Monument to Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev

The monument to Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev is a bronze statue on Moskovsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg, mounted on a granite base. The seated figure holds an open book and a Russian papirosa cigarette, with a mosaic representation of the periodic table incorporated into the composition behind him.

The statue was created by sculptor Ilya Ginzburg and installed in 1932, a few years after Mendeleev's death. It stands near the Bureau of Weights and Measures, an institution where he had served as director during much of his career.

The monument shows Mendeleev in an everyday pose that reflects how he actually worked in his laboratories and offices. The representation with book and cigarette captures the daily habits of a working scientist rather than an idealized figure.

The monument sits along a busy prospekt and is easily accessible by metro to Tekhnologicheskiy Institut station. From the station, you need to cross Zagorodny Prospekt to reach the site comfortably.

The original model for this monument was actually created while Mendeleev was still alive and presented to the Academy of Sciences in 1930, just a few years before his death. This makes it one of the earliest monumental tributes to the scientist during his final years.

Location: Saint Petersburg

Location: Moskovsky Prospekt

Made from material: bronze, granite

GPS coordinates: 59.91804,30.31736

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:08