Park & nature
Summer Garden
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The Summer Garden is a historic public garden on an island in downtown Saint Petersburg, between the Neva, Fontanka, Moika, and the Swan Canal. It was personally designed by Tsar Peter the Great in 1704 and features original and copied marble sculptures of classical mythology characters, a former royal palace, and a monument to the fable author Ivan Krylov. The garden is now a branch of the Russian Museum.
Don't miss
- A delicate iron-cast railing separating the park from the Palace Embankment, installed between 1771 and 1784, considered a pinnacle of art-casting and a symbol of St Petersburg.
- A grotto pavilion rebuilt into a coffee house in the 1820s.
- A porphyry vase on the bank of the Carp Pond, a gift from Charles XIV of Sweden to the tsar in 1839.
- Marble sculptures of classical mythology characters, originally by Venetian sculptors like Francesco Penso and Pietro Baratta, now replaced by modern replicas.
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Summer Garden
You can explore Summer Garden at your own pace. A tour is worth it mainly for transport, or for pairing it with nearby sights in one day.
Cheapest way inImagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art General Admission4.2★ · 24 travelers1-2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$5 per personSee dates →
Most bookedSt. Petersburg Jungle Prada Site History Tour5★ · 628 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$18 per personSee dates →
Private & flexibleBoat tour with Watersports and snorkeling near st pete beach5★ · 77 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$350 per personSee dates →Getting there
Know before you go
- The garden is a branch of the Russian Museum, the national art treasury based in Saint Petersburg.
- Original marble sculptures are kept indoors at St Michael's Castle to protect them from weather and vandalism; copies are displayed in the garden.
- Sculptures are traditionally covered with wooden cases in winter and reopened in warm season for cleaning.
A bit of history
The garden's inception dates to the early 18th century when Russia took these lands from Sweden in the Great Northern War. Tsar Peter designed the park in 1704, with Dutch gardener Nicolaas Bidloo's assistance. From 1712, Dutch gardener Jan Roosen elaborated the planting, and French architect Jean-Baptiste Le Blond added a Garden à la française flavor in 1716. The garden was largely completed in 1719. In the late 20th century, 90 surviving statues were moved indoors, with modern replicas taking their place.
Common questions
Who designed the Summer Garden?
Tsar Peter the Great personally designed the park in 1704, with help from Dutch gardener Nicolaas Bidloo. Later, Dutch gardener Jan Roosen and French architect Jean-Baptiste Le Blond contributed to its design.
What happened to the original marble sculptures?
In the late 20th century, 90 surviving statues were moved indoors to protect them from weather and vandalism. Modern replicas now stand in the garden.
Is there a monument to a writer in the garden?
It was the first monument to a poet erected in Eastern Europe.
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