The author of the sculpture is the Bronze Horseman. "The Bronze Horseman" - who is depicted on the horse? Why did the bronze horseman turn out to be copper in the poet’s mouth?

Poem by A. S. Pushkin “ Bronze Horseman"combines both historical and social issues. This is the author's reflection on Peter the Great as a reformer, collection different opinions and assessments of his actions. This poem is one of his perfect works, having philosophical meaning. We offer for your information brief analysis poems, the material can be used for work in literature lessons in 7th grade.

Brief Analysis

Year of writing– 1833

History of creation– During the period of his “golden autumn”, when Pushkin was forced to stay on the Boldinsky estate, the poet had a creative upsurge. During that “golden” time, the author created many brilliant works that made a great impression on both the public and critics. One of such works of the Boldino period was the poem “The Bronze Horseman”.

Subject– The reign of Peter the Great, the attitude of society to his reforms – main topic"The Bronze Horseman"

Composition– The composition consists of a large introduction, it can be considered as a separate poem, and two parts in which we're talking about about the main character, the devastating flood of 1824, and about the hero’s meeting with the Bronze Horseman.

Genre– The genre of “The Bronze Horseman” is a poem.

Direction - Historical poem describing actual events, direction– realism.

History of creation

At the very beginning of the history of the creation of the poem, the writer was in the Boldinsky estate. He thought a lot about history Russian state, about its rulers and autocratic power. At that time, society was divided into two types of people - some fully supported the policies of Peter the Great, treated him with adoration, and the other type of people found in the great emperor similarities with evil spirits, considered him an incarnation of hell, and treated him accordingly.

The writer listened to different opinions about the reign of Peter, the result of his thoughts and collection of various information was the poem “The Bronze Horseman”, which completed his Boldino heyday of creativity, the year the poem was written was 1833.

Subject

In “The Bronze Horseman” the analysis of the work reflects one of the main topics– power and the little man. The author reflects on the rule of the state, on the clash little man with a huge colossus.

Myself meaning of the name– “The Bronze Horseman” – contains the main idea poetic work. The monument to Peter is made of bronze, but the author preferred a different epithet, more ponderous and gloomy. So, through expressive artistic means, the poet outlines a powerful state machine, which is indifferent to the problems of small people suffering from the power of autocratic rule.

In this poem, conflict between a small person and the authorities has no continuation, a person is so petty for the state when “the forest is cut down - the chips fly.”

One can judge the role of one individual in the fate of the state in different ways. In his introduction to the poem, the author characterizes Peter the Great as a man of amazing intelligence, far-sighted and decisive. While in power, Peter looked far ahead; he thought about the future of Russia, about its power and indestructibility. The actions of Peter the Great can be judged differently, accusing him of despotism and tyranny in relation to to the common people. It is impossible to justify the actions of a ruler who built power on the bones of people.

Composition

Pushkin's brilliant idea in the compositional features of the poem serves as proof of the poet's creative skill. The large introduction, dedicated to Peter the Great and the city he built, can be read as an independent work.

The language of the poem has absorbed everything genre originality, emphasizing the author’s attitude to the events he describes. In the description of Peter and St. Petersburg, the language is pathetic, majestic, completely in harmony with the appearance of the emperor, great and powerful.

The story of simple Eugene is told in a completely different language. Narrative speech about the hero in ordinary language, reflects the essence of the “little man”.

The greatest genius of Pushkin is clearly visible in this poem; it is all written in the same poetic meter, but in different places of the work it sounds completely different. The two parts of the poem following the introduction can also be considered a separate work. These parts talk about an ordinary person, who lost his girlfriend in a flood.

Eugene blames the monument to Peter for this, implying that it is the emperor himself - the autocrat. A person who dreams of simple human happiness has lost the meaning of life, having lost the most precious thing - he has lost his beloved girl, his future. It seems to Evgeniy that the Bronze Horseman is chasing him. Eugene understands that the autocrat is cruel and merciless. Crushed by grief, the young man goes crazy and then dies, left without the meaning of life.

We can come to the conclusion that in this way the author continues the theme of the “little man”, developed at that time in Russian literature. By this he proves how despotic the government is towards the common people.

Main characters

Genre

The work “The Bronze Horseman” belongs to the genre of a poetic poem with a realistic direction.

The poem is large-scale in its deep content; it includes both historical and philosophical issues. There is no epilogue in the poem, and the contradictions between the little man and the whole state remain open.

Monuments are the most interesting and effective way to pay tribute and respect to the historical past. They are admired by admirers of art, creativity and history. There are monuments that have a sonorous name, but many people do not know who is on the pedestal. For example, a monument - who is depicted on it?

The Bronze Horseman monument is an excellent example of the embodiment of the spirit of history in life. We need to dive into history a little!

"The Bronze Horseman" - who is depicted on the horse?

Many people, even those not related to history by occupation, have probably heard about the Bronze Horseman. But who is depicted as the rider", this remains open question for most.

Many topics on forums and blogs on the Internet are filled with this question. Who is depicted on the monument on this occasion does not stop.

