Alexander Column, Saint Petersburg

The Alexander Column is one of the most famous monuments in St. Petersburg. It was built in the Empire style in the center of the Palace Square by architect Auguste Montferrand under decree of Emperor Nicholas I to commemorate the victory of his elder brother, Alexander I of Napoleon. This monument added composition of Arch of the General Staff Building, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. It is the world's highest freestanding triumphal column — it stands only under gravity. The total height of the monument — 47.5 m, the height of the granite column — 25.5 m, its weight — 704 tons. The Alexander Column reminds samples of triumphal buildings of antiquity. Its construction in St. Petersburg was the answer to the setting of the Vendome Column in Paris in honor of the victories of Napoleon's army. In the Russian capital, a French architect  Auguste Montferrand glorified the most important event — the complete defeat of Napoleon. The main difference between the Alexander Column and the Vendome Column in Paris and their common prototype —  the Trajan's Column in Rome is that the Alexander Column is carved out of a huge granite monolith, which surface is left smooth, revealing the beauty and power of the natural stone. The monument is crowned by the figure of an angel by Boris Orlovsky. The angel’s left hand holds a four-point Latin cross, and the right hand is lifted up to the sky. The angel's head is tilted, his eyes are fixed on the ground. The Alexander Column is not only higher than the Vendome Column, the figure of the angel surpasses the height of the figure of Napoleon I at the Vendome Column. Moreover, the angel tramples on the snake by the cross, that symbolizes peace and quiet, which Russia brought to Europe, defeated Napoleon's troops. The opening of the monument took place August 30, 1834. The ceremony was attended by the emperor, the imperial family, the diplomatic corps, one hundred thousandth Russian army and representatives of the Russian army.