Not every park in Russia has the status of a cultural and historical object of the federal level. That’s why tourists who come to St. Petersburg for a few days are recommended to visit Dubki. This park has historical value, if only because it was laid by Peter the Great himself. It is also a monument of garden art. Many residents of the Northern capital come to the Dubki park to stroll along its majestic alleys, take part in a cultural festival, ride a sleigh or an ice rink. After all, it is located in the suburb, the resort area of St. Petersburg - Sestroretsk. Let's take a virtual tour of the ancient monument of landscape gardening art, and at the same time the most northern oak grove in Russia. In this article we will tell you what to look for. After all, the territory of the park is significant, and the uninitiated may lose sight of everything interesting. To enjoy the walk, you also need to know the history of this place.
Where is the historical garden
The Dubki park in Sestroretsk has a very simple address: 37 Bolshoy Liteiny lane (main entrance). As we have already mentioned, a traveler will not be able to travel outside of St. Petersburg. Sestroretsk is included in the city limits. He himself is washed by water from two sides. The Baltic Sea is located in the west, and Sestroretsky Razliv Lake in the east. The recreation park "Dubki" occupies a promontory that extends far into the expanse of water. It looks great from the sea. The pleasure of walking can also be obtained because many shady trails unexpectedly lead to the shores of the Gulf of Finland. If you want to visit Dubki Park with your own car, you should consider that on weekends (especially when the weather is nice), the highway from St. Petersburg is very busy, and traffic jams often occur. After all, Sestroretsk is also famous as a sanatorium. There are mineral waters and healing mud. From the city on the Neva you need to move northwest along the Primorsky highway.
Park "Dubki" in Sestroretsk: how to get there
There is free parking at the entrance where you can park your car. It is also easily accessible by public transport. There is a social bus No. 211 from the Chernaya Rechka metro station. Minibuses go from different parts of St. Petersburg to Sestroretsk: from 400 Lenin Square, No. 305 from the Staraya Derevnya metro station, and No.№ from Chernaya Rechka 417 and 425, from “Parnassus” - No. 600, and from the metro station “Prospekt Prosvescheniya” - No. 827. But if you do not want to get stuck in traffic jams, but want to arrive in the park from St. Petersburg in half an hour, it is better to use rail transport. The train leaves from Finland Station. You need to leave at the station Sestroretsk. Dubkovskoe highway will lead you to the park after a kilometer.
A bit of history
In September 1714, when, after the Gangut battle, Peter the Great was returning to the capital through the waters of the Gulf of Finland, he saw a beautiful oak forest on the shore and ordered it to be moored to this place. The tsar liked the rest under the canopy of old, 200-300-year-old trees so much that he ordered the construction of a park and a summer residence here. Three years later, chernozem and several thousand young oak trees were brought to the cape near the mouth of the Sestra River. Two hundred seedlings were planted personally by Peter the Great. In 1719, the construction of the wooden summer palace began, but then the king changed his mind and ordered the construction of a solid stone structure suitable for winter residence. This three-story palace was erected by 1725. It was connected by galleries with wooden pavilions. The palace was made in the style of "sea pathos", that is, the whole calculation was built on the view from the Gulf of Finland. At the same time, the Dubki park in Sestroretsk was laid. The storm and flood of 1727 caused great damage to the palace, and it was deleted from the list of imperial residences. For half a century he served as an arms depot, and then it was dismantled for the construction of the Peter and Paul Church.
Description of the Oaks in Sestroretsk
But although the palace remained only on the old plans, the place did not lose its significance. In the time of Peter the Dutch garden was laid out here. The experience of draining the flooded coasts of the sea was adopted. After all, who, if not the Dutch, has been conquering pieces of land from the water element century after century? From 1723 to 1725, canals cut through the cape, and a dam was erected from the side of the sea. In conquered from shallow water, fruit orchards and greenhouses were planted. And on the drainage channels of the Dubki park in Sestroretsk, small boats were free to sail. In the forties of the eighteenth century a defensive rampart was erected, since then a Russian-Swedish war was fought. This building came in handy later. During the Crimean War, British and French troops fired on Sestroretsk from the sea, but they did not dare to land an assault. In 1858, a chapel was erected in memory of those events. It was destroyed during the Soviet era, but has now been restored.
Modern park
For a long time this place was desolate. Then, since Sestroretsk (St. Petersburg) was famous for its waters, a sanatorium was established here. Then "Oaks" became a city park of culture and rest. There were various attractions, including the Ferris wheel. Since 2002, the city authorities have seriously taken up the arrangement of the park. A hippodrome with an equestrian center, a boat station, a stadium, tennis courts and an ice rink were built.
Children's holiday
The Dubki park in Sestroretsk has not only a sports orientation. Here a lot of attention is paid to young visitors. In addition to playgrounds, there are various funny sculptures made of wood depicting characters from fairy tales. In summer you can ride catamarans here. Yes, and for swimming, this coast is ideal, because the shallow water quickly warms up. In winter, the park is also interesting. Along with an adult skating rink, a children's one. You can ride a pony on the Finnish sled.