We won't torment you for long. Peter the Great himself is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg. The author of the monument, Falconet, sought to recreate the figure of Peter in motion, so that he would be seen not only as a great commander and leader of the Russian people, but also as a real legislator and creator of life.

There is a wreath on Peter's head. It is he who emphasizes that Peter is a winner and commander. The historical monument is unique in that it has three pillars on which it rests.

Now, to the question of who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument, we can safely answer - Tsar Peter the Great!

Why in St. Petersburg?

The monument to the Bronze Horseman is an important element for the culture and architecture of Russia. You can often come across the question of who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in Moscow? But there is no such monument in Moscow.

So, where is the Bronze Horseman monument located and who is depicted on it, we figured it out. And it is located not in Moscow, but in St. Petersburg. It was erected by Catherine the Second in honor. On the pedestal you can find the inscription: “To Peter the Great From Catherine the Second in the summer of 1782.”

The one who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg - outstanding personality for the city. Catherine thought so and therefore decided to capture the creator of the city forever. Thus, the Empress decided to pay tribute not only to the city of St. Petersburg, but also to its immediate founder, Peter I. By the way, this is why “The Bronze Horseman” was made in St. Petersburg in honor of the founder of the city. Its weight is eight tons and its height is five meters.

History - the beginning

The initiative to create the monument belongs entirely to Catherine the Second. By order of the Empress, Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn turned to Voltaire and Diderot for help and advice in the construction and design of such a significant facility for Rus'. Catherine trusted Voltaire and Diderot very much, so their opinion was considered significant.

Etienne-Maurice Falconet - this is the person they recommended to Catherine for the design and construction of the facility. And Falcone, in turn, always dreamed of creating a huge monument that would pass through the centuries and be revered by descendants. The offer of the Russian court delighted and inspired him. The master comes to Russia with Marie-Anne Collot. This is his 17-year-old design assistant.

A contract was signed with the sculptor for 200 thousand livres. This is a small amount. The Russian court also turned to other notable masters of their craft, but they asked for a much larger amount.

Later, Felten, a professional architect, was appointed Falcone's assistant, who was only supposed to speed up the process of building the pedestal.

The photo perfectly demonstrates who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument.

“Thunder Stone” is what you need!

There was a question of searching suitable stone, on which a huge monument to Peter the Great would be placed. They decided to look for the stone through advertisements, and a corresponding message was published in the St. Petersburg Vedomosti newspaper.

Grigory Vishnyakov will kindly provide a suitable stone for the Peter the Great monument. It was a huge block that he wanted to use for his own needs, but he did not even find a tool with which he could split it.

On March 27, 1770, the stone was delivered to the shore of the Gulf of Finland, and the operation was completed. There were many problems during transportation that threatened to derail the entire project. However, everything went well.

Transportation of this stone, even today, is completely unique. It was the largest stone ever moved by man!

Preparation of the monument

In 1769, the plaster monument was demonstrated to the public. Now the figure of Peter the Great was awaiting casting in its entirety.

However, the famous master and designer of the Falconet monument refused to do this work himself. He had never encountered the casting of such a huge monument before. Falcone was awaiting the arrival of Ersman, who was an expert in this matter.

However, the sculptor’s high hopes for Ersman were not justified. He turned out to be a poor specialist and could not cope with the task assigned to him. Falconet independently took on the task of casting the monument.

The very first casting took place in 1775. Further castings were repeated in 1776-1777. The results of the work were personally monitored by Catherine the Second.

The second casting was more successful than the first. Then, after completion, Falconet wrote on the inside of Peter the Great’s cloak “Modeled and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian.” Thus the work on this magnificent monument was completed.

Installation of the monument

The "Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg was ready to appear before the people. The only question that remained was to install the monument so that it would become a public property and people could be proud of it.

The “Thunder Stone” was delivered to St. Petersburg a long time ago. The height of the block, 11 meters, was exactly what was needed to place the monument.

However, the relationship between Falcone and Catherine II had completely deteriorated by this point. Falconet had no choice but to leave St. Petersburg for Paris.

The final installation of the monument was already carried out by Fyodor Gordeev. This did not cause him much difficulty, and on August 7, 1782, the opening of the monument to Peter the Great took place. Falcone was never invited to the opening of his Russian brainchild. The opening was attended by Catherine the Second herself, who gave the order to open the monument on that very day!

Baturin's story

The year was 1812. This was the time when the Russian army fought with Napoleon's army. There was a high probability that French troops would invade St. Petersburg and Moscow and destroy all the cultural property that exists in Russia.

Obsessed with these thoughts, Emperor Alexander the First ordered the removal of everything from St. Petersburg cultural heritage cities. Alexander's list also included the Bronze Horseman monument on Senate Square.

At this time, a certain Baturin, who was then with the rank of a simple major, appears. He achieved a personal meeting with Prince Golitsyn in order to tell him a dream that had haunted him for several last days. In the dream, the major is on Senate Square. The monument to Peter the Great turns its head towards him and says that under no circumstances should he be taken out of his native Petersburg. Only with him Petersburg is safe, and no one will touch him.

