Interesting facts about the Bronze Horseman. Russian Caesar, whim with a diamond and an imperial medal Interesting information about the monument to Peter 1

The opening ceremony of the monument to Peter the Great, now known as the Bronze Horseman, took place on August 18, 1782. Today this monument is a landmark that no tourist route can do without. Literally from the moment of its opening, it was shrouded in a mystical flair, and over the years, truth and fantastic fiction about it completely mixed into one motley, mysterious story. the site suggests recalling the most interesting details from the “biography” of the Bronze Horseman.

The place was chosen by Catherine II herself

The location of the monument is perhaps the only thing that was hardly discussed during its creation. Catherine ordered the monument to be placed on Senate Square, since the Admiralty founded by Peter I and the main legislative institution of Russia at that time - the Senate - are located nearby. True, the queen wanted to see the monument in the center of the square, but the sculptor had his own way and moved the pedestal closer to the Neva.

Initially, a lifetime monument to Catherine herself was to be erected at this site, but she considered it more appropriate to perpetuate the memory of the founder of St. Petersburg on the 100th anniversary of his accession to the throne.

To prepare such a grandiose event, a real master was needed, and on the recommendation of her friends Denis Diderot and Voltaire, Catherine summoned to Russia the sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet, the author of “The Threatening Cupid,” which is today kept in the Louvre, and other famous sculptures. By that time the artist had already turned 50 years old, he had a rich track record, but he had never completed such monumental orders.

Falcone felt that this work of his should go down in history, and did not hesitate to argue with the empress. For example, she demanded that Peter sit on a horse with a rod or scepter in his hand, like a Roman emperor. The project manager and Catherine’s right hand, Ivan Betskoy, advised placing a full-length figure with a commander’s baton in his hand on the pedestal. And Denis Diderot even proposed a monument in the form of a fountain with allegorical figures. It got to such subtleties that “Peter’s right eye should be directed at the Admiralty, and his left eye at the building of the Twelve Colleges.” But Falcone stood his ground. The contract he signed stated that the monument should consist "primarily of an equestrian statue of colossal size."

Falcone declared that there would be no scepter in Peter’s hand. Photo: AiF / Ksenia Matveeva

“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 that serves as his pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has overcome,” Falcone wrote in one of his letters.

The stone for the pedestal was searched for in an ad.

Usually the pedestal is given much less attention than the monument itself. But in the case of the Bronze Horseman, it turned out almost the opposite. Its pedestal, perhaps the only one in the history of monumental sculpture, has its own name - the Thunder Stone. Falcone wanted to use a monolithic rock as a metaphorical “rock,” but finding a stone of the appropriate size was difficult. Then an advertisement appeared in the newspaper “St. Petersburg Vedomosti” addressed to all private individuals who are ready to break out a piece of rock somewhere and bring it to St. Petersburg.

Transportation of the "Thunder Stone" in the presence of Catherine II. Engraving by I.F. Harness from a drawing by Yu.M. Felten. 1770 Photo: Public Domain

A certain peasant Semyon Vishnyakov, who was supplying building stone to St. Petersburg, responded. He had long had his eye on a block in the Lakhta area, but he just didn’t have the tools to split it. Where exactly the Thunder Stone lay is not known for certain. Possibly near the village of Lisiy Nos. The documents contain information that the path of the stone to the city took eight miles, that is, about 8.5 kilometers.

To transport the rock, according to the recommendations of Ivan Betsky, a special machine was developed; thousands of people took part in the transportation. The stone weighed 2,400 tons; it was transported in winter so that the soil beneath it would not sag. The relocation operation lasted from November 15, 1769 to March 27, 1770, after which the stone was loaded onto a ship on the shores of the Gulf of Finland and brought to Senate Square on September 26.

Not copper, but bronze

The monument is traditionally called the Bronze Horseman thanks to the light hand of Pushkin, although it is cast in bronze. The workshop was set up in the former Throne Hall of the wooden Winter Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna. The sculptor thought through every little detail and did a colossal job.

“When I decided to sculpt him, the way he completes his gallop by rearing, it was not in my memory, still less in my imagination, so that I could rely on it. To create an accurate model, I consulted nature. To do this, I ordered the construction of a platform, which I gave the same slope that my pedestal was supposed to have. A few inches more or less in tilt would make a significant difference in the animal's movement. I made the rider gallop not just once, but with more than a hundred different techniques on different horses,” Falcone wrote.

One of the most famous illustrations for Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman” is by Alexander Benois. Photo: Public Domain

Work on the sculpture model lasted from 1768 to 1770. Falconet's young student Marie Anne Collot worked above Peter's head, and the snake under the horse's hoof was sculpted by Fyodor Gordeev. For this work, Marie Anne was accepted as a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, and Catherine II assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.

