The most beautiful natural sites to discover Leningrad Oblast

During the summer months, the countless water jets of the Peterhof fountains, which operate without a pump and only with the speed gained from the slope, are in operation all day long. The water symphony is accompanied on the opening day of the season by classical music concerts, ballets, fireworks... The illuminated fountains offer a truly magical spectacle. St. Petersburg tourist agencies organize guided tours of Peterhof on the first Sundays in June and October (beginning and end of the season). If you are lucky enough to be able to join them, you will have unforgettable memories. Peterhof is so densely populated that we advise you to visit it with a guide to get the most out of it, and to spend at least half a full day there!

The Great Waterfall is a fabulous ensemble of tiered fountains and marble and bronze statues, designed by Peter the Great himself. The  vasque of the Grande Cascade bears in its center the sculpted group of Samson tearing the lion's mouth

, a work symbolizing Poltava's victory. La colonne of water gushing from the lion's mouth reaches a height of about twenty metres. Surrounding the basin, statues of maritime deities celebrate the access Peter the Great has gained to the Baltic Sea. La  Grande Cascade is linked to the Gulf of Finland by the Maritime Canal. On its shores, a truly magical spectacle is offered by the water games in the double alley of the Fountains.

The Palais de Marly, designed by the architect Braustein (1723 par), hides behind its apparent modesty rich decorations with an abundance of bronzes, lacquers and crystals. Ce palais miniature one-storey high is a unique building from the petrovian era, and one of the rare examples of early Petersburg country houses. Vous y will see collections of paintings as well as personal objects of the greatest of the czars, whose statue, by the sculptor Antokolski (1883), adorns Marly's driveway. To the south of the Grand Palais are the formal gardens of the Verkhni Park, designed according to the plans of^Pierre Ier, whose large central pond is adorned with a beautiful bronze Neptune from^{XVIIe siècle}

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Superior Park.

Free entrance. Stretching between Prospekt St. Peterburgski and the Peterhof Palace, il est bounded on the west by Razvodnaya Street and on the east by Pravlenskaya Street. From a surface of 15 ha, il a was created in 1724. Between 1733 et 1739 fountains, statues and pergolas were installed there. The Chessboard cascade gathers statues and fountains staggered on three terraces paved with black and white marble checkerboard. The complex is flanked by two imposing fountains - Rimskié Fontani - of Roman influence. The Fountain of the Pyramid consists of a pyramidal assembly of 500 tubes from which jets of water gush forth.

The Fountain of the Sun

is a rectangular basin with, in the centre, sixteen dolphins in gilded bronze from which as many jets of water gush forth.

Finally, some fountains equipped with ingenious joking mechanisms, unexpectedly water the unwary who comes too close près  !

Pavillon de Montplaisir. Designed by Pierre le Grand and located on the edge of the gulf, it consists of a central body flanked by lateral galleries. The Palais de Monplaisir exhibits collections of paintings gathered by^Pierre Ier during his travels in France and Holland.

This 68 ha park, south of St. Petersburg, was created in 1945 to celebrate victory at the end of the Second World War. Sport is at the honor, with a rink and cross-country skiing trails in winter, and rowing on the summer basin. Tennis courts are located in the part of the park that overlooks the Gagarin perspective.

The old garden, the regular part of the park is to the south-east of the palace. The central aisle is oriented towards the Hermitage Pavilion. On the city side, the old garden is bounded by the waterfall canal; to the south-east, by Sadovaya Street (of the park); to the south, il donne on the large pond. This large pond includes a small island that you can reach with a kind of small towed ferry, which is taken at the Admiralty. The passage costs RUB 200 per person, but there is not much to see on this island.

The old garden is divided into four parties : the Upper Garden, on the three upper terraces facing palais ; the Lower Garden, from the third terrace to the canal at Poissons ; the Hermitage plot, from the canal to the Ponds at Cascades ; and the last, unnamed, from the Ponds of the Waterfalls to Sadovaya Street. In the Lower Garden, along the Hermitage Alley, were dug in 1719-1722 deux rectangular ponds. The Hermitage Pavilion, which gave its name to the part of the old garden, was built between 1744 et 1749 par Zemtsov and then, after 1754, by Rastrelli. Its facades echo the Catherine Palace.

