The most unusual fountains in the world. The most beautiful fountains in the world

30 minutes drive from northern capital there is the magnificent Peterhof - the world-famous palace and park ensemble. so numerous that we can safely say that he himself is one continuous attraction.

This is perhaps the most popular suburb of St. Petersburg among tourists - it is very crowded here in any weather and at any time of the year. Peterhof can only compete in attendance with the beautiful Catherine Palace, where the famous recreated palace is located.

World fame for Peterhof was brought by its luxurious fountains, cascades and numerous architectural masterpieces, reminiscent of the great past of our country. Today, 14 parks are available for visiting, stretching along the coast. Gulf of Finland for 10 km.

However, even a month is not enough to see all the sights of Peterhof, including museum expositions. Let's talk about the main and most interesting of them.

• Peterhof was founded in 1710. The city status was granted in 1762.
• In January 1944 it was renamed Petrodvorets, in 1997 the former name was returned.
• In 1918, Peterhof became a museum - excursions began to be held here.
• In 1990, Peterhof was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• The population of Peterhof is about 83 thousand people.
• Peterhof is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, between the village and the city. The distance to the center of St. Petersburg is 53 km.

From the history of Peterhof

The first mention of the royal residence in Peterhof dates back to 1708 - then a small wooden palace appeared here, called by Peter I "Khoromtsy". Already in 1710, in its place, the construction of a palace and park ensemble began, the project of which incorporated the best layouts of the most beautiful palaces in Europe, as well as the most advanced technical solutions for that time and the features of parks and fountains.

Peterhof was erected in record time - already in 1725 there was Grand Palace, most of the fountains functioned, the Sea Canal was dug and the park was laid out. The palaces of Monplaisir and Marly were also built. Thanks to careful planning, the ensemble received two additional buildings - Artisan for the peasants and Cavalry for the courtiers.

Catherine I and Anna Ioannovna actively implemented the ideas of Peter the Great, but it was Empress Elizabeth who made great efforts to create here a luxurious example of the Baroque style, which we can still see today.

Under Catherine the Great, there were no large-scale transformations on the territory of Peterhof - the queen paid the main attention to the design of the interior palace interiors. For a long time, no one was engaged in the residence - as a result, by the time of the coronation of Catherine's son Paul I, Peterhof and other buildings of Peterhof were in need of major repairs, which subsequently took years and a significant part of the state treasury. There was so much work that it was already completed in the 19th century, when the throne was taken by the son of Paul I Alexander. He ordered to rebuild the most unattractive, in his opinion, buildings. Improved, they were used as barracks for cavalry regiments.

Under Nicholas I, the territory of Peterhof expanded due to the acquisition of land to the east of the Lower Park. Under Alexander II, railway lines appeared here, linking Peterhof with the capital.

The life of Peterhof as a country residence of royal persons continued until 1917. In 1918, the ensemble was recognized as a national treasure - from that time its reconstruction began, which lasted for a long 10 years. In 1926, the fountains of the Lower Park were repaired, and by 1930, the fountain pipelines were completely replaced and the abandoned Upper Garden was cleaned up.

During the war years, the architectural masterpieces of Peterhof were barbarously destroyed to the state of ruins, many art objects were stolen.

Immediately after the blockade was lifted, restoration work began, which took about 30 years. Only in the 70s of the XX century, thanks to the efforts of the most talented architects and builders, the ensemble managed to return to its original appearance. Today, there is not only a tourist center, but also an educational center. In addition, not so long ago the complex was given the status of a science city.

Sights of Peterhof

Grand Peterhof Palace

Big Peterhof Palace is the compositional center architectural ensemble. Under Peter, it was a modest building in the Petrine Baroque style, and its full-scale construction began under Elizaveta Petrovna, who paid great attention to every detail of this grandiose project.

Inside the palace there are 30 halls decorated with marble, gilding, carvings, stucco, expensive parquet. On the ceilings there are bas-reliefs in the European Baroque style. The light walls are decorated with floral ornaments - the atmosphere of spring, awakening, prosperity and prosperity reigns here. This is very much in keeping with the spirit of the times. Russian empire began to occupy leading place on the world stage.

Unfortunately, getting into Petrodvorets is still difficult - there are always queues, and the ticket office is open only a few hours a day. However, the interior of this place is worth a visit.

lower park

IN lower park there is the largest collection of fountains in Russia, including the famous Grand Cascade - a staircase with fountains, turning into the Sea Canal. It is she who can be seen so often in photographs, and it is for her sake that tourists from the most remote parts of the Earth go to Peterhof.

