgotten. Then quickly turn to the exit and blend into the crowd".