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

The solemn ceremony of unveiling the monument to Peter the Great, which is now known as the Bronze Horseman, took place on August 18, 1782. Today this monument is a tourist attraction, without which no tourist route can do. Literally from the moment of its opening, it was shrouded in a mystical veil, and over the years, truth and fantastic inventions about it have completely mixed into one motley, mysterious story. the site offers to recall the most curious details from the "biography" of the Bronze Horseman.

The place was chosen by Catherine II herself

The place where the monument was erected is perhaps the only thing that was hardly disputed about during its creation. Catherine ordered to place the monument 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 did his own thing and moved the pedestal closer to the Neva.

Initially, a lifetime monument to Catherine herself was to be erected at this place, but she found it more correct 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 the sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falcone, the author of The Threatening Cupid, which is now kept in the Louvre, and other famous sculptures to Russia. By that time, the artist was already 50 years old, he had a rich track record, but he had not yet 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 staff or scepter in his hand, like the Roman emperor. The project manager and the right hand of Ekaterina, Ivan Betskoy, advised putting a full-length figure on a pedestal with a commander's baton in hand. 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 at the building of the Twelve Collegia." But Falcone stood his ground. The contract he signed stated that the monument should consist "mainly 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 confine myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret either as a great commander or as a victor, although he, of course, was both. The personality of the creator, legislator, benefactor of his country is much higher, and this is what it is necessary to show to people. My king does not hold any rod; he stretches out his beneficent hand over the country he is circling. He climbs to the top of the rock, which serves as his pedestal - this is the emblem of the difficulties he conquered, "- wrote Falcone in one of his letters.

Stone for the pedestal was searched for by the ad

Usually, much less attention is paid to the pedestal than to 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 it was not easy to find a stone of a suitable size. Toga in the newspaper "St. Petersburg Vedomosti" there was an announcement addressed to all individuals who are ready to break 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. Shley from the drawing by Yu.M. Felten. 1770 year. Photo: Public Domain

A certain peasant Semyon Vishnyakov, who was engaged in the supply of building stone to St. Petersburg, responded. For a long time he had in mind a lump in the Lakhta region, but he just did not have a tool to split it. Where exactly the Thunder Stone lay is not known for certain. Perhaps not far from the village of Lisiy Nos. The documents left information that the path of the stone to the city took eight versts, 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 under it would not sink. 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 with the light hand of Pushkin, although it is cast from bronze. The workshop was set up in the former Throne Hall of the wooden Winter Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna. The sculptor thought over every little detail and did a tremendous job.

“When I thought to fashion him, how he completes his gallop, rearing up, it was not in my memory, even less in my imagination, so that I could rely on him. In order to create an accurate model, I consulted with nature. To do this, I ordered to build a platform, which I gave the same slope that my pedestal should have had. A few inches more or less in tilt would make significant changes in the movement of the animal. I made the rider jump not just once, but with more than a hundred different techniques on different horses, ”wrote Falcone.

One of the most famous illustrations for Pushkin's poem "The Bronze Horseman" belongs to the brush of Alexander Benois. Photo: Public Domain

Work on the sculpture model lasted from 1768 to 1770. A young student of Falcone, Marie Anne Collot, worked over Peter's head, and Fedor Gordeev fashioned a snake under the horse's hoof. Marie Ann was admitted to the Russian Academy of Arts for this work, and Catherine II awarded her a life pension of 10,000 livres.

The casting of the statue took 8 years

The casting of the statue began in 1774 using a sophisticated 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 red-hot bronze pipe burst, and the upper part of the sculpture was damaged. It took three years to prepare for the second attempt. Constant troubles and missed dates 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 was the last piece of his life. By the way, on one of the folds of Peter I's cloak one can find the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian of 1778”.

Opening of the monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. Chisel engraving on paper. 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 on the pedestal they wrote "Catherine II to Peter I". 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 "went" through three wars without damage, although he is in a place convenient for shelling. A legend is connected 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 seizure of St. Petersburg by French troops.

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

A certain major Baturin won an audience with Prince Golitsyn and told him about the dream that haunted him. Allegedly, he sees how Peter on the Senate Square slides off the pedestal and gallops to the Tsar's residence on Kamenny Island. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to,” Peter says to him, “but as long as I’m in place, my city has nothing to fear!” According to legend, Golitsyn recounted the dream to the sovereign, and he canceled the order to evacuate the monument.

