Who is depicted in the copper sculpture? Bronze Horseman: description of the monument to Peter the Great

Monument to the Millennium of Russia ( Velikiy Novgorod, Russia) - description, history, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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Veliky Novgorod is famous not only for its centuries-old history and role in the formation of the Russian state, but also for its monuments that attract the attention of tourists. One of these is the “Millennium of Russia”, created in 1862 in honor of the millennium since the proclamation of Rurik as the Prince of Rus'. It is from this date that it is customary to chronicle the history of Russia as a state entity.

In the monument erected opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, some see the outline of the cap of Vladimir Monomakh, while others see a bell, which, as the authors of the monument M. Mikeshin and I. Schroeder said, is intended to “evangelize to descendants about the heroic past of Russia.”

In fact, the monument is a dome-shaped pedestal on which a globe-power is installed, symbolizing the Rurik and Romanov dynasties. The monument is quite large: the diameter of the granite pedestal is about 9 meters, the total height of the monument is almost 16 meters. The granite was brought from the Serdobol quarries on Ladoga, and the bronze components were made in St. Petersburg.

The monument is quite large: the diameter of the granite pedestal is about 9 meters, the total height of the monument is almost 16 meters.

The orb is decorated with an intricate pattern of crosses, showing unity royal power and churches. At the top of the ball there is a cross with an angel, and below it is a woman kneeling, which symbolizes Russia. A commemorative inscription “To the accomplished millennium of the Russian state in... the summer of 1862” was made in Slavic script on a giant granite power. The ball is surrounded by 17 figures of prominent historical figures from six major milestones in Russian history.

Figures and characters of the monument

The first era, or the foundation of the Russian state, is represented by the figures of Rurik and the main pagan god Perun.

The second group of characters, showing the conversion of Rus' to Christianity, includes images of Prince Vladimir with an eight-pointed cross in his hands, a Slav destroying the statue of a pagan god, and a woman with a child, which she hands to the prince.

The figures of the third group symbolize the liberation of Rus' from Tatar-Mongol yoke. The central one is, of course, the figure of Dmitry Donskoy, who defeated a warrior of the hated army of invaders and looked after the hastily retreating troops of Mamai, defeated by Russian soldiers.

The theme of the fourth sculptural group is the foundation of autocracy. The characters of this era are in the foreground a defeated Tatar handing over the symbol of power to Prince Ivan III, an overthrown German knight and a Latvian warrior. A little behind is a Siberian who represents the annexation of Siberia.

The fifth milestone in the history of Russia is the beginning of the reign of the House of Romanov. The focus here is Mikhail Romanov, whom Minin gifts with the cap of Vladimir Monomakh and a scepter, and Pozharsky defends from potential enemies with his sword.

And finally, the sixth group symbolizes the iconic victory in the Swedish war (the figure of a fallen Swede with a torn banner) and the foundation of the Russian empire, which is shown in the composition by the figure of Peter I with a scepter in his hands, whose gaze is directed north, towards St. Petersburg, which is destined become new capital Russian state. To the left of the first Russian emperor hovers an angel - the embodiment of Peter's greatest reform plans and victories.

At the top of the composition there is a powerful figure of a simple Russian peasant supporting a giant ball-power. It is obscured by the figures of kings and generals standing at the top of the platform, which is why it is poorly visible to the viewer. But this also has its own deep symbolism: for it was he, a simple Russian peasant, a worker and a warrior, who held and protected the great Russian State for a thousand years.

Third tier

The third tier, running along the high relief of the monument, depicts figures of politicians, war heroes, scientists and creative people who left a bright and noticeable mark on the history of Russia. There are 129 characters in total, divided into 4 groups.

First collective composition“Educators of the People,” numbering 31 figures, begins under the figure of Prince Vladimir.

The first collective composition, “Enlighteners of the People,” numbering 31 figures, begins under the figure of Prince Vladimir. Among them are the authors of the Cyrillic alphabet Cyril and Methodius, the monk chronicler Nestor, Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga, Metropolitans Platon and Peter Mogila, Patriarch Nikon, Fyodor Rtishchev - the founder of Russian charity, writer Maxim the Greek, founder of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Anthony of Pechersk and many others .

On the eastern side of the monument there is a group of statesmen (26 characters), the most notable of which are Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir Monomakh, the great Lithuanian princes Gediminas and Olgert, the founder of the dynasty Mikhail Romanov, emperors Peter I, Alexander I, Nicholas I, patriarchs Philaret and Hermogenes , Empress Catherine II, diplomats Viktor Kochubey and Grigory Potemkin, statesmen Mikhail Speransky and Yakov Dolgorukov.

36 figures of heroes and military men are placed on the north-eastern side of the monument. Among them are Svyatoslav Igorevich, Daniil Galitsky, Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, Marfa Posadnitsa, Minin and Pozharsky, Ataman Ermak, Ivan Susanin, Mikhail Golitsyn, diplomat Sheremetyev, generals Kutuzov, Bagration, Barclay de Tolly, Hetman Khmelnitsky, commander Suvorov, Vice Admiral Kornilov and admirals Nakhimov, Senyavin, Lazarev.

The fourth group contains figures of creative people - 16 artists and writers. Among them are Lomonosov, Karamzin, Derzhavin, Fonvizin, Zhukovsky, Krylov, Lermontov, Griboyedov, Gogol, Pushkin, Bryullov, composer Glinka.

After the overthrow of the tsarist regime and the establishment of Bolshevik power, the monument was fenced off with boards as an anti-Soviet sculpture, but after some time it was again presented to the public.

During the Great Patriotic War The monument was badly damaged - the Nazis managed to remove the bronze grille enclosing the monument and the lanterns installed nearby. All the small figures were removed, the cross that crowned the orb was broken. A lot of small parts was lost forever. In January 1944 Soviet troops drove the enemy out of the city, and by November the restoration of the Millennium of Russia monument was completed. After this, there were several more restoration works, during the last of which it was possible to find the remains of a staircase inside the monument, which the 19th century craftsmen had apparently forgotten there.

