Air defense systems and anti-aircraft missile systems. Classification and combat properties of anti-aircraft missile systems
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 for 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 certain part of the world, which has a 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)
Formation of a united Rus' (late 14th century)
Beginning of the Romanov dynasty (1613)
creation of the 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.
It was originally 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 former student, the 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, keeping in mind 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 mounted 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. The following famous monuments were 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 in the morning next day show each other your ideas. 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 came up with an artistic solution - a three-tiered monument, the composition of which is based on the state. 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 state was surrounded by figures of people - historical characters - the silhouette of the monument began to resemble Monomakh's cap (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 recovery
In August 1941, the Germans entered Novgorod. German General von Herzog, who served on the staff German army, who was besieging Leningrad, ordered the “Millennium of Russia” monument to be dismantled and taken to Germany, deciding to make a gift to his friend in his homeland. 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 Working People's Deputies decided to restore the monument in its previous form at its most short term, 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 the ancient Novgorod land, you cannot 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.
The city on the Neva is actually a museum under open air. Monuments of architecture, history and art are concentrated in its central part and are mostly compositional. A special place among them is occupied by the monument dedicated to Peter the Great - the Bronze Horseman. Any guide can give a description of the monument in sufficient detail; everything in this story is interesting: from the creation of a sketch to the installation process. Many legends and myths are associated with it. The first of these relates to the origin of the sculpture's name. It was given much later than the construction of the monument, but has not changed over the two hundred years of its existence.
Name
...Above the fenced rock
Idol with outstretched hand
Sat on a bronze horse...
These lines are familiar to every Russian person; their author, A.S. Pushkin, describing him in the work of the same name, called him the Bronze Horseman. The great Russian poet, born 17 years after the installation of the monument, did not imagine that his poem would give a new name to the sculpture. In his work, he gives the following description of the Bronze Horseman monument (or rather, whose image was displayed in it):
...What a thought on the brow!
What power is hidden in it!..
...O powerful lord of fate!..
Peter does not appear a simple person, not a great king, but practically a demigod. These epithets were inspired by Pushkin’s monument, its scale and fundamental nature. The horseman is not made of copper, the sculpture itself is made of bronze, and a solid granite block was used as a pedestal. But the image of Peter created by Pushkin in the poem was so consistent with the energy of the entire composition that it is not worth paying attention to such trifles. Before today the description of the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg is inextricably linked with the work of the great Russian classic.
Story
Catherine II, wanting to emphasize her commitment to Peter's reform activities, decided to erect a monument to him in the city of which he was the founder. The first statue was created by Francesco Rastrelli, but the monument did not receive the approval of the empress and was kept for a long time in the barns of St. Petersburg. The sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet recommended to her worked on the monument for 12 years. His confrontation with Catherine ended with him leaving Russia without ever seeing his creation in its finished form. Having studied the personality of Peter from the sources existing at that time, he created and embodied his image not as a great commander and tsar, but as the creator of Russia, who opened the way to the sea for it, bringing it closer to Europe. Falcone was faced with the fact that Catherine and all the senior officials already had a ready-made image of the monument; all he had to do was create the expected forms. If this had happened, then the description of the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg would have been completely different. Perhaps then it would have had a different name. Falcone's work progressed slowly, this was facilitated by bureaucratic squabbles, the empress's dissatisfaction and the complexity of the created image.
Installation
Even recognized masters of their craft did not undertake the casting of the figure of Peter on horseback, so Falconet hired Emelyan Khailov, who cast the cannons. The size of the monument was not the most main problem, it was much more important to maintain weight balance. With only three points of support, the sculpture had to be stable. The original solution was to introduce a snake into the monument, which was a symbol of defeated evil. At the same time, it provided additional support for the sculptural group. We can say that the monument was created in collaboration with the sculptor, his student Marie-Anne Collot (head of Peter, face) and the Russian master Fyodor Gordeev (snake).
Thunder stone
Not a single description of the Bronze Horseman monument is complete without mentioning its foundation (pedestal). A huge granite block was split by lightning, which is why local population gave it the name Thunder-stone, which was later preserved. According to Falconet's plan, the sculpture should stand on a base that imitates a billowing wave. The stone was delivered to Senate Square by land and water, while work on cutting the granite block did not stop. All of Russia and Europe followed the extraordinary transportation; in honor of its completion, Catherine ordered the minting of a medal. In September 1770, a granite base was installed on Senate Square. The location of the monument was also controversial. The Empress insisted on installing the monument in the center of the square, but Falcone placed it closer to the Neva, and Peter’s gaze was also directed towards the river. Although there are fierce debates about this to this day: where did the Bronze Horseman turn his gaze? The description of the monument by various researchers contains great options answer. Some believe that the king is looking at Sweden, with whom he fought. Others suggest that his gaze is turned to the sea, access to which was necessary for the country. There is also a point of view based on the theory that the ruler surveys the city he founded.