In the end, the First World War also did not affect the majestic Peter, and during the Great Patriotic War the Bronze Horseman was sheathed with logs and boards, the monument was covered with sandbags and earth. The same was done with the monument to Lenin at the Finland Station and other large monuments that could not be hidden or evacuated.

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 heroes and its own special life.

The architect of the "Bronze Horseman" - Frenchman Etienne Maurice Falconet, all his life dreamed 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 10-meter monument, it becomes immediately clear to whom the Bronze Horseman monument is dedicated.

The history of its occurrence, as well as the mystical events that accompanied the creation of the monument, we learn 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 those years. Until, through a coup, power was seized by the wife of Peter III (grandson of Peter the Great), Catherine II. It was she who in 1762 became the only equal empress of Russia.

Catherine II admired Peter the Great, she wanted to create something just as great and ambitious for her predecessor. So in 1766, she instructed her favorite, Prince Golitsyn, to find a sculptor abroad to work on the monument to Peter.

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 requests. From there came Etienne-Maurice Falcone with his young assistant, the talented seventeen-year-old Marie-Anne Collot.

Catherine saw the monument in accordance with the European fashion of that time: Peter in the form of a Roman conqueror with a rod 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 Falcone went to work with enthusiasm. It took the master three years to create the statue of the horse! The sculptor's workshop was located in the former throne room of Elizabeth's winter palace. A huge platform was erected in the center of the hall, with the same angle of inclination as was intended for the future pedestal of the statue. Experienced riders drove onto this platform, rearing their horses. The artist, in turn, made sketches of horses in order to choose the ideal option for the monument. Falcone made thousands of drawings before finding the one that will 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 erected in St. Petersburg to cast the statue. The process was followed 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 for the creation of a horse: Peter the Great himself, sitting on a bearskin, personifies the spirit of the victorious people! Few people notice a snake under the horse's hooves, a symbolic evil trampled by the emperor.

"Thunder Stone"

Initially, Falcone planned to put a huge monument on the 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 was not easy. We can say that the whole world was looking for a stone. And now an ordinary peasant Semyon Grigorievich Vishnyakov found a suitable monolith in the village of Lakhta. This monolith was popularly nicknamed "Thunder Stone" because of its long history. Old-timers claimed that lightning somehow hit the stone and split it in two. According to rough estimates, the stone weighed about 2,000 tons. This is a lot. After the removal of the stone, a reservoir was formed in its place, called the Petrovsky pond.

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

"Thunder-stone" turned out to be of extremely dense and high-quality granite with crystallization veins. For about a year he was taken to the city, during which time 48 craftsmen gave him the desired shape and shape.

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

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

About a thousand people worked on the transportation of the huge stone every day.

Description of the monument

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

A huge stone block on which a bronze monument is installed - high-quality granite, weighing about a ton. On both sides of the monument is written "Catherine the Great 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 sits on it, examining his possessions from above. He looks at the city he built: beautiful, majestic, strong. With his right hand, he points into the distance, to the vastness of the Neva River. The left holds the reins. In the emperor's scabbard is a sword with a snake's head. On the head is a wreath of thorns. The face is calm but determined. As conceived by Falcone, "The Bronze Horseman" looks at his city with loving eyes, in the eyes of Peter the pupils are made in the form of hearts.

An important episode in the monument is a snake crushed by a rider's horse with its hooves. Evil is concentrated in it, which the great sovereign trampled on and overcame with the power of his power and spirit.

Monument to Peter 1 in St. Petersburg - "The Bronze Horseman" - one of the most striking sights of the city.

Opening

The work on the monument lasted 12 years. The most difficult part was to deliver the giant granite rock to the city and install it in the chosen place. An equally difficult task was the casting of the bronze monument. Throughout the entire time of work, there were many force majeure situations. Pipes broke during the casting of the monument. The bronze sculpture was cast for over a year, and it was possible to do everything 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 colossal efforts and labor of the sculptor.

