The Millennium of Russia is one of the most ambitious public monuments ever made in Russia, standing in the centre of the Novgorod Kremlin. Unveiled by Tsar Alexander II in 1862, it commemorates the arrival of Rurik the Varangian in Novgorod in 862 — the event traditionally taken as the founding of the Russian state. The monument is 15 metres tall and depicts 129 figures in bronze, from Rurik himself to Peter the Great and Mikhail Lomonosov.
The composition is layered with historical meaning. At the top, an angel blesses Russia and the Orthodox faith. Below, six kneeling allegorical figures represent the major periods of Russian history. Around the base, 109 smaller figures depict the rulers, military commanders, religious leaders, and cultural figures who shaped the country. It takes a while to walk around and look at it properly — there is more detail than you can take in at once.