The Alexander Column – the compositional centre of the Palace Square

Санкт-Петербургский  Государственный Университет Сервиса  и Экономики

Институт  Туризма и Международных Экономических  Отношений

 

Министерство  образования и науки Российской Федерации.

Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное  учреждение высшего профессионального  образования

 

 

Курсовая  работа по дисциплине

«Информационно-экскурсионная  деятельность

на  иностранном языке (английский)»

на  тему

The Alexander Column – the compositional centre

of the Palace Square

 

 

Выполнила:

студентка 3 курса, гр. 0608.08

Житлова Анна Валерьевна

Проверила:

к.ф.н., доц. И.С.Макарова

 

 

Санкт-Петербург

2013

                                                          Contents

Introduction 3

1. Alexander Column: a key monument of the Square Palace 5

1.1 The concept of the monument 9

1.2 The Column’s erection 13

2. Alexander Column in centuries 16

2.1 The ceremonial opening of the monument 19

2.2 Legends of Triumphal Column 22

Conclusion 25

Bibliography 28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 

Introduction

Saint-Petersburg, is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924) and Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924– 1991). It is often called just Petersburg and is informally known as Piter. The city got its name from its founder Tsar Peter I on 27 May, 1703. Peter was the junior son of tsar Alexsey, was born on 9 June 1672. In 1721 Russia declared Empire and Peter the Great became Emperor.  It was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917. It is Russia's second largest and Europe's fourth largest city (by city limit) after Moscow, London and Paris.

Petersburg is an outstanding creation of the world's urban construction art. The architectural panoramas of its embankments and squares, that have gained world fame, amaze with their artistic perfection, clear composition solutions, organic merging of creations by man and the surrounding nature. Petersburg's unique architectural appearance is to a considerable extent defined by numerous palace complexes erected for the period of the 18^th – 19^th centuries when the city was Russia's capital. It was them that played the decisive part in forming the city's parade facade, were compositional centres of its various areas' building. Plenty of Petersburg's palaces have come into the number of the country's most outstanding architectural samples. 

St. Petersburg is a city that has great number of historical and architectural monuments, each of which has its own interesting and practically unique life. Moreover, any local monument now you can easily write a novel, and in several volumes. Among these notable architectural creations of the Alexander column, which, with the light hand of Alexander Pushkin began to call the Alexandria pillar. Lifting up above his brethren, similar monuments, located in Alexandria, Paris and Rome, it is already almost two century Palace square, as a silent witness of the history of the city. Is anchored, like in the Great Russia, although not fixed on its basis. Only its own weight and the most precise calculation keep him from falling.

The idea of construction of this monument was created after the victory of Russia over Napoleon, when was reigned Alexander I. However, the monarch somehow decided to abandon this idea and simply did not support it. In this case, Russia has scheduled the decoration of Palace square a huge obelisk, however, this project became real only in times of Nicholas the First, in 1829.

The theme the “Alexander Column” was chosen by me, because, in my opinion, it is the most important attraction of the city, it is a miracle that can be observed is so closely, that you can touch it with your hand and you can touch to the history. It is a majestic, marvelous architectural monument and so I want to dedicate my course work to him.         This work consists of introduction, two parts, conclusion and bibliography. Which are reveals a theme of this project. In the first part tells about the personality of Alexander I, Nicholas I, and, of course, about the architect of this magnificent monument, Auguste de Montferrand. Second part contains the ceremonial opening of the monument, 1834 and the legends of Triumphal Column. The material for this work is thoroughly selected, used reliable sources and historical materials.           The task posed before me – to show how this monument is unique, majestic, how much power he carries in itself, and also to talk about the features and interesting facts connected with this monument.

 

 

 

1. Alexander Column: a key monument of the Square Palace

A monument I've raised not built with hands, 
And common folk shall keep the path well trodden 
To where it unsubdued and towering stands 
     Higher than Alexander's Column.

A.S.Pushkin

 

St. Petersburg is considered to be the one of the world's most beautiful cities has all the ingredients for an unforgettable travel experience: high art, lavish architecture, wild nightlife, an extraordinary history and rich cultural traditions that have inspired and nurtured some of the modern world's greatest literature, music, and visual art. From the mysterious twilight of the White Nights to world-beating opera and ballet productions on magical winter evenings, St. Petersburg charms and entices in every season.  Certainly, the main attraction of every city is its central square.    

