The gate was built specifically to honor Count Grigory Orlov's success in managing the 1771 plague outbreak in Moscow.
Architect Antonio Rinaldi chose Pudost limestone, a material known for its porous texture and ability to absorb moisture, which has required significant maintenance over centuries.
The structure functions as a monumental screen, signaling the boundary between the public road and the private imperial park.
The metal decorations were added to the limestone structure to provide visual contrast and long-term durability against the elements.
It is one of the few structures in Tsarskoye Selo that was built to celebrate a specific administrative and social achievement rather than a military conquest.
The Orlov Gate is a neo-classical triumphal arch situated at the entrance to Catherine Park in Pushkin. Commissioned by Catherine the Great, it was erected between 1777 and 1782 to commemorate the heroism of Grigory Orlov during the plague riot of 1771. Designed by architect Antonio Rinaldi, the structure utilizes local grey-tinged Pudost limestone. Its design features two massive pylons connected by an attic, adorned with metal relief panels depicting motifs of military glory. The gate serves as a formal entry point for those traveling from the direction of Gatchina to the Tsarskoye Selo residence. It represents a transition from the imperial landscape architecture of the park to the surrounding regional road network. The structure has undergone several restorations to preserve the fragile limestone masonry from the damp climate of the Saint Petersburg region.
From the park-side path looking back through the arch toward the park foliage.
View the gate from both sides to appreciate the scale transition between the outer road and the park interior.
Inspect the texture of the limestone masonry closely, as it is a characteristic material of 18th-century architecture in the region.
Combine your visit with a walking tour of the southern section of Catherine Park to see the gate in context with the landscape design.
Do not attempt to climb the structure; the porous limestone is brittle and historically protected.
Access to the gate is linked to the operational status of the Catherine Park complex; park entry requires a ticket during the high season.
