Letny (Summer) garden…
Majority of people - both those who live in Saint-Petersburg, and those who have never been there - regard this place as one of the city symbols. I don't quite understand why but for me it's not so. There is something alien in it, apart from the fence on Neva side perhaps :)
If dreaming up the reasons for such my sensations (which shock you :), then one can remember that originally Summer Garden was planned and looked entirely different to what it looks like now.
Works were carried out according to the personal Peter the I' project. There was no trace of the shady alleys. Trees were low, at that they were cut so that their crowns got different geometrical shapes. Fountains were gushing out here and there, there were many flowers. As to now - one can observe something like a forest only instead of the regular park.
Karpiev pond, remained from the old times though. Now swans reside in there (for the winter they probably fly away to the zoo).
Mikhailovsky castle is in the background, behind the fence and Moyka.
And concerning the fountains - they were destroyed by the flood of 1777.
Swans have property to hamper the normal shooting. When attempting to come closer they swim up to the fence and mar the shot. I suppose no one needs to be explained why they swim up close :)
Vase from Sweden. Gift of swedish king to Nikolay the I. It consists of 5 parts, if I am right.
The widest alley.
Rather hard to explain now that the object of the shot was a grape :)
Such shots make me conceive the forest. It feels particularly strongly in the dull weather.
Famous fence by Felten. Before it appeared here Summer garden sided directly with Neva - one could board a boat right away. Then the shore line was moved at a significant distance and was strengthened with piles. And so embankment, road and fence have run between Neva and garden.
However, the fence is very successful, no doubt.
Building of Solyany gorodok (Salt town) (in old times storehouses of salt and wine were situated there) is on that side of Fontanka.
Summer garden fence from Moyka side. Built in 1820 by architect L.I. Sharleman (very him is the author of the Tea house).
A little bit about buildings in Summer garden now..
