Monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square. History and facts about the monument to Minin and Pozharsky “During this solemn ceremony, the crowd of residents was incredible; all the shops, the roofs of Gostiny Dvor, shops built specifically for the nobility near the Kremlin

Monument to Minin and Pozharsky - a bronze sculptural group created by Ivan Martos; located in front of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square. The first monument in Moscow.

Dedicated to the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo elder Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky, who at the beginning of the 17th century led the liberation struggle of the Russian people against the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish invaders, which ended with the expulsion of the invaders from the Kremlin in 1612.

A proposal to start collecting funds for the construction of the monument was made in 1803 by members of the Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science and the Arts. The same society proposed to put the national hero Kuzma Minin at the head of the composition of the future monument. The monument was supposed to be installed in Nizhny Novgorod, the city where the militia was gathered.

Sculptor Ivan Martos immediately began work on the monument. In addition to working on the project, he also acts as the main popularizer of the folk heroes Minin and Pozharsky, presenting them to Russian society as liberators of the country from foreign yoke. In 1807, Martos published an engraving of the first model of the monument.

By 1808 there was widespread enthusiasm for the installation monument to Minin and Pozharsky gradually subsides. And then the residents of Nizhny Novgorod again raise the question of installing a monument “in the very place where Minin presented all his property to the people and thereby inflamed the competition of his fellow citizens.” On May 2, 1808, the President of the Academy of Arts gave instructions “to compose several projects for a monument, with which the nobility and citizens of the Nizhny Novgorod province wish to commemorate the exploits of citizen Kozma Minin and the boyar Prince Pozharsky and present them in a short time.” Sculptors Prokofiev, V.I. Demut-Malinovsky, Piminov Sr., architects Tomon and Mikhailov are involved in the competition.

In November 1808, sculptor Ivan Martos won the competition for the best design of the monument, and an imperial decree was issued to begin fundraising. On January 1, 1809, a nationwide subscription was announced, and engravings depicting the approved project were sent throughout Russia, “so that it would be known to all Russians.” The drawing differs significantly from the first draft and in its composition almost coincides with the final solution for the monument.

By 1811, the amount collected was sufficient to begin work. By this time it was decided to establish monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow on Red Square, and erect an obelisk in Nizhny Novgorod.

Interest in creating the monument was already great, but after World War II it increased immeasurably. Russian citizens saw this sculpture as a symbol of victory. The periodical press not only published notes on the progress of work on the monument, but also devoted separate large articles to it, including those about the technologies used in its manufacture.

The cast monument went on May 21, 1817 from St. Petersburg, where it was made, to Moscow by water with a special visit to Nizhny Novgorod as a sign of respect and gratitude to the people of Nizhny Novgorod for their heroism in the Time of Troubles and for their participation in the creation of the monument. Delivery ended on September 6th. The installation work continued until February 1818, and finally on March 4 (February 20), 1818, the grand opening of the monument took place, accompanied by a parade and the performance of Stepen Degtyarev’s oratorio “Minin and Pozharsky.”

Initially Monument to Minin and Pozharsky was located in the middle of Red Square, opposite the entrance to the Upper Trading Rows (now the GUM building), but in 1931 it was considered an obstacle to demonstrations and parades of military equipment and was moved to St. Basil's Cathedral.

A major restoration of the monument is planned for 2010-2011. When moving the monument, the water drainage system was disrupted, and as a result, over the past 78 years, the monument has fallen into disrepair. Simultaneously with the restoration of the historical appearance of Red Square and the future preservation of the monument, the issue of its return to its historical site is being resolved.

The text of the inscription was criticized by A. S. Pushkin: The inscription to Citizen Minin, of course, is not satisfactory: for us he is either the tradesman Kosma Minin, nicknamed Sukhorukoy, or the Duma nobleman Kosma Minich Sukhorukoy, or, finally, Kuzma Minin, an elected person from the entire Moscow state, as he is named in the letter of election of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. It would not be bad to know all this, as well as the name and patronymic of Prince Pozharsky.

