The monumental Dvortsovaya ploshchad is one of the most impressive and historic spaces in the city. Stand well back to admire the palace and the central 47.5m Alexander Column named after Alexander I and commemorating the 1812 victory over Napoleon. It has stood here, held in place by gravity alone, since 1834. It was in this square that tsarist troops fired on peaceful protestors in 1905 (on a day now known as Bloody Sunday), sparking the revolution of that year. At least once a year, in summer, the square is used for free outdoor concerts; the Rolling Stones and Roger Waters have played here.