Bronze Horseman, monument
A brief description of the monument can be found in any guide to historical and cultural sites of St. Petersburg. Peter 1 sits on a rearing horse, stretching one hand over the flowing Neva. His head is decorated with a laurel wreath, and the horse’s feet trample on a snake, personifying evil (in the broad sense of the word). On the granite base, by order of Catherine II, the inscription “Catherine II to Peter I” and the date - 1782 were made. These words are written in Latin on one side of the monument, and in Russian on the other. The weight of the monument itself is about 8-9 tons, its height is more than 5 meters, excluding the base. This monument has become business card cities on the Neva. Every person who comes to see its sights must visit Senate Square, and everyone forms their own opinion and, accordingly, a description of the monument to the Bronze Horseman to Peter 1.
Symbolism
The power and grandeur of the monument has not left people indifferent for two centuries. He had such an impact on the great classic A.S. Pushkin indelible impression that the poet created one of his most significant creations - “The Bronze Horseman”. The description of the monument in the poem as an independent hero attracts the reader's attention with its brightness and integrity of the image. This work has become one of the symbols of Russia, like the monument itself. “The Bronze Horseman, a description of the monument” - high school students from all over the country are writing essays on this topic. At the same time, the role of Pushkin’s poem and his vision of sculpture appear in every essay. From the moment the monument was opened until today, there have been mixed opinions in society about the composition as a whole. Many Russian writers used the image created by Falcone in their work. Everyone found symbolism in it, which they interpreted in accordance with their views, but there is no doubt that Peter I personifies Russia’s movement forward. This is confirmed by the Bronze Horseman. The description of the monument has become for many a way of expressing their own thoughts about the fate of the country.
Monument
A mighty horse quickly runs onto a rock in front of which an abyss has opened up. The rider pulls the reins, raising the animal on its hind legs, while his entire figure personifies confidence and calm. According to Falcone, this is exactly what Peter I was - a hero, a warrior, but also a transformer. With his hand he points to the distances that will be subject to him. The fight against the forces of nature, not very insightful people, and prejudices is the meaning of life for him. When creating the sculpture, Catherine wanted to see Peter as a great emperor, i.e. Roman statues could be a model. The king must sit on a horse, holding it in his hands, while clothing was given to match the ancient heroes. Falcone was categorically against it, he said that the Russian sovereign could not wear a tunic, just like Julius Caesar could not wear a caftan. Peter appears in a long Russian shirt, which is covered by a cloak fluttering in the wind - this is exactly what the Bronze Horseman looks like. A description of the monument is impossible without some symbols introduced by Falcone into the main composition. For example, Peter is not sitting in the saddle; the skin of a bear acts as this. Its meaning is interpreted as belonging to a nation, a people that the king leads. The snake under the horse's hooves symbolizes deceit, enmity, ignorance, defeated by Peter.
Head
The king's facial features are slightly idealized, but not lost portrait likeness. The work on Peter's head lasted long term, its results constantly did not satisfy the empress. Petra, photographed by Rastrelli, helped Falconet's student create the face of the king. Her work was highly appreciated by Catherine II; Marie-Anne Collot was awarded a life annuity. The whole figure, the position of the head, the fierce gesture, the inner fire expressed in the gaze, show the character of Peter I.
Location
Falcone paid special attention to the base on which the Bronze Horseman is located. this topic has attracted many talented people. The rock, the granite block, personifies the difficulties that Peter overcomes on his way. After he has reached the top, he acquires the meaning of subordination, subordination to his will of all circumstances. The granite block, made in the form of a billowing wave, also indicates the conquest of the sea. The location of the entire monument is very revealing. Peter I, the founder of the city of St. Petersburg, despite all difficulties, creates a seaport for his power. That is why the figure is placed closer to the river and turned to face it. Peter I (the Bronze Horseman) seems to continue to peer into the distance, assess threats to his state and plan new great achievements. In order to form your own opinion about this symbol of the city on the Neva and all of Russia, you need to visit it, feel the powerful energy of the place, the character reflected by the sculptor. Reviews from many tourists, including foreign ones, boil down to one thought: for a few minutes you are speechless. What is striking in this case is not only the awareness of its importance for the history of Russia.
In 1782, the centenary of Peter I's accession to the Russian throne was celebrated in St. Petersburg with the opening of a monument to the Tsar by the sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet. The monument began to be called Bronze Horseman thanks to A.S. Pushkin.
