The park was designed by Dutch landscape gardener Rozen in the 1780s.
During the 19th century, the pond was a popular venue for organized ice skating and winter festivals.
The garden was the first in St. Petersburg to be designed in the English landscape style rather than the rigid French geometric style.
The pond is fed by a system of channels originally connected to the Fontanka River.
The site hosted the first national ice skating competition in Russia in 1877.
Yusupovskiy Sad is a historical park featuring a large central pond with two islands connected by bridges. The site originally served as a private landscape garden for the Yusupov family palace, which borders the grounds. The design incorporates winding paths and varied topography typical of 18th-century Romanticism. It serves as a public urban green space in the Admiralteysky District of St. Petersburg. The pond is a focal point for seasonal activities and local recreation. The park retains significant mature greenery amidst the surrounding dense urban development.
From the pedestrian bridge offering a view of the pond with the palace silhouette in the background.
Walk the full perimeter of the pond to view the Yusupov Palace architecture from the water's edge.
Visit during winter months to see the pond frozen, as it maintains its historic reputation for local skating.
Avoid assuming the palace interiors are accessible directly from the park; the palace has a separate entrance for museum tours.
Open daily, though park maintenance may temporarily restrict access to specific paths in the early spring.