The monument “Millennium of Russia” is installed in the center of the Novgorod Detinets (Kremlin) opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral and former building Office places

The monument was opened 154 years ago, on September 21 (old style - September 8), 1862, when Veliky Novgorod for several days became the center of political life of the state, almost the capital: Russia celebrated the 1000th anniversary of its history, and Veliky Novgorod attended the celebrations On the occasion of the opening of the monument, Emperor Alexander II with his heir and members of the Imperial House arrived.

Monument "Millennium of Russia" in the Novgorod Detinets (Kremlin)

"Laboratory for the revival of patriotism"

It is believed that the idea of ​​opening the monument belonged to the emperor himself, Alexander II. However, as follows from historical documents, Minister of Internal Affairs Sergei Lanskoy proposed to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Russia in Veliky Novgorod and commemorate this date with the opening of a monument on which the first Russian ruler, Prince Rurik, would be immortalized. His proposal, voiced in 1857, was supported by the young Tsar Alexander II. Soon a competition was announced, and they decided to raise funds for the creation of the monument “from the whole world.” A circular about collecting donations was sent to all provinces. “After the Crimean tragedy, work on this monument turned into a laboratory for the revival of patriotism,” noted the authors of the article “Tsar-Monument” Arseny Zamostyanov and Irina Savinova on the 150th anniversary of the opening of the monument in the magazine “Historian”.

Novgorod child

Even before the creation of the monument, it was decided to install it in Veliky Novgorod, namely in the center of the Novgorod Detinets (Kremlin). True, on Kremlin Square Between the St. Sophia Cathedral and the building of the Government Offices there was already a monument to the Novgorod militia. But, following the wishes of the emperor, it was decided to move it outside the Kremlin, moving it to Sophia Square, to the building of the Noble Assembly. There were no objections.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the thousand-year anniversary of the Russian state was to be celebrated in 1862. Competition for best project The monument was announced three years before the celebrations, in 1859, while sculptors were given only six months to prepare projects: from April to November. The conditions were as follows: six periods should be reflected in the sculptural groups on the monument Russian history, and the height of the monument should not exceed 18 meters. The competition council created at the Academy of Arts selected three out of 52 projects, but the project of the architect Antipov turned out to be disproportionately large for the Kremlin square in Novgorod, and the project of academician Gornostaev seemed too allegorical. The task was to make the monument as clear as possible more people, and, of course, to make an impression.

Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin. Russian artist and sculptor

This turned out to be the project of an unknown 23-year-old recent graduate of the Academy of Arts, Mikhail Mikeshin - not even a sculptor, an artist. Having no experience working with sculpture, Mikeshin asked his peer, a student in Ivan Schroeder’s sculpture class, to help implement his idea. He sculpted a smaller model of the monument, and then, while still attending classes at the Academy, created ten large-scale statues for the monument itself.

Power on the veche bell

What attracted you to the monument project invented by Mikhail Mikeshin?

The monument “Millennium of Russia” consists of three tiers

It was considered successful by everyone, almost without exception. common decision monument. Its silhouette was a huge orb on a bell-shaped pedestal. It was associated with the veche bell - a symbol Novgorod history, and with the attributes of royal power, reminiscent of the outlines of Monomakh’s cap. In addition, visually the monument was divided into three levels, which in the language of sculpture reflected the formula of the official doctrine of that time: “Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality.”

Accommodating 126 figures, the monument was not bulky: its height, including the 3-meter cross on the orb, was only 15.7 meters. The grille, lanterns (all this, like all the figures, were cast in St. Petersburg) and a 100-ton bronze monument fit into the landscape of the Novgorod Kremlin even with grace.

A group of two figures - an angel with a cross in his hand (the personification of Orthodoxy) and a kneeling woman (the personification of Russia) - crowns the composition

The Monument to the Millennium of Russia is crowned by two figures. An angel with a cross in his hand, personifying Orthodoxy, blesses a kneeling woman - Russia. The power with a relief ornament of crosses is surrounded by the inscription: “To the accomplished millennium of the Russian state during the prosperous reign of Emperor Alexander II in 1862.”

The middle tier of the monument - 17 “colossal” figures, more three meters each, grouped into six sculptural subjects. They symbolize key periods in the history of the country, according to the official historiography of that time: the calling of Rurik, the baptism of Rus', the Battle of Kulikovo, the autocracy of Ivan III, the beginning of the Romanov dynasty and the formation of the empire under Peter I. Historians note that the monument could also include a seventh story - about the victorious the end of the Patriotic War of 1812, especially since in 1862 the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of the French was celebrated. However, for political reasons, a reminder of this triumph was considered premature and inappropriate.

The densest tier of the monument is the lower one. There are high reliefs of 109 figures, which are also grouped into groups: statesmen, military men and heroes, cultural figures, educators. All figures were approved by the sovereign personally.

Sculptural group “Enlighteners” at the monument “Millennium of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod (31 figures)

Russia without Grozny

It is expected that the approval of such a significant list took for a long time. The original “Mikeshin list”, which is still stored in the Russian State Historical Archive, underwent final work on the monument. significant changes. Most loud scandal erupted in connection with the image of Ivan the Terrible. No one in Novgorod was going to forget or forgive the tsar the pogrom of 1570. After all, then the guardsmen of Ivan IV destroyed many townspeople, including women and children, using various tortures - it is difficult to name the exact number of victims, but it could reach 15 thousand people with a population of 30 thousand of Novgorod.

But among the ranks of military men and heroes appeared the wife of the Novgorod mayor Boretsky - Marfa Posadnitsa. Apparently, as a tribute to the Novgorodians and their love of freedom. On the monument, she bowed her head over the broken veche bell.