The stone for the pedestal fell several times from the wooden platform on which it was brought to the city. Delivery also lasted 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 over, and finally the day of the grand opening of the monument came - 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 came to the square, the parade began, which was led by Golitsyn. After lunch, Empress Catherine II herself arrived by boat on the Neva. She solemnly made a speech from the balcony of the Senate and gave permission for the opening of the monument. At that moment, the fence fell, and under the drum roll and shots of the cavalry, the canvas was removed, revealing to the gaze of the thousands of people a brilliant work dedicated to the founder of St. Petersburg. The opening of the monument "The Bronze Horseman", and then the monument to Peter the Great, took place. The imperial regiments moved along the embankment of the Neva to the roar and admiring shouts of onlookers.

Sadly, but the architect of the Bronze Horseman himself - Etienne Maurice Falconet - was not present at the opening. At the end of the 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 a responsible assignment, but most asked for too large sums and fees. As a result, the artist had to master a lot and do it himself. The sculpture of the snake was already created by the Petersburg sculptor Gordeev, and the architect Felten was engaged in all preparations for the opening and installation of all the details of the monument.

It is noteworthy that Falcone "The Bronze Horseman" did not see and did not create any more sculptures. Affected by the tension experienced by the architect during the creation of the monumental work.

Etienne Maurice Falcone

French sculptor Maurice Falcone 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 became the main reason for choosing a future profession. At the age of 28, Etienne Maurice entered the Paris Academy of Arts, having previously gained experience from the court painter-sculptor.

At the court, Falcone's works are 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 drowned in European classicism and rococo style. The thin graceful silhouettes of beautiful girls and angels were in great use.

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

Etienne Maurice Falcone's dream was embodied in The Bronze Horseman, this is exactly the work that the artist dreamed of all his life. Unfortunately, upon his return to his homeland, the health of the old master deteriorated. The Petersburg climate did not in any way accompany the improvement of the state. In France, Falcone was struck by paralysis, which did not allow the sculptor to create more. Ironically, the artist's "work of life" was his last creation.

Architect's work

Sculptures by Etienne Falcone, created before his trip to Russia, today can be seen in the Hermitage and the Louvre. His most famous works, before the Bronze Horseman, are Sitting Cupid (1757) and Winter (1763). Falcone was an adherent of European classicism, all of his porcelain statues are gentle and romantic. Smooth lines, intricate poses and realistic imagery are a classic vision of 18th century art.

The little cherub can also be seen on the "Pygmalion and Galatea" statue.

Today, looking at the early work of Falcone, it is difficult to imagine that it was he who became the architect of the Bronze Horseman. The monumental sculpture, breathing 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.

Saint Petersburg symbol

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 the city, but the most terrible events in the history of Russia fell to the lot of St. Petersburg.

Of course, over the course of its life, St. Petersburg has overgrown with 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 got 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 eponymous work.

Petersburg is impossible to imagine without all sorts of legends and myths. Many of them are associated with monuments that superstitious people believe can come to life and keep the souls of deceased heroes in their bronze crypts.

The legendary "Bronze Horseman" has not been spared either. The most common of these is associated with Paul the First, the great-grandson of Peter the Great. It was he who saw the ghost of his famous relative, who pointed out to him 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 decided to take the Bronze Horseman away from St. Petersburg. Then the emperor's companion has a dream about how the bronze horseman breaks off his stone pedestal and rushes towards the Stone Island. Peter the First indignantly shouts to Alexander: "Young man, what have you brought my Russia to? But as long as I stay 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 quite real things in the life of the monument. For example, the head of Peter the Great, sculpted by Marie Anne Colo, liked Catherine II so much that she appointed her a life salary. And this is despite the fact that the sculptor of the Falcone monument nevertheless changed the plaster cast made by the girl.

Many myths are also 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 have found out, there was no such granite that the rock consists of in the territory of St. Petersburg and the region. It was assumed that it was the glaciers that 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 the event took place that finally knocked Peter down. In the very village of Lakhta, where the stone was found, Peter was waist-deep in water, rescuing a grounded boat with his soldiers. During his rest after a difficult incident, Peter was lying on this "Thunder-Stone", which would later become a pedestal to the great monument in his honor! So the stone took the king's soul to preserve it forever 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 and 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", bringing evil and destruction. But, as we know, a curse cannot destroy a beautifully created work of art. At the head 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 blockade 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 planks. After the blockade was lifted, the monument was freed and was surprised to find that the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union was drawn in chalk on the chest of Peter the Great.