On November 4, 2005, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky by Zurab Tsereteli was unveiled in Nizhny Novgorod - a reduced (5 cm) copy of the Moscow monument. It is installed under the walls of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, near the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. According to the conclusion of historians and experts, in 1611 Kuzma Minin, from the porch of this church, called on Nizhny Novgorod residents to gather and equip the people’s militia to defend Moscow from the Poles. On the Nizhny Novgorod monument the inscription was preserved, but without indicating the year.

According to legend, after Lenin’s death in 1924, during the struggle for power, an inscription appeared on the monument:

Look, prince, what kind of scum is in the Kremlin today

Monument to Minin and Pozharsky - a sculptural group made of brass and copper, created by Ivan Martos; located in front of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square.

Dedicated to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky, leaders of the second people's militia during the Polish intervention in the Time of Troubles, and the victory over Poland in 1612.

The front high relief depicts patriotic citizens donating their property for the good of the Motherland. On the left is the sculptor Martos himself, giving his two sons to the fatherland (one of them died in 1813).

The rear high relief depicts Prince Pozharsky driving the Poles out of Moscow.

A proposal to start collecting funds for the construction of the monument was made in 1803 by members of the Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science and the Arts. Initially, the monument was supposed to be installed in Nizhny Novgorod, the city where the militia was gathered.

Sculptor Ivan Martos immediately began work on the monument project. In 1807, Martos published an engraving from the first model of the monument, in which he introduced the national heroes Minin and Pozharsky to Russian society as liberators of the country from foreign yoke.

In 1808, residents of Nizhny Novgorod asked for the Highest permission to invite other compatriots to participate in the creation of the monument. The proposal was approved by Emperor Alexander I, who strongly supported the idea of erecting a monument.

In November 1808, the sculptor Ivan Martos won the competition for the best design of the monument, and an imperial decree was issued on subscription to fundraising throughout Russia. The names of the subscribers were printed and made public.

Due to the importance of the monument for Russian history, it was decided to install it in Moscow, and in Nizhny Novgorod to install a marble obelisk in honor of Minin and Prince Pozharsky.

Obelisk in honor of Minin and Pozharsky in Nizhny Novgorod.

Installed in 1828 in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin instead of the originally planned monument. Designed by architect A. I. Melnikov, the bas-reliefs were created according to the sketches of I. P. Martos.

Work on the creation of the monument began at the end of 1812 under the leadership of Ivan Martos. A small model of the monument was completed in mid-1812. In the same year, Martos began making a large model and at the beginning of 1813 the model was opened to the public. The work was highly appreciated by Empress Maria Feodorovna (February 4) and members of the Academy of Arts

The casting of the monument was entrusted to Vasily Ekimov, the foundry master of the Academy of Arts. Upon completion of the preparatory work, the casting was completed on August 5, 1816. 1,100 pounds of copper were prepared for smelting. The copper took 10 hours to melt. The casting of such a colossal monument at once was carried out for the first time in European history.

It was originally planned to use Siberian marble for the pedestal of the monument. But due to the significant size of the monument, it was decided to use granite. Huge stones were delivered to St. Petersburg from the shores of Finland, which was part of the Russian Empire. The pedestal, consisting of three solid pieces, was made by stonemason Sukhanov.

It was decided to deliver the monument from St. Petersburg to Moscow by water, taking into account the size and weight of the monument, along the route through the Mariinsky Canal to Rybinsk, then along the Volga to Nizhny Novgorod, then up the Oka to Kolomna and along the Moscow River. On May 21, 1817, the monument was sent from St. Petersburg and on September 2 of the same year was delivered to Moscow.

At the same time, the installation location of the monument in Moscow was finally determined. It was decided that the best location was Red Square compared to the square at the Tverskaya Gate, where the installation was previously planned. The specific location on Red Square was determined by Martos: in the middle of Red Square, opposite the entrance to the Upper Trading Rows (now the GUM building).

Monument to Minin and Pozharsky near the Upper Trading Rows in the mid-1850s. Lithograph by Daziaro based on the original by F. Benoit.

On February 20 (March 4), 1818, the grand opening of the monument took place with the participation of Emperor Alexander and his family and with a gathering of a huge number of people. A parade of guards took place on Red Square

Parade at the opening of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. 19th century engraving.

Demonstration near the monument in the first days of the First World War. The location of the monument in the center of Red Square is visible. Photo by A. Savelyev. 1914.