Surprised by Baturin’s dream, Golitsyn immediately goes to Alexander and tells him about the vision. Alexander was “killed on the spot,” but still canceled the order to remove the “Bronze Horseman” from St. Petersburg.

Paul's thoughts

A common story is that associated with Peter the Great and the future Emperor Paul the First.

Pavel was walking along the streets of St. Petersburg in the evening when it seemed to him that someone was walking next to him. At first he took it for a game of imagination, but then he began to really feel the presence of another person.

“Pavel, I am the one who takes part in you!”, the figure next to him told him. Paul was amazed. He clearly saw the figure of Peter the Great in a cloak and hat.

This meeting took place on Senate Square. As Peter left, he said that one day Paul would see him here again.

Over time, this happened. Pavel received an invitation to the opening of the monument in St. Petersburg. Who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument? Paul knew the answer to this question for sure.

"The Bronze Horseman in Culture"

Bright monuments and monuments are often reflected in the stories of writers, in the poems of poets and in drawings famous artists. The description of the "Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg on Senate Square was no exception.

The monument impressed prominent figures of literature and art of various times, who then depicted it in their work.

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky in his novel “The Teenager” repeatedly mentions the “Bronze Horseman”. In his works, he worried about the future of glorious St. Petersburg, but did not predict its death, because the city was tightly guarded by the spirit of the famous and great Peter the Founder.

The mystic Danil Andreev in his “Rose of the World” also recalls the “Bronze Horseman”. However, he imagines Peter sitting on a dragon.

Other writers also mentioned “The Bronze Horseman” in their works. There are many paintings written and dedicated to this monument. Peter the Great, immortalized on horseback, made a great impression on artists.

"The Bronze Horseman" by Pushkin

Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is a man who sincerely admired Russian culture and its heritage. The Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg could not leave him indifferent. The writer wrote the work “The Bronze Horseman”.

The work describes how in 1824 Eugene lost his beloved during a flood. He is taking this grief hard. To somehow distract himself from the accident, he wanders around St. Petersburg.

Evgeniy approaches the Bronze Horseman monument and freezes for a moment. He recalls that it was Peter the Great who founded the city in a place where disasters and floods could occur. He begins to blame Peter for his troubles and for the fact that the construction was wrong, as well as the choice of the very place for the construction of St. Petersburg.

Evgeniy begins to threaten the monument. At this time, the “Bronze Horseman” jumps off the pedestal and begins to run after the accuser. In reality this happens to Eugene or in a vision, he himself cannot understand.

Coinage

The “Bronze Horseman” was reflected not only in culture, art and literature, but also on state coins of the USSR period.

The idea to mint coins with Peter the First belonged to the Bank of the USSR during the reign of Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988.

So, in 1988, the Bank of the USSR began minting coins. The monument to Peter the Great in St. Petersburg on Senate Square was awarded a denomination of 5 rubles. The coin was heavy - 20 grams. Its circulation was 2 million 300 thousand copies.

This is the only one famous case with the participation of the Bronze Horseman monument.

Legends, myths and interesting facts

There are interesting myths and Interesting Facts, associated with the monument in St. Petersburg. Let's start with myths.

• There is a rumor that one day Peter the Great wanted to cross the Neva. When he said “Everything is God’s and mine” three times, he jumped over the Neva without any problems. When he changed the phrase and said “Everything is mine and God’s,” he instantly froze in place and turned to stone. Since then there has been a monument on Senate Square.
• One day Peter the Great was lying in his bed and it seemed to him that the Swedes were advancing on St. Petersburg. He jumped up, jumped on his horse and galloped towards them. However, a snake turned around on his way and stopped him on Senate Square. She stopped him from jumping into the water and saved Peter.
• There are myths in which Peter says that only he can truly protect the city from harm. This was the case during the war of 1812-1814. And indeed, the city was not touched by the French.

Interesting Facts:

• When transporting the stone under the pedestal, difficulties and contradictions arose between workers. Emergency situations occurred frequently. The whole of Europe followed the transportation of the stone.
• Falcone initially wanted his Bronze Horseman to be without a fence. But it was installed anyway. Currently, this fence does not exist, and many people leave their own, damaging it. There is a possibility that the fence will still be installed.

"The Bronze Horseman" is a symbol of the northern capital of Russia. It’s worth going to St. Petersburg and seeing this monument with your own eyes. Now, when you are in the city on the Neva, you will no longer have a question about who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg.

Falcone E. M.

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, the building of the main legislative body founded by the emperor. 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. Before his trip to Russia, he was known as the author of such publicly recognized sculptural works as “Milon of Croton tearing apart the mouth of a lion”, eight sculptures for the Church of St. Roch, “Cupid”, “Bather”, “Pygmalion and Galatea”, “Winter”. He worked for porcelain factory, but dreamed of great and monumental art.

When an invitation was received to Russia to erect a new grandiose monument in its capital, Falcone, without hesitation, signed the contract in August 1766. Its conditions determined: the monument to Peter should consist of “mainly an equestrian statue of colossal size.” The sculptor was obliged to create a sketch of the composition and complete the monument in kind. At the same time, he was freed from any other orders. The sculptor was offered a rather modest fee (200,000 livres), other masters asked twice as much.

