Arsenal - the main pavilion Alexander Park, in the former Tsarskoye Selo (now the Pushkin city of St. Petersburg).
Today, the pavilion houses the exposition "Tsarskoye Selo Arsenal. The Imperial Collection of Weapons".
The Arsenal Pavilion adorns the Central Alley of the park.
The Arsenal Pavilion was built under the Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I in 1819-1834. Construction began according to the plans of the Scottish architect Adam Menelas and was completed by the architect Alexander Tone, since Menelas died in August 1831, in the midst of hotel work in the pavilion.
The pavilion was erected on the site of the dilapidated pavilion "Montblijou", built in 1747-1754 according to the projects of Savva Chevakinsky and Francesco Rastrelli. Montblijou was one of the best park buildings of the Baroque era, created in the same Baroque style with the Hermitage pavilion, located in the neighboring Catherine Park. Montbijou was used as a hunting pavilion (it was also called a hunting pavilion) and was located in the so - called Menagerie-on the territory where animals were kept in natural conditions and which was used as hunting grounds.
Upon completion of the construction, the Arsenal became one of the monuments of Russian Neo-Gothic architecture of the 19th century.
Inside, the Arsenal was decorated in accordance with Gothic motifs, and the interior space included a grand staircase, an entrance hall, a dining room, an office, rooms, a library and an octagonal Hall of knights, which occupied a central place in the layout of the pavilion. The Hall of Knights housed the best part of the collection of weapons that belonged to Nicholas I. Tickets were issued for viewing the collection and, in this way, the Arsenal became the first public museum of weapons in Russia. The collection of Western European and Eastern weapons of Nicholas I was also located in the offices of the Arsenal pavilion.
By the will of Emperor Nicholas I, the pavilion was named "Arsenal".
In 1885-1886, Emperor Alexander III transferred the collection from the Arsenal to the Imperial Hermitage, where it is now displayed in the Knight's Hall and other museum expositions.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Arsenal was significantly destroyed and subsequently was in a ruined state. In 2001, large-scale renovation works of the pavilion began.
On August 24, 2016, the restored Arsenal pavilion opened for visitors, which today houses the exposition " Tsarskoye Selo Arsenal. The Imperial Collection of Weapons", created jointly with The State Hermitage Museum.
The building of the Arsenal Pavilion is made in the Neo-Gothic style with four towers topped with a crenellated parapet.
The museum of the Arsenal Pavilion contains more than 5 thousand items, including memorabilia of Russian emperors and part of the weapons collection preserved in the funds of the Tsarskoye Selo Museum-Reserve.
The subject of special pride and the center of the exhibition, as before, is the octagonal Hall of knights on the second floor.
In addition to items from its own collection, as well as those provided for temporary storage, the museum exhibits items purchased at auctions for its own funds. These are valuable items of European weapons and equipment of the 16th and 17th centuries, including armor, helmets, halberds and swords.
Practical information
The Arsenal Pavilion is located in Alexander Park, Pushkin, St. Petersburg.
Coordinates of the Arsenal Pavilion: 59°43'18.0" N 30°22'39.0" E (59.721667, 30.377500).
The Alexander Park with pavilions, together with the Alexander Palace, belong to the State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoye Selo".
Entrance to the park is free (free of charge).
Entrance to the Arsenal Pavilion is paid. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office of the pavilion itself or online in advance-on the website of the museum-reserve.
We recommend checking the working hours of the park and the Arsenal Pavilion, as well as the conditions of visiting and the cost of tickets, on the website of the State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoye Selo": tzar.ru.
You can visit Tsarskoye Selo with one of the excursions
You can find out about all the ways to get to Pushkin from St. Petersburg (the airport and the city center) here →
In Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) you can stay
The 5-star Pevcheskaya Tower Hotel offers restaurants, a bar, a rooftop observation deck, free Wi-Fi and parking.
Breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
The 5-star luxury spa hotel "Tsar Palace Luxury Hotel & SPA"is located in a historic building.
The hotelhas a spa center with a swimming pool, a hammam, a salt sauna, a snow fountain, steam baths and a gym; free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk, 2 restaurants, a lobby bar, private parking and meeting and conference rooms.
The rooms are equipped with climate control, a mini-bar, a safe and a private bathroom.
A buffet breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
3-star hotel Ekaterina, located on the territory of the Catherine Palace and Park Ensemble.
The hotelhas a 24-hour front desk, a cafe, free Wi-Fi and parking.
The rooms are equipped with airconditioning, a TV, a work desk and free toiletries.
Breakfast is included in the room rate. Link to the hotel
All accommodation facilities in St. Petersburg, including in the city center and in Pushkin, can be viewed and booked here
