The lines of the great poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin given below are known to almost everyone.

“I have erected a monument to myself not made by hands,

The folk path will not grow to it,

He ascended the head of the rebellious

Of the Alexandrian pillar ".

Of course, today it is difficult to say what the author's idea was when he wrote this work. but most of historians are sure that the poet had in mind the same Pillar of alexandria that stands on Palace Square and is one of the attractions of St. Petersburg. This amazing creation is admired by our contemporaries, so it is easy to imagine what a significant event was the installation of this monument dedicated to the victory over Napoleon. It seems that the history of the Pillar of Alexandria cannot have dark spots, because the monument was created only about two hundred years ago. However, apart from the official version of its manufacture and installation, as well as small hand-drawn albums, which give a very vague idea of ​​the technology of the nineteenth century, nothing has survived. Surprisingly, during the construction of St. Petersburg, architects created incredibly accurate maps, and construction technologies were described in specialized documentation. But the history of the creation of the Pillar of Alexandria is devoid of such details, and on closer look, it is not at all replete with joints and outright blunders. All this gives historians a lot of reasons to doubt the official version of the appearance of the monument. It is overgrown with myths and legends, which we will definitely mention today, not forgetting to tell about the official version.

Attractions of St. Petersburg: the Alexandrian pillar

All guests of the Northern capital strive to see this monument. However, in order to fully appreciate the skill of its creators, you need to throw your head back in order to see the very top of the column. It bears the figure of an angel with a cross and a snake at his feet, which is an allegory symbolizing the victory of Alexander I over the army of Napoleon.

The dimensions of the Pillar of Alexandria are truly impressive. Many of our contemporaries who own technical knowledge, argue that it may take decades to create such a creation today. And in order to install a column on a pedestal, it will not be enough for two days. And this is taking into account the fact that workers have a huge number of machines and various installations that facilitate the work. How all this was possible in the first half of the nineteenth century is a real mystery.

The weight of the Alexandrian pillar is six hundred tons, and another hundred tons weighs the base on which the column is installed, made of rare pink granite. It had the beautiful name "rapakivi" and was mined only in the Vyborg region in the Puterlak quarry. It is noteworthy that the column was cut from a single piece of granite. According to some reports, its original weight exceeded one thousand tons.

The height of the Pillar of Alexandria is forty-seven and a half meters. To the pride of Russian masters, it should be noted that the column significantly exceeds all similar structures in the world. The photo below shows Trajan's Columns in Rome, Pompeii in Alexandria and the Vendôme Column in Paris, compared to the monument on Palace Square. This drawing alone gives an idea of ​​this miracle of engineering, which delights all tourists without exception.

The angel installed on the top is six and four tenths of a meter high, and its base is almost three meters. The figure was installed on the column after it had taken its place on the square. The Alexandrian pillar, which seems absolutely incredible, is not fixed on its pedestal in any way. The engineers made all the calculations so accurately that the column has stood firmly without any fasteners for almost two hundred years. Some tourists tell. that if you throw your head back near the monument and stand like that for ten minutes, you will notice how the top of the pillar is swinging.

Connoisseurs of the history of St. Petersburg argue that the Pillar of Alexandria on Palace Square might not have appeared. Since the project of the monument was not approved by the emperor for a long time. In the end, his sketch was approved, and then the material from which it was planned to create this masterpiece.

Prehistory of the appearance of the column

The world-renowned Carl Rossi was responsible for planning the space of Palace Square. He became the ideological inspirer of the creation of the monument, which would become the main decoration of this place. Rossi himself made several sketches of the future structure, but none of them formed the basis of the monument. The only thing that was taken from the architect's ideas is the height of the monument. Karl Rossi wisely believed that the structure should be very high. Otherwise, it will simply not be a single ensemble with the General Staff.

Nicholas I had great respect for Rossi's advice, but decided to dispose of the free space of the square in his own way. He announced a competition for the best design of the monument. The authors' imagination was not limited to anything, the only nuance was the observance of the thematic focus. Nicholas I set out to perpetuate his ancestor, who managed to defeat the French.

The emperor had to look through a huge number of projects, but the most interesting were the works of Auguste Montferrand. He proposed to create a granite obelisk on which bas-reliefs depicting scenes of military battles will be placed. However, it was this project that the emperor rejected. He became interested in the Vendome Column, erected by the Parisians in honor of Napoleon. Therefore, it is quite symbolic that the defeat of the French army was also supposed to perpetuate the column, but a taller and more unusual one.

The architect listened to the wishes of Nicholas I and created a project for the building, which at that time became the tallest in the world. After some adjustments in the twenty-ninth year of the nineteenth century, the project for the Pillar of Alexandria was approved and signed. You could get to work.

The first stage of the creation of the monument

The history of the Pillar of Alexandria in St. Petersburg began with the choice of material. Since it was supposed to cut the column out of a single piece of granite, Montferrand had to go to study the quarries in order to choose a suitable place for the extraction of such a massive block. After some time of searching, the architect decided to send his workers to the Puterlak quarry in Finland. It was there that there was a rock of a suitable size, about which it was planned to split off a huge block.

In the twenty-ninth year, in the northern capital, they began to create the foundation of the Alexandrian pillar on the Palace Square. A year later, work began on the extraction of granite in the quarries. They lasted two years, and about four hundred workers took part in this process. According to official sources, they worked day and night in shifts. And the technology of stone mining was developed by a young self-taught Samson Sukhanov. It is still unknown how exactly a block was chipped off the rock, which was later used to make the column. Not a single official document has survived, where the technology would have been described in the slightest detail. In the albums of Montferrand it is written only that the piece of granite exceeded one thousand tons. He was chipped off with the help of some kind of long crowbars and levers. Then the monolith was turned over and a huge piece was cut off from it for the foundation.

It took another six months to process the lump. All this was done by hand with the simplest tools. We advise readers to remember this fact, since in the future we will return to it and consider it a little from the other side. The almost finished Pillar of Alexandria was ready for the trip to St. Petersburg. It was decided to do it with water, and for a difficult journey it was necessary to build a special ship that combined in its design all the innovative technologies of that time. At the same time, a pier was being built in the northern capital, ready to receive an unusual ship and its cargo. The plan of the architect was to roll the column to the square immediately after unloading the column over a special wooden bridge.

Delivery of a monolithic column

Very little is known about how the loading and unloading of the monument took place. Official sources describe this unique process very sparingly. If you trust the albums of Montferrand and the fragmentary information of the ship's captain, then the convoy was loaded above the waterline and almost safely taken to St. Petersburg. The only unpleasant event was a storm, which rocked the ship and almost threw the monument into the water. However, the captain, with great efforts, managed to personally secure the precious cargo.

Another incident occurred at the time of the unloading of the column. Under it, the logs laid down for movement along the pier sagged and cracked. One end of the column almost fell into the water, but they managed to hold it back by the ropes passed from below in time. The monument was kept in this position for two days. During this time, a messenger was sent to the neighboring garrison with a request for help. About four hundred soldiers, in the incredible heat, were able to overcome the forty-kilometer distance separating them from the pier in four hours and with joint efforts saved the six hundred ton column.

A few words about the pedestal

While the granite block was being mined in Finland in St. Petersburg, work was underway to prepare the foundation for the pedestal and the column itself. For this, geological exploration was carried out on the Palace Square. She identified deposits of sandstone, where it was planned to start digging a pit. It is interesting, but visually, it seems to all tourists that the Pillar of Alexandria is located exactly in the middle of the square. However, in reality this is not the case. The column is installed a little closer to To the winter palace than to the General Staff.

While working on the foundation pit, the workers came across already installed piles. As it turned out, they were dug into the ground at the behest of Rastrelli, who planned to erect a monument here. It is surprising that seventy years later, the architect was able to choose the same location. The dug hole was filled with water, but more than a thousand piles were previously driven into it. To position them correctly relative to the horizon, the piles were cut exactly along the mirror of the water. The workers then proceeded to lay the foundation, which consisted of several granite blocks. A pedestal weighing four hundred tons was erected on it.

Fearing that the lump would not be able to immediately stand up as needed, the architect came up with and applied an unusual solution. He added vodka and soap to the traditional mixture. As a result, the block was moved several times. Montferrand wrote that this was done quite easily with only a few technical devices.

Column installation

In the middle of the summer of the thirty-second year of the nineteenth century, the builders came to the final stage of the creation of the monument. They were faced with perhaps the most difficult task in all the past years - to roll the monolith to its destination and put it upright.

To bring this idea to life, a complex engineering structure had to be erected. It included scaffolding, levers, beams and other devices. According to the official version, almost the whole city gathered to see the installation of the column, even the emperor himself and his entourage came to look at this miracle.

About three thousand people took part in raising the column, who were able to do all the work in one hour and forty-five minutes.

The end of the work was marked by a loud, delighted cry that escaped from the lips of all those present. The emperor himself was very pleased with the architect's work and declared that the monument had immortalized its creator.

