Arches of the General Staff, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.
The idea of building the monument was proposed by the famous architect Carl Rossi. Planning the space Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. An open competition was officially announced on behalf of Emperor Nicholas I in 1829 with the wording in memory of the “unforgettable brother”. Auguste Montferrand responded to this challenge with a project to erect a grandiose granite obelisk, but this option was rejected by the emperor.
In honor of the 175th anniversary of the installation of the Alexander Column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg, a solemn ceremony, and the Day of the Alexander Column was established in the Hermitage.
On September 25, 2009, the Bank of Russia issued a commemorative coin with a face value of 25 rubles dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. The coin is made of 925 silver, with a circulation of 1000 copies and weighing 169.00 grams.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Alexander Column (Russia) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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I erected a monument to myself, not made by hands,
The people's path to him will not be overgrown,
He ascended higher with his rebellious head
Alexandrian Pillar.
A. S. Pushkin
One of famous monuments Petersburg, the Alexander Column is familiar to each of us literally from school. WITH light hand everyone began to call the monument their beloved poet - Alexandria pillar, although, in fact, this is a poetic delight, and the monument has been called the Alexander Column for almost 200 years.
The Alexandria Column was erected on Palace Square under Nicholas I in 1834 by the architect Auguste Montferrand.
And the 47.5 m high monument was supposed to remind of Russia’s victory over France in 1812. The idea arose to erect a monument in the center of Palace Square near Karl Rossi, and as a result of an open competition, exactly the project that we now have the pleasure of seeing was selected .
The Alexander Column is the tallest column in the world made of solid stone.
The name of the Alexander Column, on the one hand, is associated with Emperor Alexander I, who defeated Napoleon, and on the other, with the Faros (Alexandria) lighthouse, which is one of the seven wonders of the world, personifying the ultimate level of human achievement. Alexander's column was supposed to surpass all existing columns in the world. Indeed, to this day the Alexander Column is the tallest column in the world made of solid stone. And to lift this grandiose monolith onto a pedestal, the architects of St. Petersburg created a special lifting system.
At the top of the monument, the work of B. Orlovsky is an angel, whose face the sculptor gave the features of Alexander I. The angel trampling on a snake on the top of the column symbolizes the peace and tranquility that Russia brought to Europe after defeating Napoleon. The bas-reliefs on the pedestal of the Alexander Column in allegorical form represent the glory of Russian weapons and symbolize courage Russian army: They depict Victory and Glory, recording the dates of memorable battles, Peace and Justice, Wisdom and Prosperity.
Figures and facts
The Alexander Column is made of red granite, processed not in St. Petersburg, but in the Pyuterlak quarry near Vyborg, and the figure of the angel is made of polished pink granite. In order to deliver the convoy to St. Petersburg, a special vessel was needed, which was towed by two steamships. 1250 piles, each 6 meters long, were driven under the base of the pedestal of the Alexander Column. The column was installed using scaffolding and capstans specially constructed in St. Petersburg.
It is curious that the installation took only 1 hour and 45 minutes, and 2,000 soldiers and 400 workers took part in lifting the column onto the pedestal.
The column itself weighs 600 tons. It is not dug into the ground or fixed to a foundation, but is supported solely by precise calculations and its own weight.
The sculptor gave the face of the angel on top of the monument the facial features of Alexander I.
The height of the angel crowning the Alexander Column is 4.26 m, in his hands he holds a cross 6.4 m high. The height of the pedestal on which the Alexander Column rises is 2.85 m. And the weight of the entire structure is 704 tons. Such is the greatness of Russian weapons, a monument to the victory not only of the Russian army, but also of the entire people, victory over what was impossible for others to defeat.
How to get there
The Alexander Column rises in the center of Palace Square in St. Petersburg. To get to the square and the monument, you need to use underground transport and get to the Nevsky Prospekt station, then move to the beginning of Nevsky Prospekt, focusing on the Admiralty spire. From the intersection of Nevsky and Admiralteysky Prospekts there is a view of Palace Square with the Alexander Column in the center. This is what you were looking for.
Pillar... pillar... pillar...
(C) people
A Alexandrovsky pillar (Alexandrinsky) - a monument to Alexander I, the conqueror of Napoleon
in the war of 1812-1814. The column, designed by Auguste Montferrand, was installed on August 30, 1834. It is crowned with a figure of an Angel (similar in appearance to Emperor Alexander), made by the sculptor Boris Ivanovich Orlovsky.
