Monument "Millennium of Russia"

Illustration of the website slovensk.su

Monument "Millennium of Russia"- a monument erected in Veliky Novgorod in 1862 in honor of the thousandth anniversary of the founding of the Russian state.

History of creation

The Tale of Bygone Years says that in 862 the head of the Varangian squads, Rurik, was invited to reign in Novgorod. "Those Varangians were called Russia and from those Varangians the Russian land was nicknamed".
In 1857, the Committee of Ministers of the Russian State raised the question of building a monument to the first Russian sovereign Rurik. The plan was brought to life in 1862. But, in the end, the monumental sculpture became not so much a monument to the first Russian sovereign, but rather a monument to the millennium of the Russian state.

The monument was created according to the project young artist M.O. Mikeshina. Sculptors I.N. took part in the creation of the sculptures. Schroeder (figures "Writers and Artists"), R.K. Zaleman (groups of Mikhail Fedorovich, Vladimir Saint and Dmitry Donskoy), P.S. Mikhailov (Rurik group), N.A. Laveretsky (figures "State People"), A.M. Lyubimov (figures "Military People"), M.A. Chizhov (figures “Enlighteners” and “Military People”), architects G.A. also took part. Bosse and V.A. Hartmann. In addition, Mikeshin and Schroeder jointly executed the figures of an angel with a cross and a kneeling woman, the group of Peter I and Ivan III.

Great controversy arose when approving the list of significant persons placed on the monument. They excluded the poet Koltsov, the famous naval commander Admiral F.F. Ushakova. Absent from the statesmen is Ivan the Terrible, who was popularly known as a ferocious ruler, especially among the Novgorodians. Because of the bloody massacre committed by the guardsmen in Novgorod in 1570. Also absent from the monument are Paul I, Arakcheev, and Benkendorf. Serious doubts were raised about the placement of the figure of Nicholas I, who was nevertheless added to last moment.
In July 1860, the Main Directorate of Railways entered into contracts with sculptors, according to which a reward of 4,000 rubles was assigned for sculpting each figure in clay, then casting it in plaster in two copies, followed by delivery to the bronze factory.
On July 1, 1862, all bronze groups, reliefs and latticework were collected in the foundry. The Tsar approved the finished parts of the monument, and they were transported along the Neva and Volkhov to Novgorod.

The monument and its constituent parts have the following parameters:

Monument “Millennium of Russia”... It stands in the center of the Novgorod Kremlin, like a huge silent bell, forever rooted in this ancient land.

Compositionally, the monument consists of three tiers.

This symbolizes the triad “Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality.”

Villevalde B. P. (1818-1903). Opening of the monument “Millennium of Russia” in Novgorod. 1862

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 - an orb, with the inscription on it:

“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 - the founding of the Russian state in 862.

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir - baptism of Rus' in 988.

Holy Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy - liberation from Mongol yoke at 1380.

Ivan III - the founding of the autocratic Russian kingdom in 1491.

Mikhail Romanov - restoration of autocracy in 1613.

Peter I - foundation 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 table Petersburg was a city).

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.

In the center - the first one is visible.

Includes Rurik and nearby

Defeated Perun.

The era of the birth of power

She symbolizes.

The calling of the Varangians to Rus' (862): figures - the first prince Rurik in a pointed helmet with a pointed shield (the inscription “Summer 6370” - according to the Byzantine chronology, the difference between this chronology and the modern one is 5508 years, therefore it turns out 6370-5508 = 862 AD . e.), in an animal skin thrown over his shoulders.

Behind it on the right is pagan god Veles (facing south, towards Kyiv)

And here is Mikhail Romanov.

He will become the first Russian Tsar.

A period of new stormy unrest.

And in the foreground here

Pozharsky and Minin appear.

They are the lord's signs of power

With respect they convey,

Crowned with Monomakh's cap,

As a novice sculptor, Alexander Mikhailovich was entrusted with the execution of only one figure - Peter I, standing with his arms crossed. And we must admit that the figure of Peter, made by Opekushin, turned out to be one of the most successful.

In the fourth group is Ivan III.

Russia has broken free from the network.

Centralized power

Will not allow enemies to open their mouths.

Here he is, having stopped all strife,

united all the principalities,

He put a bridle on the Horde,

The campaign of the Livonians reflected,

Stands quietly in plain sight.

Founding of the autocratic kingdom of Russia (1491): Ivan III in the royal vestments, Monomakh's cap, with a scepter and orb, accepting the sign of power - a bunchuk - from a kneeling enemy. Nearby lie a Lithuanian defeated in battle and a defeated Livonian knight with a broken sword (facing east).

In the background is the figure of a Siberian - a symbol of the future development of Siberia.