The water in the Grand Cascade beautifully descends the steps or spurts up from the sculptures. Also here you can see a fountain in the form of a pyramid, in the form of a chessboard, a fountain with lions and antique columns. There is a fountain with water disappearing at the base - children love to play here.

The lower park did not suffer significant damage during the war years. The trees on which squirrels live have been preserved here - they are happy to take treats from the hands of tourists. Of the innovations - living sculptures of bunnies, cubs. There is a statue of Neptune - there is a belief that if you rub his foot, while making a wish, it will certainly come true. There is also a bench installed in honor of Alexandra Nikolaevna, the daughter of Tsar Nicholas I.

upper garden

The Upper Garden is located behind Petrodvorets and has an ideal rectangular shape. There are labyrinths and tunnels made of specially trimmed bushes and trees. This amazing place with flower meadows and an abundance of sculptural elements.

There are also fountains here - goldfish swim in their tanks. There are usually many visitors here, but on such large area it's almost imperceptible. The Upper Park is a miracle of nature that has received such a perfect look through human efforts.

Initially, this was not even a palace, but a farm building, for which the animals were ordered from England. The U-shaped building with imitation thatch on the roof and columns had a traditional English style and rather resembled an English farmer's house. There were workers' quarters, a kitchen, animal stalls, a barn, and a storage room.

Later, the farm began to be rebuilt - a second floor appeared, rural elements were removed from the facade, and the cattle were relocated to another part of the park. The building was rebuilt again - after that it acquired the final features of the palace. Tsar Alexander II was very fond of spending time here - it was in this place that the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bgiving the peasants freedom was born in his head.

The Farm Palace was restored in 2005. Another 5 years lasted for the reconstruction of its interior decoration. Only 8 years ago he was able to open the doors to guests.

For a long time there was a wooded area in which representatives of the nobility liked to hunt. In 1825, it was decided to lay out an English-style park here - for this they even brought trees and shrubs that grow not only in Europe, but also in Siberia and the Far East.

The park is named so thanks to the works of Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky, who sang the mythical knightly country in his poetic ballads. The wife of Nicholas I also bore the name of Alexander. Today, the layout of that time has been completely recreated in the park.

Initially, it was called Elizabethan, but under Catherine II it was renamed. The building itself is small, but here are the same luxurious interiors of halls and offices, distinctive feature which are objects of art of unusual forms. In the courtyard there is a fountain with water spouting from a bench.

Bath building

In the form in which it exists now, the Bath building was built under Elizaveta Petrovna. In the old days there were steam rooms, showers and bathrooms. A variety of bath utensils shows how important hygiene and cleanliness of the body were for a Russian person.

The bath building has been repeatedly re-equipped for the needs of each next ruler over the entire period of its existence. Today it is the second most popular place among tourists after Petrodvorets.

The sights of Peterhof are not only luxurious palaces and endless shady parks, but also numerous museums. One of them is the Museum of Imperial Bicycles, located in the oldest building in Peterhof. Unfortunately, it is not as popular as the famous Petrodvorets or the Grand Cascade, and visitors do not come here often. However, here it is no less interesting.

There are only 12 exhibits in the museum's exposition - these are bicycles that once belonged to children and adult members of the royal dynasty. The exhibition tells the whole story of this vehicle from its inception to the beginning of the 20th century. Most of the exhibits are children's specimens. The collection is complemented by various accessories - lanterns, horns, bicycle maps, etc. The exhibition will be of particular interest to connoisseurs of Russian history.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers is one of the most famous and beautiful fountains in Rome. The fountain was built in 1651 according to the project of the sculptor Bernini and commissioned by Pope Innocent X. The main part of the fountain is an Egyptian obelisk, which was brought to Rome by the emperor Caracalla.

The composition of the fountain consists of an obelisk and sculptures of river gods from different countries the world around him. River gods from different parts of the world were chosen - the Nile represents Africa, the Danube represents Europe, the Ganges represents Asia and La Plata represents America. Also in the fountain you can see sculptures of various animals, including a lion, horse, dragon, snake and others. The fountain is made in the Baroque style and attracts with the harmony of sculpture and architecture.