The Alexandria Pillar is not only an architectural masterpiece in the Empire style, but also an outstanding achievement of engineering. The tallest column in the world, made of monolithic granite. Its weight is 704 tons. The height of the monument is 47.5 meters, the granite monolith is 25.88 meters. It is taller than Pompey's Column in Alexandria, in Rome and, what is especially nice, the Vendôme Column in Paris - a monument to Napoleon (it exists)
I'll start with brief history its creation
The idea of building the monument was proposed by the famous architect Carl Rossi. When planning the space of Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. From the side, the installation point of the column looks like the exact center of Palace Square. But in fact it is located 100 meters from Winter Palace and almost 140 meters from the arch of the General Staff building.
The construction of the monument was entrusted to Montferrand. He himself saw it a little differently, with a group of cavalry below and with many architectural details, but he was corrected)))
For the granite monolith - the main part of the column - the rock that the sculptor outlined during his previous trips to Finland was used. Mining and preliminary processing were carried out in 1830-1832 in the Pyuterlak quarry, which was located in the Vyborg province ( modern city Pyterlahti, Finland).
These works were carried out according to the method of S.K. Sukhanov, the production was supervised by masters S.V. Kolodkin and V.A. Yakovlev. It took half a year to trim the monolith. 250 people worked on this every day. Montferrand appointed mason master Eugene Pascal to lead the work.
After the stonemasons examined the rock and confirmed the suitability of the material, a prism was cut off from it, which was significantly larger in size than the future column. Giant devices were used: huge levers and gates to move the block from its place and tip it onto a soft and elastic bedding of spruce branches.
After separating the workpiece, huge stones were cut from the same rock for the foundation of the monument, the largest of which weighed about 25 thousand poods (more than 400 tons). Their delivery to St. Petersburg was carried out by water, for this purpose a barge of a special design was used.
The monolith was duped on site and prepared for transportation. Transportation issues were dealt with by naval engineer Colonel K.A. Glazyrin, who designed and built a special boat, named “Saint Nicholas”, with a carrying capacity of up to 65 thousand poods (almost 1065 tons).
During loading, an accident occurred - the weight of the column could not be supported by the beams along which it was supposed to roll onto the ship, and it almost collapsed into the water. The monolith was loaded by 600 soldiers, who completed a forced march of 36 miles from a neighboring fortress in four hours.
To carry out loading operations, a special pier was built. Loading was carried out from a wooden platform at its end, which coincided in height with the side of the vessel.
Having overcome all difficulties, the column was loaded on board, and the monolith went to Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamships, from there to go to the Palace Embankment of St. Petersburg.
The arrival of the central part of the column in St. Petersburg took place on July 1, 1832. The contractor, merchant son V. A. Yakovlev, was responsible for all of the above work.
Since 1829, work began on the preparation and construction of the foundation and pedestal of the column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg. The work was supervised by O. Montferrand.
First, a geological survey of the area was carried out, which resulted in the discovery of a suitable sandy continent near the center of the area at a depth of 17 feet (5.2 m).
The contract for the construction of the foundation was given to the merchant Vasily Yakovlev. By the end of 1829, the workers managed to dig a foundation pit. While strengthening the foundation for the Alexander Column, workers came across piles that had strengthened the ground back in the 1760s. It turned out that Montferrand repeated, after Rastrelli, the decision about the location for the monument, landing on the same point!
In December 1829, the location for the column was approved, and 1,250 six-meter pine piles were driven under the base. Then the piles were cut to fit the spirit level, forming a platform for the foundation, according to the original method: the bottom of the pit was filled with water, and the piles were cut to the level of the water table, which ensured that the site was horizontal. Previously, using a similar technology, the foundation of St. Isaac's Cathedral was laid.
The foundation of the monument was built from stone granite blocks half a meter thick. It was extended to the horizon of the square using planked masonry. In its center was placed a bronze box with 0 105 coins minted in honor of the victory of 1812. A platinum medal minted according to Montferrand’s design with the image of the Alexander Column and the date “1830” was also placed there, as well as a mortgage plaque with the following text:
""In the summer of Christ 1831, construction began on a monument erected to Emperor Alexander by grateful Russia on a granite foundation laid on the 19th day of November 1830. In St. Petersburg, Count Yu. Litta presided over the construction of this monument. The meeting was held by: Prince P. Volkonsky, A. Olenin, Count P. Kutaisov, I. Gladkov, L. Carbonier, A. Vasilchikov. The construction was carried out according to the drawings of the same architect Augustin de Montferand."