The final stage of work

It took Montferrand two more years to decorate the monument. He "dressed" in bas-reliefs and received other elements that make up a single ensemble of decor. This stage of work did not cause any complaints from the emperor. However, the final column sculptural composition became a real stumbling block between the architect and Nicholas I.

Montferrand planned to put a huge cross entwined with a snake at the top of the column. The sculpture had to be turned towards the Winter Palace, on which all members of the imperial family especially insisted. In parallel, projects and other compositions were created. Among them were angels in different poses, Alexander Nevsky, a cross on a sphere, and similar sculptures. The last word in this matter remained with the emperor, he inclined in favor of the figure of an angel with a cross. However, it also had to be redone several times.

According to the idea of ​​Nicholas I, the face of an angel was supposed to have the features of Alexander I, but the snake not only symbolized Napoleon, but also visually resembled him. It's hard to say how readable this similarity is. Many experts claim that the angel's face was molded with one of the famous women of that time, while others still see him as a victorious emperor. In any case, the monument has reliably kept this secret for two hundred years.

Inauguration of the monument

In August 1934, a monument was opened in honor of the victory of the Russian people over the French troops. The event was held on a truly imperial scale.

For the audience, stands were built in advance, which did not stand out from the general style of the palace ensemble. All the important guests, the army and even foreign ambassadors... Then a military parade was held on the square, after which mass festivities began in the city.

Myths, legends and interesting facts

The history of the Pillar of Alexandria would be incomplete without mentioning various rumors and facts associated with it.

Few people know that a whole box with gold coins is laid in the foundation of the monument. There is also a commemorative plaque with an inscription made by Montferrand. These items are still kept at the base of the column and will remain there as long as the monument stands on the pedestal.

Initially, the architect planned to cut through columns of stairs inside. He suggested that the emperor use two people for this purpose. They were supposed to complete the work in ten years. But due to fears for the integrity of the column, Nicholas I abandoned this idea.

Interestingly, the inhabitants of the city were very distrustful of the Alexandrian pillar. They feared his fall and bypassed the Palace Square. To convince them, Montferrand began to walk here every day and over time, the monument turned into the favorite place of the guests of the capital and its residents.

At the end of the nineteenth century, a rumor spread through the city about a mysterious letter that literally burns on a column at night. With the onset of dawn, she disappears and reappears at dusk. The townspeople were worried and came up with the most incredible explanations for this phenomenon. But everything turned out to be extremely prosaic - the letter from the name of the manufacturer of the lanterns that surrounded the fence near the pedestal was simply reflected on the smooth surface of the column.

One of the most widespread legend about the Pillar of Alexandria is the story of the inscription on its top. It was applied on the night after the flight into space of Yuri Gagarin and glorified him. Who managed to climb to such a height is still unknown.

Unofficial version of the appearance of the monument

This is the subject of the most fierce debate. Particularly meticulous and attentive archaeologists, historians and architects have carefully studied the official version of the construction of the monument and found a huge number of inconsistencies in it. We will not list all of them. Whichever of the readers is interested, he will be able to find such information. And we will tell only about the most obvious of them.

For example, experts question the very fact of raising the column in less than two hours. The fact is that not so long ago in Astana, the lifting and installation of the largest tent in the world took place. It weighed 1,500 tons and the process took about two days. At the same time, the most modern machines and technologies were used. After that, it seems strange how Russian craftsmen could do something similar by hand.

The production of the column itself raises even more questions. Many believe that even modern technologies could not help our contemporaries create such a miracle. Since the monument was carved from a single block, it is impossible even to imagine what kind of technology was used by the masters. At the moment, nothing of the kind exists. Moreover, authoritative experts argue that even in two hundred years we could not have created something similar to the Pillar of Alexandria. Therefore, the stories about the manual extraction of a block, its movement and processing to an ideal state seem to people who are versed in working with a stone, just fabulously funny.

In addition, the biographies of the chief architect and inventor of stone processing technology, the technical characteristics of the ship that delivered the monolith, are absolutely different pictures with the image of the columns, created by Montferrand, and many other nuances.

It is not for nothing that the great Pushkin immortalized this monument in his work. After all, all the information about it requires careful study, but it is already clear that before scientists, in the form of a well-known structure, is the greatest of the nineteenth-century mysteries.

The opening of the column and its installation on a pedestal were carried out on the same day - August 30 (according to the new style, September 10). This day was not chosen by chance - this is the day of the transfer of the relics of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky, one of the patrons of St. Petersburg.

The Alexander Column was erected in 1834 by the architect Auguste Montferrand by decree of Nicholas I in memory of the victory of his older brother Alexander I over Napoleon.
The monument is crowned with the figure of an angel by Boris Orlovsky. In his left hand the angel holds a four-pointed Latin cross, and in his right hand he raises to the sky. The angel's head is tilted, his gaze fixed on the ground.

According to the original design by Auguste Montferrand, the figure at the top of the column rested on a steel bar, which was later removed, and during the restoration of 2002-2003 it turned out that the angel is held by its own bronze mass.
Not only is the column itself taller than the Vendome, the figure of an angel is taller than the figure of Napoleon I on the Vendome column. The sculptor gave the facial features of the angel a resemblance to the face of Alexander I. In addition, the angel tramples on the snake with a cross, which symbolizes the peace and tranquility that Russia brought to Europe by defeating the Napoleonic troops.
The light figure of an angel, the falling folds of clothing, the clearly defined vertical of the cross, continuing the vertical of the monument, emphasize the slenderness of the column.

At first, Montferrand wanted to install an obelisk on Palace Square, but the tsar did not like this idea. As a result, the 47.5 m column became taller than all similar monuments in the world: the Vendôme Column in Paris, Trajan's Columns in Rome and Pompey's Columns in Alexandria. The diameter of the pillar is 3.66 m.

Alexander Column in the woods

The column is made of pink granite, weight - 704 tons, crowned with a gilded angel with the face of Alexander I. P

Column lifting

The pedestal of the monument is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs with ornaments from bronze armor, as well as allegorical images of the victories of Russian weapons.

The angel at the top of the column symbolizes heavenly intercession, protection from above.

After the opening of the column, residents of the city for a long time were afraid to come close to it - they were afraid that it would fall. These fears were not unfounded - the column had no fasteners. The blocks of power structures, on which the angel is fixed instead of granite, were made of brickwork. To confirm the safety and reliability of the installed column, Montferrand (project architect) walked every morning with his dog at the foot of the column.

During perestroika, there were rumors that there was a project to replace the angel figure with a bust of Lenin and Stalin.
With the appearance of the Alexander Column, there is a rumor that this is one of the failed columns for St. Isaac's Cathedral. According to rumors, it was decided to use a longer column than all the others as a monument on Palace Square.

For a long time, a legend went around the city that it was located on the site of an extensive oil storage, which is closest to the surface of the earth precisely in the area of ​​Palace Square. They even said that experts knew this back in the 19th century. It was they who advised to use the heavy Alexander Column as a "plug". They believed that if the column was pushed aside, a fountain of oil would allegedly spill out of the ground.

Solemn consecration of the Alexander Column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg on August 30, 1834

The French envoy at the St. Petersburg court reports curious information about this monument: “Concerning this column, one can recall the proposal made to Emperor Nicholas by the skilful French architect Montferrand, who was present at its excision, transportation and staging, namely: he suggested that the emperor drill a helical a ladder and required only two workers for this: a man and a boy with a hammer, a chisel and a basket, in which the boy would carry out fragments of granite as it was drilled; finally, two lanterns to illuminate the workers in their difficult work. In 10 years, he argued, the worker and the boy (the latter, of course, would grow a little) would have finished their spiral staircase; but the emperor, justly proud of the construction of this one-of-a-kind monument, feared, and perhaps thoroughly, that this drilling would not pierce the outer sides of the column, and therefore rejected this proposal. - Baron P. de Burgoen, French envoy from 1828 to 1832. "

In 2002 - 2003, when the restoration of the column began, there were reports in the media that the column was not monolithic, but consisted of very meticulously fitted fragments.
According to the modern wedding tradition, how many times the groom walks around the column with the bride in his arms, so many children will be born to them.

(DB Wikigida)

Alexander Column(also Pillar of alexandria, based on the poem by A. Pushkin "Monument") - a monument in the Empire style, located in the center of the Palace Square in St. Petersburg. It was erected in 1834 by the architect Auguste Montferrand by order of Emperor Nicholas I in memory of the victory of his older brother Alexander I over Napoleon. It is administered by the State Hermitage Museum.

History of creation

This monument supplemented the composition of the Arch of the General Staff, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The idea for the construction of the monument was submitted by the famous architect of the General Staff building, Karl Rossi. When planning the space of Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square, but the idea of ​​installing another equestrian statue He rejected Peter I.

