Since the time of Peter the Great remained the so-called joke-fountains – a fun for kids and adults. For example, a calm park bench. Once you sit on it, the jets of water pour over you! There are 5 types of joke-fountains, all different and unique.
Fountains start to work on the last weekend of May and are closed around the middle of September. The exact dates are different from year to year.
There are 8 museums on the territory of the park.
Open: daily except Mondays and last Tuesday of each month, from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.
Lower Park (fountains) is open daily, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.
Gatchina (by bus – with a guide/interpreter; duration – 6 hours).The palace and park complex of Gatchina, a town located 45 km south-west of St. Petersburg, is an outstanding example of eighteenth-century landscape architecture. The palace for Catherine II’s favorite, Count Orlov, built in the Early Classical Style upon the project of Antonio Rinaldi between 1766 and 1781, was enlarged by Vincenzo Brenna in 1796 – 1798, and reconstructed by Roman Kuzmin between 1845 and 1860. It had about 600 rooms, a theatre, and many works of art, and was also surrounded by a fine park. Upon Orlov’s disgrace the palace passed to Catherine's son, Paul I, who transformed it into a combination of palace, fortress, and barracks. Although badly damaged during World War II, the palace was restored and is now a museum. The modern city is a railway junction, with machine building, metalworking, and light industries.
Gatchina Palace is opened: 10.00 am – 5.00 pm.
Closed: Monday and last Tuesday of each month.
Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) (by bus – with a guide/interpreter; duration – 6 hours).
Tsarskoye Selo (formerly known as Pushkin) is one of St. Petersburg's numerous Imperial estates. Located just 25 kilometers south of the city, the estate boasts a large landscape park, dotted with architectural follies, and centered on the magnificent blue, white and gold Catherine Palace. Named after its creator, Empress Catherine, the second wife of Peter the Great.
Catherine Palace houses some beautiful Baroque interiors, including the luxurious Grand Hall, a long, gold, mirrored ballroom. The Palace also boasts a unique Amber Room, whose priceless amber panels were stolen by Nazi troops during World War II, but which are now being painstakingly recreated by Russian craftsmen.