The work was completed in October 1830.
After laying the foundation, a huge four-hundred-ton monolith, brought from the Pyuterlak quarry, was erected on it, which serves as the base of the pedestal.
The engineering problem of installing such a large monolith was solved by O. Montferrand as follows: the monolith was rolled on rollers through an inclined plane onto a platform built close to the foundation. And the stone was dumped on a pile of sand, previously poured next to the platform.
"At the same time, the earth shook so much that eyewitnesses - passers-by who were in the square at that moment, felt as if an underground shock"Then they moved it on rollers.
Later O. Montferrand recalled; “Since the work was carried out in winter, I ordered cement and vodka to be mixed and a tenth of soap added. Due to the fact that the stone initially sat incorrectly, it had to be moved several times, which was done with the help of only two capstans and with particular ease, of course , thanks to the soap that I ordered to be mixed into the solution..."
Album with drawings by Montferrand.
By July 1832, the monolith of the column was on its way, and the pedestal had already been completed. It's time to begin the most difficult task - installing the column on the pedestal.
Based on the developments of Lieutenant General A. A. Betancourt for the installation of columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in December 1830, an original lifting system was designed. It included: scaffolding 22 fathoms (47 meters) high, 60 capstans and a system of blocks.
On August 30, 1832, masses of people gathered to watch this event: they occupied the entire square, and besides this, the windows and roof of the General Staff Building were occupied by spectators. The sovereign and the entire imperial family came to the raising.
To bring the column into a vertical position on Palace Square, it was necessary to attract the forces of 2,000 soldiers and 400 workers, who installed the monolith in 1 hour and 45 minutes.
After installation, people shouted "Hurray!" And the delighted emperor said: “Montferrand, you have immortalized yourself!”
The granite pillar and the bronze angel standing on it are held together solely by their own weight. If you come very close to the column and, raising your head, look up, it will take your breath away - the column is swaying.
After installing the column, all that remained was to attach the bas-relief slabs and decorative elements to the pedestal, as well as to complete the final processing and polishing of the column.
The column was surmounted by a bronze capital of the Doric order with a rectangular abacus made of brickwork with bronze facing. A bronze cylindrical pedestal with a hemispherical top was installed on it.
In parallel with the construction of the column, in September 1830, O. Montferrand worked on a statue intended to be placed above it and, according to the wishes of Nicholas I, facing the Winter Palace. In the original design, the column was completed with a cross entwined with a snake to decorate the fasteners. In addition, the sculptors of the Academy of Arts proposed several options for compositions of figures of angels and virtues with a cross. There was an option to install the figure of Saint Prince Alexander Nevsky, but the first option that was approved was a cross on a ball without an angel, in this form the column is even present in some old engravings..
But in the end, the figure of an angel with a cross was accepted for execution, made by the sculptor B.I. Orlovsky with expressive and understandable symbolism - “By this victory!”
Orlovsky had to redo the sculpture of the Angel several times before Nicholas I liked it. The Emperor wanted the Angel’s face to be given a resemblance to Alexander I, and the face of the snake trampled by the Angel’s cross must certainly resemble Napoleon’s face. If he does sweat, it is only remotely.
Initially, the Alexander Column was framed by a temporary wooden fence with lamps in the form of antique tripods and plaster lion masks. The carpentry work for the fence was carried out by the “carver” Vasily Zakharov. Instead of a temporary fence, at the end of 1834 it was decided to install a permanent metal one “with three-headed eagles under the lanterns,” the design of which was drawn up by Montferrand in advance.
Parade at the opening of the Alexander Column in 1834. From a painting by Ladurneur.
To accommodate the guests of honor, Montferrand built a special grandstand in front of the Winter Palace in the form of a three-span arch. It was decorated in such a way as to architecturally connect with the Winter Palace.
A parade of troops took place in front of the podium and the column.
It must be said that the monument, which now seems perfect, sometimes aroused criticism from contemporaries. Montferrand, for example, was reproached for allegedly using the marble intended for the column to build his own house, and using cheap granite for the monument. The figure of the Angel reminded the people of St. Petersburg of a sentry and inspired the poet to write the following mocking lines:
“In Russia everything breathes military craft:
And the Angel puts a cross on guard.”
But the rumor did not spare the emperor himself. Imitating his grandmother, Catherine II, who inscribed on the pedestal Bronze Horseman“Peter I - Catherine II,” Nikolai Pavlovich in official papers called the new monument “Pillar of Nicholas I to Alexander I,” which immediately gave birth to a pun: "Pillar to Pillar".