Great controversy arose over the figure of the poet Taras Shevchenko. Initially, he was not on the lists for the simple reason that it was not customary to erect monuments during his lifetime, but on February 26, 1861, the poet died, and young Mikeshin, under the influence of one of his advisers, historian Nikolai Kostomarov, decided that Shevchenko should be depicted on the monument. But this amendment of his, as they would say now, did not pass. The instruction stated that “the sovereign ordered the image of Gogol, located on the Highest approved drawing of the bas-relief, to be preserved, and Shevchenko, admitted arbitrarily, to be excluded.”

Writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Portrait by Fyodor Moller. 1840s

Also excluded from the lists were the poets Alexei Koltsov (he was sometimes included and then excluded) and Antioch Cantemir, naval commander Fyodor Ushakov, actor Ivan Dmitrievsky, and famous icon painters are not on the monument - neither Andrei Rublev, nor Theophanes the Greek...

Millennium in faces

Who found a place on the monument?

IN sculpture group writers and artists - 16 figures. This series begins with Mikhail Lomonosov, who, together with Alexander Kokorinov, Dmitry Fonvizin and Gavriil Derzhavin, listen to the founder of the Russian drama theater Fyodor Volkov. Composer Dmitry Bortnyansky concludes. Next to him are the artist Karl Bryullov and the composer Mikhail Glinka.

The famous fabulist Ivan Krylov sits next to Alexander Griboyedov, and Nikolai Karamzin, Vasily Zhukovsky and Nikolay Gnedich. Literary classics Nikolai Gogol, Mikhail Lermontov and Alexander Pushkin are dressed in Roman togas on the monument: precisely because they are classics. At the same time, Pushkin seems taller than Gogol and Lermontov standing next to him, although in life he was shorter than them. Of course, there is also a symbolic moment in this. Pushkin rises above their bent figures, as, in the opinion of the public, the second half of the 19th century century, the creativity of “our everything” was more significant.

Cyril and Methodius. Modern icon

There are 31 figures in the series of enlighteners. It begins with Cyril and Methodius, the creators of the Slavic alphabet, to whom Novgorodians bring flowers every year, on the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture. At the same time, it often turns out that flowers are laid not so much on the holy brothers, but on the font, above which the figure of Vladimir the Baptist rises - he is next to Princess Olga. In the same row are the founder of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Theodosius of Pechersk and the founders of other famous monasteries: Sergius of Radonezh, Zosima of Solovetsky. Metropolitans and bishops, Patriarch Nikon, Feofan Prokopovich. And, of course, Nestor the Chronicler, author of The Tale of Bygone Years.

State people. There are 26 of them on the monument. The first are Yaroslav the Wise and Vladimir Monomakh, behind the group of Lithuanian princes (Gediminas, Olgerd, Vytautas) is Ivan III. The figures of Lithuanian princes appeared on the monument for a reason: all three fought on the side of Russia against Poland, and during these years anti-Russian protests by nationalists there escalated. In addition, the presence of figures of Lithuanian princes on the monument to thousand years of history Russia was supposed to emphasize Lithuania’s original belonging to Russian lands.

Kuksha Pechersky in the sculptural group “Enlighteners” at the monument “Millennium of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod

Ivan the Terrible, as we remember, is not on the monument, but his first wife, Anastasia Romanova, as well as his associate Sylvester are immortalized. The group of figures from the reign of Mikhail and Alexei Romanov included Patriarchs Hermogenes and Filaret, diplomats Afanasy Ordin-Nashchekin and Artamon Matveev. Peter the Great is depicted with Yakov Dolgoruky, and Grigory Potemkin kneels before Catherine II. Next to the empress are other nobles. Behind Alexander I are Mikhail Speransky and Mikhail Vorontsov, and this row is completed by Nicholas I. His figure was cast in the most last moment, after all, there was no clear opinion about the “previous emperor” - not much time had passed since his death. But Alexander II’s entourage convinced him that his father should still be on the monument.

The most numerous row of figures on the monument is “Military Men and Heroes”, 36 characters.

These are historical figures, Grand Duke Kyiv Svyatoslav, princes Mstistav Udaloy, Daniil Galitsky, prince of Lithuania and Pskov Dovmont. Here are Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, the conqueror of Siberia Ermak Timofeevich, and Minin and Pozharsky. Here is the already named Marfa Boretskaya, bending over the broken veche bell. On the monument there is also the Ukrainian Hetman Bogdan Khmelnytsky, and folk hero Ivan Susanin. And a number of famous commanders and naval commanders: Boris Sheremetev, Mikhail Golitsyn, Pyotr Saltykov, Alexey Orlov, Pyotr Rumyantsev, Alexander Suvorov, Burchard Minich, Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, Mikhail Kutuzov, Dmitry Senyavin, Matvey Platov, Pyotr Bagration, Ivan Dibich , Ivan Paskevich, Mikhail Lazarev, Vladimir Kornilov and Pavel Nakhimov.

Painting

The creation of the monument cost more than 500 thousand rubles. Collected folk remedies Of course, it was not enough: almost 400 thousand was added from the state treasury. For the opening ceremony, provincial Novgorod itself was transformed - it was renovated and re-paved.

Monument "Millennium of Russia". 1862 d

The entire august family, almost 12 thousand soldiers, as well as just spectators arrived in the city for the three-day celebrations. It is interesting that the imperial family arrived in Novgorod by water, because the railway connection in those years ended in Chudovo, from where it was possible to get further either along the Volkhov or along the postal route. Witnesses of those events claim that for three days the population of Novgorod practically doubled.

The Monument to the Millennium of Russia was opened on the second day of the celebrations, September 8. This date was not chosen by chance. Firstly, this is the anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. Secondly, - Orthodox holiday Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Thirdly, on September 8, the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Nicholas, celebrated his birthday.

