Address: Peterhof, Lower Park
Coordinates: Adam - 59 ° 53'10.0 "N 29 ° 54'50.7" E, Eve - 59 ° 53'14.4 "N 29 ° 54'21.2" E
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Paired fountains with figures of biblical heroes - Adam and Eve - stand between the Sea Canal and the Monplaisir Palace, on the main alley of the Lower Park. The statues for them were conceived by Peter I and executed by the talented Venetian sculptor Giovanni Bonazza.
Fountain Adam from the Marlinskaya Alley
The history of fountains
The Russian emperor devoted a lot of time and effort to arranging his residence near St. Petersburg. He wanted the regular park in Peterhof to look great, so he commissioned the Venetian master to have statues for two new fountains. The choice of Peter I was not accidental. During the Baroque era, Giovanni Bonazza was recognized throughout Europe. He had his own workshop and carried out orders for the royal and imperial courts.
In 1718, the Venetian sculptor made two biblical heroes by copying the works of the Renaissance master, Antonio Rizzi. The originals of these sculptures are still kept in the Venetian Doge's Palace.
The architectural designs of the paired fountains were created by the Italian architect Nicola Michetti. His drawing has survived, and you can see the marks left by Peter I. The Russian emperor approved the Italian's approach, but wanted the shape of the pools to be octagonal rather than round. In addition, he depicted powerful vertical jets, the height of which exceeded the size of the sculptures.
Statue of adam
The French architect Paul Sualem and the German architect Johann Friedrich Braunstein were involved in the hydraulic engineering work and the design of the water cannon with the figure of Adam. The first fountain was launched in October 1722. During the reign of Catherine I, after the death of Peter I, the second fountain, decorated with a statue of Eve, was also completed. Water jets spilled out of it in 1726.
The 18th century went down in history as the age of allegories, so the figures of Adam and Eve carried a hidden meaning. Everyone who walked in the Lower Park had to associate them with the royal “progenitors” of Russia - Emperor Peter I and his wife Catherine I.
Originally, the paired fountains were surrounded by two trellis pavilions with marble busts. Here guests of Peterhof could hide from the sun and relax. Then the wooden structures deteriorated and they were removed.
Eva fountain in the background of gazebos
Over time, it turned out that the built pools are too small for water jets. In the 1730s, they had to be expanded, and the architect Ivan Blank supervised these works. After 15 years, the wooden pedestals under the statues were replaced with new ones made of Pudot stone. And at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the paired fountains underwent another reconstruction. Both pools were cleaned and lined with marble.
Before the Nazi troops entered Peterhof, both statues were buried in the ground in the Lower Park. There was a German dugout above the place where Eve's sculpture was buried. However, the statue did not receive any damage, since the Nazis did not dig up 20 cm to it. In the post-war years, beautiful water cannons were restored.
What fountains look like today
Unlike most of the Peterhof fountains, the composition of Adam and Eve remained almost unchanged, and today the water cannons on the Marlinskaya Alley look the same as in the time of Peter I. Water continues to flow into these fountains from the Square Ponds of the Upper Garden.
View of the Eva fountain
As before, graceful gazebos can be seen near Adam and Eve. They were recreated in exact accordance with the early 19th century drawings by the architect Franz Bower. To make the garden structures more durable, they were covered with a waterproofing varnish.
The design of the two fountain pools is closely related to the general layout of the regular park. They are octahedral and surrounded by small squares, from which separate paths radiate out like rays. The pools themselves have a diameter of 17 m and are made of hewn profiled granite.
Marble figures are installed in the center of artificial reservoirs. Each of the statues is surrounded by 16 slightly inclined jets. From a distance, it is clearly visible that rising to a height of 7 m, the water is not sprayed in all directions, but turns into large drops.
Eve statue
Fountains Adam and Eve are located in the Lower Park. This part of the Peterhof ensemble is open to tourists from 9.00 to 21.00, and on holidays - until 20.00. Get to the Lower Park by ticket. The water in the fountains is run daily from 10.00 to 19.00.
