The ceremonial unveiling of the Minin and Pozharsky Monument on Red Square took place in 1818 in the presence of Alexander I and before a large gathering of people. The monument immortalized the feat of two national heroes of Russia, who in 1612 played a crucial role in the victory over the Polish-Lithuanian occupiers.
The sculptural composition, created by Ivan Martos, depicts Kuzma Minin addressing the wounded Dmitry Pozharsky with an appeal to lead the Russian army in the struggle to defend the Fatherland. With one hand, Minin seems to point to the Kremlin, which is under threat of foreign invasion. The monument looks very vivid and distinctive: the author tried to work within the framework of classicism, but did not abandon national motifs either.
In Soviet times, the Minin and Pozharsky Monument survived, although it was under threat of demolition, as it interfered with festive demonstrations and processions. In 1931, the monument was moved to St. Basil's Cathedral, where it still stands to this day, which is why Minin points not to the Kremlin, but somewhere toward the area of GUM.