In honor of this event, a coin was minted commemorative coin in denominations of 1 ruble and one and a half rubles
The grandiose structure inspired admiration and awe in St. Petersburg residents from the moment of its foundation, but our ancestors were seriously afraid that the Alexander Column would collapse and tried to avoid it.
To dispel philistine fears, the architect Auguste Montferrand, fortunately living nearby, on the Moika, began to exercise daily around his brainchild, demonstrating complete confidence in his own safety and the correctness of his calculations. Years have passed, wars and revolutions have passed, the column still stands, the architect was not mistaken.
December 15, 1889 happened almost mystical story- Foreign Minister Lamsdorf reported in his diary that at nightfall, when the lanterns are lit, a luminous letter “N” appears on the monument.
Rumors began to spread around St. Petersburg that this was an omen of a new reign in the new year, but the next day the count figured out the reasons for the phenomenon. The name of their manufacturer was etched on the glass of the lanterns: "Simens". When the lamps were working from the side of St. Isaac's Cathedral, this letter was reflected on the column.
There are many tales and legends associated with it))) there were even
In 1925, it was decided that the presence of an angel figure on the main square of Leningrad was inappropriate. An attempt was made to cover it with a cap, which attracted a fairly large number of passers-by to Palace Square. A hot air balloon hung above the column. However, when he flew up to the required distance, the wind immediately blew and drove the ball away. By evening, attempts to hide the angel stopped.
There is a legend that at that time, instead of the angel, they seriously planned to erect a monument to Lenin. It would have looked something like this))) Lenin was not appointed because they could not decide in which direction to extend their hand to Ilyich...
The column is beautiful both in winter and summer. And it fits perfectly into Palace Square.
There's another one interesting legend. This happened on April 12, 1961, after a solemn TASS message about the launch of the first manned spacecraft was heard on the radio. spaceship. There is general rejoicing on the streets, real euphoria on a national scale!
The very next day after the flight, a laconic inscription appeared at the feet of the angel crowning the Alexandria Pillar: “Yuri Gagarin! Hurray!”
Which vandal was able to express his admiration for the first cosmonaut in this way and how he managed to climb to such a dizzying height will remain a mystery.
In the evening and at night the column is no less beautiful.
Basic information (C) Wiki, walkspb.ru and other Internet. Old photos and engravings (C) albums of Montferrand (State public library) and the Internet. Modern photos partly mine, partly from the internet.
And the Alexander Column has been decorating Palace Square since 1834: Nicholas I ordered its erection in honor of the victory of Alexander I over Napoleon. Together with the Kultura.RF portal, we recall interesting details from the history of this building.
Alexander Column, St. Petersburg. Photo: meros.org
The first sketches of the Alexander Obelisk
Stepan Shchukin. Portrait of Alexander I. Early 1800s. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Evgeny Plyushar. Portrait of Auguste Montferrand. 1834.
Franz Kruger. Portrait of Nicholas I. 1852. Hermitage, St. Petersburg
In 1829 Nicholas I declared open competition sketches of a monument in memory of Alexander I. Auguste Montferrand - his project for the Alexander Column was subsequently realized - first proposed installing a 25-meter-high granite obelisk on the square. At the same time, Montferrand developed several projects for the monument’s pedestal. In one of the sketches, he proposed decorating the pedestal with bas-reliefs of Fyodor Tolstoy, which illustrated the events Patriotic War 1812, and the figure of a horseman, in front of whom flies a double-headed eagle, and behind is the goddess of victory. In another sketch he depicted figures of elephants supporting an obelisk.
"Trajan's Column appeared before me"
Alexander Column, figure of an angel
Alexander Column, pedestal
However, not a single obelisk project was accepted. Montferrand was asked to create something like the Vendôme Column in Paris or Trajan's Column in Rome. As the architect wrote: “Trajan’s Column appeared before me as a prototype of the most beautiful thing that a person of this kind can create. I had to try to come as close as possible to this majestic example of antiquity, as was done in Rome for the Antonine Column, in Paris for the Napoleon Column".
Montferrand's column also had several design options: in addition to the sketch with the figure of an angel, the architect proposed crowning the obelisk with a cross entwined with a snake, or installing the figure of Alexander Nevsky at the top.