Atelier of the Fontana sisters in Rome

The atelier of the Fontana sisters in Rome is the most legendary place in the history of Italian fashion. It was in it that the best masterpieces for stars from all over the world were created. Initially, the studio became famous for the design of wedding dresses, but over time, the Fontana sisters began to dictate the rules of the entire fashion industry in Italy, and the whole world.

In Piazza di Spagna, in Rome, you can find this studio, where there are many albums of sisters with sketches of world-famous dresses from 1960 to 1990, rare photographs, a historical fashion archive and a large number of dresses from the Fontana sisters. It is amazing to see here the famous dresses of Joan Collins, Audrey Hepburn, Ursula Andress or Queen Frederica of Greece herself, original accessories, touch the fabric of products, feel the lightness of lace.

The atelier allows each visitor to take a tour of the history of the fashion world. You can visit it on your own or as part of a tour by reservation, at least 20 days in advance.

Fountain of the Moor

The Fountain of the Maurus has been standing in Piazza Navona in Rome since the end of the 16th century, but the figure of the Maurus was made according to the sketches of Bernini by one of his students, and the rest of the figures belong to the 19th century.

Trevi Fountain

Travelers who had a chance to contemplate this magnificent work of art with their own eyes literally freeze in admiration, amazed by its incredible beauty and monumentality. Trevi Fountain - the most famous fountain the eternal city. The dimensions of this massive composition are 20 meters wide and 26 meters high, occupying almost the entire space of the square. It was created on the basis of sketches by Bernini, one of whose main hobbies was the creation of theatrical effects. The Trevi Fountain is so popular with the inhabitants of Rome and tourists that a small area resembles an amphitheater filled to overflowing with spectators, the stage of which is an amazing composition of the fountain, in the center of which is the god Ocean in a shell-cart drawn by two seahorses. Tritons show them the way between the rocks. The bottom of the fountain is littered with coins - legend says that those wishing to return to Rome must certainly throw a coin right hand over the left shoulder, you need to stand with your back turned to the fountain. Another tourist tradition is to drink water from the "lover's tubes" located on the right side of the fountain.

Fountain "Boat"

The Boat Fountain was built by order of Pope Urban VIII in 1627-1629 in memory of the flood in Rome in 1598, when the level of the Tiber River rose and reached a mark of 10 meters. The area of ​​Italy at that time was flooded by one meter, and it was possible to move around the area only by boat. When the water left the city, one of the boats ran aground and remained lying on the square.

The fountain was designed by the Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini, father of the more famous sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, who allegedly took part in the work on the fountain after his father's death in 1629.

The biggest difficulty in the work of the sculptors was that the water supplying the fountain and entering it from the ancient Roman aqueduct Aqua Virgo had a very low pressure. Pietro Bernini, using his genius and non-standard artistic vision, designed the fountain in such a way that its main part (oval bath) is located just below the level of the square, and the “boat” itself is above this level and is sunk into the bath at one end. This made it possible to create the height difference necessary for the jets.

Fountain of Neptune

The famous Fountain of Neptune is located in the northern part of Piazza Navona. Once it was called "Fontana del Calderari" - this was due to the location near the blacksmith workshops, which produced pots, pans and other metal products.

In the 19th century, due to the development of urban infrastructure, the dependence of residents on fountains, which were previously used for domestic purposes - drinking and washing, significantly decreased. With the growth of technical progress, the aesthetic role of city fountains also increased, especially after 1870, when an independent Italian state with Rome as the capital. The construction of the Neptune Fountain continued for several decades, as the architects and sculptors who worked on it sought to make their creation consistent with the general style of the square.

In the form in which the fountain exists today, the construction was finally completed in 1878 by Antonio della Bitta. The sculptor added a central statue to the sculptural group of the fountain - "the struggle of Neptune with an octopus." Other sculptors created the rest of the sculptures based on various mythological subjects and depicting nereids, cupids and marine animals.

Fountain of the Pantheon

The Pantheon Fountain was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII and is located in Piazza della Rotonda, Rome, in front of the Roman Pantheon. It was designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575 from marble.

In 1711, Pope Clement XI changed appearance fountain - various pools made of stone were made, and the Macuteo obelisk, created during the period of Ramses II.

In 1886 the original marble figures were removed and replaced with copies by Luigi Amici. Today, the originals can be seen in the Museum of Rome.

Sights of Rome

Rome is naturally endowed with abundant water. It is based on seven hills rising above a damp lowland. Numerous streams flowed into it, and springs gushed from the slopes. But this water was unpleasant in taste and almost undrinkable. Ancient Rome was famous for its aqueducts. They supplied fresh cold water from sources located sometimes tens of kilometers from the city.

