Daily Archives: August 12, 2010

As impressive as the Upper Gardens are, the Lower Gardens at Peterhof are simply breathtaking. Fountains abound, with golden figures as their focal points. From the grand palace above, water plows down the grand cascade to a fountain depicting Samson and the Lion. From there the water flows through a channel to the Gulf of Finland. Elsewhere in the Lower Gardens is a fountain showing a Triton Fighting a Sea Monster, surrounded by small turtle fountains. A remarkable feature of Peterhof is that the individual fountains are not powered by pumps. The fountains are powered by hydrostatic pressure – the difference in height between the ponds that hold the water for the fountains and the fountains themselves. Continue reading →