The monument to Peter I (“Bronze Horseman”) is located in the center of Senate Square. The author of the sculpture is the French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet.
The location of the monument to Peter I was not chosen by chance. Nearby are the Admiralty founded by the emperor, the building of the main legislature Tsarist Russia- Senate. Catherine II insisted on placing the monument in the center of Senate Square. The author of the sculpture, Etienne-Maurice Falconet, did his own thing by installing the “Bronze Horseman” closer to the Neva.
By order of Catherine II, Falcone was invited to St. Petersburg by Prince Golitsyn. Professors of the Paris Academy of Painting Diderot and Voltaire, whose taste Catherine II trusted, advised to turn to this master.
Falcone was already fifty years old. He worked at a porcelain factory, but dreamed of great and monumental art. When an invitation was received to erect a monument in Russia, Falcone, without hesitation, signed the contract on September 6, 1766. Its conditions determined: the monument to Peter should consist of “mainly an equestrian statue colossal size" The sculptor was offered a rather modest fee (200 thousand livres), other masters asked twice as much.
Falcone arrived in St. Petersburg with his seventeen-year-old assistant Marie-Anne Collot.
The vision of the monument to Peter I by the author of the sculpture was strikingly different from the desire of the empress and the majority of the Russian nobility. Catherine II expected to see Peter I with a rod or scepter in his hand, sitting on a horse like a Roman emperor. State Councilor Shtelin saw the figure of Peter surrounded by allegories of Prudence, Diligence, Justice and Victory. I.I. Betskoy, who supervised the construction of the monument, imagined it as a full-length figure, holding a commander’s staff in his hand. Falconet was advised to direct the emperor's right eye to the Admiralty, and his left to the building of the Twelve Colleges. Diderot, who visited St. Petersburg in 1773, conceived a monument in the form of a fountain decorated with allegorical figures.
Falconet had something completely different in mind. He turned out to be stubborn and persistent. The sculptor wrote:
“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. My king does not hold any rod, he extends his beneficent right hand over the country he travels around. He climbs to the top of the rock, which serves as his pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has overcome.”
Defending the right to his opinion regarding the appearance of the Falcone monument, I.I. wrote. Betsky:
“Could you imagine that the sculptor chosen to create such a significant monument would be deprived of the ability to think and that the movements of his hands would be controlled by someone else’s head, and not his own?”
Disputes also arose around the clothes of Peter I. The sculptor wrote to Diderot:
“You know that I will not dress him in Roman style, just as I would not dress Julius Caesar or Scipio in Russian.”
Above the model of the monument in life size Falcone worked for three years. Work on the "Bronze Horseman" was carried out on the site of the former temporary Winter Palace Elizaveta Petrovna. In 1769, passers-by could watch here as a guards officer took off on a horse onto a wooden platform and reared it. This went on for several hours a day. Falcone sat at the window in front of the platform and carefully sketched what he saw. The horses for work on the monument were taken from the imperial stables: the horses Brilliant and Caprice. The sculptor chose the Russian “Oryol” breed for the monument.
Falconet's student Marie-Anne Collot sculpted the head of the Bronze Horseman. The sculptor himself took on this work three times, but each time Catherine II advised to remake the model. Marie herself proposed her sketch, which was accepted by the empress. For her work, the girl was accepted as a member Russian Academy arts, Catherine II assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.
The snake under the horse’s foot was sculpted by the Russian sculptor F.G. Gordeev.
Preparing the life-size plaster model of the monument took twelve years; it was ready by 1778. The model was open for public viewing in the workshop on the corner of Brick Lane and Bolshaya Morskaya Street. Various opinions were expressed. The Chief Prosecutor of the Synod resolutely did not accept the project. Diderot was pleased with what he saw. Catherine II turned out to be indifferent to the model of the monument - she did not like Falcone’s arbitrariness in choosing the appearance of the monument.
For a long time, no one wanted to take on the task of casting the statue. Foreign craftsmen demanded too much money, and local craftsmen were frightened by its size and complexity of work. According to the sculptor’s calculations, in order to maintain the balance of the monument, the front walls of the monument had to be made very thin - no more than a centimeter. Even a specially invited foundry worker from France refused such work. He called Falcone crazy and said that there was no such example of casting in the world, that it would not succeed.
Finally, a foundry worker was found - cannon master Emelyan Khailov. Together with him, Falcone selected the alloy and made samples. In three years, the sculptor mastered casting to perfection. They began casting the Bronze Horseman in 1774.
