The Great Cascade descends from the slope below the palace into a canal running along a north-south axis that eventually reaches the waters of the Gulf of Finland. This complex water feature is actually composed of a large grotto, three cascades, sixty-four fountains, one hundred forty-two jets of water, twenty-seven monumental statues, twenty-nine bas-reliefs, and one hundred-fifty smaller sculptural elements. Liberal use is made of gilded bronze, and references to the gods and heroes of the classical world abound. In this view of the "left bank" of the canal taken from a balustraded terrace above the central grotto, the sheer scale and magnificence of the Lower Garden are evident.

dillonford@earthlink.net