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Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Nizhny Novgorod

Bronze Minin and Pozharsky on a red granite pedestal, with the white bell tower and gold domes of St John the Baptist behind
Photo: Алексей Трефилов, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — it is a public square
Hours
Open 24/7 — it stands on a public square; the Church of St John the Baptist keeps its own service times
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
15 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Open
24/7, every day
Where
National Unity Square (Ploshchad Narodnogo Edinstva), below the Kremlin’s Ivanovskaya Tower, by the Church of St John the Baptist (Rozhdestvenskaya St 1b)
On foot from Minin Square
≈ 10 min downhill via Zelensky Descent (Zelensky syezd)
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Nearest stop (top of the hill)
Ploshchad Minina i Pozharskogo — buses and trolleybuses, then ≈ 10 min walk down
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Metro
Gorkovskaya, ≈ 25 min walk via Bolshaya Pokrovskaya and Minin Square
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Church of St John the Baptist
Working Orthodox church; service times from the parish
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
4 November
National Unity Day: the city’s main ceremony is held on this square, access may be restricted
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
56.32972, 43.99667YesGo MapGoogleAppleYandex

Key facts

4 Nov 2005unveiled on the very first National Unity Day
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaTonkosti
Ivan Martosdesigned the original; the copy was made by Zurab Tsereteli’s workshop
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaTonkosti
5 cmshorter than the Moscow original
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaTonkosti
1611Kuzma Minin began raising the people’s militia in Nizhny Novgorod
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkosti
1818the original was unveiled on Red Square in Moscow
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Monument to Minin and Pozharsky”
1816the original was cast in St Petersburg
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Monument to Minin and Pozharsky”
1828money raised in Nizhny paid for an obelisk to Minin and Pozharsky inside the Kremlin instead of a statue
SourceRussian Wikipedia, articles on the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod monuments
1676–1683the stone Church of St John the Baptist behind the statue was built
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia (consecrated 1683)
Bronzefigures on a red granite pedestal with reliefs
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaTonkosti

Where is the monument?

It stands on National Unity Square (Ploshchad Narodnogo Edinstva), at the foot of the Kremlin hill, between the Ivanovskaya Tower and the start of Rozhdestvenskaya Street. Right behind it is the white bell tower of the Church of St John the Baptist; in front, across the road, the Lower Volga Embankment and the river.

In Yandex Maps or Google Maps, search for “Площадь Народного Единства” or the church at Rozhdestvenskaya Street 1b. Typing just “Minin and Pozharsky” often sends you to Minin and Pozharsky Square at the top — higher up the slope and a 10-minute walk away. Locals still sometimes call the lower square Skoba; it got its current name in 2005, together with the statue.

Is it the original or a copy?

It is a copy. The original, by sculptor Ivan Martos, has stood on Red Square in Moscow since 1818 and was Moscow’s first public statue. In 2004 Moscow’s mayor Yury Luzhkov proposed giving Nizhny Novgorod a replica, and Zurab Tsereteli’s workshop made it. It was unveiled on 4 November 2005 — the first time Russia marked National Unity Day.

The copy is almost identical: same figures, same reliefs, but 5 cm shorter and with a slightly different inscription. There is a nice irony here. Martos’s monument was first meant for Nizhny itself — the city of the militia — and locals raised money for it. In 1811 the authorities chose Moscow instead, and Nizhny’s funds went on a plain obelisk inside the Kremlin, put up in 1828. The city waited almost two centuries for its bronze pair.

Who were Minin and Pozharsky?

Kuzma Minin was a Nizhny Novgorod merchant and elected town elder; Prince Dmitry Pozharsky was the military commander he recruited. In autumn 1611, during the Time of Troubles, Polish forces held Moscow. Minin urged townspeople to give money and men for a volunteer army, and Pozharsky led it. In 1612 the militia retook Moscow — the event behind Russia’s 4 November holiday.

Where exactly Minin made his appeal isn’t recorded. The popular story says the porch of the Church of St John the Baptist, right behind the statue; many historians lean towards the nearby Ivanovsky Gate of the Kremlin. Either way, it was this small square below the walls — which is why the copy stands here and not up on the hill.

