The history of the creation of the Bronze Horseman. Bronze Horseman (Monument to Peter I)

Monuments are the most interesting and effective way pay tribute and justice 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. On the monument" Bronze Horseman"Peter the Great himself is depicted in St. Petersburg. The author of the monument, Falcone, 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 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!

The question arose of finding a suitable stone on which to place the huge monument to Peter the Great. 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 famous master and the designer of the monument, Falcone, refused to do the 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 big hopes the sculptor's response to Ersman was 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. Falcone 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 in the rank of simple major. 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 troubles 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.

Reinhold Gliere - Waltz from the ballet "The Bronze Horseman"

The monument to Peter I, a bronze monument of a rider on a rearing horse flying to the top of a cliff, better known thanks to the poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin as “The Bronze Horseman” is an integral part architectural ensemble and one of the most striking symbols of St. Petersburg...

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, 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.

Falconet arrived in St. Petersburg with his seventeen-year-old assistant Marie-Anne Collot. The vision of the monument to Peter I by the author of the sculpture was strikingly different from the desire of the empress and the majority of the Russian nobility. Catherine II expected to see Peter I with a rod or scepter in his hand, sitting on a horse like a Roman emperor.

State Councilor Shtelin saw the figure of Peter surrounded by allegories of Prudence, Diligence, Justice and Victory. I.I. Betskoy, who supervised the construction of the monument, imagined it as a full-length figure, holding a commander’s staff in his hand.

Falconet was advised to direct the emperor's right eye to the Admiralty, and his left to the building of the Twelve Colleges. Diderot, who visited St. Petersburg in 1773, conceived a monument in the form of a fountain decorated with allegorical figures.
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 either as a great commander or as a winner, although he, of course, was both. The personality of the creator, legislator, benefactor of his country is much higher, and this is what needs to be shown to people. My king does not hold any rod, he extends his beneficent right hand over the country he travels around. He climbs to the top of the rock, which serves as his pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has overcome.”

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

“Could you imagine that the sculptor chosen to create such a significant monument would be deprived of the ability to think and that the movements of his hands would be controlled by someone else’s head, and not his own?”

Disputes also arose around the clothes of Peter I. The sculptor wrote to Diderot:
“You know that I will not dress him in Roman style, just as I would not dress Julius Caesar or Scipio in Russian.”

Falcone worked on a life-size model of the monument for three years. Work on the "Bronze Horseman" was carried out on the site of the former temporary Winter Palace Elizaveta 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 Russian Academy arts, Catherine II assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.

The snake under the horse’s foot was sculpted by the Russian sculptor F.G. Gordeev.

Preparing the life-size plaster model of the monument took twelve years; it was ready by 1778.

The model was open for public viewing in the workshop on the corner of Brick Lane and Bolshaya Morskaya Street. Various opinions were expressed. The Chief Prosecutor of the Synod resolutely did not accept the project. Diderot was pleased with what he saw. Catherine II turned out to be indifferent to the model of the monument - she did not like Falcone’s arbitrariness in choosing the appearance of the monument.

For a long time, no one wanted to take on the task of casting the statue. Foreign 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 a specially invited foundry worker from France refused such work. He called Falcone crazy and said that there was no such example of casting in the world, that it would not succeed.

Finally, a foundry worker was found - cannon master Emelyan Khailov. Together with him, Falcone selected the alloy and made samples. In three years, the sculptor mastered casting to perfection. They began casting the Bronze Horseman in 1774.

The technology was very complex. The thickness of the front walls had to be less than the thickness of the rear ones. At the same time, the back part became heavier, which gave stability to the statue, which rested on only three points of support.

Filling the statue alone was not enough. During the first, the pipe through which hot bronze was supplied to the mold burst. The upper part of the sculpture was damaged. I had to cut it down and prepare for the second filling for another three years. This time the job was a success. In memory of her, on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak, the sculptor left the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian in 1778.”

The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:

“On August 24, 1775, Falconet cast a statue of Peter the Great on horseback here. The casting was successful except in places two feet by two at the top. This regrettable failure occurred through an incident that was not at all foreseeable, and therefore impossible to prevent.

The above-mentioned incident seemed so terrible that they feared that the entire building would catch fire, and, consequently, the whole business would fail. Khailov remained motionless and carried the molten metal into the mold, without losing his vigor in the least in the face of danger to his life.

Falcone, touched by such courage at the end of the case, rushed to him and kissed him with all his heart and gave him money from himself.”

According to the sculptor’s plan, the base of the monument is a natural rock in the shape of a wave. The shape of the wave serves as a reminder that it was Peter I who led Russia to the sea. The Academy of Arts began searching for the monolith stone when the model of the monument was not yet ready. A stone was needed whose height would be 11.2 meters.