Falconet went from Paris to St. Petersburg, accompanied by the sculptor-carver Fontaine and a seventeen-year-old student, Marie-Anne Collot. To meet Falconet in Riga and accompany him to the capital, the captain of the regiment of the Chancellery from the buildings, M. de Lascari, was sent. Subsequently, he constantly collaborated with the Frenchman and played an important role in the creation of the monument to Peter I.

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.

Falcone had something completely different in mind. In a letter to Diderot, he mentioned the origin of the idea of ​​a monument to Peter I:

"The day when on the corner of your table I sketched the hero and his steed overcoming the emblematic rock, and you were pleased with my idea, we did not realize that I would meet my hero so successfully. He will not see his statue; but if he could to see her, I believe that he, perhaps, would have found there a reflection of a feeling that would have revived her" [Quoted. from: 2, p. 457].

Despite pressure from the customer, the French sculptor showed stubbornness and perseverance on the way to realizing his idea. The sculptor wrote:

“I will limit myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret as either a great commander or 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 people. My king does not hold any rod, he extends his beneficent right hand over the country he travels around. He rises to the top of the rock that serves him as a pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has conquered.”

Defending the right to his opinion regarding the appearance of the monument, Falcone wrote to I. I. 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.”

Falcone worked on the model of The Bronze Horseman for three years. It was carried out in the workshop of a sculptor who lived in the house of Major General Albrecht (house no. 8 on Malaya Morskaya Street). In the courtyard of this house one could observe how 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. Falcone described this part of the work as follows:

“When I decided to sculpt him, how he completes his gallop, rearing, it was not in my memory, still less in my imagination, that I could rely on it. To create an accurate model, I consulted nature. This I ordered to build a platform, to which I gave the same slope that my pedestal was supposed to have. A few inches more or less in slope would make significant changes in the movement of the animal. I made the rider gallop 1st - not just once, but more than a hundred times. , 2nd - using various techniques, 3rd - on different horses" [Quoted from: 2, p. 459].

In February 1767, the Office of the Construction of Houses and Gardens ordered the dismantling of the Temporary Winter Palace on Nevsky Prospekt to free up space for Falconet’s workshop, where he would begin casting the sculpture. To create a real large model, a large workshop was built. The stone building of the former palace kitchen remaining from the Temporary Winter Palace was adapted for Falconet's housing, into which the sculptor moved in November and lived until his departure to France. Next to his state-owned house, the Frenchman ordered the construction of another barn and other necessary workshops.

To help work on a large model of the monument to Peter I, two more French sculptors, Simone and Vandadrissé, were sent to Falcone in St. Petersburg on the recommendation of Diderot. But the hot-tempered master could not find common language with his assistants, drove them away, and remade everything they had done with his own hands. Work on the model began on February 1, 1768, and was completed in July 1769. Until the following May, it was transferred to plaster and finished.

From May 19, for two weeks, the model of the monument to Peter I was open to public viewing. A crowd of people poured into Falcone's workshop. A variety of opinions were expressed about the model. Catherine II advised Falkton, who reacted painfully to criticism: “Laugh at the fools and go your own way.” But positive feedback there was much more. Among those who highly appreciated the sculptor’s work were the French envoy de Corberon, the English traveler N. Rexell, the teacher of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich A. Nikolai, Falconet’s teacher, the sculptor J.-B. Lemoine, to whom a student sent a small model of 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. A scandal was brewing, but Marie herself proposed her sketch, which was accepted by the empress. For her work, the girl was accepted as a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Catherine II assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.

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.

Initially, Falconet did not even dream of a monolith, intending to create a pedestal from several parts. But the granite monolith was still found in the Lakhta region, twelve miles from St. Petersburg. The peasant Semyon Grigorievich Vishnyakov reported the discovery to the building's Office in early September 1768. To check the suitability of the stone, de Lascari went to him together with Vishnyakov, who discovered a huge rock buried deep in the ground. From its nearly half-meter-wide crevice, filled with earth, grew five birches up to seven meters high. According to local legends, lightning once struck the rock. Among local residents she was nicknamed "Thunder Stone". For the find, the building office awarded Vishnyakov a prize of 100 rubles.

Upon returning to St. Petersburg, de Lascari prepared rough plan transporting stone to the city. He also came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a pedestal from a single stone, which was confirmed by Falcone himself:

"I believed that this pedestal would be constructed from well-fitted parts, and the models of all the profiles that I made remained long enough in my workshop to testify that the monolithic stone was far from my desires. But they offered it to me, I admired it, and I said: bring it, the pedestal will be more durable" [Cit. from: 2, p. 463].

The initial weight of the monolith is about 2,000 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 the same de Lascari was chosen. True, there were rumors among the people that he had bought the idea from some Russian merchant. But Falcone wrote to Catherine II:

“G. Lascari alone invented the means and invented the machine for transferring the rock, which should serve as the foot of the statue, he directed alone, without the slightest participation of anyone other than him” [Cit. from: 2, p. 464].

