Monuments, Saint Petersburg

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The Narva Triumphal Arch was erected as a memorial to the war of 1812.
Thought was given to where this Arch would be positioned, with the Narva Highway being chosen, so when soldiers returned from abroad after victory over Napoleon, they would pass through this Arch.

The one we saw, wasn't the original Arch, but one built in the 1834
The single bay triumphal arch is similar to the ancient Roman triumphal arches, which were normally built on a square near an entry to the city.

The arch is topped off with an impressive triumphal chariot pulled by six Horses. There is a statue of a female figure in the Chariot, holding the victory laurel wreath on her extended arm.
Models of wings of allegorical figures installed over the columns and two statues of ancient Russian warriors personify glory.

During WWII the arch suffered serious damage, but was carefully restored to its present condition in 1951.
Painted green, you can't miss it!

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I thought this Monument was great!
The Monument was built between 1856 - 1859, and is situated in one of Peterburgs most beautiful and historic squares.
It depicts Nicholas1 as a powerful military figure, which he really was, he was always involved with any sector of his troops.

The Monument contains a large model of the pony on which Nicholas I sits upon, four allegorical female figures, and a relief showing the historic and significant "Delivery of the Codification of Law to Count Michael Speransky."

Early morning, and hardly a person here, very different to when we drove past in the afternoon.
There would have been at least a dozen buses parked around the Monument, and so many people that you wouldn't have been able to get a decent photo!

Our next stop is to see the Bronze Horseman, an impressive monument to the founder of St Petersburg, Peter the Great.
Empress Catherine the Great, had the equestrian statue of Peter the Great built as a tribute to him. The statue depicts him as a Roman hero on his Horse, who is standing on a piece of granite representing a Cliff.
From the top of this "cliff," Peter gallantly leads Russia forward. His Horse stepped on a Snake, which represented the enemies of Peter and his reforms.

According to a 19th century legend, enemy forces will never take St. Petersburg while the "Bronze Horseman" stands in the middle of the city.

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Located on either side of the Stock Exchange is a Rostral Column.
These are Doric columns, made of brick coated with a deep terra cotta red stucco and decorated with bronze anchors and four pairs of bronze ship bows.
Seated around the base of the column are marble figures, each representing the major rivers of Russia - the Volga and Dnieper at the northern Rostral Column, Neva and Volkhov at the southern one.
The Rostral Columns were originally intended to serve as beacons and originally were topped by a light in the form of a Greek brazier and lit by oil. Now the braziers have gone and gas torches fitted, these are lit on ceremonial occasions.

I remember visiting Decembrists Square, a very historical place, that was formerly called Senate Square.
Visiting Decembrists Square you will see the equestrian statue of Peter the Great created by the French sculptor Etienne Falconet.
Peter the Great is depicted as a rider crowned with a laurel wreath.
He has halted his galloping horse forcing it to obey his iron will.
The rock is a symbol of the impediments removed and the crushed snake is a symbol of the defeated evil.
You can see the inscription on the pedestal that reads,
To Peter I
from Catherine

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Location : Peter and Paul Fortress
Russian sculptor : Mikhail Shemyakin.
Material : Bronze
Date : 1991 ( it isn't old )

Monument was built in 1991, in Peter and Paul Fortress. One of the famous monuments of Peter I and one of the famous monuments as in St.Petersburg, in Russia, as in the whole world.
This monument is unusual because of its type and size. Samll head, big legs and hands, big body.

This is the most famous statue of Peter the Great with the horse rearing above the snake of treason. It was made at the request of Catherine the Great.

It was made by Etienne Maurice Falconet, a French sculptor in 1782. The inscription on it is 'To Peter I from Catherine II - 1782.

There is a legend that while the statue remains, St Petersburg will never be taken by its enemies. Even during the 900 day siege, the statue escaped relatively unscathed.

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This powerful and impressive monument was built as the focal point of Ploshchad Pobedy (Victory Square) in the early 1970s to commemorate the heroic efforts of the residents of Leningrad and the soldiers on the Leningrad Front to the repel the Nazis in the 900-day Siege of Leningrad during World War II.