The Triumphal Gates

Opposite the chief entrance of the Reserve Palace, at the corner of the Volkonskaya street, there is a iron fence with a monumental gate in the Empire style, bearing the inscription "To my dear war companions" in French, on one side, in Russian on the other. This gate was erected in 1818 by the architect Stassov, in remembrance of the wars with Napoleon. In the XVIII century here stood wooden barracks for Cossacks of the Life-Guards, who were on duty during the Imperial presence at Tsarskoe Selo.

The new "Triumphal Gate", writes Svinyin in his peculiar style in 1818, "has been erected by the Emperor in Tsarskoe Selo, front the designs of the architect Stassov. This monument deserves the careful attention of "connoisseurs", both as regards its subject and to its execution.

It has the form of a portico, composed of light columns, which support a beautiful cornice with entablature. Each column is 9 arshins high, while the structure itself is 123/4 arshins high,, 20 arshins wide and 12 arshins deep. All the parts of the gate are cast from iron and weigh altogether 6289 poods 28 pounds. A modest hand has made the inscription "to my dear war companions" on both sides of the portico, on one side in Russian on the other in French.

This gate stands at the entrance of the park from the side of Pavlovsk, and forms the end of a road recently carried out for the Emperor's drives. This mighty obelisk was erected in an incredibly short time. It was begun in May, and his Majesty saw it finished in August.

The enormous dimensions of this edifice are such as to require special methods for construction. Not only skillful masters and workmen were wanted, but a special foundry,where pieces over twenty feet long could be cast, was built. Besides that, new means had to be thought of, for casting iron in so great a quantity, for here was the danger, of its getting cold before the mold was filled. In a word a man was wanted for carrying out such an undertaking, with success. M. Clarke, of the Petrozavodsk foundries, cast these columns and carried out his work with a taste and art, which do him honour; but he confesses himself, that the success of his work is clue to the remarkable skill and dexterity of the Russian workmen. This monument unites a character of stateliness and noble simplicity. Perhaps its size and originality would be still more striking, if it were of a colour which had more resemblance to cast iron".

This gate forms one of the entrances of the Catherine Park.