An open competition for the creation of the monument was officially announced on behalf of Emperor Nicholas I in 1829 with the wording in memory of “ unforgettable brother". Auguste Montferrand responded to this competition with a project for the erection of a grandiose granite obelisk. Taking into account the size of the square, Montferrand did not consider the options for the sculptural monument, realizing that, not having a colossal size, he would simply be lost in its ensemble.

A sketch of that project has been preserved and is currently in the library, it has no date, according to Nikitin, the project dates back to the first half of 1829. Montferrand proposed to erect a granite obelisk similar to the ancient Egyptian obelisks on a granite base. The total height of the monument was 33.78 meters. The obverse was supposed to be decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the events of the war of 1812 in photographs from the famous medallions by the medalist Count FP Tolstoy.

On the pedestal it was planned to make the inscription "Blessed - grateful Russia". On the pedestal, the architect placed bas-reliefs (the author of which was the same Tolstoy) depicting Alexander as a Roman soldier on a horse trampling a snake with his feet; a double-headed eagle flies in front of the rider, the goddess of victory follows the rider, crowning him with laurels; the horse is led by two symbolic female figures.

The sketch of the project indicates that the obelisk was supposed to surpass all known monoliths in the world with its height. Art part the project is superbly executed in watercolor technique and testifies to Montferrand's high skill in various areas of visual arts. The project itself was also done "with great skill."

Trying to defend his project, the architect acted within the subordination, dedicating his work to Nicholas I “ Plans et details du monument consacré à la mémoire de l'Empereur Alexandre”, But the idea was still rejected and Montferrand was unequivocally pointed to the column as the desired shape of the monument.

Final project

The second project, which was later implemented, consisted in the installation of a column higher than Vendôme (erected in Paris in honor of Napoleon's victories). As sources for his project, Montferrand used the columns of Trajan and Antoninus in Rome, Pompey in Alexandria, and Vendôme.

The narrow scope of the project did not allow the architect to escape from the influence of world famous designs, and his new work was only a slight modification of the ideas of his predecessors. Montferrand refused to use additional decorations, like the bas-reliefs spirally wrapped around the core of Trajan's antique column, since, according to him, contemporary artists could not compete with the ancient masters, and settled on the option of a column with a smooth core made of a giant polished monolith of pink granite a height of 25.6 meters (12 fathoms). The bottom column diameter is 3.66 m (12 ft) and the top diameter is 3.19 m (10 ft 6 in.). He copied the pedestal and base almost unchanged from Trajan's column.

Together with the pedestal and the crowning sculpture, the height of the monument was 47.5 m - higher than all existing monolithic columns. In a new form, on September 24, 1829, the project without sculptural completion was approved by the emperor. A few days later, Montferrand was appointed as the column builder.

Construction was carried out from 1829 to 1834. Since 1831, Count Yu. P. Litta was appointed chairman of the Commission for the Construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, which was also responsible for the installation of the column.

Preparatory work

Type of work in the Pyuterlak quarry. Lithograph after drawing by O. Montferrand

The work was completed in October 1830.

Pedestal construction

After laying the foundation, a huge four-hundred-ton monolith was erected on it, hewn and removed from the Letzarma area, which is five versts from Puterlax, which serves as the base of the pedestal. To install the monolith on the foundation, a platform was built, onto which it was pumped using rollers along an inclined plane. The stone was piled on a pile of sand, previously poured next to the platform.

"At the same time, the earth shook so strongly that the bystanders - passers-by, who were on the square at that moment, felt like an underground blow."

After the supports were placed under the monolith, the workers raked out the sand and placed the rollers. The props were chopped off, and the lump fell onto the rollers. The stone was rolled onto the foundation and precisely set. The ropes, thrown over the blocks, were pulled with nine capstans and raised the stone to a height of about one meter. They took out the rollers and poured a layer of a slippery, very peculiar in its composition solution, on which the monolith was planted.

Since the work was carried out in the winter, I ordered to mix cement with vodka and add a tenth of soap. Due to the fact that the stone initially sat down incorrectly, it had to be moved several times, which was done with the help of only two capstans and with particular ease, of course, thanks to the soap, which I ordered to be mixed into the solution.

O. Montferrand

The setting of the upper parts of the pedestal was a much simpler task - despite the higher lifting height, the subsequent steps consisted of stones of much smaller sizes than the previous ones, and the workers gradually gained experience. The rest of the pedestal (hewn granite blocks) were installed on the plinth with mortar and fastened with steel brackets.

Column installation

The rise of the Alexander Column

• The column was rolled along an inclined plane onto a special platform located at the foot of the scaffolding and wrapped with many rings of ropes, to which the blocks were attached;
• Another block system was at the top of the forest;
• A large number of ropes encircling the stone skirted the upper and lower blocks and, with their free ends, were wound on capstans placed in the square.

At the end of all the preparations, the day of the solemn ascent was appointed.

In parallel with the construction of the column, in September 1830, O. Montferrand worked on a statue that was supposed to be placed above it and, according to the wishes of Nicholas I, turned towards the Winter Palace. In the initial project, the column was completed by a cross, entwined with a snake to decorate the fasteners. In addition, the sculptors of the Academy of Arts proposed several options for compositions of figures of angels and virtues with a cross. There was a variant with the installation of the figure of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky.

As a result, the figure of an angel with a cross, made by the sculptor B. I. Orlovsky with expressive and understandable symbolism, was accepted for execution - “ Win with your sim!". These words are associated with the story of the acquisition of the life-giving cross:

The finishing and polishing of the monument took two years.

Opening of the monument

The opening of the monument took place on August 30 (September 11) of the year and marked the end of the work on the design of the Palace Square. The ceremony was attended by the sovereign, the royal family, the diplomatic corps, Russian army and representatives of the Russian army. It was accompanied by a solemn service at the foot of the column, in which the kneeling troops and the emperor himself took part.

This service is under open air drew a parallel with the historical prayer service of the Russian troops in Paris on the day of Orthodox Easter on March 29 (April 10) of the year.

It was impossible to look without deep emotional emotion at the sovereign, humbly kneeling in front of this numerous army, moved by his word to the foot of the colossus he had built. He prayed for his brother, and everything at that moment spoke of the earthly glory of this sovereign brother: the monument bearing his name, and the kneeling Russian army, and the people among whom he lived, complacent, accessible to all<…>How amazing at that moment was this opposition of worldly greatness, magnificent, but transient, with the greatness of death, gloomy but unchanging; and how eloquent was this angel in view of the one and the other, who, having nothing to do with everything that surrounded him, stood between earth and sky, belonging to one with his monumental granite, depicting something that is no longer there, and to the other with his radiant cross, a symbol of that always and forever

... no pen can describe the greatness of that minute when three cannon shots suddenly from all the streets, as if born out of the earth, in slender masses, with drumming thunder, to the sounds of the Paris march, the columns of the Russian army went ... For two hours this magnificent, unique the world is a spectacle ... In the evening, noisy crowds wandered the streets of the illuminated city for a long time, finally the lighting went out, the streets were empty, a majestic colossus was left on the deserted square with its sentry

In honor of this event, in the same year, a memorial ruble was knocked out in a circulation of 15 thousand.

Description of the monument

Alexander Column resembles samples triumphal structures Antiquity, the monument has an amazing clarity of proportions, laconic form, beauty of the silhouette.

The text on the plaque of the monument:

ALEXANDER І mu
GRATEFUL RUSSIA

It is the tallest monument in the world, made of solid granite and the third tallest of all monumental columns - after the Column of the Great Army in Boulogne-sur-Mer and Trafalgar (Nelson's Column) in London; The Alexander Column above the Vendome Column in Paris, Trajan's Column in Rome and Pompey's Column in Alexandria.

The column trunk is the tallest and heaviest monolith ever installed in the form of a column or obelisk vertically, and one of the greatest (the fifth in history and the second - after the Thunder Stone - in modern times) monoliths displaced by man.

Specifications

South side view

• The total height of the structure is 47.5 m
  • the height of the angel's figure - 4.26 m (2 fathoms)
  • cross height - 6.4 m (3 sazhens)
• height of the top of the column with a cross ~ 12 m
• barrel height (monolithic part of the column) - 25.6 m (12 fathoms)
  • column bottom diameter 3.66 m (12 ft), top diameter 3.15 m (10 ft 6 in.)
• the height of the pedestal of a column of 8 granite blocks, laid in three rows - 4.25 m
  • the dimensions of the bas-reliefs - 5.24 × 3.1 m
• the height of the monolithic granite base - 3.9 m
  • horizontal dimensions of the basement - 6.3 × 6.3 m
• column height to the shaft ~ 10 m
• Plinth and pedestal weight - 704 tons
• The weight of the granite shaft of the column is 612 tons
• Column top weight 37 tons
• Fence dimensions 16.5 × 16.5 × 1.5 m

The column shaft stands on a granite base without additional supports only under the influence of gravity.

