The Chesma Column and the Hall on the Island are two structures located in the Large Pond of the Catherine Park in the former Tsarskoye Selo (now the Pushkin city of St. Petersburg).
Chesma column
The Chesmenskaya or Orlovskaya Column is located in the middle of a Large Pond and acts as one of the dominants of the surrounding landscape.
The column, with a total height of more than 25 meters, is clearly visible from afar.
View of the Big Pond with the island, the Chesma Column and the "Grotto" pavilion"
Russian Russian Naval Victory Column is one of the monuments-memorials erected in honor of the naval victories of Russian weapons in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774.
The Chesma Column was built in 1774-1778 by the Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi.
The column became a symbol and monument of the three victories of the Russian navy during the Russo-Turkish War: the Chios, Chesma and Mytilene battles. So, on June 24, 1770, under the leadership of Count A. G. Orlov (hence the second name of the column - "Orlovskaya") and Admiral G. A. Spiridov, a battle took place in the Chios Strait of the Mediterranean Sea, where the Russian and Turkish fleets met, a battle ensued and two ships were immediately lost: the Russian Saint Eustathius and the Turkish Burju-Zafer (according to other sources, Real Mustafa).
After the battle, the Turks took their ships to the Chesma Bay; further shelling of the Turkish ships took place in the bay. On the night of the next day, several small Russian ships (fire-ships) entered the bay, carrying barrels of gunpowder and volunteer sailors. Only one fire ship under the command of 32-year-old Lieutenant Dmitry Sergeyevich Ilyin reached the goal, and this was enough - the Turkish ships, due to their proximity to each other, broke out one after another.
In November 1770, a Russian detachment in the Mediterranean occupied the island of Mytilene with the help of the fleet. The enemy was put to flight, and the remnants of the Turkish naval forces were destroyed.
Empress Catherine II dedicated the Tsarskoye Selo monument "Chesma Column" to these grandiose battles. Other memorials were also erected: the Chesma Memorial Hall in the Grand Peterhof Palace, the Chesma Travel Palace and the Chesma Church (the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist), the Chesma Obelisk in Gatchina, the Chesma Grand Staircase in the Grand Gatchina Palace.
Marble Doric column, carved from three pieces of white-pink Olonets marble, decorated with roasters and crowned with an eagle, trampling the crescent.
The base for the column is a pedestal mounted on a stylobate rising from the water of the pond in the form of a four-sided truncated pyramid, finished with rusticated gray-pink polished granite (according to some sources, Serdobolsky). In the central part of the pyramid there is an arch, covered with a lattice, behind which is hidden a stone staircase leading to the pedestal of the column.
Bronze bas-reliefs depicting historical naval battles are placed on three sides of the gray marble pedestal of the Chesma column. On the south side, a marble plaque is attached to the pedestal with a description of the history of the immortalized battles.
A bridge leads to the column from the island in the Big Pond. On the island itself is the pavilion "Hall on the island".
The Chesma column was significantly damaged during the Great Patriotic War: the original bronze bas-reliefs were lost. Subsequently, according to the project of the architect A. A. Kedrinsky, the bas-reliefs were recreated and installed in their former places.
One of the fragments of the bronze bas-relief of the Chesma column was found at the bottom of a Large pond and today it is installed on the shore of the pond, near the fountain "Girl with a Jug".
Hall on the island
The Hall on the Island is a small pavilion on the island (in accordance with the name) of the Large Pond of the Catherine Park, originally built in the late 1740s according to the project of S.I. Chevakinsky and decorated according to the sketches of F.-B. Rastrelli.
In 1794, the pavilion was rebuilt by D. Quarenghi, and in 1817-1820, new works were carried out in the Hall on the island by V. P. Stasov.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the pavilion served for concerts and recreation of boating on the pond, and occasionally court dinners were held in the pavilion. To organize dinners, a small kitchen was built next to the Hall on the island, destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century and now recreated.
In 1912-1941, the hall remained closed; in winter, boats were stored in its walls.
Today, the Hall on the Island pavilion is used in the summer for concerts and special events.
How to get to the island of the Big Pond
You can only get to the island and the Chesma Column by ferry for a fee.
Ferries depart from the piers on the banks of the Big Pond, located at Admiralty (east bank of the pond) and the fountain "The Girl with the Jug" (west bank of the pond), which is not far from Granite terrace.
From the Admiralty Pier, you can also take a ride in a Venetian gondola across the pond.
View of the marina at the Admiralty
View of the marina near the fountain "The Girl with the Jug"
Practical information
The Chesma Column and the Hall on the Island pavilion are located in Catherine Park, Pushkin, Saint Petersburg.
Catherine Park with pavilions, together with Catherine's Palace, belong to the State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoe Selo".
In the summer season (somewhere from the second half of April to mid-October), the entrance to the Catherine Park is paid.
In the Catherine Palace, you can visit the restored halls.
Tickets to the park, some of the pavilions of the park and the halls of the palace can be purchased at the box office, or in advance-online on the official website.
The opening hours of the park, the park pavilions and the palace, as well as the conditions for visiting and the cost of tickets, we recommend that you check on the website of the State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoe Selo": tzar.
You can visit Tsarskoye Selo with one of the excursions
In Pushkin, near the Catherine Park and the palace, you can stay
The 5-star Pevcheskaya Tower Hotel features 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 hotelfeatures a spa area 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 minibar, 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.
At the hotel: 24-hour front desk, cafe, free Wi-Fi and parking.
Each room here will provide you with air conditioning, 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
