“One animal atop another” the sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy famously quipped. Before you stands his controversial masterpiece the Monument to Alexander III. This bronze equestrian statue unveiled in 1909 depicts the Tsar and his horse in massive form. It’s a powerful work of art. The monument’s history is as fascinating as the sculpture itself.
Commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II Alexander’s son the statue was meant to celebrate the Trans-Siberian Railway. A project begun under Alexander III’s reign. Troubetzkoy’s initial design showed Alexander seated. This bronze model was later acquired by the State Russian Museum. However this design was rejected. Troubetzkoy and architect Fyodor Shekhtel created a new design. This time featuring the emperor on horseback.
The creation of the Monument to Alexander III wasn’t without its challenges. Troubetzkoy produced fourteen models of varying sizes. The bronze casting was a complex process. The figure was cast in Italy while the horse was cast in St Petersburg. Even after its completion the monument faced criticism. Some saw it as a brutal caricature of the Tsar. Others praised its powerful artistic expression. The debate even reached the city Duma. It seriously considered the statue’s removal.
The Monument to Alexander III’s fate took a dramatic turn following the 1917 Revolution. Insulted and renamed it was enclosed in a cage in 1927. Decorated with the hammer and sickle. In 1937 the monument was completely dismantled. A popular belief asserted it obstructed trams on Nevsky Prospekt. This was despite the trams having run that route for over thirty years.
The removal of the Monument to Alexander III from its original location was seen as a bad omen. Local legend held that three equestrian statues guarded the city’s well-being. The Monument to Alexander III’s absence was considered a sign of impending misfortune. The statue found a temporary home in the Russian Museum’s courtyard. Many saw its 1994 relocation near the Marble Palace as a victory for democratic society. Its original position is now occupied by the Leningrad Hero City obelisk. The Monument to Alexander III continues to stand as a testament to a turbulent past and a complex legacy.