Peter
the Great’s Summer Palace and Gardens
Across
the river from the Peter
and Paul fortress
and the wooden Cabin
of Peter the Great
you can visit the historical Summer GardenS. Behind the beautiful wrought
iron fence there is an old park that has witnessed some of the most spectacular
moments in St. Petersburg's early history.
Impressed
by the royal parks that he had seen in Europe, Peter the Great was very keen to
create something similar in his newly built "Venice of the North". In
Peter's new park everything was created according to the latest fashions; the
trees and bushes were trimmed in the most elaborate way and all the alleys were
decorated with marble statues and fountains. Peter the Great used to organize
regular receptions and balls in the gardens, his " assamblei ",
which involved dancing and drinking and impressive firework displays.