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 was responsible for the lower tier of the monument - famous master of its time. While working on the monument, he found himself subordinate to his yesterday’s student - young artist Mikeshin, the author of the monument. When Klodt first showed Mikeshin and Emperor Alexander II sketches of his bas-reliefs for the monument, both immediately understood: this is not it! It turned out that Klodt simply repeated the plots of the second tier without developing them one bit. 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. So 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

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. Count Speransky. 19. Field Marshal Vorontsov. 20. Nicholas I

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.

Enlighteners:

1. Saint Cyril. 2. Saint Methodius. 3. Princess Olga. 4. Prince Vladimir. 5. Saint Abraham. 6. Anthony of Pechersk. 7. Theodosius of Pechersk. 8. Saint Kuksha. 9. Nestor the chronicler. 10. Kirill Belozersky. 11. Stefan Permsky. 12. Alexy. Metropolitan of Moscow. 13. Sergius of Radonezh. 14. Peter Mogila. Metropolitan of Kyiv. 15. Jonah. Metropolitan of Kyiv. 16. Saint Sabbatius. 17. Saint Zosima. 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.

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.

In the middle of the Kremlin square, in 1862, a majestic monument to the Millennium of Russia was erected, according to the design of academician M. Mikeshin. General form it resembles the shape of Monomakh's cap or bell. The top of the monument represents the Russian state or a ball, with a cross erected on it. Both the ball and all the sculptural figures are cast from bronze and rest on a cylindrical granite pedestal. The monument is surrounded by a bronze lattice with six lanterns on bronze candelabra. The height of the monument is 7 ¹/₂ fathoms, the width of the pedestal is 4 ²/₃ fathoms; the weight of the metal in it is up to 6,000 pounds, the weight of the entire monument is up to 6,000,000 pounds and the cost during construction is up to 500,000 rubles.

year 2014.

Installed in Novgorod by decree of Emperor Alexander II to commemorate the celebration of the thousand-year history of the Russian state in 1862, which, according to chronicles, dates back to the calling of the Varangian prince Rurik to Novgorod.

The monument displays the history of Russia from the 9th to the 19th centuries in faces. Presented here statesmen, military men and heroes, educators, writers and artists, a total of 129 figures. The height of the monument is 15.7 meters; diameter of the granite pedestal – 9 meters; the height of the colossal figures is 3.3 meters; weight of bronze casting – 65.5 tons.

The monument was inaugurated on September 8, 1862 with the participation of Emperor Alexander II with his family, associates, and representatives of different classes from all provinces of Russia.

During the occupation of Novgorod (1941-1944) the monument was dismantled Nazi invaders. The lanterns and bronze lattice surrounding the monument were taken away - an excellent example of artistic casting, and the bronze sculptures dropped from a height remained on the ground.

After the liberation of Novgorod, the monument to the Millennium of Russia was the first to be restored, which was inaugurated on November 2, 1944.

In the second half of the 1970s, Leningrad restorers restored the lanterns and grille around the monument.

In the center of the Kremlin square stands a majestic bronze monument topped with a ball with a cross. This is one of the most famous sights of Novgorod - the “Millennium of Russia” monument. Grand opening took place on September 8, 1862, the next year after the abolition of serfdom. The year of installation of the monument was not chosen by chance. According to the legend recorded in the chronicle, Rurik, the leader of the Varangian squads, was invited to Novgorod in 862. This date is considered to be the year of the birth of Russia, and 1000 years later a solemn celebration of the first millennium of the Russian state took place.

A competition was announced in St. Petersburg for the best monument, which would glorify autocracy, Orthodoxy and the people. The winner was the project of the young 25-year-old artist Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin. This was his first work, followed by a monument to Catherine II in St. Petersburg, Bogdan Khmelnitsky in Kyiv.

The height of the monument is 15.7 meters, the weight of the bronze casting is 65.5 tons, there are 129 bronze figures on it, 109 on the high relief below. It is divided into four sections, which present those who glorified thousand-year history Russia: princes, kings, military men and heroes, writers and artists, priesthood.

The general appearance of the monument resembles the shape of a bell, heralding the glorious events and deeds of the first millennium of the Russian state, as well as the “Monomakh’s cap,” signifying the greatness of Russia. The upper part of the monument is a powerful ball with a cross. This power is a symbol of royal power. Next to the cross is an angel - a symbol of Orthodoxy - and a woman kneeling before him - Russia. The orb is decorated with intricate ornaments and is surrounded by an inscription made in Slavic script: “To the accomplished millennium of the Russian state during the prosperous reign of Emperor Alexander II, summer 1862.” Around the ball-power are six sculptural groups, symbolizing the six stages of Russian history: from the calling of the Varangians to the creation of an empire. The first Russian sovereign Rurik is depicted in military garb with a shield in his hand, on the shield there is an inscription in Cyrillic: “Summer 6370” - this is the date of the calling of the Varangians, corresponding to the year 862 from the Nativity of Christ.