In 1931, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky was considered an obstacle to demonstrations and parades of military equipment and was moved to St. Basil's Cathedral. The poet D. Altauzen demanded that the monument be demolished and a monument to N. Nekrasov erected in its place.

Monuments to Minin and Pozharsky in other cities

Monument to Kozma Minin in Nizhny Novgorod. Installed in June 1989 (sculptor O.K. Komov).

Monument to Kozma Minin in Balakhna, Nizhny Novgorod region.

The monument was created to raise the patriotic spirit and was inaugurated on November 7, 1943 in Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod) (sculptor Alexander Kolobov).

The figure of Minin was made of short-lived material (concrete) and painted bronze. In the summer of 1985, the monument, in need of repair or replacement, was dismantled and sent to Balakhna, the supposed homeland of the hero.

Monument to Dmitry Pozharsky in the park near the walls of the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery in Suzdal.

Monument to Dmitry Pozharsky in Zaraysk, Moscow region

In 1610-1611, Dmitry Pozharsky was the governor of Zaraysk.

Monument to Dmitry Pozharsky in the village of Borisoglebsky, Yaroslavl region

Monument to Dmitry Pozharsky in the village of Purekh, Nizhny Novgorod region

On September 6, 1817, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky arrived in Moscow. It was cast in St. Petersburg and delivered by water through Nizhny Novgorod. For the first time in the history of Moscow, a monument was erected in honor of national heroes, and not the sovereign.

Work on the creation of the monument began in 1804. They were led by the Russian monumental sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos, and the casting was entrusted to Vasily Ekimov, the foundry master of the Academy of Arts. The manufacture of the monument required 1,100 pounds of copper, the melting time of which was about ten hours.

Who are Minin and Pozharsky? Where they lived? What are you famous for?

Let's look into history. They accomplished their feat almost four hundred years ago. It was a difficult time for Rus', called by the people “hard times.” Ancient Novgorod was captured by the Swedes. All of Rus' in the West and North-West was in the hands of the Polish-Lithuanian interventionists. Even in the capital there was a Polish garrison. The enemies ruled and committed outrages.

1611 was one of the most difficult in the history of Moscow and the entire Russian land. Russia was threatened with loss of independence. In addition, unprecedented troubles befell the Russian land: there was an unprecedented drought for several years in a row, there was a severe crop failure, and famine began. Entire villages died out.

It seemed that there was no darker time in history than this; it seemed that Rus' was perishing from all the misfortunes that had befallen it, and there was nowhere to wait for salvation. But it came!

“I stand for the Orthodox faith...” Kuzma Minin

At this time, a wealthy merchant Kuzma Minin lived in the city of Nizhny Novgorod (on the Volga). He called on Novgorodians to fight foreigners:

“Brothers! Let’s stand for the Russian land, take up arms without exception, give up our property, collect money for the army, liberate Moscow from foreigners!”

The people of Nizhny Novgorod perked up, gathered a militia and moved towards Moscow. Along the way, people joined the militia from all sides, and the army was led by Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky.

In 1612, Russian regiments approached the capital and here they fought with the Poles, fought bravely for three days and won, and soon the Kremlin was liberated from the last invaders who had taken refuge there.

This great feat of citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky remained forever in the people's memory.

“The crowd of residents was incredible”

The grand opening of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky took place on February 20, 1818. Troops were lined up on Red Square, filled with thousands of Muscovites, and a military parade took place. Amid the beating of drums and shouts of “hurray,” the cover was removed from the monument. One of the Moscow newspapers described this event as follows:

“During this solemn ceremony, the crowd of residents was incredible; all the shops, the roofs of the Gostiny Dvor, the shops built specifically for the nobility near the Kremlin wall, and the very towers of the Kremlin were strewn with people eager to enjoy this new and extraordinary spectacle.”

The monument made a great impression on the audience. It depicts the Nizhny Novgorod elder Kuzma Minin in a Russian shirt, calling on Dmitry Pozharsky to lead the militia and lead him to save the fatherland. Pozharsky, leaning on his shield, takes the sword from Minin’s hands.

The pedestal of the monument is made of three solid pieces of granite brought from Finland, and the famous bas-reliefs “Nizhny Novgorod Citizens” and “Exile of the Poles,” as well as the sculpture of Minin and Pozharsky itself, are made of bronze.