Monument in culture

Getting into one of the most beautiful cities in Russia and walking through central and significant places, you can never bypass 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 cities on the Neva have read Pushkin, and they know the Bronze Horseman from the work of the same name.

When the bronze monument was opened, Catherine II ordered to make commemorative coins. Later, commemorative coins with the "Bronze Horseman" will appear in the numismatics of the Soviet period. Currently, we can see our hero at 5 kopecks.

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

The Bronze Horseman was also involved in 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. His surprise lies in the fact that when the egg is opened, the mechanism raises a golden miniature statue of the "Bronze Horseman".

The location of the monument is known not only to the townspeople, but also to the guests of St. Petersburg: Senatskaya 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 for a reason. Catherine II insisted on this, because the Admiralty, which was founded by the emperor, is located nearby. The monument was made by the French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falcone, who was recommended to Catherine Diderot and Walter. The preparation of the plaster model of the monument took twelve years, and the casting of the statue turned out to be so difficult that for a long time no one wanted to take on this work.

Finally, the cannon master Emelyan Khailov took on this technologically very complex project and cast the statue in three years. And Catherine on the pedestal inscribed "Catherine II to Peter I", 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 from 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, Saint 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 faced with multi-colored marble - white, pink and greenish shades. The great-grandson of Peter I, Emperor Paul I, made the inscription "Great-grandfather - great-grandson" on the pedestal 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 the pedestal and hoisted to its original place only in 1945. So he was saved for posterity.

Riga,

An equestrian monument to the tsar was erected in Riga in 1910, at the Peter's celebrations. Emperor Nicholas II arrived in Riga then with his family. The monument was built practically out of donations from ordinary citizens of Riga, so the 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, the construction of some buildings. But nowhere else did the monument to Peter await such a sad fate as in Riga. It was removed from the pedestal many times, returned, and carried 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 controversial and controversial monument to Peter I was opened by Zurab Tsereteli in 1997 on the 850th anniversary of the celebration. 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 manufacture the monument. The monument has a very complex engineering structure. The frame of the monument is made of stainless steel, on which a bronze cladding is attached.

In 2008, the monument entered the ten ugliest structures in the world, taking, however, the 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 the same place. But, just in case, do not miss the opportunity to look at it and make up your own opinion about its artistic value.

As if thunder rumble -
Heavy-ringing galloping
On the shocked pavement.
And, illuminated by the pale moon,
Stretch your hand high
The Bronze Horseman rushes behind him
On a ringing horse ...
A. Pushkin

Bronze Horseman. Photo: goldrussian.ru

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

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

The creation of the monument turned out to be very troublesome: the idea of ​​the eminent Parisian sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet, specially invited to Russia by Catherine to work on the monument to Peter the Great, was grandiose. Perpetuating the figure of the Russian reformer, it was decided to create a sculpture of him on horseback. 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 the search for a stone that would serve as a pedestal. Initially, it was supposed to collect it from separate stones, but still attempts to find a block of the corresponding size were made. To this end, 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 the holy fool helped him to find the right breed, the stone itself is called the Thunder-stone because it once suffered from a lightning strike. Delivery of the pedestal lasted 11 months, the block weighing 2,400 tons had to be moved in winter, as it pressed literally everything in its path. According to another legend, the stone was named the Horse, because it was found on the island of the same name and in time immemorial lay at the entrance to the gate of another world. According to legends, the locals sacrificed horses to the gods at this stone.

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

When the Thunder-stone was delivered to St. Petersburg, Falcone began to work 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 call in 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.

Opening of the monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. Chisel engraving on paper. Mid-19th century Photo: en.wikipedia.org

Despite the fact that Catherine was delighted with the Falcone project, the protracted work on casting the statue quarreled her 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 a visiting card of St. Petersburg. During the war of 1812, there was a thought to evacuate him, but this was prevented by chance. If you believe the legends, the major of the Russian army, who was ordered to deal with the monument, asked Alexander I for permission to leave the monument in place: he allegedly had a dream in which Peter I himself assured the Russians that while he was there, nothing threatened his creation.

