Landmark
Alexander Column
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The Alexander Column is a remarkable engineering feat and a centerpiece of Palace Square. Designed by Auguste de Montferrand, it is the tallest freestanding column of its kind in the world, carved from a single block of red granite. The column is topped by a bronze angel holding a cross, symbolizing peace after the Napoleonic Wars. Visitors are struck by its sheer scale and the fact that it stands without any external support, relying solely on its own weight. The column was erected in just under two hours using a complex system of ropes and pulleys, a testament to 19th-century ingenuity.
Don't miss
- Observe the column's base, decorated with bronze bas-reliefs depicting military allegories.
- Count the 47.5 meters of the column, taller than the Vendôme Column in Paris.
- Visit at night when the column is illuminated, creating a dramatic silhouette against the sky.
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