Work to prepare the rock for moving began on September 26, 1768. Barracks for 400 workers were built next to it, and then a clearing 40 meters wide was cut to the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Next, they excavated a rock that went five meters deep into the earth. The part that had been broken off by the lightning strike was separated from it and divided into two more parts. The rock was freed from excess layers, and it immediately became lighter by 600 tons.

On March 12, 1769, the “thunder stone” was hoisted onto a wooden platform using levers. Further work to strengthen the soil was carried out in the summer of 1769. With the onset of winter, when the paved road froze one and a half meters, the rock was lifted with the help of huge jacks, the platform was replaced with a special machine created specifically for transporting such an unusual cargo. The machine was a platform supported by 30 metal balls. These balls moved on grooved wooden rails lined with copper.

Initially, the balls were made of cast iron. They laughed at de Lascarie, not believing in the possibility of “moving a rock with the help of eggs.” And they laughed not without reason, since the cast-iron balls actually crushed under the weight of the load. But the bronze parts cast after this coped with the task.

The movement of the rock began on November 15th. The clearing was winding. Cargo transportation continued in both cold and hot weather. Hundreds of people worked. There was a forge right on the stone where the necessary tools were prepared.

48 stonemasons continued to give the “thunder stone” the required shape. According to Falconet's calculations, its height should have decreased by 80 centimeters and its length by 3 meters. A little later, he ordered another layer of 80 centimeters to be chipped from it. It began to seem to many that the rock, which had been moved with such difficulty to St. Petersburg, would turn into an ordinary pedestal of the usual size. Catherine II decided to moderate the sculptor’s ardor and prohibited further reduction of the stone. As a result, its length was 13.5 meters, width 6.5 meters, height - 4. The work on cutting the “thunder stone” was carried out under the supervision of stone master Giovanni Geronimo Rusca.

Many St. Petersburg residents came to watch the action taking place. Some of the observers collected fragments of stone and used them to make cane knobs or cufflinks. On January 20, 1770, Catherine II also came here, in whose presence the rock was moved 25 meters. In honor of the extraordinary transport operation, the Empress ordered the minting of a medal on which was written “Like daring. January 20, 1770.”

The rock was dragged overland until March 27. By this time, a dam had been built on the shore of the bay, extending almost 900 meters into the shallow water. Only there it was possible to reload the rock onto a special flat-bottomed vessel - a pram, capable of transporting cargo weighing more than 2,500 tons. At the dam, the ship was sank to the bottom to a depth of 3.5 meters, after which the stone was loaded. When trying to raise the ship, only its bow and stern rose from the water. The middle remained lying at the bottom under the weight of the “thunder stone”. The Pram had to be flooded again, which again provided fertile ground for de Lascaris' opponents. All summer, attempts to lift the load continued, ending in success only after de Lascari found another successful engineering solution to the problem. He proposed placing two thick longitudinal beams under the stone, which would distribute the weight of the rock evenly throughout the ship. Only after this did the pram finally surface.

Pram moved across the Gulf of Finland with the help of 300 oarsmen. He sailed along the Malaya Neva between Vasilyevsky and St. Petersburg Islands and then entered the Bolshaya Neva. On September 22, the anniversary of the coronation of Catherine II, the pram was located opposite the Winter Palace. The next day, September 23, 1770, the rock arrived at Senate Square. On October 11, the “thunder stone” was moved 43 meters overland, turning into a pedestal for the monument to Peter I. In the summer of 1768, a foundation of 76 piles was built here.

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:

For a long time, no one wanted to take on the task of casting the statue. Foreign masters demanded too much a large amount, 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 the specially invited foundry worker from France, B. Ersman, 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.

Catherine II recommended Falconet to take up the casting himself. In the end, the sculptor studied the relevant literature and accepted the empress's offer. He took cannon master Emelyan Khailov as his assistant. 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.

Before this, in March 1773, de Lascari resigned. Falcone was very disappointed by the dismissal of de Lascari and asked Catherine II to return the talented engineer to her team. But the empress was so turned against him that the sculptor’s intercession turned out to be useless. Architect Yu. M. Felten and assessor K. Krok were appointed to replace de Lascari.

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.

The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:

“On August 24, 1775, Falconet cast here the statue of Peter the Great on horseback. The casting was successful except in places two feet by two at the top. This regrettable failure occurred due to an incident that was not at all possible to foresee, and therefore to prevent. The above-mentioned incident seemed so terrible , that they were afraid that the whole building would catch fire, and, therefore, the whole business would not fail. Khailov remained motionless and carried the molten metal into the mold, without losing his cheerfulness at all, given the danger to his life, Falconet was 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.”

The second casting took place on July 4, 1777. Subsequent finishing of the monument continued for another year. About these events, 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 failure to cast the statue and subsequent delays in correcting it spoiled the relationship between the empress and the sculptor. Falcone promised Catherine several times to complete the work in the near future, but constantly broke his promises. Watchmaker A. Sandots, who was then restoring the clock in the bell tower of the Peter and Paul Cathedral after a fire, was invited to help the Frenchman. Sandontz carefully minted the surface of the monument, essentially doing the work of a sculptor.