The granite monolith was found in the Lakhta region, twelve miles from St. Petersburg. Once upon a time, according to local legends, lightning struck the rock, forming a crack in it. Among local residents The rock was called "Thunder Stone". That’s what they later began to call it when they installed it on the banks of the Neva under the famous monument.

Split boulder - suspected fragment of Thunder Stone

The initial weight of the monolith is about 2000 tons. Catherine II announced a reward of 7,000 rubles to the one who comes up with the most effective method deliver the rock to Senate Square. 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 on which it was written “Like daring. January 20, 1770.”

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:

The Russian Mountain, not made by hands, is here,
Hearing the voice of God from the lips of Catherine,
Came to the city of Petrov through the Neva abyss
And she fell under the feet of the Great Peter.

By the time the monument to Peter I was erected, the relationship between the sculptor and the imperial court had completely deteriorated. It got to the point that Falcone was credited with only a technical attitude towards the monument. The offended master did not wait for the opening of the monument; in September 1778, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he left for Paris.

The installation of the “Bronze Horseman” on the pedestal was supervised by the architect F.G. Gordeev. The grand opening of the monument to Peter I took place on August 7, 1782 (old style). The sculpture was hidden from the eyes of observers by a canvas fence 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 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. called the sculpture “Bronze Horseman” in his poem of the same name. Pushkin, although in fact it is made of bronze. This expression has become so popular that it has become almost official. And the monument to Peter I itself became one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.

The weight of the “Bronze Horseman” is 8 tons, the height is more than 5 meters.

Legend of the Bronze Horseman

Since its installation, it has become the subject of many myths and legends. Opponents of Peter himself and his reforms warned that the monument depicts the “horseman of the Apocalypse,” bringing death and suffering to the city and all of Russia. Peter's supporters said that the monument symbolizes greatness and glory Russian Empire, and that Russia will remain so until the rider leaves his pedestal.

By the way, there are also legends about the pedestal of the Bronze Horseman. According to the sculptor Falcone, it was supposed to be made in the shape of a wave. A suitable stone was found near the village of Lakhta: supposedly a local holy fool pointed out the stone. Some historians find it possible that this is exactly the stone that Peter climbed more than once during the Northern War in order to better see the location of the troops.

The fame of the Bronze Horseman spread far beyond the borders of St. Petersburg. One of the remote settlements had its own version of the origin of the monument. The version was that one day Peter the Great amused himself by jumping on his horse from one bank of the Neva to the other.

The first time he exclaimed: “Everything is God’s and mine!”, and jumped over the river. The second time he repeated: “Everything is God’s and mine!”, and again the jump was successful. However, the third time the emperor mixed up the words and said: “Everything is mine and God’s!” At that moment, God's punishment overtook him: he became petrified and forever remained a monument to himself.

The Legend of Major Baturin

During Patriotic War In 1812, as a result of the retreat of Russian troops, there was a threat of the capture of St. Petersburg by French troops. Concerned about this prospect, Alexander I ordered particularly valuable works of art to be removed from the city.

In particular, State Secretary Molchanov was instructed to take Vologda province a monument to Peter I, and several thousand rubles were allocated for this. At this time, a certain Major Baturin secured a meeting with the Tsar’s personal friend, Prince Golitsyn, and told him that he and Baturin were haunted by the same dream. He sees himself on Senate Square. Peter's face turns. The horseman rides off his cliff and heads through the streets of St. Petersburg to Kamenny Island, where Alexander I then lived.

The horseman enters the courtyard of the Kamenoostrovsky Palace, from which the sovereign comes out to meet him. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to,” Peter the Great tells him, “but as long as I’m in place, my city has nothing to fear!” Then the rider turns back, and the “heavy, ringing gallop” is heard again. Struck by Baturin’s story, Prince Golitsyn conveyed the dream to the sovereign. As a result, Alexander I reversed his decision to evacuate the monument. The monument remained in place.

There is an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin formed the basis of the plot of A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”. There is also an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin was the reason that during the Great Patriotic War the monument remained in place and was not hidden, like other sculptures.

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

Restorations of the monument took place in 1909 and 1976. During the last of them, the sculpture was studied using gamma rays. To do this, the space around the monument was fenced off with sandbags and concrete blocks. The cobalt gun was controlled from a nearby bus.

Thanks to this research, it turned out that the frame of the monument can still serve long years. Inside the figure was a capsule with a note about the restoration and its participants, a newspaper dated September 3, 1976.

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.

compilation of material -

Reinhold Gliere - Waltz from the ballet "The Bronze Horseman"

The monument to Peter I, a bronze monument of a rider on a rearing horse flying to the top of a cliff, better known thanks to the poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin as “The Bronze Horseman”, is an integral part of the architectural ensemble and one of the most striking symbols of St. Petersburg...

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.