Pedestal

The pedestal of the column is decorated on four sides with bronze bas-reliefs cast at Ch. Byrd's factory in 1833-1834.

A large team of authors worked on the decoration of the pedestal: sketches were made by O. Montferrand, who proved to be an excellent draftsman here. His drawings for bas-reliefs and bronze decorations are distinguished by "clarity, confidence of lines and careful drawing of details."

The bas-reliefs on the pedestal of the column in allegorical form glorify the victory of Russian weapons and symbolize courage Russian army... The bas-reliefs include images of Old Russian chain mail, shishaks and shields stored in the Armory in Moscow, including helmets attributed to Alexander Nevsky and Ermak, as well as the 17th century armor of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and that, despite Montferrand's assertions, it is quite doubtful that the shield Oleg of the X century, nailed by him to the gates of Constantinople.

Based on Montferrand's drawings, the artists J. B. Scotti, V. Soloviev, Tverskoy, F. Bryullo, Markov made cardboards for bas-reliefs in life size... Sculptors P.V. Svintsov and I. Leppe sculpted bas-reliefs for casting. Models of double-headed eagles were made by the sculptor I. Leppe, models of the base, garlands and other decorations were made by the ornamentalist E. Balin.

These images appeared on the work of the Frenchman Montferrand through the efforts of the then president of the Academy of Arts, a well-known lover of Russian antiquity, A. N. Olenin. However, the style of depicting military fittings most likely dates back to the Renaissance.

In addition to armor and allegories, allegorical figures are depicted on the pedestal on the northern (obverse) side: winged female figures are holding a rectangular board, on which the inscription in civilian script: "Alexander the First, grateful Russia." An exact copy of the armor samples from the armory is shown under the board.

Symmetrically located figures on the sides of the arms (on the left - a beautiful young woman leaning on an urn, from which water is poured out and on the right - an old Aquarius) personify the Vistula and Neman rivers, which were forced by the Russian army during the pursuit of Napoleon.

Other bas-reliefs depict Victory and Glory, recording the dates of memorable battles, and, in addition, the pedestal depicts the allegories Victory and Peace (the years 1812, 1813 and 1814 are inscribed on the shield of Victory), Justice and Mercy, Wisdom and Abundance ".

On the upper corners of the pedestal there are two-headed eagles holding oak garlands in their paws, lying on the ledge of the pedestal cornice. On the front side of the pedestal, above the garland, in the middle - in a circle bordered with an oak wreath, the All-Seeing Eye with the signature "1812".

On all the bas-reliefs, as decorative elements, weapons of a classic character are depicted, which

... does not belong to modern Europe and cannot hurt the pride of any people.

Column and sculpture of an angel

Sculpture of an angel on a cylindrical pedestal

The stone pillar is a one-piece polished piece of pink granite. The column trunk has a conical shape with entasis (thickening of the trunk to eliminate the optical concavity of the trunk) from bottom to top.

The top of the column is crowned with a bronze Doric capital. Its base - a rectangular abacus - is made of brickwork with bronze cladding. A cylindrical bronze pedestal with a hemispherical top is installed on it, inside which the main support massif is enclosed, consisting of multilayer masonry: granite, brick and two more layers of granite.

The column itself is higher than Vendôme, and the figure of an angel is higher in height than the figure of Napoleon I in the latter. An angel tramples on a snake with a cross, which symbolizes the peace and tranquility that Russia brought to Europe by defeating the Napoleonic troops.

The sculptor gave the facial features of the angel a resemblance to the face of Alexander I. According to other sources, the figure of the angel is a sculptural portrait of the Petersburg poet Elisabeth Kuhlman.

The light figure of an angel, the falling folds of clothing, the clearly defined vertical of the cross, continuing the vertical of the monument, emphasize the slenderness of the column.

Montferrand transferred the pedestal and base of Trajan's column, as well as the lower diameter of the rod, equal to 12 feet (3.66 m), to his project without changes. The height of the rod of the Alexander Column was taken 3 feet less than Trajan's columns: 84 feet (25.58 m), and the top diameter was 10 feet 6 inches (3.19 m). The height of the column, as in the Roman Doric order, was eight of its upper diameters. The architect designed own system the thinning of the pillar of the column is an important element that influences the overall perception of the monument. In spite of classical system Thinning Montferrand began it not from a height equal to one third of the rod, but immediately from the base, drawing a thinning curve using divisions of tangent lines drawn to the segments of the arc of the base section. In addition, he used more divisions than usual: twelve. As Nikitin notes, the thinning system of the Alexander Column is Montferrand's undoubted success.

Fence and surroundings of the monument

Color photolithography of the 19th century, view from the east, depicting a sentry's booth, fence and candelabra of lanterns

The Alexander Column was surrounded by a decorative bronze fence about 1.5 meters high, designed by Auguste Montferrand. The fence was decorated with 136 double-headed eagles and 12 captured cannons (4 in the corners and 2 are framed by double gates on four sides of the fence), which were crowned with three-headed eagles.

Between them were placed alternating spears and flagstaffs, crowned with guards' double-headed eagles. Locks were hung on the gate of the fence in accordance with the author's plan.

In addition, the project involved the installation of a candelabrum with copper lanterns and gas lighting.

The fence in its original form was installed in 1834, all elements were completely installed in 1836-1837. In the northeastern corner of the fence there was a sentry box, in which there was a disabled person who was on duty and dressed in full dress uniform, day and night guarding the monument and keeping order on the square.

An end pavement was laid out throughout the entire space of the Palace Square.

Stories and legends associated with the Alexander Column

Legends

Regarding this column, one can recall the proposal made to Emperor Nicholas by the skillful French architect Montferrand, who was present at its excision, transportation and staging, namely: he proposed to the emperor to drill a spiral staircase inside this column and required only two workers for this: a man and a boy with a hammer, a chisel and a basket in which the boy would carry out the fragments of granite as he drilled it; finally, two lanterns to illuminate the workers in their difficult work. In 10 years, he argued, the worker and the boy (the latter, of course, would grow a little) would have finished their spiral staircase; but the emperor, justly proud of the construction of this one-of-a-kind monument, feared, and perhaps thoroughly, that this drilling would not pierce the outer sides of the column, and therefore rejected this proposal.

Completion and restoration works

Two years after the installation of the monument, in 1836, white-gray spots began to appear on the polished surface of the stone under the bronze topping of the granite column, spoiling the appearance of the monument.

In 1841, Nicholas I ordered an examination of the flaws noticed on the column at that time, but the conclusion of the survey stated that even during the processing, the granite crystals partially crumbled in the form of small depressions, which are perceived as cracks.

In 1861, Alexander II established the "Committee for the Investigation of Damage to the Alexander Column", which included scientists and architects. Scaffolding was erected for inspection, as a result of which the committee came to the conclusion that, indeed, the column contains cracks originally characteristic of the monolith, but it was feared that an increase in their number and size "could cause the column to collapse."

Discussions were going on about the materials that should be used to seal these cavities. The Russian "grandfather of chemistry" A. A. Voskresensky proposed a composition "which was supposed to give the covering mass" and "thanks to which the crack in the Alexander column was stopped and closed with complete success" ( D. I. Mendeleev).

For regular inspection of the column, four chains were fixed on the abacus of the capitals - fasteners for lifting the cradle; in addition, the craftsmen had to periodically “climb” the monument to clean the stone from stains, which was not an easy task, given the great height of the column.

The decorative lanterns at the column were made 42 years after its opening - in 1876 by the architect K. K. Rachau.

From the moment of its opening until the end of the 20th century, the column has undergone five cosmetic restoration works.

After the events of 1917, the space around the monument was changed, and for the holidays the angel was covered with a red-painted canvas cap or masked with balloons launched from a hovering airship. In the 1930s, the fence was dismantled and melted down into cartridge cases.

The restoration was carried out in 1963 (foreman N. N. Reshetov, the work was supervised by the restorer I. G. Black).

In 1977, restoration work was carried out on Palace Square: historical lanterns were restored around the column, the asphalt pavement was replaced with granite and diabase paving stones.

Engineering and restoration work at the beginning of the XXI century

Metal scaffolding around the column during the restoration period

At the end of the 20th century, after a certain time had passed since the previous restoration, the need for serious restoration work and, first of all, a detailed study of the monument began to be felt more and more acutely. The prologue to the beginning of the work was the activities for the study of the column. They were forced to produce on the recommendation of specialists from the Museum of Urban Sculpture. The specialists were alarmed by large cracks at the top of the column, visible through binoculars. The inspection was carried out from helicopters and climbers, who in 1991, for the first time in the history of the St. Petersburg restoration school, landed a research "trooper" at the top of the column using a special fire hydrant "Magirus Deutz".

Having secured themselves at the top, the climbers took photographs and videos of the sculpture. The conclusion was made about the need for urgent restoration work.