Finnish granite for a Russian monument
Vasily Tropinin. Portrait of Samson Sukhanov. 1823. Museum of V.A. Tropinin and Moscow artists of his time, Moscow
Pyuterlach quarry, separation of a block of stone from a rock. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. “Plans and details of the monument, dedicated to memory Emperor Alexander", 1836
Tilting a mass for a column rod in a quarry. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. "Plans and details of a monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836
Montferrand chose the material for his monument in advance: granite from Finland was used for the Alexander Column. Both the column itself and the stones for its foundation were cut from one rock - the largest of them weighed more than 400 tons. They were hewn out over two years - from 1830 to 1832 - in the Pyuterlak quarry. About 250 people worked there, and they were led by the famous stonemason Samson Sukhanov.
Transportation on "St. Nicholas"
Loading the column onto the ship. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. "Plans and details of a monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836
Delivery of blocks for the pedestal of the Alexander Column. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. "Plans and details of a monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836
Moving the block for the pedestal of the Alexander Column from the embankment. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. "Plans and details of a monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836
Transporting blanks for the obelisk from Finland to St. Petersburg was not an easy task. To transport the column by water, a special boat “St. Nicholas” was built with a carrying capacity of more than 1000 tons. 600 soldiers were loaded onto its board, and they almost dropped the monolith into the water. The St. Nicholas and the convoy were towed by two steamships to St. Petersburg.
Pine piles, cement with soap and a box of coins
Installation of the pedestal on the foundation. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. "Plans and details of a monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836
Lifting a column onto an overpass. Lithograph from the book by Auguste Montferrand. "Plans and details of a monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836
When laying the foundation for the installation of the column, workers discovered piles: half a century earlier, Bartolomeo Rastrelli planned to erect a monument to Peter I here.
When installing the column, we used the innovative engineering developments of Augustine Betancourt, which by that time had already been tested during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral by Augustine Montferrand. Here the foundation was laid using the same technology as in Isaacia: 1,250 pine piles were driven into the bottom of the pit, and granite stone blocks were placed on them. A monolith weighing 400 tons was placed on the foundation, which became the base of the pedestal. The monolith was connected to the foundation with a special solution - vodka and soap were added to the cement. Thanks to this, the monolith could be moved until it “sits” perfectly. A commemorative box with coins minted in honor of the War of 1812 and a mortgage board were installed in the center of the foundation.
“Montferrand, you have immortalized yourself!”
Alexander Denisov. The rise of the Alexander Column. 1832
L.P.-A. Bishebois, A.J.-B. Bayo. The rise of the Alexander Column. 1834
Grigory Gagarin. Alexandria Column in the woods. 1832
Most challenging task facing the builders was the installation of a column. The developments made by Augustine Betancourt during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral were also useful here. He designed a special lifting system from scaffolding, capstans - mechanisms for moving loads - and a system of blocks. First, the column was rolled up an inclined plane onto a special platform and secured to it. Then they began to lift the ropes placed on top of the scaffolding. About 2,500 people performed this operation for almost 40 minutes. Nicholas I was so impressed by the solemn rise that he exclaimed: “Montferrand, you have immortalized yourself!” After installing the column, it was sanded, polished and decorated - this took two years.
Sculptural decoration of the column
Alexander Column, figure of an angel. Photo: hellopiter.ru
Alexander Column, pedestal. Photo: nevsky.rf
Alexander Column, pedestal. Photo: fotokto.ru
The figure of an angel, almost five meters high, was made by sculptor Boris Orlovsky. The angel holds a cross in his left hand and raises his right hand to heaven. According to Montferrand's plan, the figure of the angel was supposed to be gilded, but due to the rush to open it, this decision was abandoned. On the pedestal of the column there are images of the all-seeing eye, under which there are double-headed eagles holding laurel garlands in their paws. Two winged female figures holding a sign with the text “Alexander I - grateful Russia”; symbols of the Vistula and Neman rivers are depicted nearby. Other bas-reliefs depict allegories of Victory and Peace, Justice and Mercy and Wisdom and Abundance. The drawings for the design of the pedestal were made by Montferrand himself, from which the artists made sketches in life size, and sculptors created molds for casting.
The tallest monument made of solid granite
Alexander Column. Photo: petersburg.center
The opening ceremony of the monument took place on September 11, 1834. The architect wanted to refuse to participate in the ceremony, but Nicholas I insisted, saying: “Montferrand, your creation is worthy of its purpose, you have erected a monument to yourself.”. For the celebration, special stands were erected on Palace Square to accommodate the imperial family and other distinguished guests.
