In the centre of St. Petersburg, surrounded by luxurious palaces, canals and granite embankments we find the beautiful Summer Garden. This magnificent landscape ensemble was laid in 1704 when Russian Tsar Peter the Great began building a new capital on the swampy shores of the Baltic Sea. He brought in the best architects from all over Europe, but in the end it was he who made all of the final decisions. The Summer Garden became his pet project and it is understandable why — with frozen marble figures popping up among the mysterious and gloomy greens and elegant pavilions neighboured by bubbling fountains — what’s not to adore? The Summer Garden is one of the main sights of St. Petersburg, a city which proudly held the title of the capital of the Russian Empire for 200 years.