Chesme Column
The Chesme Column (Russian: Чесменская колонна) is a rostral column (a type of victory column) in Catherine Park of the former Russian royal residence of Tsarskoye Selo, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, that commemorates three Russian naval victories in the Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774, specifically the Battle of Chesma. It was constructed in the Large Pond of the Landscape Park of the Catherine Palace to Rinaldi's designs over the years 1774-78.[1] The column should not be confused with the Chesme Obelisk in Gatchina.
![](../I/m/RUS-2016-Pushkin-Catherine_Park-Chesme_Column.jpg)
The monument is a Doric rostral column of white-and-pink marble, decorated with ship bows rostra and crowned by a bronze figure of an eagle (symbol of Russia) trampling a crescent (symbol of Turkey). The column stands on a grey marble pedestal lined with bronze bas-reliefs illustrating the Russian victories: these were destroyed by the Germans during World War II and subsequently restored from old photographs. The pedestal rests on a stepped pyramid-like granite platform.[1]
Gallery
- Catherine II strolling in the park at Tsarskoye Selo with the Chesme Column in the background
- Marble Bridge in Tsarskoe Selo (1774). The Chesme Column may be seen in the distance
- Side view shows an entrance leading to the base pedestal.[1]
![](../I/m/%D0%9E%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BB_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%A7%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B5_(%D0%9F%D1%83%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BD).jpg)
![](../I/m/A_fragment_of_a_bas-relief_of_genuine_Chesmenskaya_column_found_at_the_bottom_of_the_pond_-_panoramio.jpg)
References
- "The Chesme Column". tzar.ru. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.