Each river or spring was presented to the ancient Romans as a deity or its abode. The water delivered through the aqueducts was also the personification of these deities, each of which had its own cult. Water from different sources could not be mixed in one featureless water supply network. It would be just as blasphemous to block the free flow of water, so in Ancient Rome the water was never turned off. With the advent of the Renaissance, numerous fountains became one of the main decorations of the city.

At the end of the 16th century, by order of Pope Sixtus V, a group of four fountains was installed at once. Fountains are located in niches at the corners of houses that surround the intersection on four sides. The figures decorating the fountains represent symbolic images of the Tiber and Arno rivers, as well as the goddesses Juno and Diana. The Tiber symbolizes Rome and is depicted as a bearded man with a cornucopia. Nearby, a legendary she-wolf emerges from the thickets. Arno symbolizes another Italian city - Florence, and also appears as a strong man with a cornucopia and the lion Marzocco - the patron saint of Florence. Juno personifies female power, she is depicted with a goose. According to legend, the geese from the temple of this particular goddess saved the city from the Gauls. Therefore, Juno appears here as the protector of Rome. Diana in Roman mythology is the goddess of plants and animals. She was also revered as a guardian of the roads, so her images were traditionally placed at crossroads. The Arno, Tiber and Juno fountains were designed by the sculptor Domenico Fontana, while the Diana fountain was designed by the artist and architect Pietro da Cortona.

The Della Barcaccia fountain was installed in 1629 in the Plaza de España. This creation by Pietro Bernini was supposed to perpetuate the memory of the people who suffered during the flood of 1598. The fountain is a semi-submerged boat. The mirror of the fountain is on the same level with the square. A small flow of water gives rise to a melancholic and intimate feeling.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers is one of the most impressive fountains in Rome. It was built in the middle of the 17th century by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. In the center stands an obelisk, decorated with a bronze dove with an olive branch in its beak. The dove was on the coat of arms of the Pamphili family, from which Pope Innocent X came. The Pontifex announced a competition for the best fountain using an obelisk. According to legend, Bernini was not allowed to participate, but he presented the project anyway. Seeing the layout, the Pope canceled the competition and entrusted the work to Bernini. A rock rises in the center of the fountain. Wild animals emerge from its caves. Around are male figures representing the four cardinal points and the four great rivers: the Danube - Europe, the Ganges - Asia, the Nile - Africa and La Plata - America.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers is located in the center of the elongated Piazza Navona. It is flanked by two more compositions. On one side is the fountain of the Moor taming the dolphin, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. On the other hand, the fountain of Neptune fighting an octopus surrounded by sea horses and cupids by Giacomo Della Porta.

Remembering the sights of Rome, it is impossible to pass by the Trevi Fountain. Adjacent to the Palazzo Poli, the Trevi Fountain surpasses in size all the other numerous fountains in Rome. The name of the fountain, built in the 18th century, comes from the name of the square on which this ensemble is located and means “three roads”. The Trevi Fountain was built on the site where the Aqua Virgo aqueduct ended - the Water of the Virgin. It was built by Mark Vipsanius Agrippa in 19 BC. According to legend, the location of the source was indicated to the emperor's associate by a girl. This scene is depicted in one of the reliefs of the Palazzo Poli. On the other, Mark Vipsanius Agrippa explains to Octavian Augustus the importance of developing the water supply network of Rome. Below in the niches are female figures representing Health and Abundance. The author of the Trevi Fountain, Nicolo Salvi, placed in the center of the composition the colossal figure of the Ocean riding on a huge chariot-shell drawn by sea horses. IN ancient Greek mythology The ocean is the personification of the world river, washing the land and the sea. Majestic, he rises above the bowl of the grandiose fountain Rome, representing the whole sea with rocks, shells and marine inhabitants.

According to a familiar philosophical statement, water is one of those few things that you can look at endlessly. In almost any, more or less major city world, you can find fountains: ordinary, without any pretentious elements or a real architectural miracle. Today we will talk about the ten most unusual fountains in the world.

