The holy place is never empty, as the well-known saying goes. That is generally the same way that events have developed around the city’s central square, which was renamed in 1919 from Kafedralnaya (Cathedral) Square to the Square of 1905. In order for pleasant views to avoid coming into conflict with the new sign-board, everything that reminded people of the “heinous czarist regime” had to be removed as soon as possible. First and foremost – the monument to Aleksandr II had to be torn down, which freed up a platform soon occupied by Karl Marx, or, to be more precise, his marble bust performed by the famous sculptor Stepan Erzia. It was Erzia, who was tasked with heading to the rising movement of monumental art work and breathing new life into Russian sculpture. Erzia really did try. He even crafted the Liberated Labor monument that had never been seen locally before that day, which replaced the classic of Marxism on the platform. At the sight of the white marble naked young boy, Ekaterinburg ladies would look away embarrassed, while men would exercise profanity. Very soon, “Vanya the Naked” was the nickname given to Erzia’s creation. The Ural residents, not at all happy with the work, were quick to take it out of their sight. Then, the Epiphany Cathedral was torn down in 1930. A platform out of granite blocks was erected in its place, where the Stalin cast was placed in 1948. Lenin was supposed to be erected next to him according to the project. A space for him was even reserved. However, the monument itself only arose in 1957 (the monument to Stalin was torn down one year prior for well-known reasons). The author, Vladimir Ingal, represented “Lenin of today… He opens his arms out wide, as if pointing out the accomplishments of Soviet people.”