What to look at

  • The two figures — Minin stands, handing Pozharsky a sword and pointing ahead, traditionally read as pointing towards Moscow. Pozharsky, traditionally read as still recovering from his wounds, half-reclines with a shield bearing the face of Christ.
  • The front relief — townspeople bringing money and jewels for the militia. Martos put himself in the scene, giving his two sons to the fatherland; his own sons posed for them.
  • The back relief — Pozharsky on horseback driving the Poles out of Moscow.
  • The inscription — “To Citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky, from a grateful Russia”, without the “Year 1818” line of the Moscow original.
  • The Church of St John the Baptist — the 1676–1683 church behind the statue; the white bell tower makes the best backdrop.
  • The Ivanovskaya Tower — the Kremlin gate above the square; walk through it to climb into the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.

How to get to the Minin and Pozharsky Monument

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On foot

More tips

  1. Start at Minin and Pozharsky Square by the Kremlin’s Dmitrievskaya Tower — buses and trolleybuses stop at Ploshchad Minina i Pozharskogo. Check route numbers in Yandex Maps or Yandex Go: the city’s network has been renumbered.
  2. By metro, ride to Gorkovskaya (one stop from Moskovskaya, the main railway station) and walk pedestrian Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street to Minin Square — about 15 minutes.
  3. From Minin Square, walk down Zelensky Descent (Zelensky syezd) along the Kremlin wall to the bottom of the hill — about 10 minutes. The statue is on the square by the white bell tower.
  4. Or go through the Kremlin: enter by the Dmitrievskaya Tower and walk down the Ivanovsky Descent to the Ivanovskaya Tower — the monument is just outside its gate. Handy in the daytime, while the Kremlin grounds are open.
  5. From the bottom of the Chkalov Stairs, turn left along the Lower Volga Embankment — about 15 minutes.
  6. By taxi, ask for “Ploshchad Narodnogo Edinstva” — Yandex Go works in the city and drops you right at the square. Walking back up takes about 15 minutes uphill.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you’re walking from the Kremlin down to the Volga anyway — the monument is on the way and takes 10–15 minutes. It isn’t worth a special trip: it’s a replica, and if you’ve been to Red Square you’ve seen the original. What makes it interesting is the setting — the copy stands where the militia actually gathered, right beside the church the story is tied to.

YesGo’s advice: make it part of a downhill walk — Kremlin, Ivanovsky Descent, National Unity Square, then along Rozhdestvenskaya Street to the Strelka. No climbing, no backtracking. For photos, come in the morning or daytime when the light falls on the figures; in the evening the square is lit, but the faces sink into shadow.

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Monument vs Kremlin vs Chkalov Stairs

Minin and Pozharsky Monumentyou are hereBronze copy of Martos’s statue below the wallsBottom of the hill, National Unity SquareFree10–15 min
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin16th-century fortress on the hillTop of the hill above the Volga and OkaGrounds free, museums paid1–3 h
Chkalov StairsGiant staircase from the Kremlin to the VolgaFrom Minin Square down to the embankmentFree20–30 min

The Kremlin is Nizhny’s must-see; the monument is a short stop at its foot. Link them in one downhill walk: out through the Ivanovskaya Tower, straight to the statue, then on to Rozhdestvenskaya Street.

Nizhny Novgorod’s historic sights compared

Every historic place in Nizhny Novgorod rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin642 hGrounds free, wall from 300 ₽7 min walk
Chkalov Stairs5530 minFree14 min walk
Rozhdestvenskaya Street5245 minFree10 min walk
Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street491 hFree15 min walk
Monument to Minin and Pozharskyyou are here4415 minFree—
Upper Volga Embankment4345 minFree29 min walk
Nizhny Novgorod Fair4145 minFree38 min walk
Rukavishnikov Mansion371 h 30 min550 ₽, concessions 350 ₽21 min walk