One of the most beautiful compositions of the monument “Baptism of Rus'” is the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, to the right of the prince is a young woman carrying her baby for baptism, to the left is a peasant throwing a pagan idol. The beginning of the liberation of Rus' from the Tatar yoke is personified by the group of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, trampling the warrior of the Golden Horde. The largest group, consisting of five figures, is “the founding of the autocratic kingdom of Russia in 1491.” In the center of the composition is Ivan the Terrible’s grandfather Ivan III and the peoples conquered during his reign: a Mongol carries his banner, Lithuanian and Livonian knights defending themselves with broken weapons. In the group “Crown to the Kingdom” - young Mikhail Romanov with an orb in his hand prays to God to grant him wisdom and strength. In front of him kneeling Nizhny Novgorod citizen Kozma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, defending the young sovereign from enemies. The idea was clear: they were the creators of the legendary people's militia that saved Rus' from intervention.

The powerful figure of Peter I, the founder of the Russian Empire, looks at the central Sofia Square; behind Peter is an angel-genius, pointing the way to the north, to the site of the founding of the new capital. The Swede, defeated near Poltava, is at Peter’s feet, trying to defend his torn banner. The lower part of the high relief depicts 109 historical figures. They are “divided” into four sections: military people and heroes, writers and artists, educators, statesmen.

Recent graduates and students of the Academy of Arts worked on the sculptures: Ivan Schroeder, Matvey Chizhov, Alexander Lyubimov, Nikolai Laveretsky. Hard work continued for two years in six foundries in St. Petersburg, then the figures were transported on barges along the Volkhov to Novgorod. The pedestal of the monument is made of Serdobol granite from the shores of Lake Ladoga.

During the Great Patriotic War The Germans made plans to take the monument to Germany. A narrow-gauge railway was built from the Kremlin to the station, and dismantling of the monument began. The fastening bolts were cut with chisels, and the figures were dropped from a height. But it was still not possible to remove the monument. On January 20, 1944, the Novgorod-Luga operation began, the front was broken through, and the Germans hastily left Novgorod.

They decided to restore the monument. There was no metal or technology, using rails, a German trolley and peasant ingenuity, eight workers, hungry and cold, led by the restorer N.A. Chernyshov, raised the monument as a symbol: Rus' is alive, trampled and desecrated, but not conquered. It was November 2, 1944.

"Veliky Novgorod and surroundings." 2011.

The top group on the monument consists of two bronze figures, Russia and an angel holding a cross. Russia is depicted as a kneeling royal wife in a national Russian costume with a shield; the angel blesses Russia and points to its glorious Future, under the shadow of Orthodoxy. On the orb there is a Slavic inscription: “To the accomplished millennium of the Russian state in the prosperous reign of Emperor Alexander II, summer 1862.”

Group I (from the south side of the monument): The first Russian prince Rurik, in the armor of a Varangian warrior, with an animal skin on his shoulders, with a sword and shield, on which is written “let #sto” (862). To the left of him is an idol of Perun. This group depicts the beginning of Rus'.

Group II (to the left of the first) - a woman with a child in her arms, facing Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, and one of the Russians who converted to Christianity with an idol broken over the knee. Prince Vladimir in full princely attire with a cross in his hand personifies the baptism of Rus'.

Group III (to the right of Rurik) - Prince Dmitry Ioannovich Donskoy, hero of the Battle of Kulikovo. He is depicted in chain mail and a helmet, stepping on a defeated Tatar. In his right hand he has a shestoper, and in his left - a Tatar horsetail. This group personifies Russia's overthrow of the Tatar yoke.

Group IV (next to the previous one) - Grand Duke John III, the first Tsar of Moscow in royal clothes and in the Monomakh cap. By right side his stricken Litvin and kneeling Tatar; on the left is a defeated Livonian knight, behind whom is the figure of a Siberian supporting the colossal Russian state with his hands. This group depicts the autocracy in Rus', which united the Russian land into one kingdom.

Group V (on the left side of the monument, next to Group II) – Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov, a representative of the autocracy of the Russian state restored after the Time of Troubles. He is depicted in a prayer pose, with his head uncovered. left side Standing on his knees is the elected citizen of the people, Nizhny Novgorod citizen Kozma Minin Sukhoruky, presenting the young chosen one with a symbol of royal power: the Monomakh cap and the scepter; on the right side is Prince Pozharsky, who has a naked sword in his right hand, with which he seems to be protecting the young king.