The technology was very complex. The thickness of the front walls had to be less than the thickness of the rear ones. At the same time, the back part became heavier, which gave stability to the statue, which rested on only three points of support.
Filling the statue alone was not enough. During the first, the pipe through which hot bronze was supplied to the mold burst. The upper part of the sculpture was damaged. I had to cut it down and prepare for the second filling for another three years. This time the job was a success. In memory of her, on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak, the sculptor left the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian in 1778.”
The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:
“On August 24, 1775, Falconet cast a statue of Peter the Great on horseback here. The casting was successful except in places two feet by two at the top. This regrettable failure occurred through an incident that was not at all foreseeable, and therefore impossible to prevent. The above-mentioned incident seemed so terrible that they feared that the entire building would catch fire, and, consequently, the whole business would fail. Khailov remained motionless and carried the molten metal into the mold, without losing his vigor in the least in the face of danger to his life. Falcone, touched by such courage at the end of the case, rushed to him and kissed him with all his heart and gave him money from himself.”
According to the sculptor’s plan, the base of the monument is a natural rock in the shape of a wave. The shape of the wave serves as a reminder that it was Peter I who led Russia to the sea. The Academy of Arts began searching for the monolith stone when the model of the monument was not yet ready. A stone was needed whose height would be 11.2 meters.
The granite monolith was found in the Lakhta region, twelve miles from St. Petersburg. Once upon a time, according to local legends, lightning struck the rock, forming a crack in it. Among local residents The rock was called "Thunder Stone". That’s what they later began to call it when they installed it on the banks of the Neva under the famous monument.
The initial weight of the monolith is about 2000 tons. Catherine II announced a reward of 7,000 rubles to the one who comes up with the most effective method deliver the rock to Senate Square. Of the many projects, the method proposed by a certain Carbury was chosen. There were rumors that he had bought this project from some Russian merchant.
A clearing was cut from the location of the stone to the shore of the bay and the soil was strengthened. The rock was freed from excess layers, and it immediately became lighter by 600 tons. The thunder-stone was hoisted with levers onto a wooden platform resting on copper balls. These balls moved along grooved wooden rails lined with copper. The clearing was winding. Work on transporting the rock continued in both cold and hot weather. Hundreds of people worked. Many St. Petersburg residents came to watch this action. Some of the observers collected fragments of stone and used them to make cane knobs or cufflinks. In honor of the extraordinary transport operation, Catherine II ordered the minting of a medal on which it was written “Like daring. January 20, 1770.”
The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:
The Russian Mountain, not made by hands, is here,
Hearing the voice of God from the lips of Catherine,
Came to the city of Petrov through the Neva abyss
And she fell under the feet of the Great Peter.
By the time the monument to Peter I was erected, the relationship between the sculptor and the imperial court had completely deteriorated. It got to the point that Falcone was credited with only a technical attitude towards the monument. The offended master did not wait for the opening of the monument; in September 1778, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he left for Paris.
The installation of the “Bronze Horseman” on the pedestal was supervised by the architect F.G. Gordeev.
The grand opening of the monument to Peter I took place on August 7, 1782 (old style). The sculpture was hidden from the eyes of observers by a canvas fence depicting mountain landscapes. It had been raining since the morning, but it did not stop a significant number of people from gathering on Senate Square. By noon the clouds had cleared. The guards entered the square. The military parade was led by Prince A.M. Golitsyn. At four o'clock, Empress Catherine II herself arrived on the boat. She climbed onto the balcony of the Senate building in a crown and purple and gave a sign for the opening of the monument. The fence fell under drum roll The regiments moved along the Neva embankment.
By order of Catherine II, the following is inscribed on the pedestal: “Catherine II to Peter I.” Thus, the Empress emphasized her commitment to Peter's reforms.
Immediately after the appearance of the Bronze Horseman on Senate Square, the square was named Petrovskaya.
A.S. called the sculpture “Bronze Horseman” in his poem of the same name. Pushkin. This expression has become so popular that it has become almost official. And the monument to Peter I itself became one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.
The weight of the “Bronze Horseman” is 8 tons, the height is more than 5 meters.
Legend of the Bronze Horseman
From the very day of its installation it became the subject of many myths and legends. Opponents of Peter himself and his reforms warned that the monument depicts the “horseman of the Apocalypse,” bringing death and suffering to the city and all of Russia. Peter's supporters said that the monument symbolizes the greatness and glory of the Russian Empire, and that Russia will remain so until the horseman leaves his pedestal.
By the way, there are also legends about the pedestal of the Bronze Horseman. According to the sculptor Falcone, it was supposed to be made in the shape of a wave. Suitable stone was found near the village of Lakhta: supposedly a local holy fool pointed out the stone. Some historians find it possible that this is exactly the stone that Peter climbed more than once during the Northern War in order to better see the location of the troops.