The magnificent Palace Square forms the heart of historical Saint Petersburg. Surrounded by some of the city's most magnificent buildings, it is an architectural showcase and one of the prime tourist attractions in the city. Palace Square was laid out in 1819–1829 by Carlo Rossi, a neoclassicist architect of Italian descent who designed a large number of streets and squares in Saint Petersburg. The square has a prominent place in the history of St. Petersburg. The massacre of 'Bloody Sunday' on January 22, 1905, when Tsarist troops fired on unarmed strikers sparked the revolution of 1905. It also played an important part in the 1917 revolution.          Today the enormous square is more peaceful. Locals often gather here and tourists gaze at the architectural delights or stand in line for the Hermitage. Political rallies and official ceremonies still take place here, although today you're more likely to see a concert or festival here.        The buildings around the Palace Square exhibit a variety of architectural styles and serve various purposes.          On the northern side is the grand Baroque-style Winter Palace, built between 1754 and 1762. The main residence of the Russian Tsars, this palace sits on the banks of the Neva River and serves as the main building for the excellent Hermitage Museum. Originally built for Empress Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, the Winter Palace was largely remodeled on the inside after a fire in 1837 destroyed large portions of the interior. Today, the Hermitage houses several millions of objects and it would take years, literally, to see everything there.  On the southern side is a yellow and white building that served as the former home of the Imperial Army General Staff and now houses government offices. It was constructed between the years 1819 and 1829 from plans created by Italian architect Carlo Rossi. The 520 meter (1700 ft) wide building includes a monumental central arch, designed as a double Triumphal Arch. During the Romanov era, grand armies would parade through the arch. The arch leads to Nevsky Prospekt, the major thoroughfare through the city of St. Petersburg.   On the eastern side of Palace Square is the former Royal Guards' General Staff building, now used for various government offices as well. On the west, the square borders the Admiralty and the Admiralty Garden. The Admiralty was one of the first structures to be built in the city of St. Petersburg. Constructed between 1806 and 1823 from a design by Adrian Zakharov, the Admiralty was Russia's naval headquarters until 1917 and now serves as a naval college. The gardens sit in front of the building and are especially beautiful in the spring and summer months. The key attraction of the square is the immense column that sits in its center. Known as the Alexander Column, it is a monument to Russia's victory over Napoleonic France¹. In no part of Europe have we seen anything worthy of being compared with the remarkable pillar lately erected here, in honor of the Emperor Alexander. If we admire Napoleon's column in Paris, or the Melville column in Edinburgh, composed of separate stones put together in the usual way, what shall we say of this stupendous work, which consists of only one stone, and yet is considerably larger than those monuments?        Triumphal column was erected in Empire style in 1834 in the centre of the Palace square by the architect Auguste Montferrand² of Emperor Nicholas I³ to commemorate his elder brother Alexander I on the victory of over Napoleon.   This monument complements the composition of the General staff Arch, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic war of 1812.  First, place in the center of the Palace Square was being prepared for the erection of a monument in the middle of the 1760s. By the project of F. B. Rastrelli is provided for the installation of the monument to Peter I. But F.B. Rastrelli did not have time to carry out this project, he was removed by Catherine II. The workers had only strengthened the ground. In 1819, when the architect Carlo Rossi designed the building of the General Staff, he worked on the project for improvement of the entire surrounding area. The Center of Palace Square architect planned to decorate a large obelisk. The project also has not been realized. The open competition was officially declared on behalf of the Emperor Nicholas I in 1829 with the wording in memory of “unforgettable brother”. Auguste Montferrand responded to this challenge project of the exaltation of the Grand granite obelisk, but this option was rejected by the Emperor.          Montferrand was born in the parish of Chaillot, France (now the 16^th arrondissement of Paris). He was styled at birth Henri Louis Auguste Leger Ricard dit de Montferrand; the aristocratic de was probably his parents' invention. Decades later, Montferrand admitted in his will that, although his father owned Montferrand estate, the title is disputable "and if there is any doubt, I can accept other names, first of all Ricard, after my father". Montferrand's father, Benois Ricard, was a horse trainer who died when Montferrand was a child; his grandfather, Leger Ricard, was a bridge engineer. Montferrand's mother, Marie Francoise Louise Fistioni, remarried to Antoine de Commarieux, who is credited with educating Montferrand.          In 1806, Montferrand joined the former Académie d'architecture, joining class of Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine. Soon, he was summoned to Napoleon's Army, and served a brief tour of duty in Italy.     When hostilities ended, new construction in defeated France was out of the question. Montferrand worked on a few unimportant jobs, spending three years performing basic draftsmanship and seeking opportunities overseas. In 1815, he was granted an audience with Alexander I of Russia, and presented the Tsar with an album of his works.           A sketch of the project, which was rejected by the Emperor, was preserved and, currently, in the library of the Institute of communication engineers. Montferrand proposed to set up the huge granite obelisk in height of 25.6 meters on a granite socle 8, 22 meters. On the front face of the obelisk was supposed to decorate the bas-reliefs, depicting the events of the 1812 war in pictures with famous medallions work of count F. P. Tolstoy. On the pedestal they planned to make the inscription “Blessed is grateful Russia”. On the pedestal the architect saw a rider on horseback;  in front of the rider flying eagle with two heads, for the rider to be the goddess of victory, crowning his laurels; the horse are two symbolic figures of women. On the sketch of the project indicated that the obelisk was to surpass all known in the world monoliths its height. The artistic part of the project perfectly accomplished watercolor technique and testifies to the high skill of Montferrand in various directions of the fine arts. Montferrand was tried to defend his project, but the idea was rejected. The second project, which afterwards was implemented, consisted in the installation of the column, of a height exceeding Vendome (erected in honour of Napoleon's victories). A source of inspiration August Montferrand was proposed Trajan's Column in Rome. The narrow limits of the project did not allow the architect to get away from the influence of world-renowned samples, and his new work was only a slight modification of ideas predecessors. The artist expressed his identity, refusing to use additional ornaments like bas-reliefs, spiraling around the ancient core of the column of Trajan. Monferrand showed the beauty of the giant monolith of polished pink granite of 25.6 meters in height. Furthermore, Montferrand made ​​his monument higher than all the existing ones. In this new form of September 24, 1829 the completion of the project without sculpture was approved by the emperor.  The construction was built since 1829 to 1834. 

