Saint Petersburg · RU

A.V.Suvorov statue

On a traffic island at the heart of Suvorov Square, where the Trinity Bridge meets the Neva, a bronze generalissimo stands with sword raised and shield held firm, cast in the likeness of the god of war. This is the Monument to Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, Russia's undefeated commander, and it is one of Saint Petersburg's most storied sculptures. Unveiled in May 1801, it was the first public monument in Russia raised to someone who was not a member of the imperial family, the first ordered during its subject's lifetime, and the first major monument produced entirely by Russian craftsmen. For travellers, the statue is an unhurried stop in the historic centre, free to approach at any hour. It rewards a close look at its classical details and sits among some of the city's grandest settings: the Saltykov Mansion on one side, the Marble Palace on the other, and the open expanse of the Field of Mars, where the monument originally stood, just behind it.