Italian Pond

The Italian Pond is part of the Merchant Harbor, where trading ships wintered when arriving in Kronstadt. From the Italian Pond, goods from the ships were delivered via the Obvodny Canal flowing out of it to the trading rows (later to the Kronstadt Gostiny Dvor). It was constructed between 1717 and 1727 under the direction of architect Fontana, simultaneously with the Italian Palace. The pond took its name from the palace.

Originally, the pond was large and reached the first floor of the Italian Palace. In the 1780s–1790s, part of the pond was filled in, and a causeway-embankment formed between the pond and the palace (part of the modern Makarov Street).

Since 1815, the Italian Pond became the final stop of the first regular steamboat route from Saint Petersburg to Kronstadt — the so-called "passazhboty," designed and built by Charles Baird’s firm. This was the first steamboat line in Russia. In the 1817 navigation season, regular passenger trips began: two per day. Later, steamboat trips to European countries also departed from here.

In the mid-19th century, the banks of the Italian Pond were faced with granite. From the 1860s, an ice rink was opened on the Italian Pond during the winter season.

On the embankment of the pond on the Makarov Street side, fortress and naval guns from the 18th–19th centuries are installed, which once served in the armament of the Kronstadt fortress and forts, as well as ships. In 2005, a commemorative sign was installed on the eastern bank of the pond in honor of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of friendly relations between Russia and Japan. In 2016, a foundation stone for a monument to the feat of the Baltic Fleet minesweeper sailors who died in the line of duty was installed there as well. On the northern bank of the pond stands the Italian Palace.

In front of the palace facade, since 1886, there has been a monument to the explorer of Novaya Zemlya, Pakhtusov. In 2007, a bust monument to the artist Aivazovsky was installed near the palace.

On the causeway between the pond and the Merchant Harbor is the Dutch Kitchen.

On the western bank of the pond, an old 19th-century port crane has been preserved. With the help of such a crane, masts were removed from ships after they were taken into winter storage for storage on land. In spring, before the navigation season began, the same crane was used to reinstall the masts on the ships.

On the western bank of the pond is the historic Fish Rows building, which was used as a market where live fish, drinking water from Lake Ladoga, and other goods were sold. Currently, the Fish Rows are located on the territory of a military unit and are not freely accessible.

To the east of the pond is the Peter the Great Canal with the Dock Bridge on Makarov Street, and beyond the canal is Petrovsky Park with a monument to Peter I.

At the place where the Obvodny Canal flows out of the pond, on the abutment of the Blue Bridge, the Kronstadt Futtstock is installed. On the same Blue Bridge, there is a monument to the blockade stickleback.

Sources:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Итальянский_пруд