
On September 20, 1862, the first monument dedicated to the Russian state—the “Millennium of Russia” monument—was officially unveiled in Veliky Novgorod
The idea for the monument was proposed by Emperor Alexander II. The monument’s design was created by sculptors Mikhail Mikeshin and Ivan Schroeder. The foundation stone for the monument was laid in May 1861 on the Kremlin square in Novgorod, between St. Sophia Cathedral and the building of the Presence Chambers. The monument was financed partly by private donations and partly by funds from the state treasury. The monument’s design resembles a bell, featuring 129 sculptures. It is crowned by a figure of a woman symbolizing Russia, kneeling before an angel. The middle section of the monument includes six sculptural groups representing different periods in the history of the Russian […]
20 September 2026, 8:02




