Chesme Church
The Chesme Church (Russian: Чесменская церковь; full name Church of Saint John the Baptist at Chesme Palace, also called the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Russian: це́рковь Рождества́ Иоа́нна Предте́чи при Че́сменском Дворце́), is a small Russian Orthodox church at 12 Lensoveta Street, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was built by the Russian court architect Yury Felten in 1780, at the direction of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. A memorial church, it was erected adjacent to the Chesme Palace (Russian: Чесменский дворец: damaged during the Siege of Leningrad and restored in 1946) between Saint Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo to commemorate the anniversary of Russia's 1770 victory over Turkish forces in Chesme Bay (Turkish: Çeşme) in the Aegean Sea during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774.
| Chesme Church Church of St John the Baptist Chesme | |
|---|---|
| Church of Saint John the Baptist at Chesme Palace | |
Church of St John the Baptist Chesme, Russia | |
| 59°51′24″N 30°19′51″E | |
| Location | Chesme Palace between Saint Petersburg and Sumner Palace also in the Red Village |
| Country | Russia |
| Denomination | Russian Orthodox Church |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Chesme Church |
| Status | Functional |
| Founded | 1780 |
| Founder(s) | Catherine the Great |
| Dedication | Russia's 1770 victory over Turkish forces in Chesme Bay |
| Consecrated | 24 June |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | House church for the Chesme Palace |
| Architect(s) | Yury Felten |
| Architectural type | Gothic Revival |
| Demolished | not demolished |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick with white stone |
The church and Chesme Palace were the earliest Neo-Gothic constructions in the St Petersburg area. Considered by some to be St Petersburg's single most impressive church, it is a rare example of very early Gothic Revival influence in Russian church architecture.