A little piece of Italy in St.Petersburg

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The impressive Olga's and Tsarina's islands were created between the years 1830 to 1840, on the order of the emperor Nicholas I. They are dedicated to his spouse Aleksandra Feodorovna, and their daughter Olga.

Anna always brings history to life in her tours. So many wonderful stories she explained so eloquently. https://www.heygo.com/annaylevina

The pavilions were closed but we could enjoy all the beautiful gardens and surrounding lakes.



Tsarina's pavilion - There is a flower bed between the bench and the pavilion, with a fountain in the marble basin in the center of it. In the bowl of the fountain, there is a statue of Narcissus, admiring his beautiful reflection in the water.

The "Praying boy", set in the niche of the pavilion - is the Roman copy of the Greek original.

A shimmering tall column, is made from blue and milk glass tubes, and is topped by the gilded sculpture of "A Girl Feeding a Parrot with Grapes"



The Pavilion was used by the Tsar family only in summer time. Here they held Tea Parties, lunches, dinners and lush receptions. They also presented theatre perfomances on lakeside of Olga's island.



On Olga Island the three storey villa is designed in a southern Italy style. It was supposed to serve as a memory, for Olga Nikolaevna, of her travel to Sicily; where in Palermo, she met her future husband Prince of Württemberg. More reminders of Italy, “Venus, Removing Her Sandal", cast according to the original sculptor and the Italian gondola, a present from Venice.



It was a beautiful sunny day to be discovering this amazing Italian corner of Peterhof.

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