It was never possible to restore the favor of Empress Falcone. His stay in St. Petersburg became more and more painful for him. At the beginning of September 1778, he destroyed a small model of the monument and, together with Marie-Anne Collot, left the city. Subsequently, he did not create any more sculptures.

Under Felten's guidance, the pedestal was given its final form. The installation of the Bronze Horseman on the pedestal was supervised by the architect F. G. Gordeev. After that, the horseman’s head was attached to the sculpture, and a snake made by Gordeev was placed under the horse’s feet.

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.

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 with the image 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 the signal for the opening of the monument. The fence fell under drum roll The regiments moved along the Neva embankment.

On the occasion of the opening of the monument, the Empress issued a manifesto on the forgiveness of all those sentenced to death. death penalty and corporal punishment, termination of all criminal cases that lasted more than 10 years, release of all those held in custody for more than 10 years for public and private debts. The tax farmer I. I. Golikov was then released from debt prison, who vowed to collect materials for the history of Peter the Great. So, after many years of searching, a 30-volume work, “The Acts of Peter the Great,” appeared.

In memory of the opening of the monument, a silver medal with its image was issued. Three copies of this medal were made of gold. Catherine II sent one gold and one silver medal to Falconet, who received them from the hands of Prince D. A. Golitsyn in 1783.

Immediately after the appearance of the Bronze Horseman on Senate Square, the square was named Petrovskaya. This is what it was called in official documents. But in words, the townspeople often continued to call the square the old way - Senate Square.

The monument to Peter I was immediately received very positively by many St. Petersburg residents. Prince Trubetskoy wrote to his daughter:

“The monument to Peter the Great has made a great decoration for the city, and this is the third time I’ve been touring it and I still can’t get enough of it. I went to Vasilyevsky Island on purpose, and it’s absolutely good to look at it from there” [Quoted. from: 1, p. 36].

A. S. Pushkin called the sculpture “The Bronze Horseman” in his poem of the same name. Meanwhile, in fact it is made of bronze. But the expression “Bronze Horseman” became so popular that it became 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.

The monument to Peter I was the site of official ceremonies related to the anniversary of the city and its founder. On May 16, 1803, next to it, on Senate Square, there was solemn ceremony celebration of the 100th anniversary of St. Petersburg. A 107-year-old elder who remembered the emperor came to the monument. 20 soldiers marched past the bronze Peter. A special military duty post for soldiers was established at the monument. It remained on Senate Square until it was in the Navy Department. With the transfer of the post in 1866 to the city department, it was abolished.

A fence was installed around the monument. A little later, four candelabra were placed in the corners. Two of them were moved to Kazanskaya Square in 1874, by order of the City Duma.

On May 30, 1872, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Peter I was solemnly celebrated at the Bronze Horseman. By decree of Alexander II, festivities were held throughout Russia. In St. Petersburg, the boot of Peter I was brought to the monument, a solemn prayer service and a military parade were held. On this occasion, benches for spectators were installed on Senate Square. There weren't enough places; the curious used the windows of the Senate building. People even climbed onto the roof.

The first restoration of the monument was carried out in 1909. The commission created for this purpose drew up a protocol according to which “When opening a large sealed hole in the horse’s croup, it turned out that in the hind legs there was a solid forged frame, carefully sealed, as a result of which water did not penetrate into it and remained in the horse’s belly”[Cit. from: 1, p. 48]. 125 buckets of water were pumped out of the horse's belly.

During the siege of Leningrad, the Bronze Horseman was covered with bags of earth and sand, lined with logs and boards.

During the restoration of the Bronze Horseman in 1976, the sculpture was studied using gamma rays. To do this, the area 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.

Before the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the monument was once again restored. The sculpture was cleaned of patina, and a low fence was installed around the monument.

IN Soviet time A tradition has taken root according to which newlyweds lay flowers at the foot of the “Bronze Horseman” - the founder of St. Petersburg. Sometimes it is observed in our time.

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.

P The monument to Peter I ("The Bronze Horseman") is located in the heart of St. Petersburg - on Senate Square.
The location of the monument to Peter I was not chosen by chance. Nearby are the Admiralty, founded by the emperor, and the building of the main legislative body of tsarist Russia - the Senate.

In 1710, on the site of the current Bronze Horseman, in the premises of the “drafting shed,” the very first wooden St. Isaac’s Church was located.

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.

Falconet 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 of 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. Most likely, she also helped him in bed, but history is silent about this...
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.

Falcone 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 as either a great commander or 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 people. My king does not hold any rod, he extends his beneficent right hand over the country he travels around. He rises to the top of the rock that serves as his pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has conquered.”

Defending the right to his opinion regarding the appearance of the monument, Falcone wrote to I. I. 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 of Elizabeth Petrovna.
In 1769, passersby 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 of the Russian Academy of 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.

