Return of the Eagle from the Fence of the Alexander Column

31 May, 2011 citizens of St Petersburg Roman Zaitsev and Usama Lubani took a figure of a small guard eagle from the fence of the Alexander Column to the State Hermitage.

To all appearances, the figure was stolen several years ago in the winter 2007 when the skating-rink was arranged in Palace Square which caused actions of vandalism against the monument.

A stranger brought the figure in the yard of 11 Nevsky Prospect (so called Birds’ yard) having decided that it could be of use for inhabitants of the yard which is known thanks to its unusual decoration. Citizens recognized a detail of the famous fence and brought it to the Hermitage. It is the second time when citizens have returned incidentally found figures. During fence restoration they will be returned to their place.

For two years surveillance cameras of the Security Service of the State Hermitage have been monitoring the operational situation around the column. The most vulnerable part is the fence around it, reconstructed in 2003 under the project of Auguste de Montferrand. The length of the grille around the perimeter composes 63.9 meters. By the time of the fence transfer to the Hermitage 2 large three-edged eagles, 80 small guard eagles had been lost; the remaining did not have a number of details. 46 spears finials were also lost.

At present time mass vandalism against the fence has been successfully prevented. The Security Service of the State Hermitage conducts day and night surveillance over the object.

The State Hermitage expresses thanks to Usama Lubani and Roman Zaitsev.

Returned figure of a small guard eagle

The Yard of 11 Nevsky Prospect (so called Birds’ yard)

The fence of the Alexander Column. Losses