French Fountain, Alexandriyskoye Highway, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 198510
At the foot of the Grand Palace, in the center of the parterre flower beds, are the paired "Bowls" fountains, whose construction according to the project of architect Nicolo Michetti was completed at the end of 1722. The trial launch took place in the presence of Peter I. The oldest fountains of Peterhof received the second name "Great Fountains" due to the power of their jets. Since the hydraulic work on the eastern fountain was carried out by the Frenchman Paul Soualem, and the western one by the Italians Giovanni and Giuliano Barratini, the eastern fountain is called the "French" fountain.
Originally, the bowls and pedestals were carved from wood, covered with lead, and painted to resemble marble, but in the mid-19th century, the weathered wooden bowls and pedestals were replaced with new ones carved from Carrara marble by the masters of the Peterhof Cutting Factory.
The "Great Fountains" harmoniously fit into the design of the central parterres and emphasize the power of "Samson," being aligned with it.
Sources:
https://peterhofmuseum.ru/objects/peterhof/fontani_chashi