Bogdan Villevalde. Opening of the monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russia in Novgorod in 1862

On the morning of September 8, 1862, the emperor and empress celebrated the liturgy in the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Novgorod Kremlin, from where they then proceeded in a procession to the monument.

As historical chronicles of that day testify, the veil was removed from the monument, followed by a 62-gun salute and a military parade. This ceremony was depicted two years later by the artist Bogdan Villevalde. His painting entitled “Opening of the Monument to the Millennium of Russia in Novgorod” is now a special exhibit in the collection of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve. It is located in the building of the Museum of Fine Arts in the building of the Noble Assembly and, during the preparation of the 1150th anniversary of Russian statehood in 2012, it became a favorite canvas of the Novgorod establishment. Thematic briefings for the press were held at the painting, a copy of the painting was given to distinguished guests to create a similar painting, but 150 years later, competitions were announced... For the anniversary celebrations of 2012, the image of Villevalde’s painting was printed on a million postal envelopes and on a special anniversary stamp.

“The monument is ours!”

The fascist occupiers, who entered Novgorod after fierce fighting in August 1941, liked the monument. As Novgorod historian Viktor Smirnov testifies, German soldiers They took photographs with pleasure against its background (there are such pictures in his book “Monument of the Russian State: Millennium in Bronze”), and then decided to take it to Germany as a war trophy. For transportation, the monument was broken into pieces, and a narrow-gauge railway was built into the Kremlin to transport the massive figures. But they only managed to take away the bronze grille and lanterns - on January 20, 1944, Novgorod was liberated.

Kukryniksy. Flight of the Nazis from Novgorod. 1944 - 1946. In the foreground are fragments of a broken sculpture

Instead of a monument to the liberators, a terrible sight appeared: the monument itself was practically gone, only the lower half of the power sphere remained on the pedestal. The figures were lying in the snow on the square, many of them were damaged. Some small details (swords, staves, shields) disappeared without a trace. The desecrated “Millennium of Russia” was immediately placed under round-the-clock police protection, surrounded by barbed wire. Without waiting for instructions from Moscow, they decided to restore the monument immediately. Not destroyed communications and houses razed to the ground, but a monument - a symbol of Russia, which has become a symbol of Novgorod. The missing bronze parts of the monument were cast again in the northern capital, at the Leningrad foundries.

The monument was opened for the second time, without waiting for the end of the war, on November 2, 1944. Rare film footage from this modest ceremony has been preserved in the funds of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve: they accommodated almost the entire population of the city, which gathered at the monument on this chilly November day. Eyewitnesses of the events recall that there was no electricity in the city yet, the monument was illuminated by the light of car headlights, and Novgorod boys shouted enthusiastically: “The monument is ours!”

Monument "Millennium of Russia" in Novgorod Detinets
Illustration: novgorodmuseum.ru

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the monument and the 1150th anniversary of Russia in Veliky Novgorod, a competition was announced to create a “virtual tier” for the famous monument.

Novgorodians were asked to choose historical figures who could take a place on such a monument after another century and a half. According to the results of the voting, Yuri Gagarin took first place in terms of the number of mentions, Georgy Zhukov took second place, and Joseph Stalin took third place. They named Vladimir Putin, Sergei Mavrodi, Joseph Brodsky, and even D’Artagnan, Alyosha Popovich and Andrei Arshavin. In short, it’s good that the idea of ​​a virtual tier remained virtual.

The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is the most famous monument to Peter I. It is located in an open park on Senate Square and is a unique work Russian and world culture. The Bronze Horseman is surrounded by famous landmarks: the Senate and Synod buildings are located to the west, the Admiralty to the east, and St. Isaac's Cathedral to the south.

History of the creation of the monument
The initiative to create a monument to Peter I belongs to Catherine II. It was on her orders that Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn turned to the professors of the Paris Academy of Painting and Sculpture Diderot and Voltaire, whose opinion Catherine II completely trusted. Famous masters recommended Etienne-Maurice Falconet, who at that time worked as the chief sculptor at a porcelain factory, for this work. “He has an abyss of subtle taste, intelligence and delicacy, and at the same time he is uncouth, stern, and does not believe in anything. .. He does not know self-interest,” Diderot wrote about Falcon.

Etienne-Maurice Falconet always dreamed of monumental art and having received an offer to create an equestrian statue of colossal size, he agreed without hesitation. On September 6, 1766, he signed a contract in which the remuneration for the work was set at 200 thousand livres, which was a fairly modest amount - other masters asked for much more. The 50-year-old master came to Russia with his 17-year-old assistant Marie-Anne Collot.
Opinions about the appearance of the future sculpture were very different. Thus, the President of the Imperial Academy of Arts, Ivan Ivanovich Belskoy, who supervised the creation of the monument, presented a sculpture of Peter I, standing in full height with a rod in his hand. Catherine II saw the emperor sitting on a horse with a staff or scepter, and there were other proposals. Thus, Diderot conceived a monument in the form of a fountain with allegorical figures, and State Councilor Shtelin sent Belsky detailed description his project, according to which Peter I was supposed to appear surrounded by allegorical statues of Prudence and Hard work, Justice and Victory, which support the vices Ignorance and Laziness, Deception and Envy with their feet. Falcone rejected the traditional image of a victorious monarch and abandoned the depiction of allegories. “My monument will be simple. There will be no Barbarism, no Love of peoples, no personification of the People... I will limit myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret either as a great commander or as a winner, although he, of course, was both. The personality of the creator, legislator, benefactor of his country is much higher, and this is what needs to be shown to people,” he wrote to Diderot.

Work on the monument to Peter I
Falcone created a model of the sculpture on the territory of the former temporary Winter Palace Elizaveta Petrovna from 1768 to 1770. Two horses of the Oryol breed, Caprice and Brilliant, were taken from the imperial stables. Falcone made sketches, watching how the guards officer flew up on his horse onto the platform and reared it. Falconet redid the model of the head of Peter I several times, but never achieved the approval of Catherine II and, as a result, the head of the Bronze Horseman was successfully sculpted
Marie-Anne Collot.

The face of Peter I turned out to be courageous and strong-willed, with a wide with open eyes and illuminated by deep thought.


For this work the girl was accepted as a member Russian Academy arts and Catherine II assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.
The snake under the horse’s feet was made by Russian sculptor Fyodor Gordeev.

The plaster model of the Bronze Horseman was made by 1778 and opinions about the work were mixed. While Diderot was pleased, Catherine II did not like the arbitrarily chosen appearance of the monument.

Casting of the Bronze Horseman
The sculpture was conceived to be of colossal size and the foundry workers did not undertake this complex work. Foreign craftsmen demanded huge amounts of money for casting, and some openly said that the casting would not be successful. Finally, a foundry worker was found, cannon master Emelyan Khailov, who took up the casting of the Bronze Horseman. Together with Falcone, they selected the composition of the alloy and made samples. The difficulty was that the sculpture had three support points and therefore the thickness of the walls of the front part of the statue had to be small - no more than one centimeter.


During the first casting, the pipe through which bronze was poured burst. In despair, Falcone ran out of the workshop, but Master Khailov was not at a loss, took off his coat and wet it with water, coated it with clay and applied it as a patch to the pipe. Risking his life, he prevented the fire, although he himself suffered burns to his hands and partially damaged his eyesight. Top part The Bronze Horseman was still damaged and had to be cut down. Preparation for the new casting took another three years, but this time it went well and in honor of the successful completion of the work, the sculptor left the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, Parisian 1788,” in one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak.

Installation of the Bronze Horseman
Falcone wanted to install the monument on a pedestal in the shape of a wave, carved from a natural piece of rock. It was very difficult to find the required block with a height of 11.2 meters, and therefore an appeal was published in the St. Petersburg News newspaper to individuals wishing to find a suitable piece of rock. And soon the peasant Semyon Vishnyakov responded, having long noticed a suitable block near the village of Lakhta and reported this to the head of the search work.


The weight of the monolith is about 1600 tons and was called the Thunder Stone; according to legend, lightning struck it and broke off a piece of the block. To deliver the stone, piles were driven, a road was laid, a wooden platform was made moving along two parallel gutters, into which 30 balls made of copper alloy were placed. This operation was performed in winter time from November 15, 1769, when the ground was frozen and on March 27, 1770, the stone was delivered to the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Then the monolith was loaded onto a special raft, built by master Grigory Korchebnikov, strengthened between two ships. Thousands of people were involved in extracting and transporting the stone. On September 25, 1770, crowds of people greeted the Thunder Stone on the banks of the Neva near Senate Square. During transportation, dozens of stonemasons gave it the necessary shape. This event was marked by the minting of a medal “Like daring. January 1770.”
Reverse side

Front side


In 1778, Falconet's relationship with Catherine II finally deteriorated and, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he was forced to leave for Paris.
The installation of the Bronze Horseman was led by Fyodor Gordeev and on August 7, 1782, the grand opening of the monument took place.
The military parade at the celebration was led by Prince Alexander Golitsyn, and Catherine II arrived along the Neva in a boat and climbed to the balcony of the Senate building. The Empress came out wearing a crown and purple and gave the sign to open the monument. The shields covering the monument opened to the beat of drums, an exclamation of admiration rang out... and regiments of guardsmen marched along the Neva embankment.


But the author was not among the enthusiastic audience; he was not even invited to the opening ceremony. Only later did Prince Golitsyn in France present Falcone with gold and silver medals from Catherine II. This was a clear recognition of his talent, which the queen could not appreciate earlier. They say that at this Falcone, who spent on his main sculpture 15 years of life, I cried.

Bronze Horseman - title
The monument received the name Bronze Horseman later thanks to poem of the same name A.S. Pushkin, although in fact the monument is made of bronze.

Monument to the Bronze Horseman
Falconet depicted the figure of Peter I in dynamics, on a rearing horse, and thereby wanted to show not a commander and a winner, but first of all a creator and legislator. We see the emperor in simple clothes, and instead of a rich saddle - animal skin. Only the laurel wreath crowning the head and the sword at the belt tell us about the winner and commander. The location of the monument on the top of the rock indicates the difficulties Peter overcame, and the snake is a symbol of evil forces. The monument is unique in that it has only three support points. On the pedestal there is an inscription “to PETER the first EKATHERINE second summer 1782”, and on the other side the same text is indicated on Latin. The weight of the Bronze Horseman is eight tons, and the height is five meters.

Legends and Myths about the Bronze Horseman
There is a legend that Peter I, being in a cheerful mood, decided to cross the Neva on his favorite horse Lisette. He exclaimed: “Everything is God’s and mine” and jumped over the river. The second time he shouted the same words and was also on the other side. And for the third time he decided to jump over the Neva, but he misspoke and said: “Everything is mine and God’s” and was immediately punished - he was petrified on Senate Square, in the place where the Bronze Horseman now stands.
They say that Peter I, who was ill, lay in a fever and imagined that the Swedes were advancing. He jumped on his horse and wanted to rush to the Neva towards the enemy, but then a snake crawled out and wrapped itself around the horse’s legs and stopped him, preventing Peter I from jumping into the water and dying. So the Bronze Horseman stands in this place - a monument to How a Snake Saved Peter I.
There are several myths and legends in which Peter I prophesies: “As long as I am in place, my city has nothing to fear.” Indeed, the Bronze Horseman remained in his place during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the Great Patriotic War. During the siege of Leningrad, it was lined with logs and boards and bags of sand and earth were placed around it.
Peter I points with his hand towards Sweden, and in the center of Stockholm there is a monument to Charles XII, Peter’s opponent in the Northern War, left hand which is directed towards Russia.

Interesting facts about the Bronze Horseman monument
Transportation of the stone pedestal was accompanied by difficulties and unforeseen circumstances, and emergency situations often occurred. The whole of Europe followed that operation, and in honor of the delivery of the Thunder Stone to Senate Square, a commemorative medal was issued with the inscription “Like daring. Genvarya, 20, 1770"
Falcone conceived a monument without a fence, although the fence was still installed, but has not survived to this day. Now there are people who leave inscriptions on the monument and damage the pedestal and the Bronze Horseman. It is possible that a fence will soon be installed around the Bronze Horseman
In 1909 and 1976, restoration of the Bronze Horseman was carried out. The latest examination, carried out using gamma rays, showed that the sculpture's frame is in good condition. Inside the monument was placed a capsule with a note about the restoration carried out and a newspaper dated September 3, 1976

The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is the main symbol of the Northern capital, and newlyweds and numerous tourists come to Senate Square to admire one of the most famous sights of the city.

Where is the monument to Peter I “The Bronze Horseman” located, and why is it called that? Many will answer the first question, but almost everyone will probably think about the second. Meanwhile, the history of one of the symbols of St. Petersburg is worth knowing.

Since childhood, the famous lines “I love you, Peter’s creation...”, dedicated to St. Petersburg, “The Bronze Horseman”. The poem gave the “folk” name to one of the most famous monuments Russia - the monument to the Tsar-Reformer Peter the Great. This name has become firmly established in everyday life, and few people realize that in fact the equestrian statue of Peter is cast from bronze.

Catherine the Second, who considered herself a follower of his reforms, planned to perpetuate the memory of the creator of the northern capital. The enlightened empress was in friendly correspondence with Voltaire and Diderot, who gave excellent recommendations French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet. The contract was concluded without unnecessary delay, and in 1766 the sculptor arrived in Russia and began work.

It is interesting that the Frenchman’s creation was radically different from how Russian government officials and even Catherine herself imagined it. According to their idea, Peter the Great was to be depicted as a sovereign ruler, majestically sitting on a horse, like the Roman emperors. Incredibly, the author managed to defend his ideas. Who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in the end? We see not just an autocrat and military leader, but a great king - the benefactor of his country, who turned its history towards development and prosperity.

It took more than ten years to create the masterpiece. First, a plaster statue of Peter sitting on horseback was created. Falconet's assistant Marie Anne Collot was entrusted with sculpting the emperor's head. The master himself was focused on the horse - the plasticity of the horse, the need to accurately convey its movement, were so important for the embodiment of his ideas. He sculpted from life - in the former wooden palace of Empress Elizabeth, a workshop was created with a special platform where riders reared their horses.

It took three years to complete the statue. The next 10 years were spent casting the statue, which was supervised first by the French master Ersman, then by Falconet himself, and the work was completed by the architect Yu.M. Felten and foundry master Ekimov. The process proceeded with great difficulties, and Falcone left Russia in 1778 without completing the casting.

The monument was first presented to the public in 1769, after work on the plaster statue was completed. The bronze monument was inaugurated on the centenary of Peter the Great's accession to the throne on August 7, 1782. the highest presence Empress Catherine II. It is noteworthy that Falcone himself was not at the opening - he was simply not invited.

The huge Thunder Stone, found in a small village near St. Petersburg, was chosen as the pedestal. Delivery took six months. During this time, the Thunder Stone traveled almost eight kilometers by land, then was loaded onto a ship and transported across the Gulf of Finland to St. Petersburg. The stone, weighing 2,500 tons and 11 meters high, was unloaded on a specially built pier and delivered to the site where the monument was installed. All this time, many people worked on the stone to give it a certain shape. But Catherine personally stopped this work, wanting the stone to retain its natural look and gigantic size.

The majestic monument was erected on Senate Square in St. Petersburg next to the Admiralty buildings. There are many interesting facts associated with it.

• Falcone insisted that the monument should be erected without a fence. However, the barrier still appeared. But in our time it has been removed, and the monument fully corresponds to the author’s idea.
• The snake, crushed by a horse's hoof, was sculpted by Fyodor Gordeev.
• After the opening of the monument, the square was temporarily renamed Petrovskaya.
• There is a legend that once walking along Senate Square, Grand Duke Paul met the ghost of Peter there. The emperor told the heir that he would definitely see him here again. This promise was fulfilled.
• Falcone managed to insist on his own regarding the choice of installation location for his creation. Catherine the Second saw the monument in the center of the square, but the author was able to convince her to move the statue closer to the bank of the Neva.
• During the founding of St. Petersburg, the first wooden St. Isaac's Church was located on the site of the monument.

The magnificent monument has repeatedly inspired poets, writers and artists. Passed at its foot. And now the Bronze Horseman is perhaps the main symbol of St. Petersburg, forever imprinting the creator of one of the most beautiful cities on the planet.

B. P. Villevalde Opening of the monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russia in Novgorod in 1862

The monument “Millennium of Russia” was erected in 1862 in the center of Veliky Novgorod in honor of the 1,000th anniversary of the calling of the Varangian princes Rurik, Sineus and Truvor to Rus'.
The authors of the monument are sculptor Mikhail Mikeshin and Ivan Schroeder, architect Victor Hartman
Height: 15.7 meters, diameter of the pedestal - 9 meters, weight of bronze casting - 65.5 tons.
The monument is shaped like a bell and contains 128 human figures. Sculptural images are divided into three levels.

Upper level of sculptures.

The monument is crowned by a figure kneeling in front of an angel with a cross (personification Orthodox Church) a woman personifying Russia. This group is installed at the top of the orb (the emblem of royal power), crowning the composition. The power is decorated with a relief ornament of crosses (a symbol of the unity of the church and autocracy) and is surrounded by the inscription: “To the accomplishment of the millennium of the Russian state in the prosperous reign of Emperor Alexander II, 1862.”

