The Kagul or Rumiantsev Obelisk stands in the Catherine Park close to the southern façade of the Zubov Wing of the Catherine Palace and not far from the Monument to Lanskoi. It was erected in 1771–72 at the time of Catherine II to the design of Antonio Rinaldi to mark a Russian victory over the Turks as is clear from the inscription on the pedestal: “In memory of the victory gained on the River Kagul in Moldavia on 21 July 1770. Under the command of General Count Piotr Rumiantsev, a Russian force numbering 17,000 caused to flee as far as the Danube the Turkish vizier Halil Bey with his force of 150,000.”

There are no military attributes in the decoration of the Kagul Obelisk. The beauty of its lines, the refined proportions and the skilfully selected dark grey and red Russian marble give it an impressive, austere appearance.

The obelisk is mentioned in a novel A Captain’s Daughter by Alexander Pushkin.