The Venus Garden is a so-called landscaped garden with terraces located in the Lower Park of the Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble in Peterhof (Saint Petersburg).
The Venus Garden is part of the overall ensemble of the Marli Palace and is located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland near the Marlin Pond.
This garden is also known as the Marley Garden.
The Venus Garden was laid out in the Lower Park of the Grand Peterhof Palace under Peter I in 1721-1724. The garden was planted with fruit trees, a dovecote and a trellis pavilion (now lost).
To protect the plantings of the garden from the winds blowing from the Gulf of Finland, an embankment was created - a three-meter rampart of earth (Marlin rampart), which was later reinforced with a brick wall 255 meters long.
During the Great Patriotic War, the gardens of Venus, as well as the entire palace and park ensemble, were severely damaged. The reconstruction of the garden was completed in 1980.
Today, the Garden of Venus is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the palace park. It lies between the Marlin Pond and the Gulf of Finland.
The garden has the shape of a rectangle stretched along the wall and the pond.
In the lower part of the garden, lawns are arranged, ornamental and fruit trees are planted, and alleys are laid out.
The main decoration of this part of the garden, from which the garden received the name "Venus", is a marble statue of Venus of Media, made on the model of the famous ancient Greek sculpture.
"Venus de Medicea", depicted with a dolphin at the foot, is one of the most famous images of the ancient goddess, named after the Florentine rulers of the Medici. In the collection of the dynasty was kept a copy made in the first century BC by a Roman sculptor from the lost Greek original, which in the 4-3 centuries BC was created by Timarchus and Cephisodotus the younger. This statue, now preserved in the Uffizi Museum in Florence (Italy), served as the original for numerous repetitions made during the 18th and 19th centuries. One of the copies adorns the Garden of Venus in Peterhof.
Behind the statue of Venus, a retaining wall with balustrades runs along the entire garden. Along the entire length of the wall there are 76 semicircular niches.
Curved stone stairs lead up to the rampart.
At the very top of the rampart there are walking terraces. The upper terrace offers views of the Gulf of Finland.
The upper terrace of the garden also offers views of the Lower Park: Marlin Pond and Marly Palace; Bacchus Garden; as well as a group of fountains located on the opposite side of the pond from the garden and consisting of a cascade "Golden Mountain", two identical Menagerie fountains and miniature fountains "Tritons-bells".
Bacchus Garden view
The balustrade of the garden is a very popular place for photo shoots.
The view of the Venus Garden with terraces and balustrade, as well as the Marlin Pond, is on the opposite side of the pond from the garden.
Practical information
The Venus Garden and the adjacent Marly Palace Ensemble are located in the western part of the Lower Park of the Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble.
The fountains of Peterhof are closed for the winter (do not work) - from about the middle of October.
In winter, when the fountains are not working, the entrance to the Lower Park is free (free of charge).
During the summer, the fountains are open and the entrance to the park is paid.
Tickets to the park can be purchased at the ticket offices located directly near the entrances to the park or in advance-online on the official website.
We recommend that you check the working hours of the park and fountains, as well as the conditions of visiting and the cost of tickets, immediately before visiting the official website.
Website of the State Museum-Reserve "Peterhof": peterhofmuseum.
You can also visit the State Museum-Reserve "Peterhof" with one of the excursions
All the ways to get to Peterhof from St. Petersburg (the airport and the city center) can be found here →
Near the Palace and Park Ensemble "Peterhof" you can stop
The 4-star Novy Peterhof Hotel features a restaurant, a bar, parking, a tour desk, a spa area with an indoor pool, a gym, a steam bath, a Finnish cedar sauna and an aroma sauna.
The rooms are decorated in a modern style and feature a TV with satellite channels, free Wi-Fi, a safe, bathrobes and slippers, a hairdryer and free toiletries. Some rooms have a seating area.
The room rate can include: breakfast, breakfast + dinner or breakfast + lunch + dinner. Link to the hotel
EGO-LOFT Apartment (Holgin Pond) they offer views of the lake and the city.
The apartmentfeatures air conditioning, a balcony, free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, a washing machine, a bedroom, a kitchen with a dishwasher and a microwave, and a bathroom with a hairdryer and free toiletries. Link to the apartment
Apartments Severnaya Venezia featuring a balcony with lake views, offers free Wi-Fi, a children's playground, a garden and a shared lounge.
The apartmentfeatures a bedroom, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, an equipped kitchen with a microwave and a refrigerator, a washing machine, and a bathroom with a shower. Link to the apartment
All accommodation facilities in St. Petersburg, including in the city center and in Peterhof, can be viewed and booked here
