In 1792, the Russian Empress Catherine the Great granted the Kuban to the Black Sea Cossack Host, and the Cossacks gave her eternal glory – the city of Yekaterinodar. Today, the generous gift to Catherine the Great is called Krasnodar and its center is occupied by a bronze group with a sculpture of the majestic and wise empress. With a height of about 14 meters and a weight of 25 tons, the monument to the most outstanding empress of the Russian Empire was inaugurated in Catherine Square in 2006. Since then, the Monument to Catherine the Great has been the hallmark of Krasnodar and one of its main tourist attractions.

Although the work of the Russian sculptor Alexander Apollonov saw the light of day only at the beginning of the 21st century, the history of the legendary monument began in 1895. Unfortunately, the project of the famous Russian sculptor and artist Mikhail Mikeshin was not destined to be implemented. The sudden death of the great master disturbed the city plans and destroyed the dreams of the citizens to see the "Mother of the country" in the middle of the main square. Later, another talented master, Boris Edwards, turned to the work of Mikeshin. Made in 1907, his creation served as a city symbol for 13 years. But this monument also suffered a tragic fate: the Bolsheviks melted down the bronze group for their own needs, ruthlessly destroying the heritage of the past. Only many years later, the citizens of the capital of the Kuban Cossacks and Southern Russia decided to pay tribute to the empress again and restore the sculpture of Catherine the Great surrounded by her loyal subjects, Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tauricheski and three Kish otamans of the Cossack host: Sidor Bely, Antin Holovaty and Zakhary Chepiha. The majestic sculpture of the empress dressed in the scarlet robe with the scepter and the orb in her hands stands in front of the Legislative Assembly building. At her feet, there is an unfolded and falling Charter 1792. The city's main military shrine, the Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, stands not far from the monument as if one more proof that nothing can hide from her inquisitive gaze: neither the government nor the church authorities.