The fame of the Bronze Horseman spread far beyond the borders of St. Petersburg. One of the remote settlements had its own version of the origin of the monument. The version was that one day Peter the Great amused himself by jumping on his horse from one bank of the Neva to the other. The first time he exclaimed: “Everything is God’s and mine!”, and jumped over the river. The second time he repeated: “Everything is God’s and mine!”, and again the jump was successful. However, the third time the emperor mixed up the words and said: “Everything is mine and God’s!” At that moment, God's punishment overtook him: he became petrified and forever remained a monument to himself.
The Legend of Major Baturin
During the Patriotic War of 1812, as a result of the retreat of Russian troops, there was a threat of the capture of St. Petersburg by French troops. Concerned about this prospect, Alexander I ordered particularly valuable works of art to be removed from the city. In particular, State Secretary Molchanov was instructed to take the monument to Peter I to the Vologda province, and several thousand rubles were allocated for this. At this time, a certain Major Baturin secured a meeting with the Tsar’s personal friend, Prince Golitsyn, and told him that he and Baturin were haunted by the same dream. He sees himself on Senate Square. Peter's face turns. The horseman rides off his cliff and heads along the streets of St. Petersburg to Kamenny Island, where Alexander I then lived. The horseman enters the courtyard of the Kamenoostrovsky Palace, from which the sovereign comes out to meet him. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to,” Peter the Great tells him, “but as long as I’m in place, my city has nothing to fear!” Then the rider turns back, and the “heavy, ringing gallop” is heard again. Struck by Baturin’s story, Prince Golitsyn conveyed the dream to the sovereign. As a result, Alexander I reversed his decision to evacuate the monument. The monument remained in place.
There is an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin formed the basis of the plot of A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”. There is also an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin was the reason that during the Great Patriotic War the monument remained in place and was not hidden, like other sculptures.
During the siege of Leningrad, the Bronze Horseman was covered with bags of earth and sand, lined with logs and boards.
Restorations of the monument took place in 1909 and 1976. During the last of them, the sculpture was studied using gamma rays. To do this, the space around the monument was fenced off with sandbags and concrete blocks. The cobalt gun was controlled from a nearby bus. Thanks to this research, it turned out that the frame of the monument can still serve long years. Inside the figure was a capsule with a note about the restoration and its participants, a newspaper dated September 3, 1976.
Currently, the Bronze Horseman is a popular place for newlyweds.
Etienne-Maurice Falconet conceived The Bronze Horseman without a fence. But it was still created and has not survived to this day. “Thanks to” the vandals who leave their autographs on the thunder stone and the sculpture itself, the idea of restoring the fence may soon be realized.
150 years ago - September 8, 1862 - the monument “Millennium of Russia” was unveiled in Veliky Novgorod. There is no other monument like this in the world. It tells not about one event, but about an entire millennium. Dedicated not to one person, but to the whole people. How the monument was created and how people treated it different eras- V late XIX century, after the revolution, during the war? Which historical realities of our country are hidden behind the history of its creation and the appearance? Why are some characters depicted on it, while others - seemingly no less worthy - are not? To answer these and other questions, the Foma magazine in its material brought together many disparate facts - both genuine and semi-anecdotal.
Compositionally, the monument consists of three tiers.This symbolizes the triad “Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality.”
Upper tier. Orthodoxy
The group consists of two figures - Russia and an angel. An angel overshadows Russia with a cross. Their base is a ball - a power. The inscription on the ball: “To the accomplished millennium of the Russian State during the prosperous reign of Emperor Alexander II, summer 1862.”
Middle tier. Six eras of the Russian state
Symbolizes "autocracy". Around the ball-power are seventeen three-meter figures. They make up six sculptural compositions. In the center of each is a sovereign, personifying his era:
Rurik- foundation of the Russian state in 862.
Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir- baptism of Rus' in 988.
Saint Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy- exemption from Tatar-Mongol yoke in 1380.
Ivan III- foundation of the autocratic Russian kingdom in 1491.
Mikhail Romanov- restoration of autocracy in 1613.
Peter I- foundation of the Russian Empire.
It is no coincidence that the direction in which the views of government officials are directed. Prince Vladimir looks towards Byzantium: from there he brought Christianity to Rus'. Peter I - to St. Petersburg founded by him. Mikhail Romanov - to the west: the Russians drove out the Polish and Swedish invaders there. Prince Dmitry Donskoy - to the Horde: the defeated Mongols went there. Ivan III - to Moscow, the former capital (after all, when the monument was erected, the capital was St. Petersburg). But Rurik... He should have looked at Novgorod, where he was called to reign. But he stands in Novgorod, so his gaze is fixed on the second most important ancient Russian city - Kyiv.