Average level The sculptures contain 6 groups of figures with a total of 17 figures around a ball - a power, symbolizing various periods of the history of the Russian state (according to the official historiography of that time). Each group is focused on a specific part of the world, which has symbolic meaning and shows the role of each sovereign in strengthening certain boundaries of the state. This part reflects the following most important stages in the history of Russia:

calling of the Varangians to Rus' (862)
Baptism of Rus' (988-989)
Battle of Kulikovo (1380)
Education united Rus'(late 14th century)
Beginning of the Romanov dynasty (1613)
Creation Russian Empire(1721)

The lower part of the monument.
It contains a frieze on which high reliefs of 109 figures of history, religion, science and culture are placed.
Initially it was planned that the high relief (third tier) would repeat the plot of the second: six medallions, on which six eras Russian state should have been depicted in more detail - and reflected the participation of the people in the life of the country, thus completing the triad with “nationality”. However, this is what happened. The sculptor Peter Klodt was responsible for the lower tier of the monument - famous master of its time. While working on the monument, he found himself subordinate to his yesterday’s student - young artist Mikeshin, the author of the monument. When Klodt first showed Mikeshin and Emperor Alexander II sketches of his bas-reliefs for the monument, both immediately understood: this is not it! It turned out that Klodt simply repeated the plots of the second tier without developing them one bit.

Monument "Millennium of Russia". 1862

Mikeshin decided that Klodt, not wanting to be subordinate to his yesterday’s student, deliberately sabotaged the order or treated it carelessly. In reality, Klodt - a brilliant animal painter, the author of the famous horses on the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg - was simply at a loss in front of an unusual task for him: to compose a plot from Russian history... It was impossible to accept Klodt’s sketches, it was absurd to explain the task to him again. Something had to be decided urgently. And then Mikeshin, out of despair, told the emperor the first thing that came to mind: “I could suggest representing everyone in the bas-relief worthy people, which in various fields of knowledge, intelligence and science contributed to the exaltation of Russia.” The idea was accepted. Thus, the monument turned into a chronicle of Russia in the faces and acquired its main highlight - 109 outstanding figures Russian figures. They can be divided into four groups:

Enlighteners. Monument "Millennium of Russia"

Enlighteners.
1. Saint Cyril. 2. Saint Methodius. 3. Princess Olga. 4. Prince Vladimir. 5. Saint Abraham of Rostov. 6. Anthony of Pechersky. 7. Theodosius of Pechersk. 8. Saint Kuksha of Pechersk. 9. Nestor the chronicler. 10. Kirill Belozersky. 11. Stefan Permsky. 12. Alexy Metropolitan. 13. Sergius of Radonezh. 14. Peter Mogila. Metropolitan of Kyiv. 15. Jonah. Metropolitan of Moscow. 16. Saint Savvaty of Solovetsky. 17. Saint Zosima of Solovetsky. 18. Maxim the Greek. 19. Gury. Archbishop of Kazan. 20. Konstantin Ostrogsky. 21. Patriarch Nikon. 22. Fedor Rtishchev. 23. Dmitry. Metropolitan of Rostov. 24. Grigory Konissky. Archbishop of Belarus. 25. Feofan Prokopovich. Archbishop of Novgorod. 26. Plato. Metropolitan of Moscow. 27. Innocent. Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride. 28. Macarius. Metropolitan of Moscow. 29. Barsanuphius. Archbishop of Tver. 30. Tikhon Zadonsky. 31. Mitrofan of Voronezh.

State people
1. Archpriest Sylvester. 2. Anastasia Romanova. 3. Okolnichy Alexey Adashev. 4. Patriarch Hermogenes. 5. Youth Mikhail Romanov. 6. Patriarch Filaret. 7. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. 8. Diplomat Ordyn-Nashchokin. 9. Boyar Artamon Matveev. 10. Peter the Great. 11. Prince Yakov Dolgoruky. 12. Privy Councilor Ivan Betskoy. 13. Catherine II. 14. State Chancellor Bezborodko. 15. Grigory Potemkin. 16. State Chancellor Prince Kochubey, 17. Alexander I. 18. Mikhail Speransky. 19. Field Marshal Vorontsov. 20. Nicholas I. 21. Yaroslav the Wise. 22. Vladimir Monomakh. 23. Gediminas, Prince of Lithuania. 24. Olgerd, Grand Duke of Lithuania. 25. Vytautas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. 26. Ivan III.

Military figures and heroes. Monument "Millennium of Russia"

Military figures and heroes
1. Svyatoslav Igorevich. 2. Mstislav Udaloy. 3. Daniil Galitsky. 4. Alexander Nevsky. 5. Prince Keistut. 6. Dmitry Donskoy. 7. Mikhail Tverskoy. 8. Daniil Kholmsky, Moscow governor 9. Mikhail Vorotynsky. 10. Daniil Shchenya, prince. 11. Marfa Boretskaya (Posadnitsa). 12. Ermak Timofeevich. 13. Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky. 14. Dmitry Pozharsky. 15. Abraham Palitsyn. 16. Bogdan Khmelnitsky. 17. Kuzma Minin. 18. Ivan Susanin. 19. Boris Sheremetev. 20. Mikhail Golitsyn. 21. Petr Saltykov. 22. Count Burchard Minich. 23. Alexey Orlov. 24. Petr Rumyantsev. 25. Alexander Suvorov. 26. Mikhail Barclay de Tolly. 27. Mikhail Kutuzov. 28. Admiral Senyavin. 29. Dovmont, Prince of Pskov. 30. Matvey Platov. 31. Peter Bagration. 32. Ivan Dibich. 33. Ivan Paskevich. 34. Admiral Lazarev. 35. Vice Admiral Kornilov. 36. Admiral Nakhimov.

