Summer Palace. Sightseeing in St. Petersburg. Architect of the Summer Palace

The city, which by right is considered the cultural capital of Russia - St. Petersburg. Once in it, I want to come back again and again. Every corner of it, every centimeter is imbued with the centuries-old history of the Russian Empire. Streets, squares, gardens, parks, bridges, museums and architectural monuments create a unique atmosphere in this city. Anyone who has come to St. Petersburg will be able to feel the unique harmony of an excellent settlement. The sights of Peter never cease to amaze his guests. Especially popular among tourists is the Summer Garden, the main pearl of which is the palace of Peter the Great, on which we will stop our attention.

The history of the first Summer Palace

After the construction of the Admiralty began on the left bank of the Neva, residential buildings began to appear behind the house. Peter I also chose a site for his residence - the territory on the Neva coast between the Miei River (Maikoy) and the Nameless Eric (Fontanka). The First Summer Palace of Peter the Great was a small wooden structure. The stucco and painted structure was not distinguished from other buildings in the neighborhood, and it hardly resembled the royal residence.

Symbol of the new Russian policy

The victory at Poltava in 1709 meant a turning point in the Northern War in favor of the Russian army. In St. Petersburg, the hasty construction of numerous stone buildings began. During this period, the Swan Canal was built, which connected the Moika with the Neva. As a result, a small island formed between the rivers. It was on this piece of land that Peter I decided to build a stone palace. By order of the king, a project was created symbolizing the new political direction of Russia. The architect of the Summer Palace Trezzini proposed to arrange the building of the future royal residence in such a way that the same number of windows would appear both to the west and to the east. Peter I approved this idea, and on August 18, 1710, the construction of the palace began, which ended in April 1712.

Summer house

An amazing feature of this structure was that during its erection the first sewerage system of the city was built. Water was supplied to the house using pumps, and the drain went to the Fontanka. Since the Summer Palace was surrounded on three sides by water, the current of the river itself was the driving force. However, after the flood, which occurred in 1777, a small bay Havanets, located in front of the house, had to fall asleep. This led to the fact that the first sewage system ceased to function.

Ground floor of the palace

The king moved to the Summer Palace, a photo of which is presented below, with his whole family immediately after the completion of the building and lived in it from spring until late autumn. He occupied six rooms, located on the first floor, including a bedroom with a fireplace. Nearby was the reception room, where various meetings were held and important matters were decided. The Tsar's favorite place was a lathe with a machine, where the Emperor in his free time mastered the craft of a carpenter. He did not regret the work and was proud of the fact that he had corns on his hands.

Second floor of the palace

The summer palace of Peter I also had a second floor, which was led by a massive oak staircase. Here there were six rooms in which the queen with her maid of honor and children took their places. The interior of the second floor was significantly different from the first, as there was a huge number of mirrors and paintings. Near the bedroom of Catherine I was a beautifully decorated throne room, in which the queen was solving her affairs. Green cabinet surprised visitors with its magnificent gilded decoration, numerous ivory and wood figures, as well as surprisingly beautiful Chinese frescoes. A special room was reserved for parties and dances.

Summer garden

Near the palace was broken in 1720, a magnificent garden, which resembled a huge park. Beautiful alleys stretch across the garden. They share an array with beautifully clipped trees and shrubs. Sculptures symbolizing Russia were installed throughout the territory. In addition, in the garden there were many busts of marble, to the creation of which the best Italian masters were involved. Particular attention was paid to the construction of fountains, which served as decoration of the palace territory. Due to the fact that the Summer Palace was surrounded on three sides by water, special boats were offered to visitors for walks.

Historical Reminder

The king was very fond of the Summer Palace. It was here that he spent the last days of his life. In 1725 in the lobby of the palace on Peter I there was an attack, headed by one of the schismatics, which ended in a fatal outcome. After the death of the Tsar, Catherine I never lived in the residence. For some time the Supreme Privy Council meetings were held here , but as a result the palace became a resting place for imperial courtiers.

Everything beautiful is forever

After three centuries, the Summer Palace in St. Petersburg practically did not change. Time did not make adjustments to the exterior decoration of the palace. Until now, not only the strict look of the building built in the Baroque style, but also the summer frieze under the roof, consisting of twenty-nine bas-reliefs that share the floors, has survived. Under the high four-pitched roof, gutters constructed in the form of winged dragons were preserved, and on it was installed a weather vane in the form of St. George the Victorious, showing the direction of the wind. In addition to the exterior, the main part of the interior has been preserved: artistic carvings on the walls, painted ceilings and tiled stoves. Almost the former view has a green study, a dining room and those rooms in which the royal maid of honor lived.

Excursion to the Summer Palace

Today this palace is rightfully included in the section "The Best Sights of Peter". Attending it aspire to thousands of tourists. What can you see in the palace?

The main decoration of the lobby is a large panel - the bas-relief of Minerva, carved from wood. It is impossible not to pay attention to the door, the platbands on which are made of black marble. She leads into the room, which was once the reception room of the king. The next room is intended for orderlies, it is of no special interest. Next is Assembly (Second Reception), the main decoration of which is the plafond "Triumph of Russia". And between the windows there is an Admiralty chair, formerly owned by Peter I. Behind the second waiting room is a narrow room, once serving as a cloakroom king.

Continuing to inspect the Summer Palace, we will move on to the next room, the emperor's study, where some of the Tsar's personal belongings have been preserved. So, interest is the gift of the English King George I - a ship clock with a compass. In the corner there is an oak cupboard with beautiful carving. In the center is a huge table and a working chair. From the study leads the door to the royal bedroom. Here, the plafond, which depicts the god of sleep Morpheus, holding the poppy heads in his hands, attracts attention. Looking at it, determine the purpose of the room is not difficult. In the bedroom there is a beautiful fireplace, in which, according to legend, the court royal clown hid Balakirev.

On the second floor, the most interesting will be the Green Cabinet, which has preserved in its original form all its decoration, it has already been described. In the corner there is a fireplace, on which sculptures of cupids are installed. Going to the dance room, you will enter the world of mirrors. Particular attention deserves a large mirror in a nut frame with a unique thread. In the children's room you can see a plafond, which depicts a stork holding a serpent in its beak, which symbolized the glorious reign of the heir and the death of the enemies. Finally, you need to go to the throne room of Catherine, where her throne still stands.

The palace still has a cozy home atmosphere, which attracts numerous tourists. They go here not only to see this landmark of St. Petersburg and get acquainted with the history. Many people want to understand how the emperor lived and what surrounded him.

Where is the Summer Palace and how to get there

The palace is located at: Summer Garden, house 3. To get to this place, you need to get to the metro station "Gostiny Dvor". After that, go through Sadovaya street to the embankment of the Lebyazhy groove. It is necessary to go towards decreasing the numbering of houses. Near the embankment there is an entrance to the Summer Garden.