Address: Peterhof, Lower Park
Coordinates: 59 ° 53'03.1 "N 29 ° 54'49.6" E
Content:
A small garden is laid out to the south of the semicircular building of the Peterhof Orangery. There is a pool with a fountain, decorated with the figure of the mighty Triton, who defeats a terrible sea monster. As conceived by the creators, the picturesque fountain is an allegory of Russia's victory in the battle for access to the Baltic Sea.
View of the Big Greenhouse and the "Triton" fountain
The history of the fountain
At the beginning of the 18th century, fruits and vegetables were grown in the garden at the Orangerie, and the water in the pond was used to irrigate the garden, flower beds, shrubs and fruit trees. In 1726, a fountain appeared in the center of the reservoir, the hydraulic system for which was developed by J.-P. Sualem. Water was brought here through metal pipes from the eastern Square Pond, arranged in the Upper Garden. The decor of the fountain was made according to the project of the artist and architect Timofei Nikitich Usov and the caster Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli. The new fountain was named "Satyr with a Serpent", but because of its location it was often called the "Greenhouse"
At first, the fountain pool had 16 faces, but after a while it was made round. The sculptural group, cast according to Rastrelli's drawings, stood for a century and a half. In the middle of the 18th century, an interesting instruction was drawn up for the guard soldiers who served in Peterhof. As they left the post, they had to check the pool with the fountain and make sure that it contained one gilded figure and four turtles.
General view of the fountain
In 1816, the sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos examined the fountain and made a proposal to replace the dilapidated lead figures with bronze ones, but the decision was never made. The design of the fountain was renewed only in 1876. Instead of old sculptures, new ones appeared in the fountain, made by a more modern method of electroplating. The project of the updated design was prepared by the Danish sculptor David Ivanovich Jensen, who worked in St. Petersburg. The fountain looked great and was named "Newt with a Crocodile".
During the Nazi occupation, the Orangery building was burned down and the Triton fountain was blown up. When restoring the palace and park ensemble, the builders had to use Rastrelli's old sketches, which were found in the album of engineer A. Bazhenov. In 1956, the Soviet sculptor A. F. Gurzhiy, who took part in the restoration of many fountains in Peterhof, created a new bronze decor "Triton".
What a fountain looks like today
The sculptural group in the center of the fountain depicts a terrible sea monster, which with its huge claws dug into Triton's thigh. Outwardly, it looks like a crocodile, but is covered with textured scales and has a long fish tail. The mighty son of Poseidon tears his bared mouth with his hands, and a stream of water rushes upward, the height of which reaches 8 m.
Sculptural composition of the fountain
The gilded figures are set on a stone pedestal lined with pieces of tuff. Four gilded turtles can be seen around the tuff island. In fright, they strive to crawl away from the terrible fight, and two-meter noisy jets of water beat from the mouths of the animals.
The central figure of the fountain personifies the young Russian fleet, and the scene of the battle with the monster symbolizes the famous Battle of Gangut, which took place in July 1714 and ended with the victory of Russia over the Swedes. It is noteworthy that Peter I attached no less importance to the battle near Cape Gangut than to the famous Battle of Poltava. It was the first naval "Victoria" of Russia, and she managed to defeat a stronger and well-armed enemy. The figures of scattering turtles, as conceived by the sculptors, should remind the visitors of Peterhof about the unfaithful allies of the Swedish monarch.
The fountain is located in the middle of a shallow round pool 15 m in diameter. The edges of the pool are finished with a profiled cordon of light stone. A low green hedge of bushes is usually planted around the fountain. Interesting exhibitions are often held in the Greenhouse building behind the fountain.
The figure of Triton in the center of the fountain
"Triton" is located in the Lower Park. The territory of this part of Peterhof is open to tourists from 9.00 to 21.00, and on holidays - until 20.00. To get here, you need to purchase a ticket. In summer, the water in the fountain is run every day from 10.00 to 18.00.