1. Fountain-waterfall "Pearl Divers", UAE, Dubai. This unusual fountain is located in the middle of the huge Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates. It consists of two high waterfalls, from the top of which, figures of pearl divers jump down. Each of the waterfalls has a cylindrical structure with a diameter of thirty meters. These waterfalls permeate all four levels of the shopping center vertically and have a total height of twenty-four meters. The fountain appeared in the shopping center not at the time of its opening in 2008, but only a year later, becoming interesting place relaxation, meditation and meetings for visitors to this shopping and entertainment establishment in Dubai. This building is permeated with symbolism that not everyone can understand without knowing the history. United Arab Emirates. For the Arabs, water is sacred in any of its manifestations, and this is understandable: they live in the middle of the desert. The palm trees that are displayed at the waterfall fountain are a symbol paradise oasis. The fiberglass figurines of pearl divers are a reminder that pearls were an important source of wealth: they were caught in the waters of the Persian Gulf. The creators of the waterfall fountain decided that in the daytime it would be lit by natural light. sunlight passing through the atrium and windows, in the dark, it will be illuminated by a special color-changing lighting.

2. Fountain "Boat", Spain, Valencia. On the beautiful square of Playa de la Malvarosa, Spanish Mediterranean resort city ​​of Valencia, there is a very unusual fountain "Fuente del Barco de Agua", imitating a boat with a sail, and the hull itself, and the boat, and the sail, are created by water jets. In terms of execution, this fountain is quite simple: metal frame rods are welded together in the shape of a sailboat, thus creating a shape. Many tiny holes were made in these tubes, water jets come out of them under pressure. Thus, water complements the architectural composition. This fountain-sailboat is especially beautiful in the evening and at night: in the evening, because it is especially romantic in the rays of the setting sun, and at night, because the lit backlight gives the impression that the boat is drifting on the sea surface, sparkling with lights.

3. Fountain "Crane hanging in the air", Spain, Cadiz. In the Spanish resort town of Cadiz, you can see an interesting fountain, made in the form of a golden kitchen tap, which seems to be hanging in the air and water is pouring from it. Of course, the “magic” faucet is an optical illusion: it does not hang in the air, it’s just that in the stream of water pouring out of this faucet, a transparent water pipe is hidden, on which this faucet rests, but because of the high water pressure it is completely invisible. And tourists who see this fountain for the first time are wildly delighted. But this cunning idea has already been repeated in some other cities of the world, creating “miracle fountains” similar to this.

4. Fountain "Montjuic", Spain, Barcelona. Spanish magic light and music fountain, located on picturesque hill Montjuic in the city of Barcelona was built in 1929, under the guidance of engineer Carles Bungas, for the opening of the World Exhibition "Fire and the Universe", held in. It was conceived in such a way that the amazing visual show will become a real "miracle" for the participants of the event. After the end of the exhibition, soon began in Spain civil war which interrupted the joy of the people of Barcelona and the work of this wonderful technical invention. And only by the fifties of the last century, the Montjuic fountain was restored. In those days, the fountain had numerous jets that merged into various whimsical figures, and illuminated with a simple backlight. And already in the early eighties, engineers added musical accompaniment - works by the classics Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky. Before the 1992 Olympics, held in Barcelona, ​​the fountain was completely refurbished, modernized and improved technically. Today, the magical fountain "Montjuic" or "The Singing Fountain of Barcelona" is a real technological masterpiece: it has five powerful pumps that drive artesian drinking water in the amount of twenty-six tons every second, and releases three thousand six hundred and twenty water jets, fifty meters high . As for the musical accompaniment, the repertoire of this fountain has seven thousand melodies, from classic masterpieces to modern hits of the world stage. This Barcelona attraction attracts up to two and a half million viewers a year with its twenty-minute water-music show followed by a ten-minute break followed by a magical light and music show. The fountain itself covers an area of ​​three thousand square meters and is located at the foot of National Museum arts of Catalonia.

5. Fountain "Swarovski", Austria, Innsbruck. This amazing piece of art - a fountain in the form of a green human head - is located in the Swarovski Crystal Worlds technology park in the Austrian city of Innsbruck. The fountain, in the form of the head of a green giant, whose eyes are made of green crystals, is an unusual entrance to the headquarters and the Swarovski Museum, located underground. From the mouth of this head falls powerful waterfall. The building was erected in 1995 and timed to coincide with the opening of the Swarovski Crystal Museum in Innsbruck. Leading designers, sculptors and architects of the world took part in the development and construction of an amazing and unusual fountain, and they managed to embody the best architectural solutions and fantastic ideas in their brainchild.

