Statue of Nicholas I, Equestrian Statue Balancing on Two Legs

ZSD, Levashovo, Vyborgsky District, Saint Petersburg, Northwestern Federal District, 190000, Russian Federation

There is a bronze sculpture of Nicholas I on the square

Introduction

Nicholas I served as Tsar from 1825 to 1855. He harshly suppressed the Decemberist uprising in 1825 and strengthened repression of liberal and revolutionary movements, establishing the Third Department of Secret Police. He also suppressed the Polish uprising in 1830. While aware of the need for reform, Nicholas limited it to avoid conflict with the nobility. He implemented monetary reform, compiled a legal code, and reformed the management of state-owned serfs. He continued the principles of the Holy Alliance and worked with Metternich to suppress liberal and nationalist movements in Europe, including the Hungarian national movement in 1849. He also engaged in the Crimean War with Britain, France, and Turkey to expand his influence in the Black Sea and Caucasus. He died suddenly as the war was nearing defeat, and there are rumors that he died by suicide through poisoning. The design of this statue is quite clever, with the horse's legs supporting the weight of the entire statue, making it more challenging than the typical three-legged or four-legged statues.