The restoration was financed by the Moscow association Hazer International Rus. Intarsia was chosen to carry out works on the monument worth 19.5 million rubles; this choice was made due to the presence in the organization of personnel with extensive experience in such important facilities. L. Kakabadze, K. Efimov, A. Poshekhonov, P. Portuguese were involved in the work at the facility. The work was supervised by the restorer of the first category V.G. Sorin.

By the fall of 2002, the scaffolding was erected and the restorers carried out research on site. Almost all the bronze elements of the pommel were in disrepair: everything was covered with a "wild patina", the "bronze disease" began to develop fragmentarily, the cylinder on which the figure of the angel rested cracked and took a barrel-shaped shape. The internal cavities of the monument were examined using a flexible three-meter endoscope. As a result, the restorers also managed to establish what the overall structure of the monument looks like and to determine the differences between the original project and its real implementation.

One of the results of the study was the solution to the emerging spots in the upper part of the column: they turned out to be a product of the destruction of brickwork, flowing out.

Carrying out works

Years of rainy St. Petersburg weather resulted in the following destruction of the monument:

• The brickwork of the abacus was completely destroyed; at the time of the study, the initial stage of its deformation was recorded.
• Inside the cylindrical pedestal of the angel, up to 3 tons of water accumulated, which got inside through dozens of cracks and holes in the sculpture's shell. This water, seeping down into the pedestal and freezing in winter, tore apart the cylinder, giving it a barrel-shaped shape.

The restorers were given the following tasks: to remove water from the cavities of the pommel, to prevent water accumulation in the future, and to restore the structure of the abacus support. The work was carried out mainly in winter at high altitudes without dismantling the sculpture, both outside and inside the structure. Control over the work was carried out by both specialized and non-core structures, including the administration of St. Petersburg.

The restorers carried out work to create a drainage system for the monument: as a result, all cavities of the monument were connected, as a "chimney" used a cross cavity about 15.5 meters high. The created drainage system provides for the removal of all moisture, including condensation.

The brick surcharge of the tops of the abacus was replaced by granite, self-wedging structures without binding agents. Thus, the original plan of Montferrand was again realized. The bronze surfaces of the monument were protected by patinating.

In addition, more than 50 fragments left from the siege of Leningrad were recovered from the monument.

The forests were removed from the monument in March 2003.

Fence repair

... “jewelry work” was carried out and during the reconstruction of the fence “iconographic materials, old photographs were used”. "Palace Square received the finishing touch."

The fence was made according to a project carried out in 1993 by the Lenproektrestavratsiya Institute. The work was financed from the city budget, the costs amounted to 14 million 700 thousand rubles. The historical fence of the monument was restored by the specialists of Intarsia LLC. The installation of the fence began on November 18, Grand opening took place on January 24, 2004.

Soon after the opening, part of the grating was stolen as a result of two "raids" of vandals - hunters for non-ferrous metals.

The theft was not prevented, despite the 24-hour video surveillance cameras on the Palace Square: they did not record anything in the dark. To keep track of the area in dark time days, it is necessary to use special expensive cameras. The leadership of the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of St. Petersburg decided to establish a round-the-clock police post at the Alexander Column.

Roller around the column

At the end of March 2008, an examination of the condition of the column fence was carried out, a defective statement was drawn up for all losses of elements. It recorded:

• 53 places of deformation,
• 83 lost parts
  • loss of 24 small eagles and one large eagle,
  • partial loss of 31 parts.

• 28 eagles
• 26 peak.

The disappearance did not receive an explanation from the St. Petersburg officials and was not commented on by the organizers of the skating rink.

The skating rink organizers committed themselves to the city administration to restore the lost elements of the fence. The work was to begin after the May 2008 holidays.

References in art

Album cover "Love" of the rock group DDT

The column is also depicted on the cover of the album "Lemur of the Nine" by the St. Petersburg group "Refawn".

Column in literature

• "The Pillar of Alexandria" is mentioned in the famous poem by Alexander Pushkin "". The Alexandrian pillar of Pushkin is a complex image, it contains not only a monument to Alexander I, but also an allusion to the obelisks of Alexandria and Horace. At the first publication, the name "Alexandria" was replaced by VA Zhukovsky out of fear of censorship for "Napoleons" (meaning the Vendôme column).

In addition, contemporaries attributed the couplet to Pushkin:

He also developed a project for the improvement of the entire territory adjacent to it. The architect planned to decorate the center of the Palace Square with a large obelisk. This project was also not implemented.

Around the same years, during the reign of Alexander I, the idea arose to erect a monument in St. Petersburg in honor of Russia's victory over Napoleon. The Senate proposed creating a monument that would glorify the Russian emperor, who was at the head of the country. From the Senate ruling:

"To erect in the throne city a monument with the inscription: Alexander the Blessed, the Emperor of All Russia, the Great Powers Restorer from grateful Russia" [Cit. by: 1, p. 150].

Alexander I did not support this idea:

"Expressing my perfect gratitude, I persuade the state estates to leave this without any fulfillment. May a monument be erected for me in my feelings for you! May my people bless me in their hearts, as I bless this in my heart! May Russia prosper, and may it be necessary the blessing of God over me and over her "[Ibid.].

The design of the monument was adopted only under the next tsar, Nicholas I. In 1829, the work on its creation was entrusted to Auguste Montferrand. It is interesting that by this time Montferrand had already created a project of a monument-obelisk dedicated to those killed in the battle of Leipzig. It is possible that Nicholas I took this fact into account, as well as the fact that the Frenchman already had experience working with granite monoliths during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral. The fact that the idea of ​​the monument belongs to the emperor is proved by the words of Montferrand:

"The main conditions for the construction of the monument were explained to me. The monument should be a granite obelisk from one piece with a total height of 111 feet from the foot" [Cit. by: 4, p. 112].

Initially, Montferrand conceived a monument in the form of an obelisk 35 meters high. He created several versions, differing only in the design of the pedestal. In one of the versions, it was proposed to decorate it with the bas-reliefs of Fyodor Tolstoy on the theme of the war of 1812 and depict Alexander I on the obverse in the image of a victorious triumphant riding a quadriga. In the second case, the architect proposed to place the figures of Glory and Abundance on the pedestal. Another proposal was interesting, in which the obelisk was supported by figures of elephants. In 1829, Montferrand created another version of the monument - in the form of a triumphal column crowned with a cross. As a result, the latter option was adopted as a basis. This decision had a beneficial effect on the overall composition of the Palace Square. It was such a monument that was able to connect the facades of the Winter Palace and the General Staff building, the important motif of which is precisely the colonnades. Montferrand wrote:

"Trajan's column appeared before me as a prototype of the most beautiful that a man of this kind can create. I had to try to get as close as possible to this magnificent example of antiquity, as was done in Rome for Antonin's column, in Paris for Napoleon's column "[Quoted. according to: 3, p. 231].

The procurement of a huge monolith and its delivery to St. Petersburg is still very difficult today. And in the first half of the 19th century, it seemed to many to be completely impossible. A member of the Commission on the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, engineer-general Count K. I. Opperman believed that " the granite rock, from which the architect Montferrand proposes to break the column for the obelisk, contains various inhomogeneous properties of the part with crumbly veins, which is why different columns are broken out of the same rock for St. whom it was impossible to accept; one already in terms of loading and unloading broke when rolling from the local pier into a barn for clean decoration, and the column supposed for the obelisk is five fathoms longer and almost twice as thick as the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral, and therefore success in breaking, in a happy load, unloading and transferring is much more questionable than similar enterprises for the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral"[Quoted from: 5, p. 162].

Montferrand had to prove his case. In the same year, 1829, he explained to the members of the Commission:

"My frequent trips to Finland for eleven years to view the fragments of 48 columns for St. Isaac's Cathedral assured me that if some of the columns were broken, then this came from the greed of the people who were used for this, and why I dare to certify the success of this business, if the precaution will be taken to multiply the number of drills or holes, cut the mass from below along the entire thickness and, finally, firmly support it in order to separate it without shaking ...
<...>
The means I have proposed for raising the column, the net, are the same as those used for the forty columns, which have been successfully installed to this day during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral. I will use the same machines and part of the forests, which will not be needed for the cathedral within two years and will be dismantled in the coming winter. "[Quoted from: 5, pp. 161, 163]

The Commission accepted the architect's explanations, and in early November of the same year the project was approved. On November 13, the plan of the Palace Square with the proposed site for the Alexander Column, approved by Nicholas I in early December, was submitted for approval. Montferrand assumed that with the advance production of the foundation, pedestal and bronze decorations, the monument could be opened in 1831. The architect expected to spend 1,200,000 rubles for all the work.

According to one of the St. Petersburg legends, this column was supposed to be used precisely for the construction of the temple. But having received a monolith longer than necessary, it was decided to use it on the Palace Square. In fact, this column was carved by special order for the monument.

