During the years of Soviet power, many famous monuments from pre-revolutionary Russia were destroyed. Such a fate befell the monument to Emperor Alexander II, erected in 1890 in Rostov-on-Don and demolished by the Bolsheviks in 1924. After the arrival of Soviet power, it was covered with a plywood box painted red and adorned with a five-pointed star, and then demolished with the help of a tractor and sent to the 'Krasny Aksai' factory. In our time, the residents of Rostov wanted to restore the monument, but the city government decided to install a monument to Saint Dmitry of Rostov in its place.

The idea to erect a monument to Emperor Alexander II in Rostov arose shortly after his assassination. The official decision to install it was made on March 15, 1881, at an emergency meeting of the City Duma. The approval of the monument's design took several years. The committee for the monument's construction turned to the famous sculptor Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin, who presented a sketch of the monument. The project was approved with minor changes.

Two locations were considered for the monument: Sobornaya Square near the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Bolshaya Sadovaya Street at the entrance to the city park. Since the emperor was depicted in a praying pose, the choice fell on Sobornaya Square. It was there that military parades were held on the emperor's birthday and name day, making this place the most suitable for commemorating his memory.

The organization of the monument's construction was handled by the outstanding Rostov mayor Andrei Matveyevich Baikov. He negotiated with the sculptor and organized fundraising for the monument, which cost 70,000 rubles. However, Baikov did not live to see the monument's opening, passing away just one year before. The solemn opening of the monument took place on April 17, 1890.

The monument was a bronze figure of the emperor in full height. His purple robe flowed down to the pedestal, in his right hand, Alexander II held a scepter, and his gaze was directed towards the sky. The front of the pedestal featured the state coat of arms and the initials of Alexander II intertwined with thorns and laurel. Below was a metal plaque with the inscription: 'To Emperor Alexander II from the grateful citizens of the city of Rostov-on-Don.' On the left side of the pedestal was the inscription: 'Born April 17, 1818,' and on the right: 'Died in the Lord March 1, 1881.' The back of the pedestal displayed the coat of arms of Rostov. In the corners of the platform around the monument, candelabras with three lanterns each were installed.

The author of the monument was sculptor Mikeshin, and the pedestal was made by a well-known Rostov firm owned by the Italian Tonitto. All metal parts of the monument, including the sculpture, the grille, and the lanterns, were produced at various factories in Saint Petersburg. The statue was cast at the bronze factory of N. Shhtange, while the grilles and lanterns were made at the factory of N. F. San-Galli.

The total height of the monument exceeded 9.6 meters, while the height of the bronze sculpture was about 5 meters. It was the most majestic and famous monument of pre-revolutionary Rostov.