Chapelle-historical pavilion in Alexander Park of the former Tsarskoye Selo (now the Pushkin city of St. Petersburg).
Chapelle in French "chapelle" means "chapel".
The Chapelle is the most romantic of the buildings of the Alexander Park.
In addition, the pavilion looks pretty "shabby", but this is not for nothing, this is how it appeared in the park in the 19th century - in the form of a Gothic chapel (chapel) destroyed by time.
View of the Chapelle Tower from the Alexander Park
The pavilion "Chapelle" was built in 1825-1828 on the outskirts of Alexander Park by architect Adam Adamovich Menelas.
After the revolution of 1917, the Chapelle was opened to the public as a museum object. Closed due to low attendance in the early 1930s.
From 1931 until the Great Patriotic War, residential apartments were located in Chapelle.
At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the pavilion was used to install anti-aircraft guns in it, which were located in the former "clock room" in the attic. During the Nazi occupation, it was an observation post. During the war, the pavilion was significantly damaged.
Today, the pavilion "Chapelle" has been restored and is still an artificial ruin in the Gothic style.
It is made in the form of two square towers, one of which has almost completely "collapsed". The towers of the building are connected by a wide arch. Colored glass is inserted into the window of the tower.
The roof of the tower is decorated with a weather vane in the shape of a cockerel - this is a copy of the original, which originally decorated the pavilion. At the base of the weather vane, before installing it on the roof, in July 2018, employees laid a capsule with a message to descendants. The original weather vane in the shape of a cockerel, which decorated the roof of the tower, was made of copper and was a symbol of the abdication of the Apostle Peter.
The interior of the chapel is decorated with paintings imitating "Gothic" windows and fabric with a light blue border.
The ceiling of the main room of the chapel has a fan vault, characteristic of English late Gothic buildings.
Once there was a statue of the Savior in the chapel, which is now kept in the collection The Hermitage Museum, and in Chapelle there is a sculpture of Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna (Adini), daughter of Emperor Nicholas I, by Ivan Vitali. The sculpture comes from the lost Malaya Chapelle, which was located on the shore of the Lamsky Pond and has been kept in the funds of the Tsarskoye Selo Museum for the last decades.
Practical information
The pavilion "Chapelle" is located in the Alexander Park, Pushkin, St. Petersburg.
Coordinates of the pavilion "Chapelle": 59°42'55.0" N 30°22'47.0" E (59.715278, 30.379722).
Alexander Park with the pavilion "Chapelle", together with the Alexander Palace, belong to the State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoe Selo".
Entrance to the park is free (free of charge).
We recommend checking the working hours of the park, as well as the conditions of visiting, 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