Interesting Facts

Interestingly, the monument also contains an image of the author of the monument. The pedestal of the monument is decorated with bronze reliefs on both sides. One of them shows a stylized image of the people’s militia expelling the Poles from Moscow, the other shows Nizhny Novgorod residents bringing donations to organize the militia. On the last bas-relief, the figure on the far left (a man sending his sons to the people’s militia) is Martos and his sons.

The significance of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky went far beyond the memory of the events of 1612. It not only became the first monument in Moscow, but also the first monument to depict a person from the common people.

In 1930, during the reconstruction of Red Square, the monument was moved to St. Basil's Cathedral. Already in our century, justice has triumphed in Nizhny Novgorod, where a copy of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky was erected opposite the fortress gates, from which the people’s militia once emerged.

In 1612 Kozma Minin gathered a people's militia, which he led Dmitry Pozharsky, to expel the Polish invaders who laid claim to the Russian throne.
The monument stands in front of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square and was erected with public donations.
The monument was erected after the War of 1812 years and the expulsion of Napoleon from Moscow.
On Pozharsky's shield the face of the Savior is depicted, and a long Russian sword, only partially removed from its scabbard, resembles a cross.
According to the legend, on the relief under the inscription, the sculptor Ivan Martos depicted himself, giving his two sons to the militia troops.

The monument to Kozma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, two national liberator heroes, is one of the most famous Moscow monuments and perhaps the most symbolic. Firstly, it stands in the very center of Moscow - on Red Square, in front of. Secondly, it was established not with state money, but with public donations. Thirdly, he depicts not a sovereign, not a poet, not a leader, but a commoner and a prince. Kozma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky are not depicted at all as befits medieval Russian warriors. But let's deal with everything in order.

Why they?

Kozma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky lived at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. It was a difficult time for Russia, which is called “The Troubles.” The Rurik dynasty was interrupted - there was no legitimate sovereign in Rus'. False princes, who are financially and politically supported by powerful Poles, are chasing the Russian throne. After the overthrow of False Dmitry I, the Poles and Lithuanians, taking advantage of the disunity of the Russian kingdom, openly attacked Moscow. It begins. While the interventionists dominate the Kremlin, 400 kilometers from the capital - in Nizhny Novgorod - headman Kozma Minin is gradually gathering a people's militia, led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. In February 1612, the militia went to Moscow, calling for volunteers along the way. From August to October, the militia army fought a long and bloody battle in Moscow with the Poles and eventually successfully expelled them.

Moscow was rarely captured by foreigners: in the 14th century it was plundered by the Mongol Khan Tokhtamysh, and later, in the 19th century, by Napoleon. Only three times in 700 years of history of the Moscow and Russian state! And every time deliverance was given at the cost of numerous casualties and destruction. And Kozma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, who voluntarily and without any order gathered and led the liberation movement, became for Russia a symbol of freedom and indestructibility.

Why here?

The monument did not always stand at St. Basil's Cathedral. Initially they wanted to put it in Nizhny Novgorod - after all, the legendary militia was gathered there. But Minin and Pozharsky fought near the walls of the Kremlin! In addition, the monument was erected after the War of 1812 and the expulsion of Napoleon from Moscow. Therefore, Emperor Alexander II decided to erect a monument in Moscow and announced a fundraiser throughout the country. An art competition was announced, at which the project of the sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos was approved. The casting of the monument was carried out in St. Petersburg. The fact that the creation of the monument was truly a national effort is indicated by the sign: “To Citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky, grateful Russia.”

However, the monument did not immediately take its current place. Initially on Red Square it stood in front of the building nium of the shopping arcades (nowadays the GUM building stands on this site), which was built by the architect Osip Bove after the Patriotic War of 1812. This extended building, ending with a flat, wide dome, echoed another structure of similar architecture - the Kremlin Senate, built in the 18th century by Matvey Kazakov. They stood opposite each other, on the same axis, and between them ran a long open area. Minin’s hand gesture, simultaneously triumphant and patronizing, seemed to echo the domes of these two buildings, “covered” them and at the same time pointed to the Kremlin towers. In the 1930s of the 20th century, the monument was moved to the cathedral. The official version was that he was interfering with parades. And if you believe the popular joke, one of the party leaders did not like the fact that Minin took the sword with one hand and pointed at it with the other.

