The monument to Tsar Alexander III was erected in honor of the completion of the construction of the Great Siberian railway line, which connects the eastern outskirts of the center of the country. Alexander III had long been considered the patron of Siberian construction.

In 1902 in Irkutsk, Russian announced a competition for the erection of a commemorative monument. The bronze figure of Alexander III on a large granite pedestal, whose author was the sculptor RR Bach was the best and won the competition. The grand opening of the monument took place in August 1908

Statue of dark bronze was cast metallurgists from St. Petersburg. Alexander III was not represented in royal apparel, and wide trousers and ataman Siberian Cossack uniform. On the three faces of the monument can be seen bronze sculptural portraits of famous historical figures who have left an imprint on the formation and development of Siberia - is the conqueror of Siberia Ermak, Governor General of Speransky, and the Governor-General Nikolai Ants, on the fourth side placed a double-headed eagle holding in its beak issued a decree on the early construction of the Trans-Siberian.

The figure of the emperor stood until 1920. After the monument was removed, leaving only the pedestal as a highly artistic part. Collate the statue for several years stood in the courtyard of the city museum. After a while the monument was reconstructed by architect B. Shmatkova. Then it was completed pyramidal spire and a concrete monument became known as the Monument to the Discoveries in Siberia.

At the beginning of the 1990s. the idea to recreate the memorial monument to Alexander III. In April 2002, Irkutsk city executive committee has decided to restore the monument to the Emperor. The bronze sculpture has been recreated and is cast in St. Petersburg by sculptor A. Charkin. In October 2003, the figure of the king triumphantly returned to a granite pedestal. The total height of the monument is 13, 45 m.