During the Great Patriotic War, they were also worried about the monument, but they did not dare to remove it from the pedestal: they surrounded 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 delusions.
Why copper? It is bronze, but as the saying goes, "believe what is written, because you cannot knock it out with an ax."
In the author's note to his line "to cut a window to Europe", he directly refers to the original source - the French words of Francesco Algarotti: "St. Petersburg is a window through which Russia looks to 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: "To cut a window to Europe" is a catch phrase from Alexander 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 it never appeared in the city during the time of Peter I. The only real seaport as it was and still remains in Kronstadt on the island of Kotlin. "door" (port - gate, door), at that time it remained just a "window to Europe".

Another misconception:
In the fifth footnote to the poem "The Bronze Horseman" Pushkin refers to Mitskevich's poem. And the lines from the poem "Monument to Peter the Great" in literal translation read as follows:

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

Mickiewicz for some reason mentions the name of Alexander the Great's beloved horse, although it was known that Peter's favorite horse was Liseta, which was later made into a stuffed animal.

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

Here's another coincidence.

Peter I holds his hand so that it is easy to put a spear into it, it would look quite harmonious there.

The horse stepped on the snake with its hind right foot, everything is like a book writes. And the position of the hand and head is not that difficult to edit. Not all monuments have a cloak (cape) from the times of A. Macedon. And this is a completely different hero

George the Victorious

And here is the "Petrovsky" 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 about lightning striking a stone, invented by the guides, is also embarrassing. The very name Thunder-stone appeared, allegedly due to a lightning strike. More precisely, the lightning is used to explain the front granite attachment to the pedestal, which, as it were, forms a very intricate crack.

Surprisingly, the crack runs exactly along the border of various color (chemical and crystalline) granite structures, and the strip of enlarged inclusions also abruptly and unnaturally breaks off at this border.

And most importantly ... The monument has not one such granite insert, there are two of them, in front and behind.

Look here

The historical version says: A stone was lying for itself, lightning struck it, and then, as in a fairy tale, a crack that ran through changed the color, structure, orientation of crystals, even the size of the grain ... Believe it? If - yes, then the whole fictional history of the construction of the city is also true. The added fragment looks more like the result of the restoration after the destruction of the front and rear parts of the monument's pedestal. The whole view of the pedestal, its processing and the undulating slabs laid around it indicate that it once depicted the crest of a wave, and not just a wild rock, but was destroyed.

Perhaps it initially looked something like this:

A sharp stone chip in 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 generally unnatural.

They were able to draw the details of the horse and rider in a delicate way, but the trash came out with the snake, maybe the snake is all that Falcone had the strength to do? Although, history says that he did not even cast a snake, he made it Fedor Gordeev. From official sources:The model of the equestrian statue of Peter was made by the sculptor Etienne Falcone in 1768-1770. Peter's head was sculpted by his student, Marie-Anne Collot. The snake was fashioned by Fyodor Gordeev according to Falcone's plan. The casting of the statue was carried out under the direction of the master Emelyan Khailov and was completed in 1778. Architectural planning solutions and general management were carried out by Yu. M. Felten.

Until 1844, no one knew at all that Catherine gave this monument to Peter I, in the painting by N.M. Vorobiev. there is no sign at all.

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

only this is Marcus Aurelius in Rome.

Why would the sovereign-emperor have such an outfit? It is not good for the Russian Autocrat to flaunt without trousers! Moreover, Peter is sitting on a horse without stirrup , and what history says: the stirrup was invented in the 4th century. Hence, we can make an unambiguous conclusion that this rider lived no later than the 4th century, and the statue must also be cast much earlier than in the 18th century.

And when did the sovereign indulge in such weapons?

At the time of Peter 1, there were no swords in the armament of the army, there were sabers.

Hence the question: who armed the Bronze Horseman with a sword?

Does Bucephalus' stance remind you of anything?

This is how A. Macedonian on horseback has always been portrayed.

And here is a monument to Alexander the Great in Skopje

A sword, a horse, a cloak, a harness on a horse, and the rider's clothes itself remind you of nothing?

And here is 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, exactly)

Shining bronze over the Neva,

And pulling the loins of the clouds,

He is fed up with rainwater,

The land is alien to him.

Granite shackles itch

Far from enemy columns ...

And Macedonian Sasha again

Goes to ancient Babylon.