Bust of Falconet Marie-Anne Collot 1773

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 two fulcrum points (the snake is not a fulcrum, more on that below).

Filling alone, which began on August 25, 1775, did not solve the problem. Khailov was entrusted with her supervision. 1,350 pounds of bronze were prepared, and when all of it, molten, flowed into the mold, the mold cracked and the metal poured onto the floor. A fire started. Falcone ran out of the workshop in horror, the workers ran after him, and only Khailov remained in place. Risking his life, he wrapped the mold in his homespun and coated it with clay, picked up the spilled bronze and poured it back into the mold. The monument was saved, and the errors that arose due to the accident were later corrected when polishing the statue.

The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:
“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 were afraid that the entire building would go up in flames, but, Therefore, the whole business would not have failed. Khailov remained motionless and carried the molten metal into the mold, without losing his courage in the least at the danger to his life presented to him, Falconet, touched at the end of the matter, rushed to him and kissed him with all his heart and gave him his own. money."

However, as a result of the accident, numerous large defects (underfilling, adhesions) were formed in the horse’s head and the figure of the rider above the waist.

A bold plan was developed to save the statue. It was decided to cut off the defective part of the statue and refill it, increasing new uniform directly onto the surviving parts of the monument. Using pieces of plaster mold, a wax model of the top of the casting was obtained, which was a continuation of the wall of the previously cast part of the statue.

The second filling was carried out in November 1777, and it was a complete success. In memory of this unique operation, on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak the sculptor left the inscription “Modeled and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian in 1778.” Not a word about Khailov.

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 area, twelve miles from St. Petersburg.

Once upon a time, according to local legends, lightning struck the rock, forming a crack in it. Among the locals, 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 famous monument. There were rumors that in the old days there was a temple on it. And sacrifices were made.

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 way to deliver the rock to Senate Square. From 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 on 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 with the inscription “Like daring. January 20, 1770.”

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:
The Russian Mountain, not made by hands 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.

Portrait of Marie-Anne Collot

The offended master did not wait for the opening of the monument; in September 1778, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he left for Paris.

And the monument, weighing about 10 tons, still had to be erected...

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, and to the beat of drums 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. Pushkin called the sculpture “The Bronze Horseman” in his poem of the same name. 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.

Neither the wind nor the terrible floods could defeat the monument.

Legends

One evening, Pavel, accompanied by his friend Prince Kurakin, walked through the streets of St. Petersburg. Suddenly a man appeared ahead, wrapped in a wide cloak. It seemed that he was waiting for the travelers and, when they approached, he walked next to them. Pavel shuddered and turned to Kurakin: “Someone is walking next to us.” However, he did not see anyone and tried to convince the Grand Duke of this. Suddenly the ghost spoke: “Paul! Poor Pavel! I am the one who takes part in you.” Then the ghost walked ahead of the travelers, as if leading them along. Approaching the middle of the square, he indicated the place for the future monument. “Goodbye, Pavel,” said the ghost, “you will see me here again.” And when, leaving, he raised his hat, Pavel saw Peter’s face with horror.

The legend is believed to date back to the memoirs of Baroness von Oberkirch, who details the circumstances under which Paul himself publicly told the story. Bearing in mind the high reliability of the memoirs based on many years diary entries and the friendship between the Baroness and Maria Feodorovna, Paul’s wife, most likely, the source of the legend is indeed the future sovereign himself...

There is another legend. During the War of 1812, when the threat of Napoleonic invasion was real, Alexander I decided to transport the monument to Peter to Vologda. A certain captain Baturin dreamed a strange dream: as if the Bronze Horseman is moving off the pedestal and galloping towards Kamenny Island, where Emperor Alexander I was at that time. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to?” Peter tells him. “But as long as I stand in my place , my city has nothing to fear." Then the horseman, announcing the city with a “heavy ringing gallop,” returned to Senate Square. According to legend, the dream of the unknown captain was brought to the attention of the emperor, as a result of which the statue of Peter the Great remained in St. Petersburg.
As you know, the boot of a Napoleonic soldier, like a fascist one, did not touch the St. Petersburg pavements.

The famous mystic and spirit seer of the 20th century, Daniil Andreev, in “The Rose of the World,” described one of the hellish worlds. There he reports that in infernal Petersburg, the torch in the hand of the Bronze Horseman is the only source of light, while Peter is sitting not on a horse, but on a terrible dragon...

During the siege of Leningrad, the Bronze Horseman was covered with bags of earth and sand, lined with logs and boards.

When after the war the monument was freed from boards and bags, the Star of the Hero appeared on Peter’s chest Soviet Union. Someone drew it with chalk...

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 area 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 serve for many years to come. Inside the figure was a capsule with a note about the restoration and its participants, a newspaper dated September 3, 1976.

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 left their autographs on the thunder stone and the sculpture itself, the idea of ​​restoring the fence was realized.

Recent studies of the monument have brought two sensations:

1. The monument rests not on three points of support, as previously thought, but on two. The snake and the horse's tail do not carry any load.

The snake that the horse tramples and the tail serve only to separate the air currents and reduce the windage of the monument.