 

1.1 The concept of the monument 

 

In the summer of 1816, Montferrand landed in St. Petersburg, carrying a recommendation letter from Abraham-Louis Breguet. He rented a room near the house of Fyodor Wigel, the secretary of the Construction Commission, and applied to Agustín de Betancourt⁴, the chairman of the commission (and a partner of Breguet's in the 1790s). Betancourt was impressed by Breguet's letter and Montferrand's drawings and offered to Montferrand the desk of Head of Draftsmen, but Montferrand preferred the lower rank of senior draftsman. On December 21, 1816, he officially joined the Russian service.     Montferrand did not refuse to take on this project. He already had experience in the lifting columns on St. Isaac's Cathedral.      After the examining of several designs, on 24 September 1829, the Emperor approved the proposal of the architect Auguste Montferrand, who was engaged in the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg (1818–1858).  Interesting, that Montferrand had already created the project of the monument-obelisk, devoted to murdered in the Battle of Leipzig. The project of the architect was used to create the Alexander Column, which was decided to establish in center of Palace Square.          Montferrand designed the monument to the late Alexander I as a column, crowned with a cross; later, he changed the cross to an angel.     Montferrand had a choice: of what do the columns-from separate blocks or from a single piece of granite? He chose the second variant. The work is very complicated and difficult – to split off a lump weighing more than two hundred thousand pounds, a length and a thickness of about fifty seven meters. The young self-taught technique, Vasily Yakovlev was ordered: the material for the column had to be cut out of the rock and moved to St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburgc began to prepare for the grand pedestal column. Workers stumbled on piles in strengthening the base that were still scored there by Rastrelli, during designed for them a monument to Peter I.          St. Petersburg emerged as the bureaucratic hub of Russia’s empire, housing and employing a veritable army of civil servants, clerks and copyists. The physical embellishment of the city in this particular period was intended to reflect the confidence of the autocracy after the conflict with France, the Russo-Turkish War and the Congress of Vienna, which Alexander attended in person. Russia was rewarded for its efforts in the Napoleonic Wars, sustaining its rule in neighboring Finland and assuming control of recently partitioned Poland. Granite was used often in the building of St. Petersburg with huge quantities of the stone quarried in Finland and then transported to the Russian capital.       Many structures made from granite, have struggled to withstand the regional climate, an unfavorable blend of winter frosts and high humidity, which can cause irreparable damage to a caryatid or pillar if water permeates and freezes inside the stone. The extremes of Russian weather did not dissuade Montferrand from using vast amounts of granite in his greatest designs. His search for material saw his party move to southern Finland, a swampy and forested region where granite is almost ubiquitous.            The creation of the Alexander Column was in a way of response to the erection of the Vendome Column in Paris (1806–10), that was dedicated to the victories of Napoleon's armies. Both monuments had as their prototype the Ancient Roman Trajan's column (2^nd century A.D.), whose bronze shaft is surrounded by a spiral band of bas-reliefs. Montferrand, who possessed exceptional talent and taste, created a majestic monument that delights the eye with its harmonious proportions and beautiful lines. The architect designed a smooth shaft made from a single piece of granite, to be set upon a pedestal also made of granite and mounted with bronze. The bas-reliefs on the pedestal extolled Alexander I and the might of Russian arms. In contrast to Trajan's Column and the Vendome monument, which are both crowned by statues of the respective emperors, the Alexander Column is topped by the statue of an angel crushing a snake with a cross.     