The Sofa trick fountains, Trick fountain in Lower Park of Peterhof, Russia
The Sofa trick fountains are a pair of stone garden benches in the Lower Park of Peterhof, Russia, designed to look like ordinary seating. Each bench has a curved back, decorated surfaces, and concealed pipes that release water upward when someone sits down.
The fountains were built in 1723 based on designs by architect Michetti, drawing on ideas from Peter the Great. They are among the earliest examples of trick water features introduced into Russian garden design.
The Sofa fountains are part of a series of trick water features spread through the Lower Park, designed to catch visitors off guard. Sitting on one of the benches triggers the jets, turning the garden into a place where play is built into the landscape itself.
The fountains run from late April through mid-October, and outside that period no water flows. It is worth wearing clothes you do not mind getting wet, since the jets activate immediately and without warning the moment you sit down.
Newt mascarons are carved into the curved backs of the benches, visible only when you look closely at the stonework. This motif connects the fountains to a broader tradition of decorative water sculpture found across European palace gardens of the 1600s and 1700s.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
