The memorial cross to Arkhip Osipov is one of the oldest monuments in Arkhipo-Osipovka. It was erected in 1876, 36 years after one of the episodes of the armed conflict between the Russian Empire and the mountaineers. The six-meter monument is located 500 meters and a five-minute walk from the embankment.

This monument is dedicated to the feat of Private Arkhip Osipov of the 1st Grenadier Company of the Tenguinsky Regiment. At a critical moment in the battle against the mountaineers, who had already captured two Black Sea fortresses in 1840 and nearly taken the Mikhailovsky garrison (now Arkhipo-Osipovka), the soldier made a desperate decision to blow up the settlement. With a torch in hand, he headed to the gunpowder store. According to historical data, his last words were: "It's time, brothers! Whoever survives, remember my deed!" As a result, both the defenders and the attacking mountaineers perished. The restoration of the Mikhailovsky fortification began only after the end of the Caucasian War.

The memorial cross to Arkhip Osipov is also notable for being one of the first monuments to a soldier erected in the Russian Empire with charitable funds. The initiator was the son of Nicholas I, Mikhail, and the funds for the construction came not only from wealthy individuals but also from local residents. In 1889, at their request, the settlement was named "Arkhipo-Osipovka."

The monument is a massive cast-iron cross, designed in the form of a white lace vine and set on an elevation, which is accessed by a staircase. At its base are two cannons. The dimensions and location of the monument were determined by the order of Prince Mikhail Nikolaevich, who insisted that the cross be visible from the sea. By his order, a memorial plaque with an explanatory inscription was installed on the pedestal.