In front of the main spiritual abode of St. Petersburg, the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, a monument to Alexander Nevsky has been erected. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich is revered as the heavenly patron of the city, and a part of his relics is kept in the lavra.

Peter the Great intended to immortalize the memory of the Russian commander by creating a holy abode in his honor. In 1724, by his decree, the relics of Alexander Nevsky were transferred to the Annunciation Church of the monastery complex.

It seemed that placing the monument in this location was an obvious step; however, it only appeared in the early 2000s.

The idea of creating a monument to the holy prince belonged to sculptor Valentin Kozenyuk. He nurtured it throughout his life and began working on the image in 1967. In the 1990s, Kozenyuk won two competitions and began to realize his dream, but illness and death interrupted his work. According to his will, his students Alexander Palmin and Albert Charkin continued the project.

In April 2000, a stone was laid in the square in front of the lavra for the future monument.

The casting of the monument was carried out by the Monument Sculpture Factory. The solemn opening and consecration of the monument took place on May 9, 2002, on Victory Day.

The monument is a bronze sculpture on a pedestal made of pink granite, standing 8.85 meters tall.

The sculptural image of the prince, clad in chain mail and a helmet, with a spear in his left hand, embodies the phrase "Whoever comes to us with a sword will perish by the sword." The pedestal features bas-reliefs depicting the Ice Battle with the Livonian Knights and the transfer of the prince's relics to St. Petersburg.

At the upper part of the pedestal, there is an inscription styled in Slavic script, with a prayer for the protection of the city. The name of the construction company that made the sculpture a reality is also mentioned.

At the foot of the monument is a memorial plaque in the form of a scroll with a dedication to the Holy Blessed Prince and the year of the monument's erection.