Hanging gardens of the Small Hermitage

The Hanging Gardens of the Small Hermitage is an elevated garden space between two pavilions of the museum complex in Saint Petersburg. This area displays seasonal flowers and plants arranged in beds and grown with the help of heating systems beneath the paving stones.

These gardens were created between 1764 and 1773 under Catherine II, with architects Jean-Baptiste Vallin de La Mothe and Georg Friedrich Veldten shaping the design. The project was part of the major transformation of the Hermitage complex during the mid-18th century.

The garden shows how Russian rulers blended European garden design with their own desire for nature within palace walls. Visitors can see today how this space was created as a private retreat where beauty and royal habits mixed together.

The garden sits above former stables and is reached by walking through the museum complex. The tall walls surrounding it provide shelter from wind, so the area feels pleasant even on cooler days.

The Neva River flows nearby and moderates temperature swings, making this green space feel different across seasons in subtle ways. Visitors often miss how this river effect influences plant growth beneath the stones.