The monument to the outstanding Don Ataman Matvey Ivanovich Platov, located opposite the Ataman Palace, is considered the most famous monument dedicated to this great man. The history of the monument is as dramatic as the history of Russia, but let's go in order.

The first monument to Matvey Ivanovich Platov was erected in honor of the centenary of his birth on May 9, 1853, in Novocherkassk during the reign of Nicholas I. The monument was created by the famous Russian sculptor of German descent, Pyotr Karlovich Clodt, and architect Ivanov. It was placed in the center of the city, in front of the Ataman Palace in Ataman Square.

A collection of donations was announced in the Russian Empire for the creation of the monument. Well-known sculptors participated in its creation under the project of architect Ivanov. The solemn opening of the monument took place on May 9, 1853, in Novocherkassk and was accompanied by a ceremony approved at the highest level. A solemn liturgy was held at the Ascension Cathedral of the city, after which members of the Cossack Circle, Cossacks, and guests proceeded to the monument. As the procession approached Alexander Square, an artillery salute of 101 shots was fired in honor of the general's victories.

Military regalia were displayed in Alexander Square. Before the opening of the monument, three shots were fired from cannons, after which the monument was declared open. The pedestal featured a sculpture of the ataman in a general's uniform with a burka. In his left hand, Platov held a baton, and in his right, a drawn saber. The pedestal was engraved with the inscription: "To Ataman Count Platov for military exploits from 1770 to 1816. Grateful Don Cossacks." The monument was surrounded by a metal fence with labrys on the posts, made at the foundries of Fasler. Behind the fence, battle cannons from the times of Platov's campaigns and exploits were installed.

This event was so significant that it was captured in a painting by the famous Swedish artist Karl Mezer, who was struck by the beauty of Novocherkassk and the new monument.

The monument stood until the arrival of the Bolsheviks, who brutally dealt not only with the Cossacks but also with the memory of the past. In 1923, the monument to Platov was removed and transferred to a local museum, where it remained until 1933, after which it was melted down. In its place, a monument to Lenin was erected.

In 1988, permission was granted to restore the monument to Platov. Moscow sculptor Alexander Tarasenko, with the help of Rostov sculptor Skarnin, recreated the sculpture of the ataman, closely resembling the original.

In 1993, the monument was reopened in the same place and on the same pedestal, however, its appearance is not fully authentic: the metal fence is missing, the cannons from the Patriotic War of 1812 are not installed, and the fountain in the center of the square has not been restored.

The return of the monument on May 16, 1993, was an important event for the revival of the Don Cossacks and was considered a good sign. The Cossacks noted that the monument to Lenin disappeared just as it appeared, as if it had never existed.

Today, the Ataman Palace building has been converted into a museum, and the surroundings of the monument to Platov are gradually returning to their original appearance.