Its grand opening was held on December 15, 1999 and was timed to the 250th anniversary of city's founding.

The monument has caused mixed assessments from city residents and professional sculptors: it has been criticized for the low artistic level and inappropriate location.

[2] The author of the original idea of the monument, who also drafted several projects on it was Don sculptor Anatoly Sknarin.

Later, however, the city government decided to hold an open competition of works,[4] which was won by another sculptor, Vladimir Belyakov.

In 2013 there was an active discussion about whether the monument should be turned the way it would face the cathedral,[6] as well as whether it should be placed closer to the public square situated nearby.