Lions from the Bronze Horseman

The lions, which have become part of great literature, stand guard at the entrance to the Lobanov-Rostovsky house, which has become a landmark thanks to them. These legendary lions were created by the Italian sculptor Paolo Triscorni, and the following legend is associated with them:

“One lion now holds its paw on a sphere, while the other seems to be already dropping its paw. It is said that the trained lions guarded the sleep of the Iranian Shah, and since felines love to nap, the lion was supposed to keep its paw on the sphere; if the animal began to doze off and its paw fell from the sphere, the trainer would severely punish it.”

One of them was climbed upon by Eugene, the hero of Pushkin’s poem; the main entrance with the lions is located on the Admiralty side.

Then, on Petrov Square,

Where a new house rose on the corner,

Where above the lofty porch

With a raised paw, as if alive,

Two sentinel lions stand,

On the marble beast astride,

Without a hat, hands crossed,

Sat motionless, terribly pale

Eugene.

The Bronze Horseman, A.S. Pushkin