The column's installation point from the side looks like the exact center of the Palace Square. But in fact, it is located 100 meters from the Winter Palace and almost 140 meters from the arch of the General Staff building.

The contract for the construction of the foundation was given to the merchant Vasily Yakovlev. By the end of 1829, the workers managed to dig a foundation pit. While strengthening the foundation for the Alexander Column, the workers stumbled upon piles, which had been used to strengthen the ground back in the 1760s. It so happened that Montferrand repeated after Rastrelli the decision on the place for the monument, hitting the same point. For three months, peasants Grigory Kesarinov and Pavel Bykov hammered in new six-meter pine piles here. A total of 1,101 piles were needed. Granite blocks half a meter thick were laid on them. There was a bitter frost when the foundation was laid. Montferrand added vodka to the cement mortar for better setting.

In the center of the foundation was placed a built-in granite block measuring 52x52 centimeters. A bronze box with 105 coins minted in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 was mounted in it. A platinum medal with the image of the Alexander Column and the date "1830", as well as a mortgage plaque, was also placed there. For her, Montferrand proposed the following text:

"This stone was laid in the summer from the birth of Christ in the 1830s, while the reign of Emperor Nicholas I in the 5th summer, during the construction of the monument of blessed memory to Emperor Alexander I. privy councilor Lanskoy, engineer-general Count Opperman, actual privy councilor Olenin, engineer-lieutenant-general Carbonier. Senators: Count Kutaisov, Gladkov, Vasilchikov and Bezrodny. The building was managed by the architect Montferrand. "[Quoted from: 5, p. 169]

Olenin, in turn, proposed a similar text, which was adopted with minor adjustments. The inscription on the board is engraved " St. Petersburg tradesman Vasily Danilovich Berilov"According to the architect Adamini, the foundation work was completed by the end of July 1830.

The granite block of the pedestal of 25,000 poods was made from a block mined in the Letsaarma region. He was taken to Petersburg on November 4, 1831. It was supposed to be unloaded in two days, and then completely processed on site in four to five days. Before installing the pedestal in early November, Nicholas I allowed to place a second bronze mortgage board at the base of the Alexander Column, while commanding " put, moreover, a newly knocked out medal for the capture of Warsaw by storm". Then he approved the text of the second mortgage board, made by the master of bronze crafts A. Guerin:

"In the summer of Christmas 1831, the construction of a monument erected to Emperor Alexander by grateful Russia on a granite foundation, laid on the 19th day of November 1830, was begun. Count Y. Litta chaired the construction of this monument in St. Petersburg. Volkonsky, A. Olenin, Count P. Kutaisov, I. Gladkov, L. Carbonier, A. Vasilchikov. The construction was made according to the outline of the same architect Augustine de Montferand. " [Quoted. by: 5, p. 170]

The second mortgage board and a medal for the capture of Warsaw were placed in the base of the Alexander Column on February 13, 1832 at 2 pm in the presence of all members of the Commission.

"For breaking, trimming and polishing this column, as well as for the construction of the pier and delivery to the building site, except for loading, unloading and transportation through the water"the merchant of the 1st guild, Arkhip Shikhin, requested 420,000 rubles. On December 9, 1829, Samson Sukhanov offered to take on the same job, requesting 300,000 rubles. The next day, the self-taught merchant Vasily Yakovlev announced the same price. were reduced to 220,000 rubles, and after the rebidding on March 19, 1830, Arkhip Shikhin undertook to fulfill the contract for 150,000. However, the order for the same price went to 20-year-old Yakovlev. gratuitously recapture and deliver to St. Petersburg the second, third, and so on until the required stone takes its place on Palace Square".

The monolith was carved in 1830-1831, without a break for the winter. Montferrand personally went to the quarries on May 8 and September 7, 1831. " The granite was overturned at 7 minutes on September 19 at 6 pm in the presence of the chief architect sent there by the Commission on the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral ... a huge rock, shaking at its foundation, slowly and without noise fell on the bed prepared for it". [Quoted from: 5, p. 165]

It took half a year to trim the monolith. 250 people worked on this every day. The stone craftsman Eugene Pascal was appointed supervisor of the works by Montferrand. In mid-March 1832, two-thirds of the columns were ready, after which the number of participants in the process was increased to 275 people. On April 1, Vasily Yakovlev reported on the complete completion of the work.

In June, the transportation of the convoy began. At the same time, an accident occurred - the weight of the column could not withstand the beams along which it was supposed to roll onto the ship, and it almost collapsed into the water. The monolith was loaded by 600 soldiers, who made a 36 miles long march from a nearby fortress in four hours. Two steamers towed a flat boat "St. Nicholas" with a column to St. Petersburg. She arrived in the city on July 1, 1832. For the operation of transporting the column, the chairman of the Commission, Count Yu. P. Litta, received the Order of St. Vladimir.

On July 12, in the presence of Nicholas I and his wife, representatives of the imperial family, Prince of Prussia Wilhelm and a large public, the column was unloaded ashore. The spectators settled down on the scaffolding to lift the column and on ships on the Neva. This operation was performed by 640 workers.

The date of raising the column to the pedestal (August 30 - the day of the namesake of Alexander I) was approved on March 2, 1832, as well as a new estimate for the construction of the monument for a total of 2,364,442 rubles, which was almost twice the original.

Since the lifting of the 600-ton monolith was carried out for the first time in the world, Montferrand developed detailed instructions. Special scaffolding was erected on Palace Square, which occupied it almost completely. For lifting, 60 gates were used, placed in two rows around the forests. Each gate was set in motion by 29 people: " 16 soldiers at the levers, 8 in reserve, 4 sailors for pulling and removing the rope as the column rises, 1 non-commissioned officer ... To achieve the correct movement of the gates, so that the ropes are pulled as much as possible, 10 foremen will be placed"[Quoted from: 5, p. 171]. 120 people watched the blocks at the top of the forests and 60 at the bottom "to look after the pull-out pulleys. 2 foremen with 30 people of carpenters will arrange themselves in large scaffolding at different heights for the position of the log support, on which the column will lie, in case the lifting of it had to be suspended. 40 workers will be placed near the column , on the right and left sides, for cleaning the rollers from under the sledges and for dragging them into place. 30 people of workers will be placed under the platform with the ropes holding the gates. 6 people of bricklayers will be used to pour lime mortar between the column and the base. 15 people are carpenters and 1 foreman will be on standby in case of unforeseen ... The doctor who is at the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral will be at the place of production during the entire time of raising the column"[Ibid.].

It took only 40 minutes to raise the Alexander Column. In the operation of the column, 1,995 soldiers were employed, and together with the commanders and guards - 2,090.

More than 10,000 people watched the installation of the column, foreign guests came specially. On the podium, Montferrand has placed 4,000 seats for spectators. On August 23, that is, a week before the described event, Nicholas I ordered to transfer " so that on the day of the raising of the column for the monument to Emperor Alexander I, places were arranged on the top of the stage: 1st for the imperial family; 2nd for the Imperial Court; 3rd for the retinue of His Majesty; 4th for the diplomatic corps; 5th for the Council of State; 6th for the Senate; 7th for guards generals; 8th for cadets who will be dressed up from the corps; adding to the fact that on the day of raising the column, a guard from a company of guards grenadiers will also be posted at the top of the scaffold and that His Majesty wishes that, beyond the guard and the persons for whom the places will be arranged, no one from outside the scaffold was allowed"[Quoted from: 4, p. 122, 123].

The list was expanded by the Minister of the Imperial Court, Peter Mikhailovich Volkonsky. To the chairman of the Commission for the restructuring of St. Isaac's Cathedral, which was engaged in the installation of the monument, he reported:

"I have the honor to notify Your Excellency that in addition to those persons for whom the places are arranged, the Sovereign Emperor allows you to be on the platform when raising the Alexander Column: 1st - to foreign architects who purposely came here for this occasion; 2nd - to members of the Academy of Arts professors of architecture; 3rd - academicians preparing for architectural art... and the fourth - to our and foreign artists in general "[Quoted from: 4, p. 123].

“The streets leading to Palace Square, the Admiralty and the Senate were completely overwhelmed by the public, attracted by the novelty of such an extraordinary spectacle. The crowd soon grew to such an extent that horses, carriages and people mingled into one. The houses were filled with people to the very roofs. not a single window, not a single ledge remained free, the interest in the monument was so great. Ancient rome, accommodated more than 10,000 people. Nicholas I and his family are located in a special pavilion. In another, the envoys of Austria, England, France, the ministers, commissioners for the affairs of the foreign diplomatic corps. Then there are special places for the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Arts, university professors, for foreigners, persons close to art, who came from Italy, Germany to attend this ceremony ... "[Quoted from: 4, pp. 124, 125] ...

Exactly two years were spent on the final processing of the monolith (grinding and polishing), the design of its pommel, and the decoration of the pedestal.

