Palace Square

The Palace Square (Russian Дворцовая площадь ) is a central square in Saint Petersburg and is on the connection between the Nevsky Prospekt and leading to Vasilievsky Island Palace Bridge. He was the setting of many events of worldwide significance, including the Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg (1905 ) and the October Revolution (1917 ).

The oldest and best-known building in the area of the baroque, white - green Winter Palace of the Russian Tsars (built 1754-1762 ), who gave the place its name. Although the adjacent buildings were built in the classical style, they fit perfectly in size and rhythm of the Winter Palace.

The opposite, southern side of the square arc by Georg Friedrich Veldten (Russian: Юрий Матвеевич Фельтен ) was designed in the late 18th century. The plans were executed half a century later, when Alexander I planned a place as a huge monument in memory of the Russian victory in the Patriotic War against Napoleon and Carlo Rossi was commissioned to design the arc- shaped building of the General Staff in the Empire style ( 1819-1821), in which a double triumphal arch is integrated with Roman quadriga.

In the center of the square is the Alexander Column (1830-1834), which was designed by Auguste de Mont Ferrand. The column is made of red granite and is at 47.5 meters the highest of its kind in the world. Its weight is 500 tons.