The sculptor wrote:

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

Falcone worked on a life-size model of the monument 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.

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.

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.

The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:

Falcone, touched by such courage at the end of the case, rushed to him and kissed him with all his heart and gave him money from himself.”

The granite monolith was found in the Lakhta region, twelve miles from St. Petersburg. Once upon a time, according to local legends, lightning struck the rock, forming a crack in it. Among 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 the famous monument.

Split boulder - suspected fragment of Thunder Stone

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.

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:

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 weight of the “Bronze Horseman” is 8 tons, the height is more than 5 meters.

Legend of the Bronze Horseman

Since its installation, it has become the subject of many myths and legends. Opponents of Peter himself and his reforms warned that the monument depicts the “horseman of the Apocalypse,” bringing death and suffering to the city and all of Russia. Peter's supporters said that the monument symbolizes the greatness and glory of the Russian Empire, and that Russia will remain so until the horseman leaves his pedestal.

The Legend of Major Baturin

During the Patriotic War of 1812, as a result of the retreat of Russian troops, there was a threat of the capture of St. Petersburg by French troops. Concerned about this prospect, Alexander I ordered particularly valuable works of art to be removed from the city.

In particular, State Secretary Molchanov was instructed to take the monument to Peter I to the Vologda province, and several thousand rubles were allocated for this. At this time, a certain Major Baturin secured a meeting with the Tsar’s personal friend, Prince Golitsyn, and told him that he and Baturin were haunted by the same dream. He sees himself on Senate Square. Peter's face turns. The horseman rides off his cliff and heads through the streets of St. Petersburg to Kamenny Island, where Alexander I then lived.

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

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 leave their autographs on the thunder stone and the sculpture itself, the idea of restoring the fence may soon be realized.

compilation of material -

Monument to the Bronze Horseman (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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The Bronze Horseman on Senate Square is not the only monument to Peter I in St. Petersburg, but, undoubtedly, the most famous, which has long become a symbol Northern capital. Already at the end of the 18th century, many urban legends and anecdotes were associated with him, and in the 19th century, poets of that time liked to mention the Bronze Horseman in their works.

Contrary to its name, the monument is not copper, but bronze. A popular name The monument to Peter was received thanks to poem of the same name Pushkin.

According to the idea of Catherine II, who ordered the sculpture, and her consultants, Voltaire and Diderot, Peter was to appear in the solemn guise of a victorious Roman emperor with a staff and scepter in his hands. However, the French sculptor Etienne Falconet, invited to work on the monument, dared to argue with the crowned persons and showed the world a different Peter, without belittling either his military talents or his title as a wise ruler.

After 16 years of work, on August 7, 1782, according to the old style, it was solemnly installed on a huge pedestal. equestrian statue young king. The monument was the first to be installed in the city square. Peter confidently sits on a rearing horse, covered with a bear skin. The animal represents the rebellious, ignorant people who submitted to the emperor. A huge snake was crushed by the horse’s hooves, symbolizing opponents of reforms and also serving as an additional support for the structure. The figure of the king himself expresses strength, desire and steadfastness. On the granite block, by order of Catherine the Great, a dedication was carved in two languages, Russian and Latin: “To Peter I Catherine II in the summer of 1782.”

On the granite block on which the monument is erected, by order of Catherine the Great, a dedication is carved in two languages, Russian and Latin: “To Peter I Catherine II in the summer of 1782.”

An interesting story is connected with the stone on which the monument is erected. It was found by the peasant Semyon Vishnyakov at a distance of about 9 km from the square. The Thunder Stone was delivered to the installation site of the monument using a device that was truly unique for that time, working on the principle of a bearing. Initially the block weighed about 1600 tons. Then, according to Falcone's design, it was hewn and given the shape of a wave, personifying the power of Russia as a maritime power.

History of the creation of the monument

And many more stories and tales still circulate around the emperor’s gesture. Peter's right hand is imperiously extended forward; with his left he firmly holds the reins. Some say the hand points down to the place where “the city will be founded.” Others believe that Peter is looking towards Sweden - the country with which he fought so long and stubbornly. In the 19th century one of the most interesting versions. She claims that right hand Petra actually faces the Neva. He points his left elbow towards the Senate, which in the 19th century served as the Supreme Court. The interpretation of the gesture is as follows: it is better to drown yourself in the Neva than to have a trial in the Senate. It was a very corrupt institution in those days.

Address: Senate Square, metro station "Nevsky Prospekt", "Admiralteyskaya".

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

Refusing the allegorical solution proposed to him by those around Catherine II, Falcone 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 it began to leak. liquid metal. 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. Top part 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.

Architect Yuri Felten monitored the progress of work on the construction of the monument after the French sculptor left Russia.

The support for 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 a drawing by 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. Complex restoration work was implemented 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