At the top of the column, Montferrand originally planned to install a cross. While working on the monument, he decided to complete the column with the figure of an angel, which, in his opinion, should have been created by the sculptor I. Leppe. However, at Olenin's insistence, a competition was announced, in which academicians S. I. Galberg and B. I. Orlovsky took part. The second of them won the competition. On November 29, 1832, Nicholas I examined the model of an angel and commanded " to give a face to the statue of the late Emperor Alexander". At the end of March 1833, Montferrand proposed to complete the Alexander Column with not one, but two angels supporting the cross. Nicholas I initially agreed with him, but after learning." that many of the artists refute the idea of ​​staging two angels", decided to gather artists and sculptors to discuss this issue. During the negotiations, Montferrand proposed placing three angels on the column at once, but the majority voted for one figure. Nicholas I took the position of the majority. The Emperor decided to put the angel facing the Winter Palace.

The figure of an angel, according to Montferrand's plan, was to be gilded. Due to the haste with the opening of the Alexander Column, it was decided to use oil for gilding, which could be done not only quickly, but also cheaply. However, the low reliability of this method was pointed out by Olenin, who turned to the minister of the imperial court Volkonsky:

"... judging by the gilded statues in Peterhof, the effect of a gold-covered statue of an angel will be very mediocre and not very attractive, because gilding on oil always looks like gold leaf, and moreover, it probably will not even resist our grandchildren, being exposed to our cruel climate at the impossibility of temporarily renewing the gilding for the high costs each time for the construction of scaffolding for this work "[Cit. by: 5, p. 181].

As a result, Olenin's proposal not to gild the angel at all was accepted.

The pedestal of the Alexander Column is decorated with bas-reliefs made by artists Scotti, Solovyov, Brullo, Markov, Tverskoy, sculptors Svintsov and Leppe. On the bas-relief from the side of the General Staff building there is a figure of Victory, which enters into the Book of History memorable dates: "1812, 1813, 1814". From the side of the Winter Palace - two winged figures with the inscription: "Alexander I grateful Russia". On the other two sides, the bas-reliefs depict the figures of Justice, Wisdom, Mercy and Abundance. In the process of agreeing on the decoration of the column, the emperor expressed wishes to replace the antique military fittings on the bas-reliefs with the old Russian ones.

To accommodate the guests of honor, Montferrand built a special tribune in front of the Winter Palace in the form of a three-span arch. It was decorated in such a way as to architecturally connect with the Winter Palace. This was also facilitated by Nicholas I, who ordered to tear off the purple cloth from the stairs and use a fawn-colored cloth instead of it, in the then color of the imperial residence. For the construction of the tribune, a contract was signed with the peasant Stepan Samarin on June 12, 1834, which was completed by the end of August. Decorative details from plaster were made by "molding master" Evstafiy and Poluyekt Balin, Timofey Dylev, Ivan Pavlov, Alexander Ivanov.

For the public, stands were erected in front of the Exercirgauz building and on the side of Admiralteisky Boulevard. Since the facade of the amphitheater was larger than the facade of the exerzirhaus, the roof of the latter was dismantled for the construction of log posts, and neighboring buildings were also demolished.

Before the opening of the Alexander Column, Montferrand tried to refuse to participate in the ceremony due to fatigue. But the emperor insisted on his presence, who wanted to see the opening of the monument by all members of the Commission, including the chief architect and assistants.

At the ceremony, the emperor addressed the architect in French: " Montferrand, your creation is worthy of its purpose, you have erected a monument to yourself"[Quoted from: 4, p. 127].

"... The opening ceremonies were in line. A magnificently decorated balcony was built over the main gates of the Winter Palace, with gatherings on both sides of the square ... Along all the buildings of the Palace Square amphitheaters were made for spectators in several tiers. People crowded on Admiralty Boulevard; all the windows are around the lying houses were strewn with thirsty to enjoy this only sight ... "[Cit. by: 1, p. 161, 162]

From the memoirs of the romantic poet Vasily Zhukovsky:

"And no pen can describe the greatness of that moment when, after three cannon shots, suddenly from all the streets, as if born from the earth, in slender masses, with drumming thunder, to the sounds of the Paris March, the columns of the Russian army went ...
A ceremonial march began: the Russian army passed by the Alexander Column; this magnificent, only spectacle in the world lasted for two hours ...
In the evening, noisy crowds wandered the streets of the illuminated city for a long time, finally the lighting went out, the streets were empty, a majestic colossus remained on the deserted square alone with his sentry "[Quoted from: 4, pp. 128, 129].

The impressions of a representative of the common public have also been preserved. Memories of the opening of the Alexander Column were recorded by Maria Fedorovna Kamenskaya, daughter of Count Fyodor Tolstoy:

"Opposite the Hermitage, on the square, on the corner where the building currently stands state archive, then high bridges were erected, on which places were designated for the officials of the Ministry of the Court, and therefore for the Academy of Arts. We had to get there early, because after that no one was allowed into the square. The prudent girls of the Academy, afraid of getting hungry, took with them breakfast baskets and sat down in the front row. The opening ceremony of the monument, as far as I remember, was nothing special and was very similar to the ordinary May parades, with the addition of only the clergy and prayers. It was rather difficult to see what was happening near the column itself, because we were still sitting quite far from it. We were involuntarily most struck by the Chief of Police (if I am not mistaken, then the Chief of Police was Kokoshkin), who was especially zealous, hilariously pitching on his big horse, rushing around the square and yelling at the top of his lungs.
So we looked, looked, got hungry, unpacked our boxes and began to destroy the provisions we had taken with us. The audience, sitting on the footbridge next to us, stretching all the way to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed our good example, they also began to unfold pieces of paper and chew something. The zealous chief of police now noticed these disturbances during the parade, became furious, galloped to the walkways and, forcing his horse to break and stand on the bydy, began to shout in a thunderous voice:
- Shameless, heartless people! How, on the day when the monument to the war of 1812 is being erected, when all grateful Russian hearts gathered here to pray, you, you hearts of stone, instead of remembering the holy soul of Alexander the Blessed, the liberator of Russia from the twelve tongues, and sending hot prayers for the health of the now happily reigning emperor Nicholas I, you could not think of anything better how to come here to eat! Down with everything from the footbridge! To the church, to the Kazan Cathedral, and prostrate yourself before the throne of the Most High!
- Fool! - Shouted a voice from above, behind us.
- Fool, fool, fool! - picked up, like an echo, with a volley of unknown whose voices, and the embarrassed uninvited preacher in impotent rage was forced to spur his horse to the music of the troops and frantic laughter on the walkways as if nothing had happened, beautifully bending, galloped somewhere further "[Cit. according to: 4, pp. 129-131].

As the historian M.N. Mikishatyev rightly noted (from whose book this quote is cited), Maria Feodorovna was not mistaken with the personality of the Chief of Police. It was then Sergei Aleksandrovich Kokoshkin. But she confused the building of the state archive with the building of the headquarters of the Guard.

Initially, the Alexander Column was framed by a temporary wooden fence with lamps in the form of antique tripods and plaster lion masks. The carpentry work from the manufacture of the fence was carried out by the "carved master" Vasily Zakharov. Instead of a temporary fence at the end of 1834, it was decided to install a permanent metal "with three-headed eagles under the lanterns", the project of which had been drawn up by Montferrand in advance. In her composition, it was supposed to use gilded bronze ornaments, crystal balls on three-headed eagles, mounted on captured Turkish cannons, which were accepted by the architect from the arsenal on December 17.

The metal fence was produced at Byrd's factory. In February 1835, he proposed to bring gas lighting to the crystal balls. The glass balls were made at the Imperial Glass Factory. They were illuminated not with gas, but with oil, which leaked and left soot. On December 25, 1835, one of the balloons burst and fell apart. October 11, 1836 "followed by the highest order to arrange at the monument of Emperor Alexander I cast-iron candelabra with lanterns according to the approved drawings for gas lighting"[Quoted from: 5, p. 184]. The laying of gas pipes was completed in August 1837, in October the candelabra were installed.

Mikhail Nikolaevich Mikishatyev in his book "Walks in the Central District. From Palace to Fontanka" debunks the myth that in the poem "Monument" Alexander Pushkin mentions the Alexander Column, calling it the "Alexandrian Pillar". He convincingly proves that Pushkin's work literally mentions the Pharos lighthouse, which was once at the harbor of the Egyptian city of Alexandria. So it was called the Pillar of Alexandria. But thanks to the political nature of the poem, the latter became a direct allusion to the monument to Alexander I. Only a hint, although the descendants equated them with each other.

The column is not dug into the ground or anchored to the foundation. She holds on only due to the exact calculation and her weight. This is the tallest triumphal column in the world. Its weight is 704 tons. The height of the monument is 47.5 meters, the granite monolith is 25.88 meters. It is slightly, but higher than the Vendome Column, erected in 1810 in honor of Napoleon's victories in Paris.