After the project was approved, tremendous work got underway to make the monument a reality. The distinctive red stone of the Alexander Column was discovered and extracted from the Pytarlaks quarry, near the town Virolahti. From there it was transported to the Gulf of Finland and loaded onto a waiting vessel specially modified for the occasion. The project was imperiled at this particular juncture when Intricate Bas-reliefs designed by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Scotti adorn the Alexander column.         For the granite monolith (the main part of the column) was used rock, which is planned by the sculptor in his previous trip to Finland. Extraction and pre-processing performed in the years 1830-1832 in Pyuterlakskoy quarry, which was located between Vyborg and Fredrikshamn. These works were made using the S.K Sukhanov, led by production wizard S.V Kolodkin and Yakovlev. After stonemasons, surveying the rock, confirmed the suitability of the material, it was cut off from the prism significantly surpassed its size a future column, adorn the Alexander column. There were used a giant accessory: huge levers and gates in order to move the boulder up and knock it on the soft and elastic bed of fir twigs. After separation of the blank from the same rock, it were cut down huge stones for the foundation of the monument, the largest of which weighed about 25 thousand pounds (over 400 tons).  The delivery of monolith in St. Petersburg was made by water, this barge was involved special design. Monolith was also fooled in place and prepared for transport. A colonel K.A. Glazyrin engaged the transport of the ship's engineer and built a special boat, named “Saint Nicholas”, carrying up to 65 million pounds (1,100 tons). It was built a special pier to perform the loading operation. Loading is carried out with a wooden platform at its end, which coincides with the height board. Having overcome all the difficulties, the column was loaded onto the board, and the monolith went to Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamers from there to go to the Palace Embankment in St. Petersburg.  On 3 November 1831, the monolithic plinth - a massive slab, weighing 410 tones, forming the base of the column - and other elements of the pedestal that together weighed over 1,000 tones were delivered safely to the capital on a specially constructed vessel pulled by steam tugs. Eight days were needed to move them from the landing-stage between the Admiralty and the Winter Palace to the future site of the monument in the middle of Palace Square. After the stone was dressed, it was set up on the foundation. The monolith from which the column was to be turned weighed some 4,000 tones. It almost sank when being loaded for the journey across the gulf, forcing workers and soldiers to struggle for 48 hours to save it. On 1 July 1832, the vessel arrived in St Petersburg, and 12 days later the massive block was brought ashore under Yakovlev's supervision. Then it was trimmed by merchants and dragged to the lifting point on a sledge mounted on cast-iron rollers with the aid of capstans.        The lump was moved to St. Petersburg, cut off all unnecessary, and that it is ready for installation.

 

1.2 The Column’s erection 

 

First, there was carried out the geological reconnaissance, which resulted that in the midtown area at a depth of 17 feet (5.2 m) was found suitable sandy mainland. In December, 1829 the place for the column was approved. For the installation of the column was dug a pit (4 meters in depth), which was jammed 1250 pine piles up at 6.4 meters. Then the piles were cut at water level, creating a platform for the foundation, the original method: the bottom of the pit filled with water, and the piles were cut by the level of the water table, which provided a horizontal platform. This method was proposed by Lieutenant General A. Betancourt – the architect and engineer, the organizer of Construction and Transportation of the Russian Empire. Previously, he was using similar technology laid the foundation of St. Isaac's Cathedral.       The lump was moved to St. Petersburg, cut off all unnecessary, and that it is ready for installation.           After the laying of foundation, it was erected a huge monolith of 400 tons, was brought from the quarries Pyuterlakskoy, which serves as the base pedestal.  The engineering Challenge installation of such a large monolith was solved      by O. Montferrand in the following way:

