The impressive Samson Fountain was sculpted by Mikhail Kozlovsky in 1730. You’ll easily recognize it by the huge statue of the biblical hero tearing open the jaws of a lion. The most powerful jet of water of the entire Cascade shoots from the lion’s mouth. The sculpture symbolizes the victory of Russia over Sweden - represented by the lion featured in the Swedish coat of arms - in one of the most important battles of the Great Northern War, won on the feast day of Saint Samson.
An interesting fact: The statue of Samson is unfortunately a copy. Since the original weighed more than 5 tons, it was not possible to save it during the war, and it was probably melted down by the Germans to reuse the lead.
