The project of Schluter and Mattarnovi was brought into life in 1721 on the banks of the Fontanka River. It was a garden pavilion, called Grotto, with columns and a high dome. This pavilion was divided into three sections, each of which had a fountain inside. The work of the fountains was accompanied by organ music. The organ was operated by the power of the fountains. On the border of the first and the second Summer Gardens there were stone greenhouses, where southern plants were grown, such as tropical euphorbias, oranges, lemons, tulips, and Lebanese cedars. In summertime these plants were taken out to the alleys of the Garden.
Grotto of the Summer Garden
В 1721 году по проекту Шлютера и Маттарнови на берегу Фонтанки был построен Грот — садовый павильон с колоннами и высоким куполом. Этот павильон был разделён на три помещения, в каждом из которых находился фонтан. При их работе звучала органная музыка. Орган же приводился в действие струями фонтанов. На границе 1-го и 2-го Летнего садов были построены каменные оранжереи. Здесь выращивали южные растения, среди них — тропические молочаи, апельсины, лимоны, тюльпаны и ливанские кедры. Летом эти растения выставляли на аллеи сада.
At the Fontanka bank, there was built a Grotto pavilion - the first garden construction of the kind in Russia (1714-1725, architects A. Schluter, G.J. Mattarnovi, N. Michetti, M. Zemtsov). Its walls were laid with shells and tufa from inside.
