The woman on top of the statue has a sword at the ready, and is said to be pointing toward the direction where the liberators are coming from. You can see the lions at the base, one breaking some chains and the other ready to spring into action to defend the city.
It seems to have been first installed in 1909, although the exact date seems to be a little hazy. It celebrates the Russians' help in getting rid of the Ottoman Empire from the area in 1877 or so. Its location has gone through a few different names over the years. The Communists made it Lenin Square in 1944, and it became Freedom Square just short of a half-century later.
As you'd guess, it's become the symbol for the city. Let's hope no more name changes are coming soon.
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