Casting the statue took 8 years

Casting of the statue began in 1774 using a complex technology, which, by distributing the weight, made it possible to maintain the balance of the figure on only three points of support. But the first attempt was unsuccessful - the pipe with the hot bronze burst, and the upper part of the sculpture was damaged. It took three years to prepare for the second attempt. Constant troubles and missed deadlines spoiled the relationship between Falcone and Catherine, and in September 1778 the sculptor left the city without waiting for the completion of work on the monument. The Bronze Horseman turned out to be the last work of his life. By the way, on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak you can find the inscription “Modeled and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian in 1778.”

Unveiling of the monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. Paper, engraving with chisel. Mid-19th century Photo: Public Domain / Melnikov A.K.

The installation of the Bronze Horseman on the pedestal was supervised by the architect Fyodor Gordeev. By order of Catherine, “Catherine II to Peter I” was written on the pedestal. The grand opening of the monument took place on August 7, 1782. In honor of this event, the Empress issued a manifesto on a general amnesty, and also ordered the minting of silver and gold medals with his image. Catherine II sent one gold and one silver medal to Falcone, who received them from the hands of Prince Golitsyn in 1783.

The monument survived three wars

The Bronze Horseman “passed” through three wars without damage, although it is located in a place convenient for shelling. A legend is associated with the Patriotic War of 1812, which says that Alexander I ordered the evacuation of the monument to the Vologda province when there was a threat of the capture of St. Petersburg by French troops.

The Bronze Horseman survived the blockade under sandbags. Photo: AiF / Yana Khvatova

A certain Major Baturin obtained an audience with Prince Golitsyn and told him about the dream that haunted him. Allegedly, he sees Peter on Senate Square sliding down from the pedestal and galloping to the Tsar’s residence on Kamenny Island. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to,” Peter tells him, “but as long as I’m in place, my city has nothing to fear!” As the legend goes, Golitsyn retold the dream to the sovereign, and he canceled the order to evacuate the monument.

The First World War ultimately did not affect the majestic Peter, and during the Great Patriotic War the Bronze Horseman was sheathed with logs and boards, and the monument was covered with bags of sand and earth. They did the same with the monument to Lenin at the Finlyandsky Station and other large monuments that were not possible to hide or evacuate.

In 1782, a monument to the founder of St. Petersburg, Peter the Great, was unveiled on Senate Square. The bronze monument, which later became one of the symbols of the city, is shrouded in legends and secrets. Like everything in this amazing city on the Neva, it has its own history, its own heroes and its own special life.

The architect of the Bronze Horseman, the Frenchman Etienne Maurice Falconet, dreamed all his life of creating a unique monument, and it was in Russia that he made his dream come true. The famous sculptor did his job brilliantly. Looking at this ten-meter monument, it immediately becomes clear to whom the Bronze Horseman monument is dedicated.

We learn the history of its origin, as well as the mystical events that accompanied the creation of the monument, from this article.

Monument to Peter I

After the death of Peter the Great in 1725, the throne was passed “from hand to hand”, and nothing “great” happened during these years. Until the wife of Peter the Third (grandson of Peter the Great), Catherine the Second, seized power through a coup. It was she who in 1762 became the only equal empress of Russia.

Catherine the Second admired Peter the Great; she wanted to create something equally great and large-scale for her predecessor. So in 1766, she instructs her favorite Prince Golitsyn to find a sculptor abroad to work on the Peter the Great monument.

The history of the creation of the Bronze Horseman monument begins in Paris. It was there that the Grand Duke found a sculptor who met the empress’s needs. It was from there that Etienne-Maurice Falconet arrived with his young assistant, the talented seventeen-year-old Marie-Anne Collot.

Catherine saw the monument in accordance with the European fashion of the time: Peter in the form of a Roman conqueror with a staff in his hand. However, the sculptor convinced the empress: Russia has its own history and its own heroes.

As a result, the monument, which took sixteen years to create, turned out to be completely innovative, special and ingenious.

History of creation

Etienne Maurice Falconet set to work with enthusiasm. It took the master three years to create the horse statue! The sculptor's workshop was located in the former throne room of Elizabeth's winter palace. A huge platform was installed in the center of the hall, with the same angle of inclination as was intended for the future pedestal of the statue. Experienced riders rode onto this platform, raising their horses on their hind legs. The artist, in turn, made sketches of horses to choose the ideal option for the monument. Falcone made thousands of drawings before finding the one that would go down in the history of the great monument of St. Petersburg.

When the ideal horse of Peter the Great was ready, a building was built in St. Petersburg to cast the statue. The process was monitored by the best foundry masters of St. Petersburg. The statue was cast in bronze for a year.

However, the history of the creation of the Bronze Horseman monument is interesting not only because of the creation of the horse: Peter the Great himself, seated on a bearskin, personifies the spirit of the victorious people! Few people notice the snake under the horse’s hooves, a symbolic evil that was trampled by the emperor.

"Thunder Stone"

Initially, Falcone planned to erect a huge monument on a rock, natural and solid. Moreover, the rock was supposed to be in the form of a wave, symbolizing the great sea power that Peter the Great created.