6. Stravinsky Fountain, France, Paris. The fountain was built in 1983 on the square of the composer Igor Stravinsky in Paris, under the direction of the architect Jean Tinguely. This square is located in the heart, not far from the palace and historic island Cité, next to the Center Pompidou. The fountain has an unusual design: its shallow pool is a place where sixteen unusual mobile bright figures are placed, which move to the rhythms of music from the famous works of Stravinsky, periodically overthrowing water. The Stravinsky Fountain has become a kind of monument to the musical genius, a native of Russia, who moved to Paris before the start of the First World War. This fountain is also known as the Tangley Fountain.

7. Volcano Fountain, UAE, Abu Dhabi. This unusual fountain, at first glance, strikes with the originality of its idea and the amazing embodiment of architectural thought. In appearance, this is a volcano, and from its crater, “lava” periodically splashes out - water illuminated by orange light. This architectural marvel has already become a real calling card UAE. And the fountain is especially impressive at night: it is then, when the backlight is lit, that a surprisingly plausible effect of lava eruption is created.

8. Fountain "Pineapple", USA, Charleston. This pineapple-shaped fountain is located in Waterfront Park in the state South Carolina. Moreover, this architectural work has repeatedly been awarded the awards of the American Society of Landscape Architects, as well as the National Trust for Historical Preservation. You ask: was the choice of fruit random or is there a subtext here? Yes, pineapple is not an accident! When American settlers first discovered this mysterious fruit in local territories and tasted that it was really very sweet, tasty and nutritious, prices for it skyrocketed and only very financially wealthy people, such as planters or aristocrats, could afford to taste it. . Since then, pineapple has traditionally become a symbol of wealth and prosperity, although it is already available at its price to everyone. The Pineapple fountain is also a kind of symbol of the prosperity of this land.

9. Fountain "The Great Cascade of Peterhof". It is often said about the Russian Peterhof that it is a “city of fountains”, and this is true: there are a lot of underground springs on those lands, so the water to the fountains does not even need to be pumped up with pumps. The magnificent fountain complexes of Peterhof have long been recognized as the most exquisite in the world, and the idea of ​​their creation came to the mind of Emperor Peter the Great, who decided that they should be located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. The Peterhof Grand Cascade is a series of fountains connected by a single concept of the architect. It was built in the eighteenth century, in tribute to the memory of the grandiose victory of Russia in northern war. The cascade has three staircases of waterfalls, seventy-five dizzying fountains, two magnificent grottoes, twenty-nine elegant bas-reliefs, two hundred and fifty-five wonderful bronze sculptures. The length of the facade of this fountain is forty-two meters. Such pompous design is the personification of the sea power of Russia. The palace and park ensemble, erected by Peter the Great back in 1710, has been perfectly preserved to this day, and for good reason, it is called “Russian Versailles” by foreigners, also due to its magnificent fountains, which are in no way inferior to French ones.

10. Fountain-monument "Alexander the Great", Macedonia, Skopje. On the largest and main square the capital of the Republic of Macedonia - the city of Skopje, there is an amazing equestrian monument to Alexander the Great, it is called "Warrior on Horseback" and is a bronze sculpture of the famous commander, whose height is fourteen and a half meters, it is located on a large concrete pedestal. At the foot of this pedestal are eight sculptures of soldiers of the Macedonian phalanx, they are surrounded by a bronze fountain with four lions, also made of bronze. This monument was inaugurated on September 8, 2011, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the independence of Macedonia. This memorial fountain is incredibly important for every Macedonian and is a symbol of national pride.

Fountains are architectural compositions that bring a piece of joy and a sense of celebration into our lives, it’s good to arrange meetings here, sit and think alone, come in the company of like-minded people, take wonderful photos. We hope that the ten most unusual and amazing fountains in the world that we have listed will be an excellent incentive to travel around the countries where they are located.

Fountains amaze the imagination with a beautiful play of two powerful elements - air and water.

In addition to the famous fountains of Peterhof, there are many other interesting fountains in St. Petersburg. We have collected information about a wide variety of fountains in the city - from the constructions of Peter the Great to modern water structures. Unique attractions are located in different parts of St. Petersburg. Each of them is unique and beautiful in its own way. But all of them serve as real decorations for the great city on the Neva.

The Grand Cascade is one of the largest fountain ensembles in the world, with over 60 fountains and over 250 statues and reliefs. This is a brilliant monument of baroque art. The cascade is unique in its size and expressiveness, abundant and powerful water system, richness of sculptural decoration, graphic variety of water cannons. Modern look the cascade took shape over a century.