Lower tier. Outstanding characters of Russian history
Initially, it was planned that the high relief (third tier) would repeat the plot of the second: six medallions, on which six eras of the Russian state were to be depicted in more detail - and reflect 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, the most famous master of his time, was responsible for the lower tier of the monument. While working on the monument, he found himself subordinate to his former student, the 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. 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 propose to represent on the bas-relief all the worthy people who, 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 persons and acquired its main highlight - 109 figures of outstanding Russian figures. They can be divided into four groups:
Enlighteners
31 figures, for example, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Saint Sergius of Radonezh and others.
State people
26 figures, for example, Yaroslav the Wise, Empress Catherine II and others.
Military figures and heroes
36 figures, for example, Mikhail Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky and others
Writers and artists
16 figures, for example, Lomonosov, Pushkin and others.
10 frequently asked questions about the monument
1. Why was September 8 the opening date of the monument and, accordingly, the celebration in honor of the millennium of Russia?
On this date there were three other important events: anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo, birthday of the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Nicholas, as well as Orthodox holiday The Nativity of the Virgin Mary, who was popularly considered the intercessor and patroness of Russia. The date of September 8 made it possible to combine secular and church holidays.
2. Why was the monument erected in Novgorod?
Those around Emperor Alexander II were surprised: what was the point of erecting such an important monument in a provincial town, where only local inhabitants would see it? The unique date required a metropolitan scale. In addition, a stable association with Novgorod is the Novgorod veche, republican traditions. What if the decision to place the monument here will be perceived as a signal at a difficult time for the country? After all, the memory of the Decembrist uprising is still fresh, and the entire reign of Nicholas I passed under the banner of the fight against dissent. And yet, Alexander II supported the candidacy of Novgorod: sovereignty, in the opinion of the emperor, does not contradict civil liberties. In their union, the tsar saw the civilized future of the Russian state. Therefore, some historians call the Novgorod monument “a monument to the great reforms of Alexander II.”
Mikhail Mikeshin was a brilliant graduate of the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. His diploma work, which depicted horse grenadiers, was bought by Emperor Nicholas I himself. Mikeshin was about to go on a six-year internship in Italy.
Mikhail Mikeshin and his friend, the not-so-successful 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 take the plunge 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 came up with an artistic solution - a three-tiered monument, the composition of which is based on the state. 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 state was surrounded by figures of people - historical characters - the silhouette of the monument began to resemble Monomakh's cap (a symbol of royal power) and at the same time a bell (a hint of the veche bell of the Novgorod Republic). Mikeshin immediately realized that this was luck: a true artistic solution always carries an internal conflict.
4. Why was the monument project criticized?
An article was published in the magazine “Russian Messenger”, the author of which signed with one letter “O”. He called Mikeshin’s monument a “motley toy.” He was especially outraged by the fact that the figures of the monument stand with their backs to the state. In his response article, Mikeshin jokingly wrote that he was ready to agree and place the figures with their backs to the public.
5. Who worked on the monument?
The main authors of the monument are the artist Mikhail Mikeshin and his friends: architect Victor Hartman and sculptor Ivan Schroeder. The latter made the lion's share of the order with his own hands. But in reality, it was impossible for three of us to complete such work. The idea is huge. And the terms are less than three years. For comparison: the sculptor Falcone worked on “The Bronze Horseman” for twenty years. And here, in addition to the giant power with six subject compositions on the second tier, it was necessary to create and cast one hundred and nine human figures for lower tier. To solve the problem, a whole creative team was created, which included the most famous sculptors of that time. The piquancy of the situation lay in the fact that, on behalf of the emperor, the twenty-year-old youth Mikeshin, their yesterday’s student at the Academy of Arts, was leading the team.
6. How expensive was the monument?
The construction of the monument cost 500,000 rubles. One hundred and fifty thousand of them are donations from the population. The rest was provided by the treasury. The amount is not small, but not mind-blowing for its time: a good mansion in St. Petersburg then cost half a million rubles.
The friendship of artist Mikhail Mikeshin and sculptor Ivan Schroeder did not stand the test of fame. They worked together on the monument, and their achievements were quite comparable. Yes, the idea and general direction of Mikeshin, but the lion's share of the monument was sculpted by Ivan Schroeder with his own hands! And yet, fame, like a bride, left him for Mikeshin. The fact that the sovereign assigned them both a lifelong pension of 1,200 rubles was no consolation.
