The summer garden
a charming peaceful spot
in the middle of a vibrant city

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The Summer Garden is the best place to go for a nice stroll, take a rest, and enjoy nature in the middle of the city.

Designed by Tsar Peter the Great in 1704 and completed in 1719, the Summer Garden was a popular venue for lavish balls, parties, feasts and outdoor relaxation for St. Petersburg nobility. 

Situated on an island surrounded by the Swan Canal and the Neva, Fontanka and Moika Rivers, the garden is adjacent to its namesake, the Summer Palace, one of the magnificent residences of the Imperial family built by the great Italian architect Domenico Trezzini and still there today.

Many an artist, architect and sculpture's hand has fashioned the enchanting Summer Garden, beginning with Dutch gardeners Nicolas Bidloo and Jan Roosen, Peter's original assistants, and artist Jean-Baptiste Le Blond, who added a touch of France to the landscape. Walkways were lined with one hundred exquisite marble sculptures crafted by Italian greats Francesco Penso, Pietro Baratta, Marino Gropelli, Alvise Tagliapietra and Bartolomeo Modulo.

Known as one of the most romantic and evocative places in all of St. Petersburg, it's said that on a warm and sunny day, the Summer Garden is reminiscent of Paris. The aroma of white, blue and purple lilac trees in bloom, parterres bursting with flora, trickling fountains, ducks and swans adrift on ponds and paths lined with 18t-century sculptures – visitors say this place of tranquility transports them back to the times of the Romanov dynasty.

a better look at the summer garden

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Interested to visit the Summer Garden? If so, click on the links below or scroll down the page to learn more.

more about the garden

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The Summer Garden is a fascinating park home to adorned 79 sculptures of gods heroes of antiquity produce by several prestigious foreigner sculptors of the 17th and 18th centuries, including Boratta, Bozzazza, and many others.

When taking a stroll around the park you will come across rare plants and flowers, stunning water fountains, and Peter the Great’s first Summer Palace, plus you will enjoy the oldest collection of garden statues in Russia. The walking paths, sculptures, and trees are all nice aligned, making for beautiful walks and scenery.

When originally constructed, the park was a place to enjoy country life outside the palace, and where members of the Tsardom and nobility would hold balls and go for walks to enjoy the fresh, high-oxygen air.

Currently a popular place for family fun, it's no irony that the Summer Garden was a setting for the childhood memories of Eugene Onegin, the fictional character in the novel by the same name, written by Russia's famous literary writer, Alexander Pushkin.

interesting facts

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Various European influences are found throughout the Summer Garden. The famous wrought iron fence dividing the park from the Palace Embankment along the Neva River was designed and built between 1771 and 1784 by famous Russian architect, Yury Felten. A spectacular porphyry vase gifted to Tsar Peter by Charles XIV of Sweden in 1839 still rests on the banks of the Carp Pond.

In 1777 the Summer Garden was severely damaged by flooding but it was soon restored to its original beauty.

In 1826, the dilapidated Grotto Pavilion, originally crafted by German architects Andreas Schlüter and Georg Mattarnovi was transformed into The Coffee House by Italian architect Carlo Rossi.

The Tea House, designed by French architect Ludwig Charlemagne in 1827, can be found by the beloved statue of Russian poet and fabulist, Ivan Krylov, who enjoyed walking and reading in the Summer Garden. It was designed by Russian sculptor Pyotr Klodt, the man who created the horses of the Anichkov Bridge and favorite sculptor of Tsar Nicholas I.

where to buy tickets

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There is no need to buy tickets as the entrance to the garden is free of charge.

how to get there

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The Summer Garden is located adjacent to the Field of Mars and St. Michael's Castle. Take the metro to Gostiny Dvor Station. Exit and cross Nevsky Prospekt. Head up Sadovaya Ulitsa until you get to St. Michael's Castle. There are two entrances to the Summer Garden. One of them is located just behind St. Michael's Castle.   

practical information

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Address: Naberezhnaya Lebyazh'yey Kanavki

Metro: Gostiny Dvor

Open: Summer Hours – daily from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm; Winter Hours – daily, except Tuesday 10:00 am to 7:30 pm.

Nearby Attractions: Field of Mars, St. Micheal's Castle, Neva River, Nevsky Prospekt.

tips & recommendations

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• There are cafes and washrooms in the park as well as ice cream vendors where you can purchase fresh fruit, ice cream, and soft drinks.

• The garden is clean and safe and free to enter.
  


• You should know that this romantic park is used a lot for wedding photography.

• Please note that seating on the grass is forbidden.

accommodation nearby

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Our picking list of Hotels nearby the Summer Garden

must-have travel resources

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Our picking list of essential travel resources for your trip to Russia

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From the Summer Garden return to Parks in St Petersburg or go to the Homepage