The garden on Dvortsovy Passage appeared as a forced measure, and not for beauty. At the end of the 19th century, Admiralty Embankment was built near the imperial residence and a passage was laid. Because of all this, the place of residence of the royal family, once a secluded corner, has turned into a rather lively urban area. Worries were added to the explosion of 1879 in the Winter Palace, arranged by the revolutionary Stepan Khalturin. It is clear that this situation did not correspond to the understanding of a safe and peaceful estate.

The garden has become a buffer between the roadway and the palace. It began to be designed under Alexander the Second, and was erected only under his successor. The designers did not limit themselves to green spaces alone: the ground level was raised by a meter, and the center of the square was decorated with a fountain. In addition, a fence was installed on high pedestals. Stylized as a baroque design by Rastrelli, it has long impressed contemporaries. As well as the huge gate, decorated with lanterns. However, as soon as the palace was fenced off from outside noise, the royal family did not really need it (official receptions were rarely held, and the rulers themselves preferred to live in Tsarskoye Selo), and for ordinary residents and remained closed.

Today, anyone can take a walk in the garden and enjoy its beauty. During the city holidays, Saltykovsky Square becomes a place for mass celebrations.