During this tour we will visit the Summer garden, the first royal park in Russia and the open air museum of Roman and Italian sculptures. We also will see monuments of various animals such as cats, dogs, Chizhik-Pyzhyk (the smallest monument in the city) and lions in the mosaic yard and explore St. Petersburg beauty hidden in several courtyards, which only locals know. The tour will finish at Golytsyn Loft, one of the most bohemian art-clusters, located in the historic mansion.

The Summer Garden is the apple of Peter I’s eye, a gem in the necklace of Saint-Petersburg parks. In 1704 Peter I ordered to set up for him a big garden alike the famous European ones of the time and even sketched its original plan. Russian and foreign architects worked on this project: I.Matveev, D.Trezini, J.-B.Le Blond, A.Sсhluter, М.Zemtsov, F.-B.Rastrelli, landscape designers J.Roosen, I.Surmin, К.Schreder, I.Yakovlev, P.Lukianov and others. Already several years after its foundation Summer Garden became the political and state life center, the spot of court ceremonies and festivals.

In 1777, the Summer Garden was severely damaged by flooding: Several statues were destroyed and fountains broken. However, it was soon restored to its original regular plan. Today its avenues are adorned by 79 sculptures by Italian sculptors of the 17th and 18th centuries, the oldest collection of garden statues in Russia.

Where: Eliseevsky store (Nevskiy Prospekt 56) , closest metro: Gostinyy Dvor
Participants: min. 4 - max. 20
Cost: 500 rub.