Writers and artists. Monument "Millennium of Russia"

Writers and artists

1. Mikhail Lomonosov. 2. Denis Fonvizin. 3. Alexander Kokorinov. 4. Gavrila Derzhavin. 5. Fedor Volkov. 6. Nikolai Karamzin. 7. Ivan Krylov. 8. Vasily Zhukovsky. 9. Nikolai Gnedich. 10. Alexander Griboyedov. 11. Mikhail Lermontov. 12. Alexander Pushkin. 13. Nikolai Gogol. 14. Mikhail Glinka. 15. Karl Bryullov. 16. Dmitry Bortnyansky.
Ivan IV is not among those depicted. It was not included in the composition of the monument, remembering the bloody massacre committed by the guardsmen in Novgorod in 1570.

Interesting Facts.
52 projects took part in the competition for the monument project, which, according to the terms of the competition, were submitted anonymously, signing with mottos. The first prize to the winning project was 4,000 rubles (a fortune at that time). It was received by Mikhail Mikeshin.

A. Rokachevsky. Portrait of young M.O. Mikeshin. 1855

2. Sculptor Mikhail Mikeshin won the design competition for the monument to the Millennium of Russia when he turned 24! To a greater extent, Mikhail Mikeshin was known as a battle painter. He just brilliantly graduated from the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. His thesis, which depicted horse grenadiers, was bought by Emperor Nicholas I himself. Subsequently, he taught drawing of the Grand Duchesses, but remained in history as a great sculptor, the author of a number of outstanding monuments. Next famous monuments created according to his designs:
Kuzma Minina in Nizhny Novgorod
Alexander II in Rostov-on-Don
Catherine II in St. Petersburg

Statesmen. Monument "Millennium of Russia"

Mikhail Mikeshin and his friend, sculptor Ivan Schroeder, read about the competition for the construction of the monument in the newspaper while having lunch in a cafe. We decided to dare and show each other our ideas the next morning. Schroeder didn’t come up with anything and admitted defeat, saying that he was ready to work according to Mikeshin’s sketches. And Mikeshin immediately gave birth artistic solution- a three-tiered monument, the composition of which is based on the power. Here the fact that Mikeshin was a painter by profession played into his hands.
If he were a professional sculptor, his thoughts would inevitably revolve around images standard for sculpture of that time: figures, statues, equestrian groups, columns, etc. And this would inevitably diverge from the main condition of the competition: to depict the thousand-year history of Russia in development. Perhaps this task was only possible for someone like Mikeshin - an amateur in sculpture, not constrained by academic canons and therefore ready for any original solutions.

When, according to Mikeshin’s idea, the three-tiered power was surrounded by figures of people - historical characters— the silhouette of the monument began to resemble Monomakh’s hat (a symbol of royal power) and at the same time a bell (a hint of the veche bell of the Novgorod Republic).

3. The monument was inaugurated in 1862 in the presence of Emperor Alexander II. In connection with the construction and grand opening of the monument, Novgorod was repaired and re-paved. A solemn parade was organized, the celebrations lasted three days.
The entire august family with members of their closest retinue came to Novgorod for this event; up to 12 thousand soldiers and officers were brought, as well as just spectators. The population of Novgorod practically doubled for several days. The ceremony included: a procession to the St. Sophia Cathedral after the liturgy in all churches of the Novgorod Kremlin and in the Church of the Sign, the transfer of the holy relics of the builder of the St. Sophia Cathedral, Prince Vladimir Yaroslavich, from a dilapidated wooden shrine to a new silver one (September 7); the next day the tsar received a deputation from the local nobles, then toured the troops built for the parade, and then, together with the empress and retinue, bell ringing went to St. Sophia Cathedral, where he celebrated the liturgy. After this, the procession moved from the cathedral to the monument, around which troops stood and the public was seated on specially constructed platforms. The veil was removed from the monument. This was followed by a 62-gun salute, a military parade, and a gala dinner. The third day of the celebration coincided with the birthday of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. After the prayer service in the cathedral, the tsar accepted bread and salt, presented to him by a peasant deputation on a wooden platter. He then visited the gymnasium and the orphanage, and this was followed by dinner, and in the evening a ball.

4. Destruction of the monument during the Great Patriotic War and subsequent restoration
In August 1941, the Germans entered Novgorod. The German general von Herzog, who served at the headquarters of the German army that was besieging Leningrad, ordered the “Millennium of Russia” monument to be dismantled and taken to Germany, deciding to make a gift to his friend at home. In the winter of 1943-1944, dismantling work began. The railway managed to take away the bronze lattice work of Professor Bosse that surrounded the monument, as well as bronze lanterns artistic work standing around him. The occupiers failed to remove the dismantled monument. On January 20, 1944, Novgorod was liberated by Soviet troops.
At this point, the monument was a completely bare pedestal, on which the lower half of the orb remained. Its upper part was dilapidated. The colossal figures that previously surrounded the ball were scattered around the monument. At the same time, many of them turned out to be damaged: a three-meter cross, standing on a ball-power, was cut down at the base and bent into an arc; the bronze fastenings were cut down or torn out of their places everywhere. Small details such as swords, staffs, and shields disappeared without a trace.

The Committee for Architectural Affairs under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the executive committee of the Leningrad Regional Council of Workers' Deputies decided to restore the monument in its previous form in the shortest possible time, and among the first objects of the devastated Novgorod. This was done by the Leningrad Regional Department of Architecture.
Nowadays, the monument “Millennium of Russia” is one of the most famous and popular in Russia. While traveling through ancient Novgorod land you can’t help but see Mikeshin’s creation; it is located in the heart of the city, in front of Sofia Novgorod. You can look at this monument for a long time. Whether this interpretation of the monument agrees with your perception of the thousand-year history of Russia is up to you to decide.