The main jet of the fountain shoots up 21 meters from a sculptural group placed on a massive rock in the Grand Cascade basin. The composition impresses with its power and beauty of the main sculpture, which depicts Samson, who entered into combat with a lion. The prototype of the composition is the engraving “To Sampson of Russia, the roaring Lion of Svea gloriously tore to pieces”, dedicated to the Battle of Poltava.

Address: Petrodvorets, st. Adjustable, d 2.

Fountain complex on Lenin Square

On September 22, 2005, the grand opening of the renovated Lenin Square took place, central location on which the fountain complex occupies.

The fountain complex on Lenin Square consists of 20 separate bowls. The fountains are equipped with lighting and musical accompaniment. From the Finlyandsky railway station there are two octagonal bowls and one rectangular bowl. A large bowl is installed in the center, from which about 500 jets beat, equipped with four-color illumination and eight cascades. It is in this bowl that beautiful light and music shows are created. The musical work for the fountain complex was written by the St. Petersburg composer Sergei Banevich - and it consists of 13 parts (“Leningrad Front. Confrontation”, “Dream Ship” and others). The fountain complex is flanked by eight rectangular bowls on each side.

Address: pl. Lenin.

Fountain "Omega"

The hi-tech fountain symbolizes the latest trends in urban planning - unity, integrity of space, conciseness and creativity. The building is called the word "Omega" - this is the name of the last letter of the Greek alphabet.

The fountain in the shape of the letter "Omega" was inaugurated in 2006. The unique architectural and water facility is located opposite the Omega House residential complex. The seven-meter building is tilted at an angle of 45 degrees. From the building jets of water escape, which fall into a bowl-pedestal with a diameter of 13 meters.

At night, the fountain is illuminated by spotlights installed directly under the frame. This gives the fountain a special charming look.

The author of the Omega fountain is the chief landscape architect of St. Petersburg Larisa Kanunnikova-Domracheva. Some elements of the building are also decorated with the letter "Omega": canopies over the entrance to the entrance, benches and even trash cans.

Address: Pesochnaya embankment, 40.

Fountain complex on Moscow square

On the largest square in Europe there is a new modern fountain complex. It consists of 11 fountains that operate both in static and in light and music modes. Light and music shows on Moscow Square are beautiful music, high jets dancing to the beat of sounds, and lighting play. Musical evening shows of "singing fountains" fill the atmosphere with the magic of the water element and decorate the darkening city.

The grand opening of the singing fountains on Moscow Square (about 13 hectares) took place in 2006. The fountains are open during the summer.

Address: Moscow square.

The fountain impresses with the original shape of the pool, made of snow-white marble, and beautiful tiers of thin streams of water.

Fountain "Crown" in the Summer Garden

The Crown Fountain is located in front of the former entrance to the Summer Garden - from the Champ de Mars side. Nowadays, the fountain is decorated with gilded mascarons, modeled on the mascarons found on the territory Summer Garden in the 1960s (currently the items have been deposited in State Museum-Reserve"Peterhof"). This is a multi-jet fountain, which forms a crown-like composition from water jets. The fountain pool is made of white marble. The composition of the fountain is favorably complemented by the landscaped lawn surrounding it.

The "crown" fountain was designed by architect Mikhail Zemtsov in 1725. During the flood of 1777, the fountain was destroyed, and in 1786 it was covered up. The fountain was restored already in 2010-2011 on the basis of iconographic materials and materials from archaeological excavations.

Address: St. Petersburg, Summer Garden.

"Dancing" fountain near Gostiny Dvor in Kronstadt

One of the few "dancing" fountains in St. Petersburg is located in the port city of Kronstadt. The fountain was installed in honor of the 300th anniversary of the city in the square near Gostiny Dvor and became one of the most beautiful light and musical compositions in St. Petersburg.

The extensive pool of the fountain (220 sq. m.) is lined with granite. A bowl is installed in the pool, repeating with its contours the Kronshlot Fort of Peter the Great. Herself water system fountain created by modern technologies using solenoid valves. Thanks to this, a unique moving pattern of water jets is formed. Water streams dance continuously, changing the height of the movement. Due to beautiful music and lighting, unique shows are created that captivate with their beauty and spectacle (especially in the evening).

Address: Kronstadt, Lenin Ave., 16.