Le chaînon connecting the old garden with regular lines to the landscaped park around the large pond is the Grotto Pavilion, built in 1749  by Rastrelli. Il s is one of the best examples of late Baroque. On the south-eastern edge of the pond, there is a group of three Admiralty pavilions built of red bricks. Not far from the island rises above the water the column of Tchesma, high above 14 m. Built to celebrate the memory of the victory over the Turkish squadron in the Bay of Tchesma in 1771, this column is decorated with symbolic rostrums and crowned with a bronze eagle breaking a crescent moon (symbol of victory). To the south-west of the pond is the light-coloured Turkish bath building, reminiscent of a mosque, built in 1850. Further down, the Podkapriznaya road got its name from the Grand Caprice and Petit Caprice, large rocky mounds and small tunnels under which this road passes. At the top of the Grand Caprice rises the Chinese bower, from which there is a beautiful view of the park (the name "caprice" is usually attached to the fact that after these mounds the path divides, and that it was here that Great Catherine, when she was walking, chose her route at the very last moment).

This huge neo-Gothic-inspired park built between the 18th and 19th centuries is located on the grounds of the former estate of Baron von Nicolay. Of Strasbourg origin, scholar in the languages and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, the poet Ludwig von Nicolay (1737-1820) was the tutor and then private secretary of Paul I of Russia. With its necropolis-island with buildings of ancient inspiration, its romantic alleys winding along the Gulf of Finland, it offers possibilities for walks conducive to poetic dreams.

The complex includes a landscaped park of almost 200 hectares near the Alexander Palace, with elegantly curved ponds, a huge forest plot (the former animal reserve where the Tsar hunted at ^{XVIIIe siècle}), the new garden, on a regular plan, the territory of the Chinese village and finally the orangeries. All of this is especially interesting for long walks, especially during "sleepless nights". The people of St. Petersburg also like to go there with their families on weekends. It was in this park that Pushkin walked during his studies and discovered romantic melancholy.

The white tower:the white fortress, which looks like a knight's castle, is surrounded by four knights: an Englishman, a Frenchman, a German and a Russian, the first three representing the Allied States of the time. It was built by Emperor Nicholas I for his children - the great princes Alexander (the future Alexander II), Constantine, Nicholas and Michael. It was here that the young heirs received their general education and practiced their physical and military exercises. From here one can reach the observation point of the tower (only for a few people at a time) with a view of Tsarskoye Selo.

Museum of the First World War: the history of this unique museum in Russia is more than 100 years old. Completely renovated in 2011, it is a modern center dedicated to the Great War. The museum was inaugurated as a "War Chamber" in 1913 to display relics, weapons and souvenirs of the great victories of the Russian armies. After the First World War and the Revolution, the place was renamed and reassigned. It was affected during the Second World War by suffering many thefts and degradations of the Nazi occupiers during the terrible siege of St. Petersburg. Its collections were gradually reconstituted and the building renovated, so it reopened its doors in 2011.

The Chinese Theatre was built in 1778 according to the project of Antonio Rinaldi in the Far Eastern style popular at the time. The first Opera Theatre built in stone in Russia is now in ruins and awaits its turn to be rebuilt.

The chapel finally reopened in 2018 after restoration work. Built in the image of a Gothic chapel, it had been degraded by time. The building consists of two square towers connected by a vault, one of the two towers remained "semi-destroyed".

The zoological garden of St. Petersburg has been installed since 1865 in this small portion of Alexandrovski Park along the Kronwerski River. Its occupants are 1,500, with giraffes being the great pride of this zoo and polar bears. Indeed, they rarely reproduce in captivity, but the St. Petersburg Zoo managed to give birth to 16 small (December 1, 2015). It became such a brand that a beautiful polar bear now adorns the zoo logo. The institution is constantly seeking sponsors and patrons to ensure infrastructure development and improve animal welfare. To do this, the Guardianship Program allows donations and sponsorship of an animal. An excellent opportunity to do a good job for one or other of these animals, such as a small raccoon or a Steller Pygargue (majestic bird of prey from the Bering Sea, living up to 50 years old and whose couples remain faithful all their lives), depending on your means and your desires!

Set in 1830 on two natural terraces, it features a centuries-old promenade of oak trees, to which the Pierre fir competes. In the spring, the Rossignol song competes with the children's cries, which engage in echoes under the stone arch of the park.

A beautiful park, located on this northern island of St. Petersburg, with rides for children, boats and catamarans, mini zoo, tennis and badminton courts. Costumed balls are organised frequently for tourist groups and individual visitors. You can rent ski in winter for a small dip in its aisles. Also in this park, the palace (s.) offers a beautiful collection of decorative and applied art.

Created in 1945 on 115 ha of Krestovskiy Island, it is one of the largest green spaces in St. Petersburg. It is situated on a historically heavy site as it was used as a gigantic crematory furnace to burn the bodies of thousands of victims of the Leningrad blockade. It contains 4 bridges and the brand new Gazprom Arena, which was inaugurated for the 2018 World Cup. Today it is one of the most high-tech stadiums in the world and its construction will have cost more than a billion dollars.