Monolith rolled on rollers through the ramp to the platform, built near the foundation; 

Stone piled on a heap of sand poured the pre-close to the platform;          

Summed backup, then workers raked sand, and put rollers;           

Props pull up and down on rolls;           

Stone was rolled to the foundation;            

Fine adjustment of the monolith;                  

Ropes thrown over the blocks, strung nine capstans, and lifted the stone to a height of about one meter;                      

Took out the rollers and poured a layer of slippery, very peculiar in its composition solution, which planted a monolith.        

Due to the fact that the stone originally got wrong, it had to move several times, which was done with only two capstans and with extraordinary ease.   Statement of the upper parts of the pedestal represent a much simpler task – despite the lift height, the next step consisted of stones is much smaller than the previous ones, to the same workers and gradually gained experience.    By July, 1832 the monolith column was approaching, and the pedestal was completed. It was the time to begin the most difficult tasks – installation of the column on a pedestal.           For raise there were made a special winches and ropes, made from the finest cannabis. And if now used for lifting machines, whose power is measure by horsepower, the Alexander Column lifted the engine with a capacity of 2,400 soldier’s forces. Here's what Montferrand wrote about it himself “for 100 minutes, lasted until the installation monolith, with the horror of did not feared the worst disaster ...” But the disaster did not happen. Work on installation went quickly. In the upright position it raised little more than half an hour. Involved in the operation were nearly 2.5 thousand soldiers and workers. As the levers (on the advice of Archimedes) used a 1250 pine logs.          Block of stone slant raised herself slowly crawling, then looked up from the ground and brought her to the position of the pedestal. At the command the ropes were given to, the column and slowly lower into place. The people cried out loudly, “Hurrah!”. The Emperor himself was very pleased with the successful completion of work.           After the installation of the column it was remained fixed on a pedestal bas-relief plates and trim, as well as to perform final processing and polishing column. The column was topped by a bronze capital of Doric order with abaca rectangular brick masonry with bronze cladding. It was a bronze cylindrical pedestal with a hemispherical top.           At the same time, with the construction of the column, in September 1830, Montferrand worked on the statue, intended to place on it, and according to the wishes of Nicholas I, facing the Winter Palace. In the original design the column completed the cross, a snake entwined around a set of fasteners. In addition, the sculptors of the Academy of Arts offered several options compositions of figures of angels and virtues with a cross. There was an option to install the figure of St. Alexander Nevsky.           As a result, for execution adopted the figure of an angel with a cross, made by sculptor Boris Orlovsky, with an expressive and intelligible symbol to all. The cost of the construction of the monument was 2,825,798 rubles.   

           

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Alexander Column in centuries

