In the center of the Great Pond, on a small artificial island shaped like a truncated pyramid, the Chesma column rises high above the water. This 25-meter high monument was designed by architect Rinaldi in 1771-1778 and is made of multi-colored marble.
    The column was set to glorify the victory of the Russian fleet in Chesma Bay on June 25, 1770, which became crucial for Russia’s victory in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774. The marble trunk of the column is decorated with rostra, which honor sea victories of Russia (rostrum - prow of the ship). The column is crowned by a bronze eagle (symbol of Russia) crushing a crescent (symbol of Turkey). The pedestal was originally decorated with bronze bas-reliefs depicting episodes of battles in the Mediterranean Sea. Regrettably, the bas-reliefs were stolen by the Nazis and did not survive. The column was restored in 1954.