The Bronze Horseman, created by renowned sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet of France in 1782, is an equestrian statue of St. Petersburg's founder, Peter the Great. According to legend, enemies will not take St. Petersburg while the monument remains standing in its center. Protected during World War II, The Bronze Horseman survived the 900-day Siege of Leningrad unscathed. The statue was a tribute to Peter the Great from his successor Empress Catherine the Great. Located in the prominent Decembrists Square, the statue faces the Neva River and is surrounded by important buildings such as St. Isaac's Cathedral. The monument shows the horse stamping out evil, represented by a snake under his hoof. The monument's name refers to a Pushkin poem of the same name.
This impressive red granite monolith is named for Emperor Alexander I, who ruled Russia during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s, and it was erected to commemorate Russia's victory over France. A marvel of engineering, the 155-foot column is the centerpiece of Palace Square in St. Petersburg. The sculpture of an angel, whose face is reputed to be fashioned after that of Emperor Alexander, stands on top of the monolith. The pedestal at the column's base is adorned with representations of military glory. The Alexander Column weighs 1,322,760 pounds or 600 tons.
The inspiring Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) was built in Victory Square in the early 1970s as a memorial to the people of Leningrad, both military and civilian, who courageously repelled the Nazis during World War II. Designed by architect Sergei Speransky, whose entry was selected during a competition, the monument echoes the artistic traditions the city. A broken ring lit with gas flames shows engravings on the monument's walls. A large underground hall houses an exhibit dedicated to the Siege of Leningrad that includes a documentary and a map of the city's defenses. Upstairs, sculptures represent soldiers and civilians who held the line against the Nazis, and an obelisk rises above.
