The oldest garden in St. Petersburg is considered to be Summer. It was laid on the site of the burnt manor of the Swedish Major Konau according to the plan, personally inscribed by the first Russian emperor in 1704. Then it occupied an area about four times smaller than today.

The appearance of the Fontanka River name is directly related to the Summer Garden. At the founding of the new capital, the names for one of the numerous rivers were not invented, so they called it Bezymyannym Yerik. But from 1706 the architect IM Matveev took up the construction of the first fountains in Russia in the Summer Garden. Naturally, they needed water, which was delivered from the Nameless Erik first by means of mechanisms on horse traction, and then the Frenchman Dezagulieu built again the first steam engine in Russia. And Yerik renamed the Fontanka.

Beginning of the buildings in the Summer Garden was laid by the erection of the palace of the same name by architect Domenico Trezzini . Almost simultaneously, G. Matrarnovi engaged in the construction of three open galleries. In the middle of them was placed a gift of Pope Clement IX - a marble statue of Venus. To protect the first in Russia sculpture showing a naked woman's body, even had to put a special guard.

With the help of the Swan Canal and branches from it, it was possible to drain the marshy land of the Summer Garden, the territory was divided into several water-restricted zones. After connecting the Fontanka with the Sink, the Summer Garden actually became an island. Straight alleys, neatly trimmed shrubs and trees were followed by the then existing in Europe fashion for regular parks. The landscape was supplemented by a man-made pond in the southern part of the Summer Garden for breeding various fish species. It was named Karpieva.

The creators of the Summer Garden were tasked to make the Summer Garden not only one of the sights of St. Petersburg, but also to outshine the magnificent palace and park ensemble of Versailles . The buildings of the Summer Garden were replenished with the Grotto . So called the garden pavilion of the work A . Schlueter and G . Matarnovi, in which fountains were also organized, whose jets made it sound organ music . One of the favorite entertainments of the public were walks On the Labyrinth - a confusing system of tracks, ogre born by bushes created by the project M . G . Zemtsova . Here also arranged fountains, decorated with sculptural images of the characters of Aesop fables .

Pretty soon Summer garden turned into a favorite place for walks of the venerable public, for whom certain days were assigned. So, by the order of Emperor Nicholas I, regulating access to the Summer Garden, it allowed to walk "to all military men and decently dressed, simple people, somehow peasants, to pass through the garden ... in general to prohibit." One time for entering the Summer Garden was necessary to pay, and the prices were quite high.