There are often stories that at first after the installation of the Alexander Column, many ladies were afraid to be near it. They assumed that the column could fall at any moment and walked around the area around the perimeter. This legend is sometimes modified: only one lady is shown so fearful, who ordered her coachman to stay away from the monument.

In 1841, cracks appeared on the column. By 1861, they had become so prominent that Alexander II set up a committee to study them. The committee concluded that there were cracks in the granite initially, and they were repaired with mastic. In 1862, the cracks were repaired with Portland cement. At the top, there were scraps of chains that were used for the annual ascent to the column for the purpose of inspecting it.

Stories similar to mystical happened to the Alexander Column. On December 15, 1889, Foreign Minister Lamsdorf reported in his diary that at nightfall, when the lanterns were lit, a glowing letter"N". Rumors began to creep across Petersburg that this was an omen of a new reign in the new year. The next day, the count figured out the reasons for the phenomenon. The name of their manufacturer was etched on the glass of the lanterns: "Simens". When the lamps were working from the side of St. Isaac's Cathedral, this letter was reflected on the column.

In 1925, it was decided that the presence of an angel figure on the main square of Leningrad was inappropriate. An attempt was made to cover it with a cap, which gathered enough a large number of passers-by. Hung over the column Balloon... However, when he flew to her at the required distance, the wind immediately blew and drove the ball away. By evening, attempts to hide the angel had ceased. A little later, a plan appeared to replace the angel with the figure of V.I.Lenin. However, this was not implemented either.

Those who have never been to St. Petersburg themselves have heard about one of its symbols thanks to the works of Pushkin. "I have erected a monument to myself not made by hands ...". For the great poet, this landmark of the city on the Neva was a true measure of height in all understandings of the word. I would like to really know: what is it, the Pillar of Alexandria?

About pillars and pillars

By the way, ignorant people sometimes say not a pillar, but a pillar. What is the difference? Theoretically - none: the pillar is the old name of a word well known to us. But in fact, the difference between the two concepts is colossal: a pillar is just something long and dull, and a pillar is both an architectural column and a symbol of the majestic, bright. Can about outstanding people say "pillars", you can about the monuments.

The term familiar to the ear, the Pillar of Alexandria, is, strictly speaking, not correct: in fact, the name of the landmark is the Alexander Column. But the words thrown by Pushkin sunk into the soul, and it was the unofficial name that stuck. And because the appearance of the monument is consistent with the architectural definition of the pillar, and because this structure is truly majestic.

Granite miracle

Alexandrian column in St. Petersburg was erected in 1834, the place of its location - Palace Square. The order to the famous architect O. Montferrand was made by the Emperor Nicholas I. This monument, executed in the Empire style, was dedicated to the elder brother of the autocrat, Alexander I - the inspirer of the victory of the Russian Army over Napoleon.

The work on the project of the monument was not easy; various options were discussed. The task was formulated: to obtain a structure similar in appearance to Rome, but superior in height to the Vendome in Paris. Such a narrow framework did not allow Montferrand to fully manifest his individuality, and in the construction of the monument, it is easy to guess, albeit modified, but someone else's ideas. And yet the monument is unique in its own way: it has become the tallest among other triumphal buildings in the world. Architect abandoning additional elements decorating a monolithic column 25.6 m high, thus emphasizing the natural beauty of pink polished granite.

The total height of the structure, together with the one installed at the top, exceeds 47 meters. Such an impressive size does not allow us to see in detail what the Alexandrian pillar is. Photos, on the other hand, allow one to appreciate all the features of the monument, and in particular, the magnificent composition in the upper part.

About angels and eagles

The monument is not only an object of enthusiastic admiration, but also a complex engineering structure. Both the column itself and the angel crowning the monument by B. Orlovsky are held without additional supports due to their own weight. For a long time, such an architectural solution aroused the fears of the townspeople, who assumed that the monument would suddenly collapse. To allay these fears, the architect began to walk in the morning right at the foot of the column.

The magnificent figure of the bronze angel deserves special attention. One hand is lifted up to heaven, in the other he holds a cross, trampling the serpent. The statue should symbolize the peace that the Russian Army brought to Europe, freeing it from Napoleon. The appearance of the angel is somewhat reminiscent of the facial features of Emperor Alexander I.

The surroundings and the fence of the monument amaze with their sophistication and complexity of execution. The Monument of Alexandria is surrounded by a one and a half meter bronze fence, the project of which was also Montferrand. The decoration of the fence was those present in not a few two-headed and three-headed eagles, as well as captured cannons. Unfortunately, in recent years, these magnificent birds in massive numbers "perish" at the hands of the barbarian townspeople, and they are being replaced by copies.

From the history of the monument

The Pillar of Alexandria was opened on August 30, 1834 (after five years of work). Installed in the very center of Palace Square, the monument became the final touch in its design. The opening ceremony was attended by the entire royal family, headed by the emperor, as well as numerous representatives. At the foot of the monument, a solemn service took place, a huge kneeling Russian army was lined up on the square.

The history of the Pillar of Alexandria is rich in events. The monument survived both revolutions, and war, and the rainy St. Petersburg climate. Of course, it is restored from time to time, but most of the work is only cosmetic in nature.

Monument and the USSR

The hardest part of the construction was in the early years Soviet power... The space next to the monument was changed, the fence was melted down into cartridge cases in the 30s of the last century. Before the holidays, an angel that did not combine with the principles of atheism was covered with a red tarpaulin cap or masked with balloons launched from an airship.

They say that the question of changing a religious figure to a cult figure was repeatedly and quite seriously discussed (at first it was about Lenin, then about Stalin). But, fortunately, these ideas were never realized, and the angel takes its rightful place. The plans to replace the bronze bas-reliefs of the pedestal with new ones, which will be based on revolutionary plots, did not come true either. Later, the Pillar of Alexandria received a fence, carefully recreated from old photographs and historical materials. Her grand presentation took place in 2004.

Summer garden

Although the Alexander Column is a kind of visiting card of the city, there is something to see in addition to it. Sights can amaze even the most sophisticated tourist. For example, the Summer Palace of Peter I. This is one of the oldest city buildings, made in the Baroque style and not at all like the royal monastery. Peter, equipping the Northern capital, dreamed of building a summer residence reminiscent of Versailles. Eminent architects and gardeners have not worked in vain - the place where the palace complex (Summer Garden) is located is striking in its beauty and sophistication. To this day, the park remains the favorite resting place of the townspeople and the destination of pilgrimage for numerous tourists.

Bronze Horseman

Those who have never been to the city on the Neva also know about this sight from the works of Pushkin. "On the shore of the desert waves he stood, full of great thoughts" ... Who are these words about? About a person, about a monument?

With the light hand of the great poet, the Bronze Horseman was nicknamed one of several Monuments in the city and, in fact, looks like a copper one, although it is made of bronze. Its author is the French sculptor Falconet, who showed in his work a new and partly unexpected image founder of the city. Catherine II, who ordered the sculpture, wanted to see Peter similar to the Roman emperor in his ceremonial appearance and with all the trappings of power. Falcone did his own thing. His Peter is a rider on a rearing horse. According to the author's idea, a horse covered with a bearskin and a snake crushed by hooves is all ignorant and wild, but conquered by the emperor. The figure of Peter himself is embodied strength, the desire for progress and steadfastness in upholding his principles.

The Bronze Horseman is more than just one of the city's many great landmarks. This figure is iconic in its own way; many local tales and legends have been written about her.

Hermitage

If you try to list at least the most famous sights St. Petersburg, you can easily get confused with the names - there are too many of them. And yet there is a place in the city that any tourist must visit (we are not talking about the townspeople at all - they should be here as often as possible). This is the Hermitage - legendary Art Museum! The complex occupies 6 buildings, each of which - historical monument, and the main one is the Winter Palace. The museum contains about 3 million exhibits, including the immortal creations of Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Raphael. It is impossible to list all the masterpieces stored here. But it is worth trying to look at at least some of them.

Cruiser Aurora"

This ship, staying in eternal anchorage at the city embankment, in Soviet years every child knew. "Aurora" - a battle cruiser, a participant in many heroic battles, however, was known for other circumstances. Giving a blank shot at the Winter Palace on October 25, 1917, the Aurora predetermined the fate of the revolution and the Russian Empire.

In the 70s of the last century, they loved to tell such an anecdote in Soviet kitchens. Brezhnev wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, his wife asks what the matter is. The Secretary General talks about his nightmare. They say that Lenin is sailing along the Moscow River in a boat, pokes a long stick at the bottom and says: “Here the Aurora will pass. And here too! "

A modern person cannot understand the meaning of the anecdote. But for those living in those years, "Aurora" was associated with the changes that society so longed for, and so feared the authorities. Changes in the country did take place - albeit a little later, and without ship salvos. Society to this day is split by disputes, but was it necessary to do this? In general, it will not hurt to look after the "Aurora" just in case!