Address: Peterhof, Upper Park
Build date: 1799 year
Project author: X. Ritter, G. Schweitzer
Coordinates: 59 ° 52'57.0 "N 29 ° 54'27.8" E
Content:
In the large pool, which is located in the center of the Upper Garden, the figure of the formidable ruler of all seas - Neptune rises. This is one of the oldest fountains in Peterhof. In terms of the beauty of the decoration, the large-scale water cannon is second only to the Grand Cascade, and therefore there are always many tourists near it.
Fountain against the background of the Grand Palace
The history of the fountain
The pool for the fountain measures 92 by 33 meters. It was dug and equipped during the reign of Peter the Great under the direction of the French architect Jean-Baptiste Leblond. The first composition for the fountain was cast from lead according to the drawings of the famous sculptor and caster Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli in 1737 and was named "The Chariot of Neptune". Simultaneously, a three-stage water cascade was made on the southern side of the reservoir, which was decorated with a statue of "Winter". The fountain looked great, and its powerful central jet supported a gilded bronze ball.
By the end of the 18th century, the lead parts had become dilapidated and required replacement, so a sculptural group with Neptune, nymphs, tritons and dolphins appeared instead of a chariot. It was made in Nuremberg and purchased by Paul I for 30 thousand rubles. Initially, the Russian emperor wanted to mount a new water cannon at the Gatchina residence near St. Petersburg. But then he changed his mind, and in 1799 bronze statues were installed in Peterhof.
View of the fountain from the east
The authorship of the multi-figured composition belongs to the sculptor Georg Schweiger and his student Jeremiah Eisler, goldsmith Christoph Ritter, master caster Wolf Hieronymus Heroldt and medalist Johann Wohlrab. The sculptures are made of separate, matched metal parts and fastened with strong bolts. The picturesque fountain is dedicated to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War.
The bronze statues stood in the Upper Garden for over forty years, but during the occupation, German troops dismantled them and took them to Nuremberg. The sculptures were kept in Germany disassembled. In 1947, they were returned to their homeland in twelve boxes. Here the fountain was reassembled and launched in 1956. Some of the lost fragments were restored 40 years later - in 1997, thanks to specialists from the German company Knauf.
View of the Neptune fountain from the Mezheumny fountain
Restoration
More than 100 years have passed since the installation of the Neptune water cannon in 2015. Bronze sculptures and granite parts were in need of restoration work, so the old fountain was dismantled and restoration began. It was cleaned of the formed deposits of salts and oxides, the cracks, fractures and deformations of the metal parts that appeared, were removed, and the fasteners were checked. Several lost figures and more than fifty small fragments were made in the workshops. To carry out this difficult work, the restorers used old illustrations and archival materials from Peterhof.
Simultaneously with the sculptures, specialists were engaged in the reconstruction of the pool. They renovated the waterproofing clay screen at the bottom, re-laid the walls of the reservoir, and rebuilt the cast-iron pipelines and foundations for the sculptures. In April 2016, the restored parts were assembled into a single whole, and visitors to the park ensemble had the opportunity to admire the old Peterhof fountain again.
What a fountain looks like today
A whole sculptural composition rises in the middle of the large pool, and on the south side you can see the statue of Apollo Belvedere. The bronze figure of the main character, Neptune, is mounted on a high granite pedestal. The head of the sea king is crowned with a large crown, and in his right hand he holds a trident.
View of the fountain from the south
At the foot of the pedestal there are sculptures of dolphins and warriors-tritons, who sit on sea winged horses - hippocampus. The fountain is decorated with figures of babies blowing horn shells, beautiful river nymphs, as well as intricate garlands of coral and mascarons. Since 1902, a replica of the Peterhof fountain has been decorating the City Park in Nuremberg, Germany.
To see the Neptune fountain, you need to get to the territory of the Upper Garden. This part of Peterhof is open to tourists from 9.00 to 21.30. The entrance is free. The water in the fountain is launched from 11.00 to 18.00.
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