Finding such a stone turned out to be difficult. We can say that the whole world was looking for the stone. And so an ordinary peasant, Semyon Grigorievich Vishnyakov, found a suitable monolith in the village of Lakhta. This monolith was popularly nicknamed “Thunder Stone” due to its long history. Old-timers claimed that lightning somehow struck the stone and split it in two. According to rough calculations, the stone weighed about 2000 tons. That's a lot. After the stone was removed, a reservoir was formed in its place, called Petrovsky Pond.

A dilemma arose about how to deliver the rock to St. Petersburg (about eight kilometers). Catherine announced a competition, and a person was found who came up with the method. Using levers and jacks, the stone was loaded onto a pre-prepared platform. From the place where the stone was located, they dug a canal, strengthened it and sent the cargo through the water.

The “Thunder Stone” turned out to be made of extremely dense and high-quality granite with veins of crystallization. It was transported to the city for about a year, during which time it was given the desired shape and outline by 48 craftsmen.

When the granite block for the Bronze Horseman monument was delivered to the city, local residents broke off pieces from it to make tips for their canes.

The length of the stone was 13.5 m, width - 6.5 m, height - 8 m. However, when the mass was cleared of moss and hewn, it turned out that its length was not enough. As a result, the monolith was built up in front and behind from the broken pieces.

About a thousand people worked daily to transport the huge stone.

Description of the monument

Looking at the monument on Senate Square, its grandeur and symbolism immediately catches the eye. Behind Peter the Great is St. Isaac's Cathedral, Peter himself looks at the Neva, behind which the Peter and Paul Fortress rises. The same one with which the construction of the city began.

A huge block of stone on which a bronze monument is installed - high-quality granite, weighing about a ton. On both sides of the monument it is written “Catherine the Second to Peter the Great in the summer of 1782”, moreover, the inscription on one side is in Russian, on the other - in Latin.

The bronze monument itself stands on only two points of support - these are the horse’s hind hooves. Neither the tail nor the snake provide stability to the statue.

The horse reared up, Peter the Great sat on it, inspecting his possessions from above. He looks at the city he built: beautiful, majestic, strong. With his right hand he points into the distance, towards the expanses of the Neva River. The left one holds the reins. The emperor has a sword with the head of a snake in its sheath. On the head is a crown of thorns. The face is calm but decisive. According to Falconet's idea, "The Bronze Horseman" looks at his city with loving eyes; in Peter's eyes the pupils are made in the shape of hearts.

An important episode in the monument is the snake, which is crushed by the hooves of the rider’s horse. It contains evil, which the great sovereign trampled and overcame with the power of his power and spirit.

The monument to Peter 1 in St. Petersburg - "The Bronze Horseman" - is one of the most striking attractions of the city.

Opening

Work on the monument lasted 12 years. The most difficult thing was to deliver the giant granite rock to the city and install it in the chosen location. An equally difficult task was casting the monument in bronze. Throughout the work, many force majeure situations occurred. Pipes broke during the casting of the monument. The bronze sculpture took more than a year to be cast, and everything was done only on the second attempt. The difficulty was that the back of the monument had to be heavier than the front. This task was achieved through the colossal efforts and labor of the sculptor.

The stone for the pedestal fell several times from the wooden platform on which it was delivered to the city. Delivery also took more than a year. A lot of money was spent to deliver part of the sculpture to St. Petersburg.

But in the end, all the difficulties were behind us, and finally the day came for the grand opening of the monument - August 7, 1782.

The event was large-scale. A huge canvas depicting mountains covered the monument. A fence was installed around the monument. The military guard entered the square, and a parade began, led by Golitsyn. After lunch, Empress Catherine II herself arrived by boat on the Neva. She solemnly spoke from the balcony of the Senate and gave permission for the opening of the monument. At that moment, the fence fell, and to the sound of drums and cavalry shots, the canvas was removed, revealing to the eyes of thousands of people a brilliant work dedicated to the founder of St. Petersburg. The opening of the Bronze Horseman monument, and then the monument to Peter the Great, took place. The imperial regiments moved along the Neva embankment to the roar and admiring cries of onlookers.

Sadly, the architect of the Bronze Horseman himself, Etienne Maurice Falconet, was not present at the opening. At the end of his work, his relationship with Catherine II deteriorated greatly. She hurried the master, but circumstances did not give the sculptor the opportunity to finish the work faster. Falcone had practically no assistants; many were afraid to work on such an important task, but most asked for too large sums and fees. As a result, the artist had to learn and do a lot himself. The sculpture of the snake was created by the St. Petersburg sculptor Gordeev, and the architect Felten was involved in all the preparations for the opening and installation of all the details of the monument.

It is noteworthy that Falcone did not see the Bronze Horseman and did not create a single sculpture. The tension that the architect experienced during the creation of the monumental work had an effect.

