 A poetic tribute "Pushkin was here" to the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in Catherine Park. The symbols on the bench carry specific meanings related to his time at the Imperial Lyceum (located just nearby), where he studied from 1811 to 1817. The Bicorne Hat (Cocked Hat): This represents the uniform worn by the students of the Imperial Lyceum. The Open Book: A symbol of his literary genius and his constant immersion in reading and writing poetry, often done while wandering this very park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  The textural complexity of the park s planting, which moves beyond simple color contrast. The towering, evergreen spruces (likely Norway spruce) act as dark, architectural columns that anchor the scene, breaking up the horizontal sweep of the deciduous canopy. Their deep, somber green provides a necessary counterpoint to the "burning" oranges and yellows of the maples and birches, preventing the scene from becoming visually flat. The untouched, grassy banks and fallen logs floating in the water reinforce the "wild forest" illusion (a deliberate design choice known as paysage), evoking the moody, introspective landscapes of Russian Realist painters like Shishkin or Nesterov. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Rich tapestry of deciduous trees on the shores of the Great Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Spruce alley between Rose Field and Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Crested coral mushrooms (Clavulina coralloides)(?) under spruce trees in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Gothic Gate and spruce alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 23, 2016  Brittle cinder fungus (Kretzschmaria deusta) on a stump under spruce trees in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 23, 2019  Close up of brittle cinder fungus (Kretzschmaria deusta) on a stump under spruce trees in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 23, 2019  Mixed forest texture, highlighting the interplay between deciduous and coniferous species. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Forest interior with rich, layered complexity of mixed deciduous plantings. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Oak foliage near Marble Bridge in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors of maples in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors of oaks in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Orange leaves of maples in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors near Marble Bridge in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors of Catherine Park from Sadovaya Street. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  "Golden Autumn" in Upper Park. The image highlights a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees. Tall spruce trees (dark green) stand in contrast to the vibrant yellow of the maples and lindens, creating a rich texture and color palette typical of the Upper Park s diverse planting design. Oranienbaum palace-and-park ensemble in Lomonosov (a suburb of St. Petersburg), Russia, October 13, 2025  Maples near the Small Caprice (Malyi Kapriz) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Foliage near Red Cascade showin "Golden Autumn" in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  "Golden Autumn" of the shores of the Great Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Group of maple trees near the Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Grotto Pavilion and Great Pond (Bolshoy Prud) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Orange leaves of maple trees near the Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Yellow leaves of maple trees near the Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Italian Pergola located in the Private Garden (Sobstvenny Sadik) of Catherine Park. The pergola is spectacularly draped in wild grapes (likely Parthenocissus quinquefolia or Virginia Creeper). In October, these vines turn a brilliant crimson and burgundy, creating a stunning contrast with the golden yellow leaves of the nearby trees and the cool grey stone of the columns and the obelisk. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors in area of the Small Caprice (Malyi Kapriz) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Chinese Gazebo (often called the Creaking Pagoda or Skripuchaya Besedka) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  "Natural" path of English Landscape Park near Great Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Area near a metal bridge located near the Small Caprice (Malyi Kapriz) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors of Children s Island (Ostrov Detskogo Domika) of the Great Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Autumn landscape of Third Pond of Grand Cascade in Catherine Park from Pavlovsky Bridge of Sadovaya Street. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  One of the two towers forming the Red (Turkish) Cascade (Krasnyy/Turetskiy Kaskad) in Catherine Park. It serves as both a decorative dam and a symbolic monument. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Secluded path winding through the English Landscape Park, near the Swan Islands at the southern end of the Great Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Hermitage Pavilion in Catherine Park, designed by the Italian court architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli in Elizabethan Baroque style. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Azure blue walls and white columns of Grotto Pavilion sitting on the edge of Great Pond (Bolshoy Prud) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Sarcodon mushrooms under spruce trees in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 18, 2024  Phaeocollybia(?) mushrooms under spruce trees in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 18, 2024  A birch grove in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park. The composition is defined by the striking, repeating vertical lines of the white birch trunks. This "bar code" pattern creates a strong visual rhythm that cuts through the soft, chaotic texture of the foliage. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Ramp Alley (Rampovaya Alleya) whic is a historic avenue in Catherine Park, known for its grand canopy of ancient trees and its connection to imperial history. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Close-up of Phaeocollybia(?) mushrooms under spruce trees in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 18, 2024  Scenery near Bolshoy Prud (Big Pond). The landscape is a rich tapestry of deciduous hardwoods like maple, linden, and birch turning brilliant shades of gold and ochre, contrasted by the deep green of spruce and other evergreens. Sergievka Park near Universitet, Old Peterhof, west from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2025  Young penny bun mushrooms (Boletus edulis) under spruce trees in Babolovsky Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 4, 2017  Rusty webcap (Cortinarius)(?) mushroom under spruce trees in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 18, 2024  Reddish foliage of Children s Island (Ostrov Detskogo Domika) of the Great Pond concealed within the dense autumn foliage in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall foliage of Children s Island (Ostrov Detskogo Domika) of the Great Pond concealed within the dense autumn foliage in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Fall colors near Marble Bridge (also known as the Palladian Bridge or Siberian Marble Gallery) in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Underside of a rusty webcap (Cortinarius)(?) mushroom under spruce trees in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 18, 2024  Parterres in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Old Garden in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Oak tree in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Big Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Hall on the Island in Catherine Park, view from Ferry Crossing. It was originally built in the late 1740s by the architect Savva Chevakinsky in the Baroque style, with decorations based on sketches by Rastrelli. In 1794, under Catherine the Great, the architect Giacomo Quarenghi completely rebuilt it in the Classical style. He simplified the decor, giving it the restrained, elegant appearance seen today--white walls, large arched windows, and a modest green roof. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Tiny mushrooms Iodine bonnet (Mycena filopes) of a spruce cone in Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park of Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), a suburb of Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 25, 2017  Stone bridge in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Granite Terraces in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Island of Big Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Linden trees in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Red Cascade in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Ramp Alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Red Cascade in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Grotto Pavilion in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Linden alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Hermitage Pavilion in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Shore of Big Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Pier of Big Island in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Rome Tsezar in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Reeds in Big Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Fall colors in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Cameron Gallery in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Stone bowl in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Sculpture of Old Garden in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Hermitage Alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Red (Turkish) Cascade in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Naturalistic style of the English landscape garden, which dominates the areas surrounding the formal canals, with rich textural contrast between the golden maples and dark evergreen firs, creating a painterly composition typical of 19th-century Russian park design. The untamed, wilder growth of the underbrush and tall grasses contrasts with the manicured lawns found elsewhere, evoking a sense of romantic melancholy suited to the "golden autumn" season. The dense, layered foliage creates an intimate, enclosed space that feels removed from the grand palace architecture, focusing entirely on the mood of the forest. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Upper Bath Pavilion reflected perfectly in the Mirror Pond in Catherine Park. This artificial pond was created in 1719-1722, by the garden masters Jan Roosen and Johann Vocht. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  "Framed" perspective looking towards the trees near the Marble Bridge in Catherine Park. The arches create a "picture window" effect, a classic technique in landscape architecture designed to direct the viewer s gaze to specific idealized scenes of nature. The stone ball finials on the balustrade add a rhythmic, formal element that contrasts with the organic chaos of the forest background. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Chromatic diversity of the understory, where native and introduced species create a vibrant tapestry, with complementary contrast between the brilliant, flat yellow of the maple foliage (likely Acer platanoides) and the deep, rosy-pink to burgundy hues of the Siberian dogwood (Cornus alba). Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025  Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Alley to Hermitage Pavilion in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Palace from Hermitage Alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Gothic gate in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Alley near Hermitage Pavilion in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Entrance of Hermitage Pavilion in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Leaves in Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Pergola of Personal Garden in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Ramp of Cameron Gallery in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Reeds in Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Alley and iron benches in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Entrance of Cameron Gallery in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Oak alley on Rose Field in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Pavilion Evening Hall in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Upper Bath in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Alley in parterres area in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Towers of Red (Turkish) Cascade in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Upper Ponds in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 6, 2017  Fountain "Woman with a broken jug" in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016  Fall colors of an alley in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13, 2016 |