From now on, Mikeshin was given the title of “labor master of monumental affairs.” Foreign awards and orders rained down on him like from a cornucopia. Mikeshin became rich, and even once embarked on a financial adventure, after which he not only lost all his money, but also owed the treasury 80 thousand rubles. Desperate, Mikeshin asked the emperor himself for help. Alexander II loved the artist, so he paid the debt for him, but promised to engage only in art from then on. Very quickly Mikeshin became a welcome guest in all salons and meetings. He was a favorite of women. Writer Nikolai Leskov even portrayed Mikeshin in his novel “The Islanders” in the image of the heartthrob artist Istomin. Mikhail Mikeshin died in 1896. By this time he had already become a master, a recognized venerable artist. His friends said that he died the way he wanted to die - suddenly heart attack
struck him down while working.
8. What saved the monument from demolition after 1917?
Paradoxically, it is an anti-religious campaign. Of course, after the revolution, the attitude towards the monument became sharply negative. The metropolitan press called it “artistically and politically offensive.” Novgorod officials said: “How much non-ferrous metal is lost, it’s high time to be melted down.” The “guilt” of the monument was aggravated by the fact that it was depicted on banknotes issued in Crimea by the Wrangel government. A brochure entitled “Monument to the Millennium of Autocratic Oppression” was published in mass circulation. The monument would definitely have been demolished in the first post-revolutionary months if all the forces of the authorities had not been thrown into the plunder of the richest Novgorod diocese that had just begun. The weight of gold and silver items alone, exported by special wagon from Novgorod, amounted to more than ten tons. The problem of the monument faded into the background. The monument survived, but on communist holidays they began to cover it with plywood shields painted with revolutionary slogans - and in the middle of the Novgorod Kremlin, it was as if a haystack was growing.
9. What happened to the monument during the war? In August 1941, the Germans occupied Novgorod. And in January 1944, the military commandant of Novgorod, General von Herzog, decided to make a military trophy out of the monument. There was simply nothing else in the city: church utensils, icons, bronze gates, gilded sheets of domes - all this had already been taken out. Von Herzog decided to send the monument to the city of his youth - Instenburg, where the general's childhood friend was burgomaster at that time. Difficulties with transportation did not bother von Herzog. The very next day, an engineering company was laying a special narrow-gauge railway railway from the Kremlin to the station, and another group was engaged in dismantling. They only managed to dismantle the monument halfway and were about to begin loading - when artillery preparation began on January 20, the Russians broke through the front in two places, and very quickly the soldiers of the 221st Rifle Division drove the Germans out of Novgorod.
10. Why was the “ideologically dangerous” monument restored?
Not only was it restored, it was one of the first objects taken up in devastated Novgorod. The fact is that the attitude towards the monument during the war changed following the change in attitude towards the great historical and military figures of Tsarist Russia, who could serve as symbols uniting the people. Once again, Suvorov, Kutuzov, Rumyantsev, Bagration, Nakhimov and others depicted on the monument were honored. The monument was re-opened even before the end of the war - on November 2, 1944. Of course, eight hard-working restorers who worked on the monument with their bare hands could not recreate it in its original form - some details were damaged, some were lost. Technologically, a very meticulous restoration was required. Therefore, in its original form, the monument appeared before the public only after large-scale restoration work in 1995.
How were the characters chosen for the monument?
Who should be depicted on the high relief among the outstanding figures of Russia? This question turned out to be one of the most difficult. For two reasons.
First: how to choose the hundred “most worthy” historical figures from a period of several centuries? The author of the monument, Mikhail Mikeshin, understood that he alone could not cope with such a task. He turned to the most prominent people in Russia - authoritative scientists, historians, writers - with the same request: to help with the selection of figures for the high relief. Mikeshin wrote to Solovyov, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Goncharov, Turgenev and many others. Everyone responded. This is how “Thursdays at Mikeshin’s” appeared: every week the entire flower of Russian culture gathered at the Academy of Arts to argue until they were hoarse about the merits of certain “outstanding figures.” These disputes gave Mikeshin a lot, but in some sense they complicated the task: the opinions were too polar. The final choice was still up to the author. And he found, perhaps, the only true way out: to choose not so much with his mind as with his heart. Something inside told him why Marfa Boretskaya was needed on the monument, but Ivan the Terrible was not needed, Pushkin was needed, but Belinsky was not needed, etc. Mikeshin gave preference to people of creative origin, those who loved Russia in themselves, and not themselves in Russia.
Angel and Russia. It was originally planned to depict two angels. But then the artist Mikhail Mikeshin came up with an image of Russia in the form of a kneeling woman in a national costume.