Etienne Maurice Falconet

French sculptor Maurice Falconet was born and died in Paris. He lived for 75 years, becoming famous in Russia as the architect of the Bronze Horseman. The sculptor’s uncle was a marble maker, which was the main reason for choosing his future profession. At the age of 28, Etienne Maurice entered the Paris Academy of Arts, having previously gained experience from the court sculptor.

At court, Falconet's work is highly valued; he becomes the favorite of Madame Pompadour (the favorite of Louis 15), who orders him many marble figurines. In the 18th century, Paris was drowning in European classicism and Rococo style. Thin, graceful silhouettes of beautiful girls and angels were in great demand.

In the period from 1750 to 1766, the artist created many works in marble, which are highly valued in Paris. Today they can be seen in the most famous museums in the world. But a truly worthwhile and significant work for the master was the order for the monument to Peter the Great in St. Petersburg. On the recommendation of his friend, Falcone goes to Russia. He faces the most important work of his life, which will last 14 years. Unfortunately, the artist will not be able to evaluate the result of his creation. Due to difficult relations with the customer, Catherine II, he will have to leave St. Petersburg and not be present at the opening. However, the Empress will send him a commemorative coin depicting the sculptor’s great work.

Etienne Maurice Falconet's dream came true in "The Bronze Horseman", this is exactly the work that the artist dreamed of all his life. Unfortunately, upon returning to his homeland, the old master’s health deteriorated. The St. Petersburg climate did not in any way contribute to the improvement of the condition. In France, Falconet suffered from paralysis, which did not allow the sculptor to create anymore. Ironically, the artist's "life's work" became his last creation.

Architect's works

The sculptures of Etienne Falconet, created before his trip to Russia, can today be seen in the Hermitage and the Louvre. His most famous works, before The Bronze Horseman, are Seated Cupid (1757) and Winter (1763). Falcone was a follower of European classicism; all his porcelain statues are delicate and romantic. Smooth lines, complex poses and realistic images - the classic vision of 18th century art.

A small cherub can also be seen on the statue “Pygmalion and Galatea”.

Today, looking at Falcone's early works, it is difficult to imagine that it was he who became the architect of the Bronze Horseman. A monumental sculpture, breathing with its power, huge in size, aggressive and at the same time very strong, cannot be compared with the gentle images of naked maidens. This is the genius of its creator.

Symbol of St. Petersburg

The city on the Neva was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. This city has become truly unique. It amazed with its architectural ensembles, luxury of facades and unique architectural monuments. After the death of Peter, the city not only did not lose its uniqueness, but also flourished and transformed. 300 years is not a long time for a city, but it was St. Petersburg that suffered the most terrible events in the history of Russia.

Of course, during its life, St. Petersburg has acquired symbols, legends and brilliant people who lived there in different periods of history. One of these symbols was the “Bronze Horseman”. It is noteworthy that it received its name much later than its appearance. One of the most important people in the history of Russia was Alexander Pushkin, it was he who sang the legendary monument in his work of the same name.

It is impossible to imagine St. Petersburg without all kinds of legends and myths. Many of them are associated with monuments, which, as superstitious people believe, can come to life and store the souls of dead heroes in their bronze crypts.

The legends did not ignore the famous “Bronze Horseman”. The most common of them is associated with Pavel the First, the great-grandson of Peter the Great. It was he who saw the ghost of his famous relative, who pointed him to the place where a monument in his honor would be erected in the future.

Another mystical story happened much later, in 1812. When the threat of a French attack led by Napoleon became quite real, the current Tsar Alexander the First decides to take the “Bronze Horseman” away from St. Petersburg. Then the emperor’s comrade-in-arms has a dream about how the bronze horseman breaks off from his stone pedestal and rushes towards Stone Island. Peter the Great indignantly shouts to Alexander: “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to? But as long as I stand in my place, my city has nothing to fear.” This dream made such a strong impression on the emperor that he decides to leave the monument in its place.

In addition to mystical stories, there are very real things in the life of the monument. For example, Catherine II liked the head of Peter the Great, sculpted by Marie Anne Colot, so much that she awarded her a salary for life. And this despite the fact that the sculptor of the Falconet monument nevertheless changed the plaster cast made by the girl.

There are also many myths associated with the pedestal. One of the most famous, which looks quite real, is the origin of the "Thunder Stone". As scientists and art historians found out, such granite, which the rock is made of, did not exist in St. Petersburg and the region. It was assumed that glaciers brought a huge block of stone to this area. And it was on it that the ancient people performed their pagan rituals. Thunder split the rock in two, and the people gave it the name “Thunder-Stone”.

Another story is connected with the death of Peter. As you know, the emperor caught a cold during his trip to Lake Ladoga. It was there that an event occurred that finally crushed Peter. In the very village of Lakhta where the stone was found, Peter was waist-deep in water rescuing a stranded boat with his soldiers. While resting after a serious incident, Peter lay precisely on this “Thunder Stone,” which would later become the pedestal for the great monument in his honor! So the stone took the king’s soul in order to forever preserve it in itself and in the city created by him.

However, the monument was cursed more than once; it was mainly residents of the surrounding villages who did not like the transformations of the new sovereign. When the monument was opened, someone called Peter the Great the “Horseman of the Apocalypse,” the bringer of evil and destruction. But, as we know, a curse cannot destroy a beautifully created work of art. At the forefront is the common sense and professionalism of the people who worked on the bronze sculpture.

Also, interesting facts about the Bronze Horseman monument are associated with difficult war times. During the siege of Leningrad, all significant objects of St. Petersburg were hidden so that the Nazis could not destroy them during the bombing. The Bronze Horseman was carefully covered with bags of earth and sand, and boarded up on top with wooden boards. After the blockade was lifted, the monument was freed and they were surprised to discover that the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union had been drawn in chalk on the chest of Peter the Great.

Monument in culture

When you get to one of the most beautiful cities in Russia and walk through central and significant places, you will never be able to ignore St. Isaac's Cathedral and the monument to Peter the Great.

And today it amazes with its beauty and grandeur. Many Russians who have never visited the city on the Neva have read Pushkin, and The Bronze Horseman is familiar to them from the work of the same name.

When the bronze monument was opened, Catherine the Second ordered commemorative coins to be made. Later, commemorative coins with the “Bronze Horseman” will appear in numismatics of the Soviet period. Currently we can see our hero on 5 kopecks.

In St. Petersburg, the Bronze Horseman is monument number one. Descriptions of the sculpture dedicated to Peter the Great are often found in stories and poems by famous writers and poets. At all times, the city has been inextricably linked with its creator and the most beautiful monument in his honor.

The Bronze Horseman was not spared from philately. The famous sculpture can be seen on stamps from 1904.

And, perhaps, the most beautiful embodiment in culture is the Faberge egg. Commissioned by Nicholas II, this masterpiece was presented by the Tsar to his wife for Easter. The surprise is that when the egg is opened, the mechanism raises a golden miniature statue of the Bronze Horseman.

Not only the townspeople, but also the guests of St. Petersburg know where the monument is located: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, Russia.

On August 18, 1782, a monument to Peter I, the so-called “Bronze Horseman,” was unveiled in St. Petersburg. This is the very first monument to Peter. There are other famous monuments to the great reformer in Russia and Europe that are worth seeing.

Senate square,

The Bronze Horseman monument is located here not by chance. Catherine II insisted on this because the Admiralty, which the emperor founded, is located nearby. The monument was made by the French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet, who was recommended to Catherine Diderot and Walter. Preparing a plaster model of the monument took twelve whole years, and casting the statue turned out to be so difficult that for a long time no one wanted to take on this work.

Finally, cannon master Emelyan Khailov took on this technologically very complex project and cast the statue in three years. And Catherine inscribed “Catherine II to Peter I” on the pedestal, thereby confirming her commitment to Peter’s reforms. The weight of the monument is eight tons, the height is more than five meters. Although Pushkin called it “The Bronze Horseman,” it is cast in bronze. But this name stuck so well that it became almost official. And the monument itself is one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.

Mikhailovsky Castle, St. Petersburg

The bronze monument was made by the famous Italian sculptor Rastrelli; the model of the monument existed during the life of Peter I, but it was installed later than the Bronze Horseman, in 1800. The pedestal of the monument is lined with multi-colored marble - white, pink and greenish shades. The great-grandson of Peter I, Emperor Paul I, made the inscription on the pedestal “Great-grandfather - great-grandson” by analogy with the Bronze Horseman, on which there is the inscription “Catherine II to Peter I.” During the Great Patriotic War, the monument was removed from its pedestal and put back in its original place only in 1945. Thus he was saved for posterity.

Riga,

The equestrian monument to the Tsar was erected in Riga in 1910, during Peter’s celebrations. Emperor Nicholas II and his family then arrived in Riga. The monument was built practically from donations from ordinary citizens of Riga, so Latvians respected and loved the great reformer. And, apparently, there was a reason. Peter I often came to the city and always brought something with him. Peter donated more than twenty merchant ships, financed the improvement of the city and the construction of some buildings. But nowhere did the monument to Peter face such a sad fate as in Riga. It was removed from its pedestal many times, returned, and moved from place to place. Now the monument, which is of great artistic and historical value, is located in the parking lot of a private enterprise at 223 Bribivas Street. I would like to believe that, despite political prejudices, it will still take its rightful place in the center of Riga.

Moscow

Perhaps the most odious and controversial monument to Peter I was unveiled by Zurab Tsereteli in 1997 on the occasion of his 850th anniversary. This monument is 98 meters high and is the tallest monument in Russia and one of the tallest monuments in the world. It took about a year and about twenty million dollars to design and build the monument. The monument has a very complex engineering design. The frame of the monument is made of stainless steel, onto which a bronze casing is attached.

