Fountain "Triton" or Orangery Fountain

In front of the Orangery in 1726, a fountain was created. Its first sculptural group was designed by architect Timofey Usov and sculpted by Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli in 1726, and was called the Satyr with a Snake. The construction of the pipeline was carried out by the famous fountain master Paul Sualem. Water was supplied from the Square Pond, located in the Upper Garden. The fountain in this part of the park was needed not only for beauty but also for watering the flowers and trees in the garden.

At the center of the composition is a sculpture of Triton, struggling with a sea monster depicted as a crocodile with a fish tail. A water jet eight meters high bursts from its mouth. Four turtles, stretching their necks in fear, scatter in different directions. Two-meter water jets shoot from their mouths.

The fountain, in the form of an allegory, tells the story of Russia’s struggle for access to the Baltic Sea — about the first major victory of the Russian fleet over the Swedish fleet in the Battle of Gangut on July 27, 1714. Triton symbolizes the young Russian fleet, while the sea monster represents the fleet of Charles XII. The four turtles, scattering in fear, remind of the unfaithful allies of the Swedish king.

The creation of this fountain had not only decorative significance but was also explained by practical needs, as water was taken from it to irrigate the trees, shrubs, and flowers of the Lower Park. Water is supplied here from the Square Pond of the Upper Garden.

Originally, the basin was hexadecagonal, but later it was simplified and made round. Over time, the sculptures, cast from lead, deteriorated and were repeatedly restored for this reason. At the end of the 18th century, Russian sculptor Ivan Martos, after inspecting the figures, suggested replacing them. However, the sculptures remained, and only 150 years later, in 1875, fountain master Baltsun reported that the Satyr sculpture had deteriorated to the point that it was impossible to repair. The following year, in 1876, a new sculpture of Triton with a crocodile was cast in lead by galvanoplastic method based on a drawing by Danish artist David Jensen.

The Orangery Fountain was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. It was restored in 1956 based on surviving drawings.

Sources:

https://spb-parki.ru/parks/peterhof/ansambl-vostochnoy-chasti/fontan-oranzhereynyy-triton/

https://www.spb-guide.ru/fontan-oranzherejnyj-petergof.htm

https://peterhofmuseum.ru/objects/peterhof/fontan_triton