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The Lower Park
Peterhof, Razvodnaya ul., 2
The Lower Park was created on the model of regular gardens and retained all the features of its French originals. Although many decorative elements have disappeared by now, time has not been able to destroy the marvelous architectural harmony of the garden created by J.-B. Le Blond, a talented student of the creator of the Versailles gardens, A. Le Nôtre. The park is divided into three interconnected parts: the central (Front), western (Marlin) and eastern (Monplaisir).
Dates of the ensemble's formation: 1714 - 1723.
Architects: Johann Friedrich Braunstein (years of life unknown), Jean-Baptiste Le Blond (1679-1719), N. Michetti (1675-59), Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700-1771), Andrei Nikiforovich Voronikhin (1759-1814), Andrei Ivanovich Shtakenshneider (1802-1865).
Garden masters: L. Garnichfelt, A. Borisov, B. Fok, T. Timofeev.
The layout of the Lower Park is determined by two systems of alleys fanning out from the Grand Palace and the Marly Palace. The layout is so thoroughly thought out that not a single garden decoration, not a single detail is hidden from the guests' views. Each alley ends either with a palace or a fountain. The regular park is characterized by the symmetrical arrangement of its main structures. Cascades are arranged on the slopes of the hill - "Big" (in the central part, at the foot of the ceremonial palace), "Chessboard Mountain" (in the eastern part) and "Golden Mountain" (in the western part). In front of each of them are paired fountains: "Bowls", "Roman", "Menazhernye". Only one of the four cascades of the Lower Park is located in the parterre - this is the latest in time of creation "Lion" cascade, but it is it that completes the embodiment of Peter's idea, laid down in the composition of the park: each palace and pavilion has its own cascade.
The park with an area of 112.5 hectares is decorated with about 150 fountains, among which are the jokers "Oak", "Umbrella", "Fir-trees", "Water Road" and "Sofas" so beloved by children and adults.
