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Fountain "Lacosta"

Fountain "Lacosta" in Summer garden, St Petersburg

Fountain "Lacosta", built presumably in 1736, named after one of the court jesters — Lacosta, who served, since Peter I, four Russian monarchs.

The jester's real name is Jan d'acosta. Its only the image exists in the historical collection of P. Y. Dashkov. Engraved portrait signed "Lakosta, the court jester of Anna Ioannovna …with engraving Vestius" - a typical example of Western engraved portrait of the beginning of the XVIII century.

Initially, the fountain "Lacosta" was planned to be intricate - by analogy with the neighboring "Favoritka" . The water cannon was designed as a two-chamber: with a mechanism and figures spinning on the drum. The Central composition of the fountain could be the figure of a jester Anna Ivanovna-Lacoste. Probably, according to the plan of the architect of the water cannon, the figure was to "throw" water and make sounds with the help of special mechanisms arranged in the design of the fountain. However, apparently, the mechanism for "Lacoste" has not been set, and the initial plan was changed. On the plan of St. Hilaire (late 1760s) the fountain is presented as a single-jet, devoid of any intricate figures. Archaeological excavations carried out by the expedition Of p. E. Sorokin, found that the brick structures of the fountain were at a depth of 0.6-0.7 m from the earth's surface. The brickwork of the Foundation of the fountain of the 1730s is well preserved, as well as the cast-iron pipeline running through the "Lacosta" towards the Tsentralnaya alley. On the East side of the fountain is suitable brick vaulted collector through which water enters the lower chamber of the fountain - to the wheel and mechanisms. No cladding elements were found.

Thanks to the clearing and conservation of fountain structures, it became possible to Museum the water cannon.

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