On 16th July 2026, a new equestrian monument of Emperor Nicholas II was unveiled and consecrated on the grounds of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Ural city of Verkhneuralsk. The city is located on the left bank of the Ural River, 230 km south of Chelyabinsk and 450 km south of Ekaterinburg.

This is the 9th monument to Russia’s last Tsar installed in 2026, and Russia’s 3td equestrian monument of Nicholas II – the other 2 are located in Kulebaki and Moscow.

The monument is in memory of Tsesarevich Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich [future Emperor Nicholas II] visit to Verkhneuralsk on 3-4 August (O.S. 22-23 July) 1891, during a trip across the Russian Empire following his Eastern Journey (1890-91).

It was at Verkhneuralsk, that 135 years ago the inhabitants of the Ural city met the future emperor. Tired from his long journey across the Russian Empire from Vladivostock, the Tsesarevich modestly ate his supper and retired, and in the morning the whole city turned out to get a glimpse of him. After a parade of local Cossacks, Nicholas Alexandrovich said: “Your regiment is excellent, excellent – thank you!”

In honour of this visit, the northern side-chapel was built in the name of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. It was built on benevolent donations in memory of the miraculous salvation of Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, following an assassination attempt on his life in Otsu, Japan. The altar was consecrated on 18th November 1897.

In 2025, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker marked it’s 150th anniversary. It is the only church in the city that survived the turbulent 20th century under the Bolsheviks and later Soviets, and still retained its grandeur.

The monument is the work of the South Ural sculptor Anna Shumakova. She is a native of Emanzhelinsk, has been engaged in sculpture for 25 years. Her works are installed in symbolic places in different cities of Russia, in recent years she has been working on the creation of compositions of warriors-defenders.

“The composition is dynamic and symbolic: the young Tsesarevich frozen in a tense, restrained pose, and his horse seems to be keenly listening to the road,” the Verkhneuralsk administration notes.

The weight of the life-size bronze sculpture featuring the Tsar on horseback is 3 tons, not including the pedestal.

The sculptor has paid particular attention to historical accuracy. On the uniform of the Tsesarevich, are details of the highest state awards, including the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called and the Imperial Order of St. Prince Vladimir of the 4th degree.

© Paul Gilbert. 17 July 2026