Designed by French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet, the Bronze Horseman monument sits in central St. Petersburg and immortalizes the founder of the city. Pointing out over the Neva River, the Russian leader straddles a rearing bronze horse on top of a huge stone pedestal. See the iconic sculpture of Peter the Great and the famous stone plinth upon which it stands.
The monument was commissioned by the foreign princess Catherine the Great in the 1760s in an effort to link herself with the previous monarch and secure her status as leader of Russia. Legend has it that as long as the Bronze Horseman stands, St. Petersburg will never fall. Citizens shielded it during the arduous Siege of Leningrad and the prediction seemed to prove correct as Peter still looks out into the distance from his plinth.
Look closer and you’ll see that the horse is squashing a snake with its hoof. This snake is meant to symbolize treason. Note the fine detail on the sculpture, particularly the bulging muscles of the horse’s rearing legs. Falconet scrutinized horses in minute detail in order to achieve this level of authenticity.
Pay particular attention to the gigantic boulder that supports the sculpture: the “thunderstone.” Weighing in at 1,250 tons (1.25 million kilograms), it is one of the biggest stones transported by humans. Originating in the Gulf of Finland, the Russians had to transport it without the conveniences of modern technology and they used an ingenious set of engineering methods to bring it to St. Petersburg.
Stick around for a while and you might see a Russian bride and groom posing for wedding pictures by this distinctive landmark it is a popular way to celebrate a marriage. Walk around the elegant Senatskaya Ploshchad, the square on which the statue is located. The Bronze Horseman is surrounded by other monumental structures including the gold-domed St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the luxurious Senate and Synod building.
If you are eager to see more of St. Petersburg’s famous landmarks, take the short walk to another city icon, the nearby Admiralty. This fine naval building has a distinctive weathervane on top of its golden spire. Reach the Bronze Horseman with a short walk from Admiralteyskaya metro station.