In 2008, the monument was included in the top ten ugliest buildings in the world, taking, however, an honorable tenth place. There was even a fundraiser in Moscow for the demolition of this controversial monument, but in 2011 the Moscow Prefecture announced that the monument would still stand in its original place. But, just in case, you should not miss the opportunity to look at it and form your own opinion about its artistic value.

It's like thunder roaring -
Heavy ringing galloping
Along the shaken pavement.
And, illuminated by the pale moon,
Stretching out your hand on high,
The Bronze Horseman rushes after him
On a loud galloping horse...
A. Pushkin

Bronze Horseman. Photo: goldrussian.ru

The monument to Peter I, called the Bronze Horseman with the light hand of Alexander Pushkin, is one of the symbols of the Northern capital. Erected by the will of Catherine II, it has been decorating Senate Square for more than 200 years. Today we will tell you about the most interesting facts and the most mysterious legends associated with the Bronze Horseman.

Bronze Horseman: Catherine II to Peter I. Photo: russianlook.com

The creation of the monument turned out to be very troublesome: the plan of the famous Parisian sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet, specially invited to Russia by Catherine to work on the monument to Peter the Great, was grandiose. To perpetuate the figure of the Russian reformer, it was decided to create a sculpture of him on a horse. According to the plan, the rider climbed a high cliff, leaving behind all enemies and thereby overcoming all life's difficulties.

Transportation of "Thunder-stone"

The first test was to find a stone that would serve as a pedestal. At first it was supposed to be assembled from individual stones, but attempts were still made to find a block of appropriate size. For this purpose, they even placed an advertisement in the newspaper: and, lo and behold, an ordinary peasant agreed to deliver a boulder to St. Petersburg. It is believed that a holy fool helped him find the right rock; the stone itself was called the Thunder Stone because it had long ago suffered from a lightning strike. Delivery of the pedestal lasted 11 months; the block weighing 2,400 tons had to be moved in the winter, as it pushed through literally everything in its path. According to another legend, the stone was named Horse because it was found on the island of the same name and in ancient times lay at the entrance to the gates of another world. According to legends, local residents sacrificed horses to the gods at this stone.

Illustration for the poem The Bronze Horseman by A. Pushkin, painted by Alexander Benois. Photo: en.wikipedia.org

When the Thunder Stone was delivered to St. Petersburg, Falcone began working on the sculpture of the horseman. To achieve maximum realism, he built a pedestal with the same angle of inclination, and over and over again asked the rider to ride on it. Observing the movements of the horse and rider, the sculptor gradually created a sketch. Over the next eight years, the statue was cast in bronze. The name “Bronze Horseman” is an artistic device of Pushkin; in fact, the figure is bronze.

Unveiling of the monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. Paper, engraving with chisel. Mid-19th century Photo: en.wikipedia.org

Despite the fact that Catherine was delighted with Falcone’s project, the protracted work on casting the statue put her at odds with the sculptor. The Frenchman left for Paris without waiting for the grand opening. In fairness, we note that when the monument was presented to the public, at the behest of Catherine II, the coins minted on the occasion of the celebration were gratefully delivered to Falcone.

The Bronze Horseman is the visiting card of St. Petersburg. During the War of 1812 there was an idea to evacuate it, but this was prevented by chance. According to legend, a major in the Russian army, who was ordered to work on the monument, asked Alexander I for permission to leave the monument in place: supposedly he had a dream in which Peter I himself assured the Russians that while he was in place, nothing threatened his creation.

During the Great Patriotic War, they also worried about the monument, but they did not dare to remove it from the pedestal: they covered it with sandbags and boards.

This is how the Bronze Horseman survived the blockade.

The well-known Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” became the author of several misconceptions.
Why copper? It is bronze, but as the saying goes, “believe what is written, for you cannot cut it out with an axe.”
In the author’s note to his line “to cut a window into Europe,” he directly refers to the original source - the French words of Francesco Algarotti: “St. Petersburg is the window through which Russia looks at Europe,” but sources of mass knowledge such as school textbooks and the notorious Wikipedia, supported by official historians of all stripes and ranks persistently broadcast: “Cut a window to Europe” - a catchphrase from A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”, characterizing the founding by Peter I of the city of St. Petersburg - the first seaport of the Moscow state,” although the seaport never appeared in the city during the time of Peter I. The only real seaport was, and remains to this day, in Kronstadt on the island of Kotlin. Due to a section of shallow water 27 nautical miles (47 km) long, St. Petersburg was denied the right to be named "door" (port - gate, door), at that time it remained just a "window to Europe".

Another misconception:
In the fifth note to the poem "The Bronze Horseman" Pushkin refers to Mitskevich's poem. And the lines from the poem “Monument to Peter the Great” literally translated sound like this:

"To the first of the kings who created these miracles,
Another queen erected a monument.
Already a king, cast in the image of a giant,
Sat on the bronze ridge of Bucephalus
And I was looking for places to ride on horseback.
But Peter cannot stand on his own land..."