Why is that?

Look at the monument. Why is Minin standing and Pozharsky sitting? Why are both Russian soldiers dressed so strangely? Where is the legendary battle with the Poles? The author of the monument, sculptor Ivan Martos, also considered all these questions.

At first, he decided to depict Minin and Pozharsky in the image of ancient heroes, but in different ways: Minin, as a representative of the common people, was barefoot and with his head uncovered, and the sculptor decided to put Prince Pozharsky in princely boots, put a Roman helmet on his head, and a cloak to stab the ancient Russian princes with a fibula. Then Pozharsky was conceived just like an ancient hero - in sandals, and Minin - in a simple peasant Russian shirt. Ultimately, Martos depicted both barefoot, without unnecessary details (nudity in an ancient figure is a sign of a hero). Thus, the sculptor equalized their significance and deprived them of any signs of time, emphasizing that their feat will forever remain in the memory of people.

However, of course, there are signs of “Russianness” in the monument. The face of the Savior is depicted on Pozharsky’s shield - it practically becomes an icon. And the long Russian sword, only partially removed from its scabbard, resembles a cross. The defense of the Fatherland in Rus' has always been associated with the defense of faith. Standing Minin hands the sword to Pozharsky, as if calling him to lead the militia. Pozharsky, although he is sitting, is full of inner energy gies, like a compressed spring, ready to straighten out. He is already taking the sword, and behind his back is an ancient Russian (and not at all Roman) helmet. The reliefs of the pedestal depict events that occurred during the Time of Troubles, including the famous Battle of Red Square on August 24, 1612. According to legend, on the relief under the inscription Martos depicted himself, giving his two sons to the militia.

The monument to Minin and Pozharsky became the first monument in Moscow: before, triumphal arches, chapels and temples were erected in honor of important historical events.

Composition idea

In 1803, members of the Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Science and the Arts proposed erecting a monument in Nizhny Novgorod to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Russian victory over foreign invaders in 1612. They proposed Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and the zemstvo elder Kuzma Minin as the central figures of the composition.

The place and heroes were not chosen by chance: in the Time of Troubles, Minin and Pozharsky gathered the Second Militia in Nizhny Novgorod against the Swedish and Polish-Lithuanian invaders. In 1612, the Russian army defeated the invading armies and completely liberated the capital.

Work on the monument

The author of the project was the sculptor Ivan Martos. In 1812, under his leadership, craftsmen began work on the monument; 4 years later, foundry worker Vasily Ekimov cast the entire sculpture. The monument took 18 tons of brass and copper. For the first time in European history, such a large monument was cast in one go.

The pedestal for the monument was made by stonecutter Samson Sukhanov from three pieces of granite - they were specially brought from Finland. Ivan Martos decorated the pedestal with two high reliefs. On the front high relief “Nizhny Novgorod Citizens” the sculptor depicted people who donate wealth to defend the Motherland. Among the figures are Martos himself and his two sons, who go to war. On the back high relief “Expulsion of the Poles” Ivan Martos depicted Prince Pozharsky, who drives the invaders out of Moscow.

The figures of Minin and Pozharsky were made in the classical style and resembled antique statues. However, the sculptural composition also contained traditionally Russian elements: Minin’s clothes resembled a Russian shirt, Pozharsky’s shield depicted the Savior Not Made by Hands, and on one of the high reliefs there was an icon of the Kazan Mother of God.

Opening of the monument

Initially they wanted to install the monument in Nizhny Novgorod. But Ivan Martos insisted that his place was in Moscow on Red Square in front of the Upper Trading Rows (today the GUM building). The monument to Minin and Pozharsky was erected in 1818.

Since 1818, the appearance of Red Square has changed several times: GUM opened on the site of shopping arcades in 1893, and the Mausoleum was built in 1930. The monument prevented large-scale parades and demonstrations. In 1931 it was moved to St. Basil's Cathedral, where it is still located.

Today the monument to Minin and Pozharsky is one of the main attractions of both Red Square and the capital as a whole. In winter, a skating rink is built near the monument, as at the end of the 19th century.