# Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Nizhny Novgorod

> Nizhny Novgorod’s Minin and Pozharsky Monument is a 2005 bronze copy of Ivan Martos’s statue on Moscow’s Red Square. It is free, open 24/7, and 15 minutes is plenty. Find it at the foot of the Kremlin on National Unity Square, by the Church of St John the Baptist — not up on Minin Square. Tradition says this is where Minin raised the 1611 militia.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-minin-and-pozharsky

- City: [Nizhny Novgorod](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod), Russia
- YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 15 min
- Opening hours: Open 24/7 — it stands on a public square; the Church of St John the Baptist keeps its own service times
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free — it is a public square
- 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)
- Nearest stop (top of the hill): Ploshchad Minina i Pozharskogo — buses and trolleybuses, then ≈ 10 min walk down
- Metro: Gorkovskaya, ≈ 25 min walk via Bolshaya Pokrovskaya and Minin Square
- Church of St John the Baptist: Working Orthodox church; service times from the parish
- 4 November: National Unity Day: the city’s main ceremony is held on this square, access may be restricted
- Coordinates: 56.32972, 43.99667
- Facts checked: 30.10.2026

## Key facts

- **4 Nov 2005** — unveiled on the very first National Unity Day (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **Ivan Martos** — designed the original; the copy was made by Zurab Tsereteli’s workshop (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **5 cm** — shorter than the Moscow original (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **1611** — Kuzma Minin began raising the people’s militia in Nizhny Novgorod (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti)
- **1818** — the original was unveiled on Red Square in Moscow (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “Monument to Minin and Pozharsky”)
- **1816** — the original was cast in St Petersburg (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “Monument to Minin and Pozharsky”)
- **1828** — money raised in Nizhny paid for an obelisk to Minin and Pozharsky inside the Kremlin instead of a statue (source: Russian Wikipedia, articles on the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod monuments)
- **1676–1683** — the stone Church of St John the Baptist behind the statue was built (source: Russian Wikipedia; English Wikipedia (consecrated 1683))
- **Bronze** — figures on a red granite pedestal with reliefs (source: English Wikipedia; Tonkosti)

> **It isn’t on Minin Square** The classic mistake: looking for it on Minin and Pozharsky Square by the Dmitrievskaya Tower. Up there you’ll find a different statue — of Minin alone. The two-figure monument is at the bottom of the hill, on National Unity Square by the Ivanovskaya Tower. About 10 minutes down, 15 back up.

## 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](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-kremlin).

## How to get to the Minin and Pozharsky Monument

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](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/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](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/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](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/rozhdestvenskaya-street) to the [Strelka](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-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.

> **4 November is the city’s big day here** On National Unity Day the main ceremony takes place on this square: flowers are laid at the statue, there’s a procession and often an evening concert. Expect crowds, closed approaches and security frames. For a quiet photo, come on another day or early in the morning.

> **Visiting the church** The Church of St John the Baptist is a working Orthodox church. Women should cover shoulders and knees and bring a headscarf; men take off hats. Don’t photograph inside during a service.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Heading for National Unity Square at the bottom, not Minin Square at the top
- [ ] Walking downhill from the Kremlin, so there’s no climb
- [ ] Walked all the way round for both reliefs
- [ ] It isn’t 4 November — or I’m ready for crowds
- [ ] Headscarf and covered shoulders if I go into the church
- [ ] Roubles or a Russian card for the cafés afterwards — Visa and Mastercard issued abroad don’t work in Russia

## Monument vs Kremlin vs Chkalov Stairs

|  | Minin and Pozharsky Monument | Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin | Chkalov Stairs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Bronze copy of Martos’s statue below the walls | 16th-century fortress on the hill | Giant staircase from the Kremlin to the Volga |
| Where | Bottom of the hill, National Unity Square | Top of the hill above the Volga and Oka | From Minin Square down to the embankment |
| Entry | Free | Grounds free, museums paid | Free |
| Time needed | 10–15 min | 1–3 h | 20–30 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.

- [Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-kremlin) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Grounds free, wall from 300 ₽
- [Chkalov Stairs](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/chkalov-stairs) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
- [Rozhdestvenskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/rozhdestvenskaya-street) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free, public street
- [Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/bolshaya-pokrovskaya-street) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Monument to Minin and Pozharsky](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-minin-and-pozharsky) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free
- [Upper Volga Embankment](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/upper-volga-embankment) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free
- [Nizhny Novgorod Fair](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-fair) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free outside; inside for events only
- [Rukavishnikov Mansion](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/rukavishnikov-mansion) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 550 ₽, concessions 350 ₽

## 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 Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-kremlin) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Grounds free, wall from 300 ₽
2. [Chkalov Stairs](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/chkalov-stairs) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
3. [Monument to Minin and Pozharsky](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-minin-and-pozharsky) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free
4. [Rozhdestvenskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/rozhdestvenskaya-street) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free, public street
5. [The Strelka (Oka–Volga Spit)](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-strelka) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free

## Good to know

Don’t mix it up with the original on Red Square in Moscow, in front of St Basil’s Cathedral — that one is in a different city. And Minin and Pozharsky Square in Nizhny is a separate place at the top of the hill; the two-figure statue is below it, on National Unity Square.

## Tips

- 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.

## How we checked

There 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”.

## Sources

- 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

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