The French invasion of 1812 exerted a profound influence on the national psyche and cultural development of Russia. Several cornerstones of Russian culture such as Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Tolstoy’s War and Peace detail and commemorate the nation’s conflict with France, from which it emerged victorious. Ironically, the Alexander Column was designed by the French-born, neoclassical architect Auguste de Montferrand who had served with distinction in Napoleon’s army in Saxony and Thuringia. The Frenchman’s presence in St. Petersburg was not terribly surprising as the city’s reputation for architectural splendor owed much to the beautiful neoclassical and Palladian structures that were designed and built in the eighteenth century by French and Italian architects, such as Antonio Rinaldi, Francesco Rastrelli, Jean Francois Thomas de Thomon, and Giacomo Quarenghi. These men were responsible for actualizing the vision of Peter the Great, the Russian tsar who founded St. Petersburg in 1703 with the intention of transforming his nation into a modern naval power.    After the Napoleonic Wars had ceased Alexander I introduced what would be his most enduring architectural legacy, the Alexandrian Empire style, a Russian equivalent of the neoclassical design that had flourished in France during the reign of Napoleon. The same architectural style that had been repopularised and used to idealize Bonaparte was later endorsed by the ruler of Russia and employed by a Frenchman to commemorate the campaign that had irretrievably weakened the Grande Armey. The most famous exponent of the Alexandrian Empire style was Italian architect Carlo Rossi who designed Mikhailovsky Palace, Yelagin Palace, the General Staff Building in Palace Square, and the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace, which houses the portraits of 332 generals who took part in the war against France and her allies.            Upon his arrival in Russia, Montferrand found favour with the reigning monarch who approved of his plans for St. Isaac’s Cathedral. The foundation stone was laid as early as 1818 but the rest of the structure would take forty years to complete with construction ceasing in 1858 – the year of Montferrand’s death. By comparison, the Alexander Column was built with startling pace and efficiency, especially if one considers the lack of modern machinery and the prodigious size of the stone. It was left to Alexander’s successor, Nicholas I, to approve of Montferrand’s design for the column, which he did in 1829. Nicholas was the last Russian monarch to initiate mass municipal architecture in the form of giant classical structures, which sought to proclaim the primacy of the state and the unwavering power of the Romanov dynasty. In addition to the Alexander Column, Nicholas I oversaw the building of the Customs House, the two Triumphal Gates and the Alexandrinsky Theatre. These structures noticeably changed the appearance of St. Petersburg at a time when the character and function of the city evolved rapidly. In the first half of the nineteenth century, St. Petersburg emerged as the bureaucratic hub of Russia’s empire, housing and employing a veritable army of civil servants, clerks and copyists. The physical embellishment of the city in this particular period was intended to reflect the confidence of the autocracy after the conflict with France, the Russo-Turkish War and the Congress of Vienna, which Alexander attended in person. Russia was rewarded for its efforts in the Napoleonic Wars, sustaining its rule in neighboring Finland and assuming control of recently partitioned Poland.          Two more years were needed for the final completion of the monument: polishing the shaft, attaching the figure of the angel and the bronze decorations. The sculptors Samuel Hallberg (Galberg), Ivan Lepee and Boris Orlovsky were asked to make sketches and produce models.      The column is crowned by the figure of an angel created by the sculptor Boris Orlovsky who gave the face a portrait resemblance to Emperor Alexander I. On the side of the pedestal facing the Winter Palace is a bas-relief depicting winged figures holding up a plaque bearing the words “To Alexander I from a grateful Russia”. The composition included figures representing the rivers Neman and Vistula that were associated with the events of the Patriotic War. Flanking these figures are depictions of old Russian armour – the shield of Prince Oleg, the helmet of Alexander Nevsky, the breastplate of Tsar Alexander Mikhailovich, the chain-mail of Yermak and other pieces recalling heroes whose martial feats brought glory to Russia.          The other three sides are decorated with bas-reliefs featuring allegorical figures of Wisdom and Abundance, Justice and Mercy, Peace and Victory, the last holding a shield bearing the dates 1812, 1813 and 1814. These compositions are enhanced by depictions of Ancient Roman military symbols and Russian armour.  The sketches for the bas-reliefs were produced by Montferrand. He superbly co-ordinated the scale of their compositions with the monumental forms of the monument. The panels were designed to the planned size by the artist Giovanni-Battista Scotti. The models were produced by the sculptors Piotr Svintsov and Ivan Lepee, the ornamental embellishments by another sculptor, Ye. Balin. The casting of the bronze was done at Charles Baird's works in St Petersburg.   The composition are included figures, representing the Neman and Vistula rivers, positions of importance in the Patriotic War, and various symbols of Russian military history, such as the chainmail of Cossack leader Yermak Timofeyevich and the helmet of Alexander Nevsky, who was proclaimed a saint by the Orthodox Church in 1547. The three remaining bas-reliefs consist of Russian armour and Roman military symbols, as well as the allegorical figures of Wisdom and Abundance, Justice and Mercy, and Peace and Victory. The column is surmounted by a capital of bronze, upon which stands an angel made of the same material. This solemn and reverential figure points to the heavens with one arm whilst bearing a cross with the other. A closer inspection of the angel’s face reveals a countenance strikingly similar to that of Alexander I. From the foot of the pedestal to the top of the cross the monument measures 47.5 metres. It is a most impressive sight, especially on a sunlit evening shortly before dusk when the few remaining shafts of light are reflected in the polished red granite of the column.  In 1841, there were cracks on the column. By 1861 they had become so prominent that Alexander II established a committee to study them. The Committee concluded that the cracks in the granite were originally and they were sealed with mastic. In 1862, cracks were sealed with Portland cement. Upstairs, there were pieces of chains that are used for the annual rise in the column to its inspection.