Kremlin to the Volga and the Strelka

The Kremlin, down the Chkalov Stairs, along the embankment to the Minin and Pozharsky Monument, then Rozhdestvenskaya Street and the Strelka — one downhill walk with no backtracking. Add it to your plan and YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin2 h · Grounds free, wall from 300 ₽
  2. 9 min walk from the previous stopChkalov Stairs30 min · Free
  3. 14 min walk from the previous stopMonument to Minin and Pozharskyyou are here15 min · Free
  4. 10 min walk from the previous stopRozhdestvenskaya Street45 min · Free, public street
  5. 17 min walk from the previous stopThe Strelka (Oka–Volga Spit)1 h · Free

5 places · about 5 h 20 min with walks · 50 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

2 h · Grounds free, wall from 300 ₽ · 7 min walk

Rozhdestvenskaya Street

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

45 min · Free, public street · 10 min walk

Chkalov Stairs

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

30 min · Free · 14 min walk

How to do it right

  • Walk downhill: leave the Kremlin through the Ivanovskaya Tower and you come out right at the statue.
  • For a wide shot with the bell tower, step back towards the embankment side of the square; for the reliefs, go up close.
  • Minin himself is buried in the Archangel Cathedral inside the Kremlin — worth a look if the story caught you.
  • Carry on along Rozhdestvenskaya Street towards the Strelka — the natural next step.
  • Too tired for the climb back? A taxi up to Minin Square takes a couple of minutes.

Questions

Where is the Minin and Pozharsky Monument in Nizhny Novgorod?

On National Unity Square at the foot of the Kremlin, below the Ivanovskaya Tower and next to the Church of St John the Baptist, where Rozhdestvenskaya Street begins. It is not on Minin and Pozharsky Square, which is up the hill.

Is the monument in Nizhny Novgorod the original?

No. The original by Ivan Martos has stood on Red Square in Moscow since 1818. Nizhny’s is a copy made by Zurab Tsereteli’s workshop and unveiled on 4 November 2005; it is 5 cm shorter.

Is it free to visit?

Yes. It stands on a public square, so there are no tickets and you can visit at any hour.

How long do I need?

10–15 minutes to walk round the statue and look at the reliefs. Add time if you go into the Church of St John the Baptist.

How do I get there from the Kremlin?

Walk through the Kremlin and down the Ivanovsky Descent to the Ivanovskaya Tower — the statue is just outside. Or walk down Zelensky Descent from Minin Square, about 10 minutes.

Who are the two figures?

Kuzma Minin, the merchant who raised the volunteer militia in 1611, stands. Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, its commander, sits — traditionally read as still recovering from his wounds.

Why is the monument in Nizhny Novgorod?

The militia that freed Moscow in 1612 was raised here, and tradition places Minin’s appeal on this very square by the church. The statue was first meant for Nizhny, but in 1811 it went to Moscow instead.

What is National Unity Day?

A public holiday on 4 November marking the liberation of Moscow by the Minin and Pozharsky militia in 1612. The city’s main ceremony takes place at this monument.

Is it worth visiting?

Worth a short stop if you’re walking from the Kremlin to the Volga or Rozhdestvenskaya Street. Not worth a separate trip — it’s a copy, and the real interest is the place itself.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia: Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Nizhny Novgorod; Monument to Minin and Pozharsky; Church of St. John the Baptist (Nizhny Novgorod)
  • Russian Wikipedia: articles on the Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow monuments and on the Church of the Nativity of St John the Baptist; Wikidata Q18407331
  • Tonkosti: Monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Nizhny Novgorod
  • AiF: history of the Minin and Pozharsky monument in Moscow
  • Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThere are no tickets or opening hours: the statue stands on an open public square. Dates, makers and the size difference were checked against English and Russian Wikipedia and Tonkosti. Sources disagree on where Minin made his appeal — the popular version says the church porch, while Russian Wikipedia calls that a myth and says historians more often point to the Ivanovsky Gate — so we give both. No source gives the height of the Nizhny copy, only that it is 5 cm shorter than the original; the Moscow monument’s height is quoted anywhere from 8.3 to 8.9 m, so we don’t give a figure. The wording of the Nizhny inscription comes from English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia confirms only that it differs from Moscow’s. Walking times are our estimate from the map; we don’t list bus numbers because the city network has been renumbered. Arrangements on 4 November change from year to year, so that row is marked “verifying”.

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