Palace Square

Winter Palace at night (from Dvortsovyy Bridge)

Palace Square was formed after the construction of the Winter Palace, the residence of the Russian emperors. You will learn more about its history when taking an excursion along the embankments. The architectural setting of the square in front of the palace is the work of Carlo Rossi, the "genius of ensembles".

Rossi created an ensemble of sweeping dimensions unprecedented in urban development. Two long buildings with a total length of 530 metres, connected by an arch, form a magnificent horseshoe around the square in front of the Winter Palace. This splendid ensemble is the General Staff, the traditional quarters of Russia's military offices. The Triumphal Arch connecting the two parts of the General Staff carries the Chariot of Victory drawn by six rearing horses (sculptors Stepan Pimenov and Vasily Demut-Malinovsky).

In the middle of the square is the Alexander Column erected in 1830-1834 after a design by Auguste Montferrand. Both the Column and the General Staff Arch commemorate the Russian victory over Napoleon in the 1812-1814 war.

The Column is hewn from a cliff that was found in a bay in the Gulf of Finland. The 230-ton monolith was carved away by hand for three years and then brought to St.Petersburg in a barge built specially for that purpose. Two thousand soldiers rolled it onto a high pedestal with the help of a very intricate system. It is not attached to the pedestal but is securely held in place by its huge weight. The figure of an angel on top symbolizes the peace that settled on Europe after the victory over Napoleon. Rising to a height of 47.5 metres the Column outshines the Trojan Column in Rome and the Vendome Column in Paris.

Palace Square has witnessed many historical events. It was the scene of the "Bloody Sunday" massacre. And it was from this place that revolutionary soldiers and sailors stormed the Winter Palace on an autumn night in 1917. The cobblestones in the middle of the square have been pre-served as they were in October 1917 as a reminder of that historic event.

On national holidays, demonstrations are held in Palace Square. All through the year it is packed with tourist buses. People come in thousands to see this historical place and the Hermitage, one of the world's biggest museums.