Gardens of the Winter Palace

As the Tsar's principal residence, situated in the capital, it was very much intended as a symbol of power rather than a place of relaxation and pleasure.

In 1885, Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III, had a garden created in the principal courtyard, an area which had previously been paved.

The second garden was created in 1896 for Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of the last Tsar, Nicholas II, who lived briefly at the palace at the turn of the 20th century.

She also wished for an area where her children could play in privacy and seclusion, as a result she had a garden created on the parade ground beneath her windows.

[1] In 1920, the high wall, topped with decorated railings featuring eagles and monograms, was demolished, having already been damaged since the revolution.