However, the history of the appearance of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow began much earlier. In 1802, the Imperial Academy of Arts gave students the task of creating a sketch of a monument in honor of the people's militia against Polish invaders, where the main figures should be heroes liberation movement — Zemstvo Warden Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. The sketches were made, and they had already been forgotten, but writer Vasily Popugaev began to insist on the real embodiment of such a monument, and on the funds raised by the people.

Despite the fact that Alexander I did not support Popugaev's idea, sculptor Ivan Martos on his own initiative made a model of the monument and showed it to the general public. For several years, the issue of building the monument hung in the air, and when it was raised again in Nizhny Novgorod, the emperor still agreed and announced a competition. Various sculptors took part in it, but the work of the same Martos won.

Fundraising for the construction of the monument was officially announced in 1809, and in a little more than a year, the donated amount amounted to 136,000 rubles. Ivan Martos began working and insisted that the monument be installed in Moscow, and not in Nizhny Novgorod, as Alexander I. Also, the sculptor later defended the right to erect monument in front of the Kremlin.

The casting of the monument began in 1816, it was made by master Vasily Ekimov, and he completely cast the figures of Minin and Pozharsky at a time — this was the first time in sculptural business.

The monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square was solemnly erected in the winter of 1818. A lot of people gathered to watch this event: some even climbed the roofs of buildings and walls of the Kremlin.

The sculptural composition consists of two figures on a pedestal with a bas-relief. Minin in a tunic raises one hand, calling for militia, and the other hands the sword to Pozharsky, sitting with a shield.

In Soviet times, they wanted to demolish the monument: allegedly it was erected in an unfortunate place, where it constantly interfered with cars and solemn parades. Nevertheless, Stalin ordered to move the monument to St. Basil's Cathedral, because it was built with the money of the people, and Minin and Pozharsky themselves led the people's militia.