On Freedom Square Polotsk rises a 24-meter obelisk-pyramid, re-installed on a historical site in 2009. The original version of this monument appeared back in 1850 in order to honor the memory of those who died during the war of 1812.
The Polotsk monument is unoriginal in form, about 10 more of the same chapels were installed according to the project of architect Antonio Adamini. Some of them have survived or been restored. In Belarus, an exact copy of the obelisk was located in the agricultural town of Klyastitsy and, apparently, in Chashniki.
The monument was made at the St. Petersburg foundry, and was already assembled in place in Polotsk, right in front of the then St. Nicholas Cathedral.
In the 30s of the last century, they decided to dismantle the obelisk pyramid for valuable metals, and a monument to Lenin was erected on the pedestal. The picture below shows that the building of the temple does not look the best.
The talk about restoring this monument has been going on since 1988, and there have been modest attempts to raise the necessary funds. As a result, the process dragged on for almost 20 years.
Today, the memorial monument is located in its historical place, the only thing missing is the old baroque church in the background.
Polotsk is the most ancient city of Belarus, rich in sights. Be sure to check out Sophia Cathedral and building former churchwhere the local history museum is now located.
