Alexander Column, St. Petersburg, Russia
The Alexander Column in St. Petersburg, Russia is featured in this photograph on an unused postcard sent to Bob many years ago.
The column is named for Emperor Alexander I of Russia who reigned from 1801 to 1825. It is located in the Winter Palace Square and stands over 155 feet or 47.5 meters high and is topped with an angel holding a cross. The face of the angel is said to have resemblance to Emperor Alexander I.
Constructed between 1830 and 1834 the column is made of a single piece of red granite shipped from Virolahti, Finland. The granite was transported via a specially designed barge that could haul the weight (661 tons) and the length. It took 3,000 workers to erect the column less than 2 hours to set it in place on the base. No extra attachments to the pedestal were needed to hold the column in place, as the weight alone is sufficient to set it securely in place. There is a rumor that a chest or box of the silver commemorative coins designed and struck in 1834 was placed in the foundations.
For additional information and photographs, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Column
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