Cast iron gazebo

“The cast-iron gazebo on eight pillars with a marble ceiling and marble benches” is mentioned in the lists of Tsarskoye Selo buildings from the late 18th century, but without any indication of the time of its construction. In the protocols of the Tsarskoye Village Construction Office, there is information that in 1767 Catherine II approved the gazebo project and ordered “to cast nine gazebos from cast iron in the village of Tsarskoye according to the made and approved drawings, in the exact form as specified in those drawings, at the Sestroretsk factories.” But only 18 years later did the first gazebo take its place in the Catherine Park – it was the first metal gazebo in Russia and is of great interest as an example of the high level of Russian cast-iron artistic casting of that time and as evidence of the variety of techniques used by architects to decorate parks. The gazebo’s roof, with a break and a slight curve in the lower part, rests on eight octagonal cast-iron pillars embedded in the ground. The lost marble benches in the gazebo have been replaced with wooden ones. The gray marble inlay set into the ceiling was originally painted.

Unfortunately, the other gazebos of its kind were never to leave the workshops. The gazebo was created according to a design by Giacomo Quarenghi and is one of the recognized gems of the park. It is shrouded in romance – this place was already beloved by park visitors in the 19th century.

It was not repaired for a long time, only touched up with oil paint; over time, the interior lining of the gazebo and the wooden benches disappeared.

In honor of the 300th anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo, the gazebo was restored and will once again delight all admirers of the famous Italian master with its beauty.