LOWER GARDENS

The large French-style Lower Gardens, created by the architect Le Blond, covers an area of some 11 square kilometers. 

This is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of the palace, featuring interesting historical buildings, waterways, four waterfalls and 150 fountains. One of the most famous is the Fountain of the Sun, where hundreds of jets of water appear to mimic the rays of the sun; each one, however, is a spectacle in itself and well worth seeing in action.

Regarding the waterfalls, on the opposite sides of the park, I suggest you take time to admire the Golden Mountain and the Chess Mountain.

Another architectural highlight is the "Voronikhin colonnades", near the Favorite Fountain, which you’ll recognize by the statue of a dog chasing four ducks.

 

 

An interesting fact: in the Lower Gardens, Peter the Great ordered "trick” fountains to be built, designed to take unsuspecting guests by surprise, dousing them with water. Near the Monplaisir palace, for example, there were two small stone benches from where water could suddenly splash out, soaking the unfortunate visitors sitting there.