A monument to the most famous Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko is situated opposite the equally famous red building of the University, which bears the name of the poet.

The idea of the establishment of the monument appeared in the early twentieth century, but in the city Treasury was not afford it, so I had to turn to the public for help. The fundraiser took about five years and then was issued an order of installation of a monument. Already at the stage of preparation of the project of the monument arose many disputes. For example, the local leadership has not endorsed the idea of placing a monument at St. Michael's square, he was more appealing to the idea of installing here the monument to Princess Olga (and then did). Was explored a lot of options and finally settled on the ground near Peter alley, but then a new problem emerged – the possibility of landslides, which significantly increased the cost of installation of a monument. Ambiguous was a competition for the best project of the monument, they had to spend a few, but the winner has not been named, and this despite the fact that it was attended by sculptors of international renown, for example, a French Rodin or Italian Soricina.

So it lasted until the outbreak of the First world war, when everyone was already not up to the monument. Only in 1919 at St. Michael's square, on the pedestal, which was about the demolished monument to Princess Olga, appeared modest bust of the poet. Full bronze monument to Taras Shevchenko sculptor Manizer, appeared in Kiev in March 1939, when celebrating the 125th anniversary since the birth of the poet. Although the poet in this case is not looking at your favorite Dnieper, which he repeatedly praised in verse, and the University, which now bears his name, not the name of the Holy Prince Vladimir the Great, as once.