At the walls of the ancient Znamensky Monastery since 2004 stands the most famous monument in Irkutsk, dedicated to the outstanding Russian polar scientist, legendary naval commander, and Supreme Ruler of Russia Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak. The bronze figure of the admiral towers over passersby, his gaze full of sorrow for the land to which he dedicated his life. Kolchak could have remained abroad, where his knowledge would have been in demand, but he did not consider it possible to evade the final battle. Loyalty to his duty led him in early February to the ice of the Ushakovka River, where he was shot along with Prime Minister Viktor Nikolayevich Pepelyaev. More than a hundred years have passed since then. There are legends that his body was washed away by the waves and later buried by local residents, but today we speak of the monument, around which endless disputes have been ongoing from the very beginning.

According to the official version, Kolchak was shot not far from the monastery, so it was decided to immortalize his memory here. Thanks to the efforts of an outstanding sculptor, a magnificent monument was created, however, many local communists opposed its installation. At the height of the disputes, three of the most ardent opponents declared that the monument would appear "only over their dead bodies." They could not have imagined that their words would prove prophetic: all three soon passed away, which was perceived as a sign of heavenly will.

On November 4, 2004, the monument to the great Russian scientist, naval commander, and Supreme Ruler was solemnly unveiled. Since then, the disputes have not subsided; the monument has been attacked both by vandals and through lawsuits demanding its demolition. Fortunately, all attacks have been repelled, and the bronze figure of the admiral continues to gaze from the concrete "captain's bridge." Last year marked the 100th anniversary of Kolchak's execution, but his memory lives on, and more and more people admire his loyalty to Russia, which was the meaning of life for Alexander Vasilyevich.