Atlant (also called Atlas) - in the European architectural tradition, a sculpture in the form of a man, performing a decorative or functional role in supporting the closure of a building, balcony, cornice, etc. Can be in place of the column or pilasters. In Roman architecture, the term Telamon is used to refer to such a sculpture.
The word came from Greek mythology, where Atlant was a titan supporting the heavenly vault and facing the rock (rock).
The very first atlantes were found in the Greek temple of Zeus in the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento (Sicily), but similar figures from the monolith were already made in Ancient Egypt. Later, the Atlanteans were used in many other cultures and played an important role in Baroque architecture. The most famous example of the sculptures of the Atlanteans is located at the entrance to the Museum of the New Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
