The Creaking Gazebo or Chinese Gazebo is one of the historical park pavilions located in the landscape part of the Catherine Park, in the former Tsarskoye Selo (now the Pushkin city of St. Petersburg).
The name" Creaky", the gazebo received due to the fact that the weather vane in the form of a Chinese banner, installed on the roof of the pavilion, when rotating in the wind, makes a creak. And "Chinese" - thanks to its appearance.
This pavilion is perhaps the most exotic in the Catherine Park.
The gazebo is located on a narrow isthmus between two ponds of the park, which makes the overall view of the pavilion with ponds even more picturesque.
From the main entrance to the gazebo to the waters of the pond leads a stone staircase of twelve steps, made in the form of gradually expanding semicircles.
The gazebo was built in 1778-1786 under the direction of I. V. Neelov, designed by architect Yu. M. Felten, under the Empress Catherine II, who was fond of Chinese culture.
The pavilion is an elongated structure, the center of which is an oval domed room, to which two smaller, almost square rooms are adjacent.
The central structure is crowned with a "Chinese" roof and a tower on metal pillars with a weather vane. Above the side rooms are open terraces on four-sided pillars, also topped with weather vents.
The roof of the building with curved edges resembles the architecture typical of Chinese pagodas, and it is decorated with bright and gilded figures of dragons.
The exterior walls of the Chinese gazebo are painted with colored marble; also noteworthy are the intricate ornaments, patterns of doors and windows, in which some motifs of Chinese art are applied.
To the small buildings of the gazebo, on the east and west sides, there are two entrances, solved in the form of rectangular projections and decorated on three sides with open semicircular arches.
Dragon figure on a Chinese gazebo
Practical information
The creaky gazebo is open to visitors in the summer.
The creaky (Chinese) gazebo is located in Catherine Park, Pushkin, St. Petersburg.
Coordinates of the gazebo: 59°42'49.0"N 30°23'13.0"E (59.713611, 30.386944).
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 cost of tickets to the halls of the palace includes the cost of a ticket to the Catherine Park. Visits to the pavilions-museums of the park are not included in the price of the entrance to the park and in the ticket to visit the halls of the palace - are paid separately.
The opening hours of the park and the palace, as well as the conditions of the visit 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
