The Sheaf Fountain

The Sheaf Fountain is a Baroque water feature at Peterhof Palace that shoots water in bell-shaped arcs and displays several gilt bronze statues. The installation features mythological figures such as Apollo, Faun, and Bacchus positioned within the Monplaisir Garden area.

Peter the Great commissioned this fountain system in the early 1700s to rival the grandeur of Western European royal courts. The project was central to his vision of establishing Russia as a European power through magnificent palaces and gardens.

The fountain represents the imperial court's love of spectacular water displays and ornate garden design as markers of power and sophistication. Its bronze sculptures of mythological figures decorated the royal gardens in a style favored by European nobility of that era.

The garden is open from May through October with water displays running daily during this season. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since the park is large and requires considerable walking to view all features.

This water display operates without electric pumps, instead relying on natural springs and gravity from the elevated garden above. This ingenious system allows the fountains to run daily without requiring modern mechanical power.