For some reason, Mickiewicz mentions the name of Alexander the Great’s favorite horse, although it was known that Peter’s favorite horse was Lizeta, which was later made into a stuffed animal.

The censor of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” was Tsar Nicholas I himself. For some reason, he forbade the use of the word “idol” in relation to Peter I.
Maybe the tsar knew that the rider on the horse (but not Peter) was really once a people's idol?

Here's another coincidence.

Peter I holds his hand in such a way that it is easy to insert a spear into it; it would look quite harmonious there.

The horse stepped on the snake with its right hind leg, everything is written like a book. And the position of the hand and head is not so difficult to edit. Not all monuments contain a cloak (cape) from the time of A. the Great. And this is a completely different hero

St. George the Victorious

And here is the “Peter’s” altyn (three kopecks).

But this is a penny of Ivan V Vasilyevich the Terrible.

And here is the seal of Ivan III, known to everyone on Wikipedia.

The legend invented by the guides about lightning striking a stone is also confusing. The name Thunder Stone itself allegedly appeared due to a lightning strike. More precisely, lightning is used to explain the front granite attachment to the pedestal, which seems to form a very intricate crack.

Surprisingly, the crack runs exactly along the boundary of different color (chemical and crystalline) structures of granite, and the strip of enlarged inclusions also ends abruptly and unnaturally at this boundary.

And most importantly... The monument has not one such granite liner, there are two of them, front and back.

Look here

The historical version says: I was laying a stone, lightning struck it, and then, as in a fairy tale, the crack that ran through changed the color, structure, orientation of the crystals, even the grain size... Do you believe it? If yes, then the whole fictitious history of the city’s construction is also true. The added fragment looks more like the result of restoration after the destruction of the front and back parts of the monument's pedestal. The whole appearance of the pedestal, its treatment and the wavy slabs laid around it indicate that it once represented the crest of a wave, and not just a wild rock, but was destroyed.

It may have originally looked something like this:

The sharp chip of the stone at the front looks very unnatural next to the smooth features of the base; they look more like a sea wave without a crest.

In addition, the snake under the hoof looks more comical than symbolic.

Large scales are closer to dragons.

And a head without scales looks completely unnatural.

They were able to draw the details of the horse and rider meticulously, but with the snake it was a mess, maybe the snake was all Falcone had the strength for? Although, history says that he didn’t even cast the snake, he made it Fedor Gordeev. From official sources:The model of the equestrian statue of Peter was made by the sculptor Etienne Falconet in 1768-1770. Peter's head was sculpted by his student, Marie-Anne Collot. According to Falconet's design, the snake was sculpted by Fyodor Gordeev. The casting of the statue was carried out under the direction of master Emelyan Khailov and was completed in 1778. Architectural and planning decisions and general management were carried out by Yu. M. Felten.

Until 1844, no one knew that Catherine gave this monument to Peter I, in the painting by N.M. Vorobyov. There is no trace of any inscription.

One more thing is surprising. Peter on this monument, as well as on the other one, which we will consider below, sits without pants, in a Roman toga, and neither the Russian nobility nor the ship's masters ever wore such clothes.The position of the Bronze Horseman's hand also seems familiar.

only this is Marcus Aurelius in Rome.

Why does the sovereign-emperor need such an outfit? It’s not fitting for the Russian Autocrat to show off without trousers! Moreover, Peter is sitting on a horse without stirrup , and what does history say: the stirrup was invented in the 4th century. From this we can clearly conclude that this rider lived no later than the 4th century, and the statue should also have been cast much earlier than in the 18th century.

And when did the sovereign indulge in such weapons?

In the time of Peter 1, the army did not have swords, there were sabers.

Hence the question: who armed the bronze horseman with a sword?

Doesn't Bucephalus' stance remind you of anything?

This is how A. Macedonian was always depicted on horseback.

And here is the monument to Alexander the Great in Skopje

The sword, the horse, the cloak, the harness on the horse, and the rider’s clothes themselves don’t remind you of anything?

But the real Peter 1,

it was in this form that he had to sit on his beloved mare Lisette.

"The Bronze Horseman" from a different angle.

(not Pushkin, for sure)

Shining like bronze over the Neva,

And the clouds are tugging at your loins,

He is full of rainwater,

The land here is foreign to him.

The granite shackles itch,

Far from enemy columns...

And Macedonian Sasha again

Goes to ancient Babylon.

