Address: Peterhof, Lower Park
Coordinates: 59 ° 53'14.7 "N 29 ° 53'50.5" E
Content:
In the western part of Peterhof, on the slope of a hill that descends to the Marly Palace, there is an unusual cascade. It is called Marlinsky or "Golden Mountain". The decoration of the cascade, as well as the design of many fountains in the Lower Park, is dedicated to the sea greatness of Russia.
General view of the fountain
History of the cascade
In 1717, the Russian Tsar Peter I visited the famous residence of the monarchs of France - Marly-le-Roi, located in the vicinity of Paris. The palace complex, built by order of Louis XIV, impressed him with its beauty and engineering solutions. The chamber residence of the French king was imitated in many European countries, and the Russian sovereign wanted a small and cozy Marly palace to appear in Peterhof.
However, the new palace borrowed only a compositional solution from the original Marley. Along with the building of the palace and ponds in Peterhof, the construction of a fountain cascade is planned. The place for it was chosen the southern part of the Marlin Garden, called the Bacchus Garden. Under Peter I, they tried to grow grapes here, but the cool and rainy climate of the suburbs of St. Petersburg brought all the gardeners' efforts to naught.
View of the fountain with statues and stairs for visitors
The talented architect Nicola Michetti developed a detailed project of the cascade, in which he took into account the terrain and all the wishes of Peter I. But the death of the emperor did not allow the project of the Marly palace and park complex to be realized in full. The cascade had to be completed by Mikhetti's student, the Russian architect Mikhail Grigorievich Zemtsov, who in 1924 was entrusted with the reconstruction of the Peterhof fountains and the entire park ensemble. Zemtsov had the fame of an excellent draftsman and sculptor, so the cascade was supplemented with figures of heroes of ancient myths and Greek gods. All the statues were cast from lead and covered with gilding.
The architect ordered to decorate the steps of the cascade with white marble and gilded copper sheets. The bright sun and silvery streams of water created such a picturesque play of light that the fountain flowing down the hillside was called the Golden Mountain.
View of the fountain against the background of the Marly pond and the Marly Palace (left)
After the 1730s, the appearance of the Marly Cascade remained almost unchanged, with the exception of the sculptures that adorned it. In the 19th century, the faded lead statues were removed and replaced with copies of ancient statues carved from snow-white Carrara marble.
During the war years, the hydraulic system and the steps of the fountain were destroyed. However, the statues that adorned the cascade were saved. The Golden Mountain has come back to life after careful restoration. The historic fountain was refurbished several more times, and the last one was completed in the fall of 2015.
What a cascade looks like these days
After restoration, the fountain complex looks great. In its upper part there is a decorative wall or attic, on which three figures are visible. The central place is occupied by the sea god Neptune with a trident in his right hand. Next to him are Triton blowing the shell and the god of holidays and fun - Bacchus.
View of the top of the fountain with three statues (from left to right: Triton, Neptune, Bacchus)
The attic is decorated with three large gilded mascarons depicting the heads of sea monsters. From here the water begins its movement along the cascade. She runs down the stairs, overcoming 21 marble steps. On both sides of the cascade, there are 14 m long staircases for visitors. They are bounded by white balustrades, behind which slender fir trees grow. Dark green spruce legs, white marble and sparkling gilding make the fountain look very impressive.
Water flows into a small pool, decorated with the figure of the goddess of spring - Flora. The cascade is decorated with several more sculptures - Mercury, Venus, Apollo, Nymph, Minerva, Vulcan and Faun. Among the fountain sculptures, the statue of Andromeda, which was created by the famous Italian master of the 18th century, Pietro Baratta, stands out.
Fountain attic
The cascade is located in the regular Marlinsky Garden of the Lower Park. The territory is open for visitors from 9.00 to 21.00, and on holidays - until 20.00. Get here on a ticket. In summer, the water in the picturesque cascade is run daily from 11.00 to 18.00.