The second reason that made it difficult to choose characters for the third tier was the political situation: depicting a person on a monument meant publicly recognizing his merits. And here the interests of representatives of different social strata collided. Discussions did not subside either in the government when the third tier figures were being agreed upon, or in society when the draft of the monument was published.
Figures Gogol, Lermontov, Pushkin and Derzhavin dressed in Roman togas. Why? They are classics of literature. Pushkin stands next to Lermontov and Gogol and seems taller than them, although in life he was shorter. This was done on purpose: the positions of the bodies of Gogol and Lermontov were changed, they stand in an inclined position so that Pushkin - “our everything” - towers over them. This to some extent reflects the public’s attitude towards these writers in the second half of the 19th century. The bookworms of that time were at a loss. Pushkin - still all right. But Gogol, Lermontov - who are they? Yes, fashionable ephemera, but why are they needed on the monument? Is it the case of Sumarokov, Trediakovsky, Kheraskov - why weren’t they depicted?
For appearing on the monument Gogol, the artist Mikeshin had to fight. Gogol was not on the final list approved by the government. However, Mikeshin, at his own peril and risk, ordered the preparation of two additional figures: Gogol and... Taras Shevchenko, another Ukrainian author, and also Mikeshin’s beloved friend. When they learned about such “arbitrariness” of the artist, a scandal erupted. Then Mikeshin addressed a letter personally to Emperor Alexander II. He dedicated several long and detailed paragraphs, written in convincing emotional language, to Shevchenko, proving his importance for Russian literature. About Gogol, he wrote one paragraph: “Gogol’s merit and his influence on modern Russian literature are so great that I consider it unnecessary to speak for him.” The Emperor approved Gogol, but did not accept Shevchenko. There is a version that Alexander II, apparently, simply did not have time to read the long letter in its entirety, so he simply skipped everything that concerned Shevchenko.
There is no Ivan the Terrible on the monument. Figures of his first wife Anastasia Romanova and his assistants Archpriest Sylvester And okolnichy Alexey Adashev- a kind of “replacement”, a compromise: not to reflect the era of Ivan the Terrible at all - it is wrong, but it is even more wrong to depict in Novgorod the tsar who committed a monstrous massacre over the city in 1570: supposedly for treason, but in fact for the “legitimate” acquisition of wealth the richest city of Rus' during the costly Lithuanian War, Novgorod merchants were executed.
Figure Marfa Boretskaya, contrary to expectations, it did not cause any criticism from the government. She was the wife of boyar Dmitry Boretsky and the mother of Isaac Boretsky, both mayors of Novgorod. Martha herself indirectly influenced politics and social activities. Capturing her on the monument meant paying tribute to Novgorod history. In addition, Alexander II was preparing a reform of local self-government, the establishment of zemstvos, and this was also associated with republican traditions - with the Novgorod People's Assembly.
Figure Emperor Nicholas I Mikeshin had to place it on the high relief. Emperor Alexander II directly asked the artist: “And father?” Mikeshin tried to explain that since the previous sovereign had died only a few years ago, it was too early to depict him on the monument - after all, time would have to pass to evaluate the results of his reign. According to the memoirs of Mikeshin himself, Alexander II understood everything, did not really approve of his father’s political legacy and did not want to see his figure on the monument. But a considerable part of the king’s entourage thought otherwise - and the emperor decided to give in.
It is often puzzling where the figures on the monument came from Lithuanian princes Gediminas, Vytautas and Keistut? The fact is that they fought on the side of Russia against Poland, where at that time anti-Russian protests by nationalists who dreamed of independence from Russian Empire
. In addition, the presence of these figures was supposed to emphasize Lithuania’s original belonging to Russian lands. After the revolution, the “monument to the millennium of autocratic oppression” was stigmatized for the fact that it did not reflect historical reality - after all, there were no images of peasants and workers on it. The exceptions were Ivan Susanin and - with reservations - the son of a peasant Mikhail Lomonosov and the village elder Kozma Minin
. But they also “stained” themselves by collaborating with the tsarist regime.
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.
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. 9. Mikhail Vorotynsky. 10. Daniil Shchenya. 11. Marfa Boretskaya. 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.
1. Saint Cyril. 2. Saint Methodius. 3. Princess Olga. 4. Prince Vladimir. 5. Saint Abraham. 6. Anthony of Pechersky. 7. Theodosius of Pechersk. 8. Saint Kuksha. 9. Nestor the chronicler. 10. Kirill Belozersky.
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
Photo by Vladimir Eshtokin
The article uses materials from Viktor Smirnov’s book “Monument of the Russian State”,