The seven-tiered fountain "Pyramid" in the Lower Park of Peterhof reaches 8 meters in height. This is a sparkling obelisk made of water jets, made in the shape of a pyramid. The base of the fountain-pyramid is a granite pedestal with three steps, through which water flows into a shallow bypass channel (encircling the entire ensemble). The bypass pool is surrounded by a marble balustrade decorated with vases.

The water obelisk in the form of a pyramid was conceived as a monument to the victory of the Russian people in the centuries-old struggle for the independence of their cultural heritage.

Address: Petrodvorets, st. Adjustable, d 2.

Fountain "Glory" in the Moscow Victory Park

In the Moscow Victory Park there is a fountain with speaking name"Glory". The fountain crowns the Alley of Heroes with bronze busts of Leningraders - heroes of the Soviet Union.

In a round granite bowl, decorated with wreaths of laurel and tulips, there are 12 water cannons, from which jets of water go in different directions, and the central jet goes up, rising up to 12 meters. In the center of the bowl is a granite tulip, from which a powerful jet of water also beats.

According to the design concept of the fountain, the main stream shows the desire for life, and the jets of water along the edge of the bowl bow before the feat of the Soviet people.

The opening of the park and the fountain took place on October 7, 1945, in honor of the Great Victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany. The park was designed by the architect E. Katonin and his student V. Kirkhoglani. The park is conceived as a hymn to life, and as a story about the exploits during the war, taking into account the traditions of domestic gardening art.

Address: Moscow Victory Park.

Fountains in the porter garden of Smolny

In a picturesque park Smolny Cathedral there are four identical fountains. They are made in the form of large round bowls, from which jets of water shoot up. Two bowls are located on one side of the Smolny Cathedral, they are separated by a large flower bed, two exactly the same fountains are located on the opposite side.

The fountains were launched in 1934 and since then tirelessly adorn the architecture and landscape of the park.

Address: parterre garden of Smolny.

Fountain "Dandelion" in Zelenogorsk

The picturesque fountain in the shape of a dandelion, located in the square on Lenina Avenue in Zelenogorsk, is very popular with local residents and guest of the city. The spherical design of the fountain with many tubes resembles a fluffy flower - round, standing on a long stem. Jets of water pour from the fluff tubes and flow into the pool. The fountain creates a feeling of lightness and airiness, and on hot days it refreshes the surrounding area.

In the evening, the backlight turns on, due to which the composition becomes even more spectacular and interesting. The grand opening of the fountain took place in the summer of 2011.

Note that the Dandelion Fountain is also located at the Yubileiny JCC and in Strelna. All of them serve as an unusual decoration for the surrounding territories and are favorite places for walking the townspeople.

Address: Zelenogorsk, Lenin Ave., 15.

The Lion Cascade is one of the most significant fountain structures of the mid-19th century in Russia. It is made in the style of late classicism, due to which it stands out from the rest of the buildings of the Peterhof ensemble. The unique architectural and fountain composition consists of a pool, a colonnade (14 granite columns), 12 marble bowls, sculptures of lions and a statue of the Nymph Aganipa.

Address: Petrodvorets, st. Adjustable, d 2.

Fountain in the Alexander Garden opposite the Admiralty

The fountain has become one of the most grandiose structures among fountains in the 19th century. Nowadays, the fountain still pleases numerous citizens and tourists walking along the alleys of the Alexander Garden.

The fountain consists of many water jets, beating high up. The basin of the fountain is a bowl of granular granite, installed opposite the entrance to the Main Admiralty and Gorokhovaya Street.

The first draft of the fountain was made by the architect I. Merz in 1872, but it needed to be redone. N. Benois took up the revision of the project in 1875. The architect A. Geshvend also joined the development of the new project, who finalized the details and drawings.

Work on the installation of this structure was entrusted to the merchant E.F. Ovchinnikov. In 1876, the construction of this fountain began on the site that had been left especially for it when planning the garden. The fountain was launched on October 13, 1879. The opening of a beautiful water facility in the Alexander Garden was a solemn spectacle.

The cascade was built according to the plan of Peter I, following the example of the cascade in the residence of the King of France. At the top of the cascade is a grotto surrounded by three figures of dragons, from whose mouths jets of water escape. On both sides of the cascade, stairs are built, decorated with white stone statues. Water flows down four ledges (black-and-white, "checkerboard" plateaus) into a round pool.

Address: Petrodvorets, st. Adjustable, d 2.