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Monument to Peter I

Monument to Peter I is a bronze equestrian monument of Peter the Great in front of St. Michael's Castle in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Commissioned in 1716 by Peter the Great, it was designed by Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli to commemorate Russian victories in the Great Northern War. Although the model was approved in 1724, the work was not completed until 1747 and the statue was not erected until 1800, during the reign of Paul I. The pedestal is faced with Finnish marble and decorated with bas-reliefs of the battles of Poltava and Hangö, along with an allegorical composition of trophies. During World War II, the statue was removed for safekeeping and restored to its pedestal in 1945.

Monument to Peter I on a tall stone pedestal in front of St. Michael\'s Castle in Saint Petersburg.
The Monument to Peter I stands before the classical façade of St. Michael\'s Castle in Saint Petersburg.
April 2011 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Monument to Peter I, a bronze equestrian statue on a tall stone pedestal with a double-headed eagle emblem.
The Monument to Peter I stands on an ornate pedestal in Saint Petersburg.
June 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Monument to Peter I stands on a stone pedestal in an open square with a classical building behind it.
The Monument to Peter I in Saint Petersburg, shown in a vintage stereoscopic photograph with a classical building in the background.
© Rijksmuseum · CC0
Illuminated bronze equestrian monument to Peter I on a tall stone pedestal with a double-headed eagle and Cyrillic inscriptions.
Monument to Peter I lit at night, showing the bronze equestrian statue atop its stone pedestal.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bronze relief from the Monument to Peter I showing a horseman in historical military attire and a tricorn hat.
A close-up of a bronze relief from the Monument to Peter I showing a rider on horseback.
July 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleMonument to Peter I
Original-language namesПамятник Петру I; Pomnik Piotra I; Denkmal Peters des Großen
TypeBronze equestrian monument
SubjectPeter I of Russia (Peter the Great)

Historical context

Commissioned byPeter the Great
Commission date1716
PurposeTo commemorate Russian victories over Sweden in the Great Northern War
Planned as lifetime monumentYes

Creator

Model approval date1724
Model approved byPeter the Great
Modeling periodEight years
Relation to Bartolomeo RastrelliFather of Bartolomeo Rastrelli the Younger
DesignerCarlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli, an Italian sculptor active in Russia

History and restoration

Placement historyOriginally planned for Vasilyevsky Island and later for the Winter Palace square, but neither project was realized
Transfer historyGiven by Catherine II to Prince G. A. Potemkin in 1782, then kept under a wooden canopy near the Troitsky Bridge until 1798
Paul I relocation plansIn 1798–1799 Paul I ordered the monument moved first to Kronstadt, then to the square in front of Mikhailovsky Castle
Inscription"To the great-grandfather from the great-grandson" ("Прадеду — правнук")
Inscription ordered byPaul I
Inscription alludes toThe Latin inscription 'Petro Primo Catherina Secunda' on the Bronze Horseman
Pedestal decorationBronze bas-reliefs and military trophies
Bas-relief subjectsThe Battle of Poltava and the Battle of Gangut (Hangö)
Stored before erectionKept in a warehouse on site for 53 years
Restored and returned1945
Removed during World War IIRemoved from its pedestal during the Siege of Leningrad to protect it from artillery shelling
Erected during reign ofEmperor Paul I
Erected1800
New project date1720
Casting completed after sculptor's deathYes
Casting completed1747
Work stoppedAfter Peter the Great's death in 1725
Later completion workChasing, finishing, and pedestal making remained after the bronze casting

Location and ownership

LocationIn front of the main entrance to Michael Palace (St. Michael's Castle), Saint Petersburg, Russia, near Constable's Square

Physical characteristics

FormFour-sided pedestal with an equestrian statue

Materials

Statue materialBronze
Pedestal colorsGreen, red, white, and pink slabs
Pedestal materialMarble, including Finnish marble and Olonets marble

Appearance

Artistic characterisationDescribed as a 'Petersburg condottiere'
VisibilityVisible from all sides
Rider poseThe rider sits calmly and impassively
Horse poseThe horse moves majestically and solemnly
AttributesLaurel wreath, commander’s staff, ermine mantle, battle breastplate, sword at left hip, open Roman sandals
DepictionPeter the Great shown on horseback as a Roman Caesar and victorious commander

Technique

Workshop facilitiesA workshop with a small casting furnace and a large casting barn was provided
Casting methodThe monument was first modeled in lead, then cast in bronze with a wax model for casting

Significance

Historical significance of battlesThey helped Russia become the dominant power in northern Europe
Artistic assessmentPraised for monumentality, visual integrity, and a silhouette readable from every angle
Comparative referenceOften compared with Falconet's Bronze Horseman, which is said to be more pictorial and less sculptural