From the notes of Backmeister Ivan Grigorievich, bibliographer of Catherine the Great, " she already had a sculpture image of PETER the Great", which is still preserved to this day, however, it did not satisfy the desired intention. An ordinary base, on which most of these statues are mounted, does not mean anything and is not capable of arousing a new reverent thought in the soul of the viewer. The monument erected by Catherine had to correspond to her dignity in the noblest and most majestic manner. The chosen base for the sculptured image of the Russian hero should be a wild and inaccessible stone on which is represented he is galloping on a horse with his right hand outstretched . A new, daring and expressive thought! The stone itself, as a decoration, should remind of the state of the state at that time and of the difficulties that its creator had to overcome in achieving his intentions. How perfectly the chosen allegory resembles its subject is proven by the fact that PETER the Great had a seal on which he was depicted as a stonecutter , carving a statue of a female person from stone, that is, Russia. The calm position of the rider depicts the undaunted courage and spirit of the hero, who feels his majesty and is not afraid of any danger. The gallop of a furious horse reaching the top of a stone mountain shows the speed of his affairs and the successful success in the changes brought about by his tireless work in his power. The right outstretched hand is a sign of the commanding one, the Father of the Fatherland, who blesses his faithful subjects and cares about the well-being of his possessions. " - this is a quote from the "Historical news about the sculptured equestrian image of Peter the Great, composed by the collegiate assessor and librarian Imp. Academy of Sciences by Ivan Backmeister / Translated by Nikolai Karandashev. - SPb.: Type. Schnora, 1786". The original text was in German.

What this text says, it says that the monument apparently tilted (or even fell), as they say, was in disrepair, which is why it was sent for restoration, as a result of which it was subject to minor alterations, namely: the head and right arm were sawed off, and completely new parts of a different shape were soldered to it.

Here is a fictional version for posterity, which fits so well into academic work

Excerpt from Falconet's letter to Catherine II:

Author Kaganovich A. The Bronze Horseman. History of the creation of the monument. - 2nd ed., add. - L.: Art, 1982. p.150. Quite a “suitable document” for posterity, who may have all sorts of questions about the presence of a seam in the area of ​​the head and shoulder on the solid casting of the monument...

The text under this picture also speaks for itself.

The pedestal also needed restoration, the parts that had fallen off needed to be renewed, a large piece at the front and a smaller piece at the back.

I was very puzzled by another incident, see for yourself

His famous cocked hat would have been more suitable for the Russian Emperor; he not only did not wear laurel wreaths, but during his lifetime he did not allow paintings of himself in this form.

So is it Peter on the horse or not Peter?

Who do they still like to portray this way all over the world?

Let's remember the story: In 1798, when Napoleon I captured Malta during an expedition to Egypt, the knights of the order turned to the Russian Emperor Paul I with a request to assume the rank of Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, to which the latter agreed. At the very end of 1798, Russian Emperor Paul I was proclaimed Grand Master of the Order of Malta. So this is what I’m leading to: at the end of the 17th century the monument to A. Macedonian disappeared, and in the middle of the 18th century a renewed monument to Peter 1 appeared. Or maybe before the renovation it looked exactly like in the picture above? One more nuance, this warrior in Roman armor does not kill a snake, as we are used to, but a griffin - a symbol of Great Tartary.

What is it for?

The remains of building materials that were used during the renovation have not yet been removed.

History does not hide this: Peter’s head was sculpted by a student of the sculptor E. Falcone, Marie Anne Collot. According to Falconet's design, the snake was sculpted by Fyodor Gordeev. The casting of fragments of the statue was carried out under the direction of master Emelyan Khailov and was completed in 1778. Architectural and planning decisions and general management were carried out by Yu. M. Felten... and below the signature: Author of the monument, Etienne Falone. Interesting, right?

Falconet, who had never before had to carry out such work himself, refused to finish the monument himself and waited for the arrival of the French master B. Ersman. The foundry worker, accompanied by three apprentices, arrived on May 11, 1772, having with him everything necessary to guarantee success: “earth, sand, clay...”. However, the long-awaited master was unable to fulfill the sculptor’s demands and was soon fired, at Felten’s insistence. Ersman simply refused to engage in the task assigned to him. From that moment on, all preparatory work for casting was carried out by Falcone himself. To assess the tension of the situation and the relationships of the characters, it is necessary to cite the sculptor’s letter dated November 3, 1774 to Catherine II, appealing for her patronage: “Most gracious empress, at the beginning of last month Mr. Betskoy ordered me, through Felten, to write my demands regarding the completion of the casting (here follows read "alterations") of the statue, although this formality seemed unnecessary to me, nevertheless, I immediately sent a letter, of which I am enclosing a copy, since then I have not received a response. Without your august patronage, I am in the power of a man who hates me more every day, and if Your Majesty does not want to see me anymore, then I would have to live here worse than any stranger who finally finds a patron ... "

This is what Falcone himself wrote about the monument: “My monument will be simple... I will limit myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret him either as a great commander or as a winner , although he was, of course, both. The personality of the creator-legislator is much higher...” Here's the score "great commander and winner" Falcone clearly let it slip. To ensure the authenticity of the design, on one of the folds of the Bronze Horseman’s cloak, the sculptor engraved the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian in 1778.”

These were the passions that raged then, but the attempt to falsify the origin of the monument, thanks to Pushkin’s poem of the same name, was a hundred percent successful.