Palace Square - St. Petersburg

Palace Square (Dvorcovaja ploščaď) covers a respectable area of five hectares and is bordered on one side by the fabulous Winter Palace and on the other by the monumental building of the Main Military Staff. However, the dominant feature is still the 47-meter-high Alexander Column made of Karelian granite, weighing 650 tons. It is one of the largest columns in the world. From its top looks down a 6 meter high statue of an angel with a cross, symbolizing the conqueror Napoleon. Legend has it that vodka was mixed into the mortar during the construction of the supporting plinth so that the mortar would not freeze.