Finally, group VI (between groups IV and V, facing the side of St. Sophia Cathedral) - Emperor Peter I Alekseevich, the first Russian Emperor and Autocrat. He is in purple with a scepter. Behind him is an angel, overshadowing him with a wing and pointing right hand the path that Russia should follow, pushed by Peter into the European powers. At the feet of the Emperor is a kneeling Swede, as if defending a torn banner.

All these figures are significantly larger than human height and were cast excellently at the foundry of Nichols and Plinke, suppliers of the court of His Imperial Majesty, and finally finished in the workshop of the plant located in St. Petersburg.

V. P. Laskovsky. City guide "Sofia Side". A guide for exploring the city and its immediate surroundings, its shrines and antiquities. Adapted and illustrated edition based on the book of the Novgorod Society of Antiquity Lovers of 1910.

1 – A kneeling woman, personifying Russia.

2 – An angel blessing her.

3 – A woman presenting her child for baptism.

4 – Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich.

5 – Peasant breaking an idol.

6 – Rurik.

7 – Tatar warrior.

8 – Dmitry Donskoy.

9 – Figure, symbol of defeated Lithuania.

10 – Figure, symbol of the defeated Golden Horde.

11 – Grand Duke Ivan III.

12 – Sibiryak, symbol of the development of Siberia.

13 – Figure, symbol of the defeated Livonian Order.

14 – Peter I.

15 – The figure of an angel – the genius of Glory, showing Russia a new path.

16 – Figure, symbol of defeated Sweden.

17 – Dmitry Pozharsky.

18 – Mikhail Romanov.

19 – Kozma Minin.

They all stand on a granite plinth, which is surrounded by a bronze belt made up of figures and high reliefs (mostly portraits) of persons who glorified Russia and showed great services to it over its 1000-year history. There are 109 such persons placed on a belt (2 arsh. 2 vert. high), who can be divided according to the nature of their activity into four sections; people's educators, government officials, military people and writers and artists.

V. P. Laskovsky. City guide "Sofia Side". A guide for exploring the city and its immediate surroundings, its shrines and antiquities. Adapted and illustrated edition based on the book of the Novgorod Society of Antiquity Lovers of 1910.

The captions above the photographs are “Veliky Novgorod and the surrounding area.” 2011.

On the eve of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Russian state, all members arrived here royal family with retinues, 12,000 soldiers were brought for the anniversary events, and many spectators came. The population of Novgorod almost doubled these days.

History of creation

The idea of ​​installing a monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russian statehood belonged to Alexander II and was supported by the Committee of Ministers. In 1859, a competition was held, to which 52 works were submitted. The winner was an unknown graduate of the Imperial Academy of Arts, Mikhail Mikeshin, assisted by the sculptor Ivan Schroeder.

It took almost a year and a half to create the monument. The laying of the monument took place on May 28, 1861 on the square between the St. Sophia Cathedral and public places.

Structure of the monument

The silhouette of the monument is associated with two important symbols of Russian and Novgorod history: the attribute of royal power - the Monomakh cap - and the veche bell. The division of the monument into three levels emphasizes the famous formula of the official doctrine of that time: “Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality.”

In the upper part, an angel personifying Orthodoxy blesses a kneeling woman - Russia. The second level consists of six groups. Each represents one of the stages in the development of Russian statehood: from Rurik (on the south side) to Peter I (on the north). The high relief ribbon running in a circle at the bottom contains the entire history of Russia.

129 figures approved by Alexander II are grouped into groups: statesmen, military men and heroes, cultural figures, educators.

It is interesting that there is no figure of Ivan the Terrible on the monument - one of the most famous representatives Rurik dynasty. It was decided that placing his image in Novgorod was unethical, because the tsar “became famous” for the brutal pogrom of this city. But on the monument there is a figure of Martha the Posadnitsa, who defended the ancient liberties of Novgorod and was expelled from the city by Ivan III for this. At the last moment, at the insistence of Mikeshin, Nikolai Gogol was included among the great literary figures, but Alexander II crossed out the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko from the list.

Monument to the 1000th anniversary of Russian statehood for a long time served as the subject of all sorts of discussions. Most of the public received it favorably unusual monument. Others, like Herzen, actively criticized him. But even the Bolsheviks did not dare to demolish it.

“Millennium of Russia” during the war and post-war times

During the Great Patriotic War, during the fascist occupation, the monument was dismantled by the Germans. They brought a narrow-gauge railway to the destroyed Novgorod Kremlin: the dismantled figures and reliefs of the monument were planned to be sent to Germany. Soviet soldiers entering the Kremlin discovered fragments half-buried with snow... And already on November 7, 1944, after restoration, the monument was reopened.

Today it is a department of the Novgorod State Museum-Reserve. And it reminds us of the wisdom, courage and heroism of those who stood at the origins of the creation of the Russian state.