Monument to Prince Vladimir and Saint Feodor

The Monument to Prince Vladimir and Saint Feodor is a sculptural group in the historic centre of Vladimir, Russia, standing on the viewing platform of Pushkin Park near the Dormition Cathedral. Also known as the Monument to the Baptisers of the Vladimir Land, it was unveiled in 2007 and has become one of the city's best-known landmarks.

History

The monument was unveiled on 28 July 2007, the feast day of Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles. The opening marked the 850th anniversary of Vladimir becoming the capital of North-Eastern Rus under Andrey Bogolyubsky in 1157.

The sculptor was Sergei Isakov, a native of the Rostov region. The bronze group was cast in Zhukovsky near Moscow and then mounted in Vladimir on a granite pedestal.

What to see

The composition has two figures. Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich sits on horseback holding a banner with the image of Christ, a reference to the baptism of Rus he carried out in 988. Beside him stands Saint Feodor, whom church tradition calls the first bishop of these lands and the baptiser of the Vladimir land.

The figures face south-east towards the Klyazma valley, so the platform behind the monument offers a wide view across the river. It is one of the most popular photo spots in the city centre, often framed together with the domes of the Dormition Cathedral.

Legends and traditions

One version of the city's founding links it to Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who is said to have founded Vladimir on the Klyazma in 990, which is why the monument is also read as a sign of the city's bond with its possible founder. Historians more often credit Vladimir Monomakh and the year 1108, so the 990 date remains a tradition.

Getting there

The monument stands in Pushkin Park in the very centre of Vladimir, a few minutes' walk from the Dormition and St Demetrius cathedrals and the Golden Gate. From the railway station the centre is an easy walk uphill of about a quarter of an hour. According to local press reports, the monument was repaired and refreshed in 2025.