“And no pen can describe the greatness of that moment when, following three cannon shots, suddenly from all the streets, as if born from the earth, in slender bulks, with the thunder of drums, columns of the Russian army began to march to the sounds of the Paris March... The ceremonial march began: Russian the army passed by the Alexander Column; This magnificent, unique spectacle in the world lasted for two hours... In the evening, noisy crowds wandered through the streets of the illuminated city for a long time, finally, the lighting faded, the streets were empty, and the majestic colossus was left alone with its sentry in a deserted square.”
Vasily Zhukovsky
Angel after the revolution
Restoration of the Alexander Column in 2002. Photo: armycarus.do
Restoration of the Alexander Column in 2002. Photo: petersburglike.ru
After the revolution, the figure of an angel on the Alexander Column was masked with red cloth or balloons. There was a legend that they were planning to install a statue of Lenin instead, but this did not happen. The fence around the monument was melted down for ammunition in the 1930s. During the Great Patriotic War, the Alexander Column was not completely camouflaged, like many others. architectural monuments Leningrad, but only 2/3 of the height. The angel received shrapnel “wounds.” The column and the area around it were restored several times - in the 1960s, 1970s and 2000s.
On Palace Square stands the Pillar of Alexandria, a masterpiece of the engineering genius, Auguste Montferrand. It stands unsupported by anything, only due to its mass, which is almost 600 tons.
In memory of Russia's victory over Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812, the majestic Alexander Column was erected, built in 1829-1834 according to the design and direction of the architect O. Montferrand. The architect A. U. Adamini also took part in the construction.
The Pillar of Alexandria is the unofficial name of the structure, which arose after the publication, several years after the completion of construction, of Pushkin’s poem “Monument”
I erected a monument to myself, not made by hands,
The people's path to him will not be overgrown,
He ascended higher with his rebellious head
Alexandrian pillar
Although formally, apparently, the famous wonder of the world, the Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria, is meant, many see in these lines the poet’s unambiguous allusion to the recently erected monument. Some researchers dispute the reliability of this interpretation, but the fact remains that the name is firmly entrenched in the culture of St. Petersburg.
Gigantic, even modern ideas, the monolith was hewn out of dark red granite near Vyborg and, with the help of many ingenious technical devices, was transported by water to St. Petersburg. In a solemn ceremony, with the help of more than two thousand soldiers and sailors, among whom were those who distinguished themselves during the Patriotic War of 1812, the Alexander Column was installed on a pedestal, after which its final finishing began.
Immediately after construction Alexandria Column, St. Petersburg residents refused to appear on Palace Square, assuming that such a colossus would sooner or later fall on someone. To dispel the doubts of the townspeople, the architect Montferrand made it a habit to walk under his brainchild every day.
The Alexandria pillar with the figure of an angel is on the list of the most recognizable symbols of St. Petersburg. The height of the structure is 47.5 meters and is the highest among similar monuments in the world, for example: the Roman Trajan Column, the Parisian Vendôme Column and the Alexandrian Column of Pompey. The monolith is held on the pedestal only by gravity, due to its own weight of 841 tons, no additional fastenings are used. A huge number of piles, each 6.4 meters long, were driven under the base of the monument for stability; a granite platform was laid on them, decorated with four floor lamps.
The column is crowned with a six-meter angel with a cross in his hand, trampling on a snake (the figure represents the world; the snake is a symbol of defeated enemies), the work of the Russian sculptor Boris Orlovsky, a former serf. The sculptor gave the angel’s face the portrait features of Emperor Alexander I.
On the pedestal of the Alexander Column there are bronze bas-reliefs on military themes. When creating them, authentic ancient Russian chain mail, shields and cones, which are stored in the Moscow Armory, were used as samples for depicting military armor. From the side of the Winter Palace, the rivers that the Russian army crossed while pursuing the defeated French are symbolically depicted: the Neman - in the form of an old man and the Vistula - in the form of a young woman. The inscription “Grateful Russia to Alexander I” is also located here. The western side, facing the Admiralty, represents an allegory of “Justice and Mercy”, the eastern one - “Wisdom and Plenty”, and the southern one - “Glory” and “Peace”
And today we have the pleasure of observing on the main square in St. Petersburg a giant pink granite column on a square pedestal, personifying the glory of Russian weapons. Like the triumphal structures of antiquity, the Pillar of Alexandria amazes with its clear proportions and laconic form.
