Palace Square is the main plaza of Saint Petersburg. It is defined by the General Staff and Ministries Buildings, the Admiralty and its garden plus the Winter Palace in the background. The centerpiece is Alexander Column. This has been the venue for social life, festivals and parades plus a major attraction for tourists. It has also witnessed several historic events. Alexander II was almost assassinated here in 1879. In 1905, hundreds of protesters were killed and wounded during the Bloody Sunday massacre. And during the October Revolution in 1917, the Bolshevik army seized the Winter Palace and ended the Russian Empire.