From the notes of Ivan Grigorievich Bakmeister, bibliographer of Catherine the Great, " she already had a sculpture the image of PETER the Great ", which is still preserved to this day, however, it did not satisfy the desired intention. An ordinary foot, on which most of these statues are approved, 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 dignity in the noblest and most majestic way. The chosen foot to the sculpted image of the Russian Iroi should be a wild and unassailable stone on which he galloping on a horse with outstretched right hand ... A new, bold and expressive thought! The stone itself as an adornment should remind of the state of the state of that time and of the difficulties, which the creator had to overcome when making his intentions. How beautifully the chosen allegory resembles its subject is proved by the fact that PETER the Great had a seal on which he was depicted as a stonecutter carving a statue of a woman from the stone, that is, Russia. The calm position of the rider depicts the fearless courage and spirit of the Iroi, who feels his majesty and is not afraid of any danger. The gallop of a furious horse, reaching the top of a stone mountain, will show the speed of his affairs and successful success in the changes made by his tireless work in his power. The outstretched right hand is the sign of the commanding one, blessing his faithful subjects and the welfare of his possessions of the baking Father of the Fatherland. "- this is a quote from the" Historical news of the sculpted equestrian image of Peter the Great, composed by the collegiate assessor and librarian Imp. Of the Academy of Sciences by Ivan Bakmeister / Translated by Nikolai Karandashev. - SPb .: Type. Schnor, 1786. "The original text was in German.

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

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

An excerpt from Falcone's letter to Catherine II:

Author Kaganovich A. The Bronze Horseman. The history of the creation of the monument. - 2nd ed., Add. - L .: Art, 1982. p. 150. It is quite a "suitable document" for posterity, who may have all sorts of questions about the presence of a seam in the head and shoulder area on the solid casting of the monument ...

The text below this picture also speaks for itself.

The pedestal also needed restoration, it was necessary to update the fallen off parts, a large piece in the front and a smaller piece in the back.

I was greatly puzzled by another incident, see for yourself

The Russian Emperor would have been more suited to his famous cocked hat, he not only did not wear laurel wreaths, but also did not allow paintings with his image in this form during his lifetime.

So Peter is on horseback or not Peter?

Whom do they still like to portray all over the world like that?

Let's remember the story: In 1798, when Napoleon I captured Malta during an expedition to Egypt, the knights of the order appealed to the Russian Emperor Paul I with a request to take on 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, what I am leading to: at the end of the 17th century, the monument to A. Macedonian disappears, and in the middle of the 18th century, an updated monument to Peter 1 appears. Or maybe before the renovation it looked exactly like in the picture above? Another 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?

Remains of building materials that were used for repairs have not yet been removed.

History does not hide this: the head of Peter was sculpted by the student of the sculptor E. Falcone, Marie Anne Collot. The snake was fashioned by Fyodor Gordeev according to Falcone's plan. The casting of fragments of the statue was carried out under the guidance of the 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: The author of the monument is Etienne Falnone. Interesting, huh?

Falcone, who had never had to do such work himself, refused to finish the monument on his own 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 could not fulfill the requirements of the sculptor and was soon fired at Felten's insistence. Ersman simply refused to deal with the task assigned to him. From that moment on, all the preparatory work for the casting was carried out by Falcone himself. To assess the tension of the situation and the relations between the characters, it is necessary to cite a letter from the sculptor dated November 3, 1774 to Catherine II, calling for her patronage: “Most Merciful Empress, at the beginning of last month, Mr. Betskoy ordered me through Felten to write my requirements regarding the completion of the casting (here it follows read "alterations") of the statue, although this formality seemed unnecessary to me, nevertheless I immediately sent a letter from which I attach a copy, since then I have not received a response. Without your august patronage, I am at the mercy of a man who hates me more every day, and if Your Majesty does not want to see me more, then I would have to live here worse than any stranger who finally finds a patron ... "

Here is what Falcone himself wrote about the monument: “My monument will be simple ... I will confine myself only to a statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret 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 at the expense "a great commander, and a winner" Falcone had clearly let it slip. For the reliability of the plan, the sculptor engraved the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, Parisian of 1778” on one of the folds of the Bronze Horseman's cloak.

These were then the raging passions, but the attempt to falsify the origin of the monument, thanks to the poem of the same name by Pushkin, was a success for all hundred percent.