The monument is a 6-meter equestrian statue of Nicholas I in the dress uniform of the Life Guards Regiment of the Horse Regiment of PK Klodt, standing on a pedestal.
The construction of the monument was started in 1856 after the death of the emperor, and the opening on Issakievsky Square was held on June 25 (July 7) in 1859. After the October Revolution, the monument escaped demolition due to its unique feature – the installation of the statue on two pillars, in connection with which it was recognized as a masterpiece of engineering thought and preserved.
An interesting fact: the monument to Nicholas I and the Bronze Horseman are on the same axis, separated by St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and the Bronze Horseman turns his back to Nicholas I, and this was the reason for the appearance of the St. Petersburg proverb: “The fool of the smart man is catching up, but Isaak is disturbing.”
