Menazhernii fountain - one of the two in cascade
Marly (seen in the background). The other , Kitovii (Whale) fountain, is closer to the
Grand cascade. They have the same design of the central water jet: water is pushed in a
circular gap between two concentric pipes of slightly different diameter, creating an
impression of a powerful water column with great water economy. I think this is an idea of
Peter the Great.
One of unknown but beautiful buildings. ..." -
wing of the Manege of the Court's stables, built by he architect Nicolai Benua at the
beginning of the fifties of the previous century. It is located outside of the Aleksandria
Park, near its upper (Animals') gates. N. Benua was at that time the head architect of
Peterhof. The building of the railroad station "New Peterhof" (in winter album)
- is also his project. Court's stables were converted into a sanatorium in soviet times
(presently - sanatorium "Petrodvorets").
In the winter album (it came to my mind looking at
the Palace's wings) - there is no double eagle above the central part of the Grand Palace
but a vase with the gilded figures of demons - angels of the place.
By the way, I've noticed that the gilding (at least on the domes of the
wings) is peeling off and goes away completely by fall. Apparently they replate the dome
every year.
And here is a girl (fountains of the marble benches)
- who turns out to be not a girl at all but a young woman Danaid, one of 50 daughters of
the king Danaus. She obeyed his order to kill her husband and now, as her eternal
punishment in Hades, she has to fill the leaking vase with water.
The pond at the western facade of the Palace Marly
is the Sectoral pond. It was used for breeding fish up to the beginning of the XXth
century. It is formed by running water from springs and fountains.
As usual several frames not included in albums:
Top left - view on the Lower Park and the Gulf from one of
the cascades.
Above: "backyard" of the Palace Monplaisir, standing on the
Gulf.
On the left: Lower Park.
Top left: Upper Park and Grand Palace
Top: the dome
of the Grand Palace, the one that has its gild restored every fall.
Left: "Fountains" - airplane traces in the sky and the real fountain look
nice together.
Menazhernii fountain