2. Peter’s pupils are made in the shape of hearts. Peter looks at the city with loving eyes. So Falcone conveyed to his descendants the news of Peter’s love for his brainchild - St. Petersburg.

3. Thanks to Pushkin and his poem, the monument is called “Copper”, but it is not made of copper, but of bronze.

4. The monument was depicted on Yudenich’s money.

The monument is covered in myths and legends. It is also in foreign collections. This is how the Japanese imagined it.

Illustration from the 11th scroll "Kankai Ibun". The monument is painted Japanese artist from the words of the sailors)))

Late in the evening the monument is no less mysterious and beautiful...

Info and part of the photo (C) Wikipedia, the site "Legends of St. Petersburg" and other places on the Internet

"The Bronze Horseman" - a monument to the first to the Russian Emperor Peter I, became one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. His Grand opening, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the reign of Empress Catherine II, took place on August 18 (August 7, old style) 1782 on Senate Square.

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 for this work Etienne-Maurice Falconet, who had long dreamed of creating monumental work. The wax sketch was made by the master in Paris, and after his arrival in Russia in 1766, work began on a plaster model the size of the statue.

Refusing the allegorical solution proposed to him by those around Catherine II, Falconet decided to present the king as “the creator, legislator and benefactor of his country,” who “extends his right hand over the country he travels around.” He instructed his student Marie Anne Collot to model the head of the statue, but subsequently made changes to the image, trying to express in the face of Peter a combination of thought and strength.

The casting of the monument took place at the end of August 1774. But it was not possible to complete it in one go, as Falcone had hoped. During casting, cracks formed in the mold, through which liquid metal began to flow. A fire started in the workshop.

The dedication and resourcefulness of the foundry master Emelyan Khailov allowed the flames to be extinguished, but the entire upper part of the casting from the rider's knees and the horse's chest to their heads was irreparably damaged and had to be cut down. During the time between the first and second casting, the craftsmen sealed and caulked the holes left in the cast part of the monument from the pipes (sprues) through which liquid metal was fed into the mold, and polished the bronze. The upper part of the statue was cast in the summer of 1777.

Then the joining of the two parts of the sculpture and the sealing of the seam between them, chasing, polishing and patina of the bronze began. In the summer of 1778, the decoration of the monument was largely completed. In memory of this, Falconet engraved on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak an inscription in Latin: “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, Parisian 1778.” In August of the same year, the sculptor left Russia without waiting for the opening of the monument.

Observation of the progress of work on the construction of the monument after departure French sculptor The architect Yuri Felten led the project from Russia.

The support of the monument is a snake trampled by a horse by the sculptor Fyodor Gordeev, symbolizing envy, inertia and malice.

The base of the sculpture - a giant granite block, the so-called thunder stone, was found in 1768 on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, near the village of Konnaya Lakhta. The delivery of the colossal monolith weighing about 1.6 thousand tons to the site of the monument was completed in 1770. First it was transported overland on a platform with grooved runners, which, through 32 bronze balls, rested on portable rails laid on a prepared surface, and then on a specially built barge. According to the drawing of the architect Yuri Felten, the stone was given the shape of a rock; as a result of processing, its size was significantly reduced. On a pedestal in Russian and Latin languages an inscription was mounted: “Catherine the Second to Peter the Great.” The installation of the monument was supervised by the sculptor Gordeev.

The height of the sculpture of Peter I is 5.35 meters, the height of the pedestal is 5.1 meters, the length of the pedestal is 8.5 meters.

In the statue of Peter pacifying his horse on a steep cliff top, the unity of movement and rest is superbly conveyed; The monument is given special grandeur by the king’s royally proud seat, the commanding gesture of his hand, the turn of his raised head in laurel wreath, personifying resistance to the elements and affirmation of the sovereign will.

The monumental statue of a horseman, with an imperious hand squeezing the reins of a horse rearing in a swift rush, symbolizes the growth of the power of Russia.

The location of the monument to Peter I on Senate Square was not chosen by chance. Nearby are the Admiralty, founded by the emperor, and the building of the main legislative body of Tsarist Russia - the Senate. Catherine II insisted on placing the monument in the center of Senate Square. The author of the sculpture, Etienne Falconet, did things his own way by erecting the monument closer to the Neva.

After the opening of the monument, Senate Square received the name Petrovskaya; in 1925-2008 it was called Decembrists Square. In 2008, it was returned to its previous name - Senate.

Thanks to Alexander Pushkin, who used a fantastic story about a monument coming to life during a flood that shook the city in his poem, the bronze monument of Peter.

During the Great Patriotic War(1941-1945) the monument was covered with sandbags, on top of which a wooden case was built.

The Bronze Horseman has been restored several times. In particular, in 1909, the water that had accumulated inside the monument was drained and the cracks were sealed; in 1912, holes were drilled in the sculpture for water drainage; in 1935, all newly formed defects were eliminated. A complex of restoration work was carried out in 1976.

The monument to Peter I is an integral part of the city center ensemble.

On City Day in St. Petersburg, official holiday events traditionally on Senate Square.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources