home › Crash Test Auto › Alexandrian column. On Palace Square and in Russian history

Alexandrian column. On Palace Square and in Russian history

History of creation

This monument complemented the composition of the Arch of the General Staff, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The idea of building a monument was given by the famous architect Carl Rossi. Planning space Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. However, the proposed idea of installing another equestrian statue He rejected Peter I.

An open competition was officially announced on behalf of Emperor Nicholas I in 1829 with the wording in memory of " unforgettable brother". Auguste Montferrand responded to this challenge with the project of erecting a grandiose granite obelisk, but this option was rejected by the emperor.

A sketch of that project has survived and is currently in the library. Montferrand proposed to erect a huge granite obelisk 25.6 meters (84 feet or 12 fathoms) high on an 8.22 meters (27 feet) granite plinth. The front side of the obelisk was supposed to be decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the events of the war of 1812 in photographs from the famous medallions made by the medalist Count F. P. Tolstoy.

On the pedestal it was planned to carry out the inscription "Blessed - grateful Russia." On the pedestal, the architect saw a rider on a horse trampling a snake underfoot; a double-headed eagle flies ahead 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 (secretly highlighting the obelisk installed by D. Fontana in front of St. Peter's Cathedral). The artistic part of the project is excellently executed in watercolor technique and testifies to high skill Montferrand in various areas of fine arts.

Trying to defend his project, the architect acted within the limits of subordination, dedicating his essay to Nicholas I " Plans et details du monument consacré à la mémoire de l'Empereur Alexandre”, but the idea was nevertheless rejected and Montferrand was unambiguously pointed out to the column as the desired form of the monument.

Final project

The second project, which was subsequently implemented, was to install a column higher than the Vendôme column (erected in honor of Napoleon's victories). Trajan's Column in Rome was suggested to Montferrand as a source of inspiration.

The narrow scope of the project did not allow the architect to escape the influence of world-famous examples, and his new work was only a slight modification of the ideas of his predecessors. The artist expressed his individuality by refusing to use additional decorations, like the bas-reliefs spiraling around the shaft of the ancient Trajan's column. Montferrand showed the beauty of a gigantic polished pink granite monolith 25.6 meters high (12 fathoms).

In addition, Montferrand made his monument higher than all existing monolithic columns. In this new form, on September 24, 1829, the project without sculptural completion was approved by the sovereign.

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.

Preparatory work

After separating the blank, huge stones were cut from the same rock for the foundation of the monument, the largest of which weighed about 25 thousand pounds (more than 400 tons). Their delivery to St. Petersburg was carried out by water, for this a special design barge was involved.

The monolith was duped on the spot and prepared for transportation. Ship engineer Colonel K.A. dealt with transportation issues. Glazyrin, who designed and built a special boat, named "Saint Nicholas", with a carrying capacity of up to 65 thousand pounds (1100 tons). To perform loading operations, a special pier was built. Loading was carried out from a wooden platform at its end, coinciding in height with the ship's side.

Having overcome all difficulties, the column was loaded on board, and the monolith went to Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamers, in order to go from there to the Palace Embankment of St. Petersburg.

The arrival of the central part of the column in St. Petersburg took place on July 1, 1832. The contractor, the merchant's son V. A. Yakovlev, was responsible for all of the above work, further work was carried out on the spot under the guidance of O. Montferrand.

Business qualities, unusual intelligence and diligence of Yakovlev were noted by Montferrand. He most likely acted on his own. at your own expense» - assuming all financial and other risks associated with the project. This is indirectly confirmed by the words

Yakovlev's case is over; upcoming difficult operations concern you; I hope you have as much success as him

Nicholas I, to Auguste Montferrand about the prospects after the unloading of the column to St. Petersburg

Works in St. Petersburg

Since 1829, on Palace Square in St. Petersburg, work began on the preparation and construction of the foundation and pedestal of the column. O. Montferrand supervised the work.

First, a geological survey of the area was carried out, as a result of which a suitable sandy mainland was found near the center of the area at a depth of 17 feet (5.2 m). In December 1829, the place for the column was approved, and 1250 six-meter pine piles were driven under the foundation. Then the piles were cut to the level, forming a platform for the foundation, according to the original method: the bottom of the pit was filled with water, and the piles were cut at the level of the water table, which ensured the horizontality of the site.

The work was completed in October 1830.

Building a pedestal

After laying the foundation, a huge four-hundred-ton monolith, brought from the Pyuterlak quarry, was hoisted onto it, which serves as the base of the pedestal.

The engineering problem of installing such a large monolith was solved by O. Montferrand as follows:

Installing the monolith on the foundation
Precise installation of the monolith
- The ropes, thrown over the blocks, were pulled by nine capstans and raised the stone to a height of about one meter.
- They took out the rollers and added a layer of slippery solution, very peculiar in its composition, on which they planted a monolith.

Since the work was carried out in winter, I ordered to mix cement with vodka and add a tenth of soap. Due to the fact that the stone initially sat 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 greater height of the rise, the subsequent steps consisted of stones much smaller than the previous ones, moreover, the workers gradually gained experience.

Column installation

The rise of the Alexander Column

As a result, the figure of an angel with a cross was accepted for execution, made by the sculptor B.I. Orlovsky with expressive and understandable symbolism for everyone, - “ Sim win!". These words are connected with the story of finding the life-giving cross:

Finishing and polishing of the monument lasted two years.

Opening of the monument

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

This open-air service 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).

It was impossible to look without deep spiritual tenderness at the sovereign, humbly kneeling in front of this numerous army, moved by his word to the foot of the colossus he built. He prayed for his brother, and everything at that moment spoke of the earthly glory of this sovereign brother: the monument that bears his name, and the kneeling Russian army, and the people in the midst of whom he lived, complacent, accessible to everyone.<…>How striking was at that moment this contrast of worldly grandeur, magnificent, but fleeting, with the grandeur of death, gloomy, but unchanged; and how eloquent was this angel, in view of both, who, not involved in everything that surrounded him, stood between earth and heaven, belonging to one with his monumental granite, depicting what no longer exists, and to the other with his radiant cross, a symbol of what always and forever

In honor of this event, in the same year, a memorial ruble was issued with a circulation of 15,000.

Description of the monument

The Alexander Column resembles samples of the triumphal buildings of antiquity, the monument has an amazing clarity of proportions, laconic form, and beauty of the silhouette.

Text on the plaque:

Grateful Russia to Alexander I

This is the tallest monument in the world, made of solid granite and the third tallest after the Grand Army Column in Boulogne-sur-Mer and Trafalgar (Nelson's Column) in London. It is taller than similar monuments in the world: the Vendome Column in Paris, Trajan's Column in Rome and Pompey's Column in Alexandria.

Characteristics

View from the south

The total height of the structure is 47.5 m.
The height of the trunk (monolithic part) of the column is 25.6 m (12 fathoms).

The height of the pedestal is 2.85 m (4 arshins),

The height of the angel figure is 4.26 m,

The height of the cross is 6.4 m (3 fathoms).

The bottom diameter of the column is 3.5 m (12 ft), the top diameter is 3.15 m (10 ft 6 in).

The size of the pedestal is 6.3 × 6.3 m.

The dimensions of the bas-reliefs are 5.24 × 3.1 m.

Fence dimensions 16.5 × 16.5 m

The total weight of the structure is 704 tons.
The weight of the stone shaft of the column is about 600 tons.

The total weight of the top of the column is about 37 tons.

The column itself stands on a granite base without any additional supports, only under the influence of its own gravity.

Pedestal

The pedestal of the column, front side (facing the Winter Palace). Above - the All-Seeing Eye, in the circle of an oak wreath - an inscription of 1812, below it - laurel garlands, which are held in their paws by double-headed eagles.
On the bas-relief - two winged female figures hold a board with the inscription to Alexander I grateful Russia, under them are the armor of Russian knights, on both sides of the armor are figures personifying the Vistula and Neman rivers

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

A large team of authors worked on the decoration of the pedestal: sketch drawings were made by O. Montferrand, artists J. B. Scotty, V. Solovyov, Tverskoy, F. Brullo, Markov wrote bas-reliefs on them on cardboard in life size. Sculptors P. V. Svintsov and I. Leppe sculpted bas-reliefs for casting. The models of double-headed eagles were made by the sculptor I. Leppe, the models of the base, garlands and other decorations were made by the ornamental sculptor E. Balin.

The bas-reliefs on the pedestal of the column in allegorical form glorify the victory of Russian weapons and symbolize the courage of the Russian army.

The bas-reliefs include images of Old Russian chain mail, cones and shields, kept in the Armory in Moscow, including helmets attributed to Alexander Nevsky and Yermak, as well as the armor of the 17th century Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and that, despite Montferrand's claims, it is highly doubtful that the shield Oleg of the 10th century, nailed by him to the gates of Constantinople.

These ancient Russian 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.

In addition to armor and allegories, allegorical figures are depicted on the pedestal from the northern (front) side: winged female figures hold a rectangular board on which the inscription in civil script: "Grateful Russia to Alexander the First." Under the board is shown exact copy samples of armor from the armory.

Symmetrically located figures on the sides of the armament (on the left - a beautiful young woman leaning on an urn from which water pours out and on the right - an old aquarius man) 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 of Victory and Peace (the years 1812, 1813 and 1814 are inscribed on the Victory shield), Justice and Mercy, Wisdom and Abundance ".

On the upper corners of the pedestal there are double-headed eagles, they hold oak garlands in their paws, lying on the ledge of the cornice of the pedestal. 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, weapons of a classical nature are depicted as decorative elements, 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 column is a single piece of polished pink granite. The trunk of the column has a conical shape.

The top of the column is crowned with a bronze Doric capital. Its upper part, a rectangular abacus, is made of brickwork with bronze lining. A bronze cylindrical pedestal with a hemispherical top is installed on it, inside which is the main support array, consisting of multi-layered masonry: granite, brick and two more layers of granite at the base.

Not only is the column itself taller than the Vendôme column, the figure of the angel surpasses in height the figure of Napoleon I on the Vendome column. In addition, the angel tramples the snake with a cross, which symbolizes the peace and tranquility that Russia brought to Europe by defeating the Napoleonic troops.

The sculptor gave the features of the angel's face a resemblance to the face of Alexander I. According to other sources, the figure of the angel is a sculptural portrait of the St. Petersburg poetess Elisaveta Kulman.

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

The fence and surroundings of the monument

Color photolithograph of the 19th century, view from the east side, depicts a sentry box, a 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-leaf gates on four sides of the fence), which were crowned with three-headed eagles.

Between them were placed alternating spears and staffs of banners, topped with guards double-headed eagles. Locks were hung on the gates of the fence in accordance with the author's intention.

In addition, the project included the installation of a chandelier with copper lanterns and gas lighting.

fence in its original form was installed in 1834, completely all the elements were installed in 1836-1837. In the north-eastern corner of the fence there was a guardhouse, in which there was a disabled person dressed in full dress guard uniform, guarding the monument day and night and keeping order in the square.

Throughout the entire space of the Palace Square, an end pavement was made.

Stories and legends associated with the Alexander Column

legends

During the construction of the Alexander Column, there were rumors that this monolith turned out by chance in a row of columns for St. Isaac's Cathedral. Allegedly, having received a column longer than necessary, they decided to use this stone on Palace Square.

The French envoy at the St. Petersburg court reports interesting information about this monument:

With regard to this column, we can recall the proposal made to Emperor Nicholas by the skillful French architect Montferrand, who was present at its excision, transportation and setting, 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 fragments of granite as he drilled; finally, two lanterns to illuminate the workers in their hard work. In 10 years, he argued, the worker and the boy (the latter would grow a little, of course) would have completed their spiral staircase; but the emperor, rightly proud of the erection of this one of a kind monument, feared, and perhaps with good reason, that this drill would not penetrate the outer sides of the column, and therefore refused this proposal.

Baron P. de Burgoin, French envoy from 1828 to 1832

Addition and restoration work

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 top of the granite column, spoiling the appearance of the monument.

In 1841, Nicholas I ordered an inspection of the flaws noticed then on the column, 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 study 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, there were cracks on the column that were originally characteristic of the monolith, but it was feared that an increase in the number and size of them "may give rise to the collapse of the column."

There were discussions about the materials that should be used to seal these cavities. The Russian “grandfather of chemistry” A. A. Voskresensky proposed a composition “which should have been given to the closing 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 near the column were made 40 years after the opening - in 1876 by the architect K. K. Rakhau.

For all the time from the moment of its discovery until the end of the 20th century, the column was subjected to restoration work five times, which was more of a cosmetic nature.

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 descended from a hovering airship.

The fence was dismantled and melted down for cartridge cases in the 1930s.

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 restoration

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 start of work was the study of the column. They were forced to be produced on the recommendation of specialists from the Museum of Urban Sculpture. The alarm of specialists was caused 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 “landing party” on top of the column using a special Magirus Deutz fire hydrant.

Having fixed at the top, the climbers took photos 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. To carry out work worth 19.5 million rubles on the monument, the Intarsia company was chosen; this choice was made because of the presence in the organization of personnel with great experience work on similar responsible objects. L. Kakabadze, K. Efimov, A. Poshekhonov, P. Portuguese were engaged in the work at the facility. The work was supervised by the restorer of the first category Sorin V.G.

By the autumn of 2002, the scaffolding had been erected, and the conservators carried out on-site surveys. Almost all the bronze elements of the pommel were in disrepair: everything was covered with a “wild patina”, a “bronze disease” began to develop in fragments, the cylinder on which the figure of an angel relied cracked and took on a barrel-shaped shape. The internal cavities of the monument were examined using a flexible three-meter endoscope. As a result, the restorers were also able to establish what the general design of the monument looks like and determine the differences between the original project and its actual implementation.

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

Carrying out work

Years of rainy St. Petersburg weather led to 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 shell of the sculpture. This water, seeping down into the pedestal and freezing in winter, ruptured the cylinder, giving it a barrel shape.

The following tasks were set for the restorers:

Get rid of water:
Remove water from the cavities of the top;

Prevent water accumulation in the future;

Restore the structure of the abacus support.

The work was carried out mainly in winter time on high altitude 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 the cavities of the monument were connected, and the cavity of the cross, about 15.5 meters high, was used as an “exhaust pipe”. The created drainage system provides for the removal of all moisture, including condensation.

The brick weight of the finial in the abacus was replaced with granite, self-jamming constructions without binders. Thus, the original intention of Montferrand was again realized. The bronze surfaces of the monument were protected by patination.

In addition, more than 50 fragments left over from the blockade of Leningrad were removed from the monument.

Scaffolding from the monument was removed in March 2003.

Fence repair

... "jewelry work" was carried out, and when recreating the fence, "iconographic materials, old photographs were used." "Palace Square got the finishing touch."

Vera Dementieva, Chairman of the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments

The fence was made according to a project completed 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. Installation of the fence began on November 18, Grand opening took place on January 24, 2004.

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

The theft could not be prevented, despite the 24-hour surveillance cameras on Palace Square: they did not record anything in the dark. To monitor the area at night, it is necessary to use special expensive cameras. The leadership of the St. Petersburg Central Internal Affairs Directorate decided to establish a round-the-clock police post near the Alexander Column.

Ice rink 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 the loss of elements. It recorded:

53 places of deformation,

83 lost parts,
Loss of 24 small eagles and one large eagle,

31 partial loss of details.

28 eagles

26 spades

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

The organizers of the skating rink undertook obligations to the city administration to restore the lost elements of the fence. Work was to begin after the May holidays of 2008.

References in art

Cover of the album "Love" of the rock band DDT

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

Column in literature

« Alexandria pillar" is mentioned in the famous poem by A. S. Pushkin "". Pushkin's Alexander Pillar 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 V. A. Zhukovsky out of fear of censorship for "Napoleons" (meaning the Vendome column).

In addition, contemporaries attributed to Pushkin a couplet:

Everything in Russia breathes military craft
And the angel makes a cross on guard

commemorative coin

On September 25, 2009, the Bank of Russia issued a 25-ruble commemorative coin dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. The coin is made of 925 sterling silver with a circulation of 1000 pieces and weighs 169.00 grams. http://www.cbr.ru/bank-notes_coins/base_of_memorable_coins/coins1.asp?cat_num=5115-0052

Notes

On October 14, 2009, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation issued an order to assign the Alexander Column to the rights of operational management

Alexander Column "Science and Life"

According to the encyclopedia of St. Petersburg on spbin.ru, construction began in 1830

Yuri Yepatko Knight of Malta against the background of the Alexander Column, St. Petersburg Vedomosti, No. 122 (2512), July 7, 2001

According to the description in ESBE.

Architectural and artistic monuments of Leningrad. - L .: "Art", 1982.

Less common, but more detailed description:

1440 guardsmen, 60 non-commissioned officers, 300 sailors with 15 non-commissioned officers of the guards crew and officers from the guards sappers were seconded

Sim win!

Alexander Column on skyhotels.ru

Auction page numizma.ru selling a commemorative coin

Auction page wolmar.ru selling a commemorative coin

After crossing the Vistula, there was practically nothing left of the Napoleonic troops

The crossing of the Neman was the expulsion of the Napoleonic armies from the territory of Russia

In this remark, the tragedy of trampling on the national feeling of the Frenchman, who had to build a monument to the winner of his fatherland

Is the famous Alexandrian column. Since childhood, her image has entered the consciousness of several generations of Russian people, even those who have never been to But the textbook poems of Pushkin, where she is mentioned, are known to everyone. At the same time, not everyone will remember that the Alexandrian Column was erected in honor of commemorating the victory of Russian weapons over Napoleon in the year. Often, it is perceived as nothing more than an axis of symmetry and the center of the overall composition, uniting the brilliant creations of Rossi and Rastrelli into a single whole. Of course, this is a mere convention, but it is considered to be the symbolic center not only of Palace Square, but of the whole of St. Petersburg.

History of creation

The Alexandrian column on the palace square was erected according to the design of the great architect Auguste Montferrand. There is a certain element of chance in its erection. Montferrand dedicated forty years of his life. Granite for the construction of its colonnades was mined in the Karelian rocks. One of the monolithic blanks weighed a thousand tons, and its pink granite was of amazing quality. The length also greatly exceeded the required. Cutting such a gift of nature was just a pity. And it was decided to use the whole monolith. The Alexandria column was made right at the place of production of a monolithic billet. The work was carried out by Russian stone-cutters. For its delivery to the capital along the Neva, a special barge had to be designed and built. The action took place in 1832. After delivery to the destination and all the preparatory work, the final installation took only an hour and a half. The Alexandrian column was brought to a vertical position through a system of levers with the help of the physical efforts of two and a half thousand workers and soldiers of the capital's garrison. The construction was completed in 1834. A little later, the pedestal was decorated with ornaments and surrounded by a low fence.

Some technical details

The column on Palace Square is to this day the tallest triumphal building of its kind in all of Europe. Its height is 47 and a half meters. It is carefully polished and has an equal diameter along its entire length. The uniqueness of this monument is also in the fact that it is not fixed by anything and stands on a solid foundation solely under the influence of its own weight. The bicentennial anniversary of this building is not so far away. But during this time, not even the slightest deviation from the vertical of the six-hundred-ton monolith was observed. There are no signs of subsidence of the foundation under it. Such was the accuracy of Auguste Richard Montferrand's engineering calculation.

During the war, bombs and long-range artillery shells exploded near the column. The Alexandrian column survived those who shot at it and, apparently, intends to stand unshakably for a very long time. The metal angel on its top is also not fixed by anything, but it is not going to fly anywhere.

Central monument of the Palace Square; a monument in, erected in honor of the victory over Napoleon. The total height of this column is 47.5 meters. The Empire style gives the monument a special charm. It is included in the version of our site.

Palace Square is visited by tourists all year round. different countries and visitors from other Russian cities. The first thing that catches your eye is, of course, the Alexander Column. It organically complements architectural ensemble Hermitage. It is noteworthy that this monument is the world's tallest free-standing triumphal column.

In my own way appearance The Pillar of Alexandria, (as it is also called after the poem by A. S. Pushkin "Monument") resembles the triumphal buildings of antiquity, in particular Trajan's column in Rome. The author of the project was Auguste Montferrand - architect French descent who designed St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The construction of the column lasted 5 years, starting in 1829.

It was originally planned that the column would be crowned by a rider surrounded by allegorical figures. Then a statue of an angel with a cross raised to heaven was chosen. One of the main differences between the Alexander Column and the Trajan Column was the solid granite monolith of the column. The surface of natural stone was left smooth to emphasize its power and beauty.

The solemn raising of the column took place at the end of the summer of 1834. It involved over 2,000 soldiers and 400 workers. The royal family attended the opening of the triumphal monument.

The Alexander Column is a few minutes walk from the metro station "Admiralteyskaya".

Attraction photo: Alexander Column

View of the Alexander Column from the Arch of the General Staff Building

The Alexandrian Pillar rises on Palace Square, a masterpiece engineering genius by Auguste Montferrand. It stands unsupported by anything, only due to its mass, which is almost 600 tons.

In memory of Russia's victory over Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812, the majestic Alexander Column was erected, built in 1829-1834 according to the project and under the guidance of the architect O. Montferrand. The architect A. W. Adamini also took part in the construction.

The Pillar of Alexandria is the unofficial name of the building, which arose after the publication, a few years after the completion of construction, of Pushkin's poem "Monument"

I erected a monument to myself not made by hands,
The folk trail will not grow to it,
He ascended higher as the head of the rebellious
pillar of alexandria

Although formally, apparently, the famous wonder of the world Faros lighthouse in Alexandria is meant, many see in these lines the poet's unambiguous allusion to the recently erected monument. Some researchers dispute the reliability of this interpretation, but the fact remains that the name is firmly entrenched in the culture of St. Petersburg.

Giant, even modern ideas, the monolith was carved out of dark red granite near Vyborg and, with the help of many ingenious technical devices, was delivered by water to St. Petersburg. In a solemn atmosphere, with the forces of more than two thousand soldiers and sailors, among whom were those who distinguished themselves during Patriotic War 1812, the Alexander Column was installed on a pedestal, after which its final finishing began.

Immediately after the erection of the Alexandria Column, St. Petersburg residents refused to appear on Palace Square, assuming that such a colossus would sooner or later fall on someone. To dispel the doubts of the townspeople, the architect Montferrand made it a habit to pass under his brainchild every day.

The Alexandrian pillar with the figure of an angel is on the list of the most recognizable symbols of St. Petersburg. The height of the structure is 47.5 meters and it is the highest among similar monuments in the world, for example: the Roman Trajan Column, the Vendome Column in Paris and Pompey's Alexandrian Column. The monolith is held on the pedestal only by gravity, due to its own weight of 841 tons, no additional fasteners are used. For stability, a huge number of piles, 6.4 meters long each, were driven under the base of the monument; a granite platform was laid on them, decorated with four floor lamps.

The column is crowned with a six-meter angel with a cross in his hand, trampling on a snake (the figure represents the world; the snake is a symbol of defeated enemies), the work of the Russian sculptor Boris Orlovsky, a former serf. The sculptor gave the portrait features of Emperor Alexander I to the face of the angel.

On the pedestal of the Alexander Column there are bronze bas-reliefs on a military theme. When they were created, authentic ancient Russian chain mail, shields and shishaki, which are stored in the Moscow Armory, were used as samples for depicting military armor. From the side of the Winter Palace, the rivers crossed by the Russian army are symbolically depicted, chasing the defeated French: the Neman - in the form of an old man and the Vistula - in the form of a young woman. Here is the inscription "Grateful Russia to Alexander I". The western side, facing the Admiralty, is an allegory of "Justice and Mercy", the eastern - "Wisdom and Abundance", and the southern - "Glory" and "Peace"

And today we have the pleasure to observe on the main square in St. Petersburg a giant column of pink granite on a square pedestal, embodying the glory of Russian weapons. Like the triumphant buildings of antiquity, the Pillar of Alexandria impresses with its clear proportions and laconic form.

Pillar of Alexandria (Alexander, Alexandrinsky) - a monument to Alexander I, the winner of Napoleon in the war of 1812-1814. The column, designed by Auguste Montferrand, was installed on August 30, 1834. It is crowned with the figure of an Angel, made by the sculptor Boris Ivanovich Orlovsky.

The Pillar of Alexandria is not only an architectural masterpiece in the Empire style, but also an outstanding achievement of engineering. The tallest column in the world, made of solid granite. Its weight is 704 tons. The height of the monument is 47.5 meters, the granite monolith is 25.88 meters. It is taller than Pompey's Column in Alexandria, Trajan's Column in Rome, and, most pleasingly, the Vendome Column in Paris, a monument to Napoleon.

Let's start with brief history its creation

The idea of building the monument was given by the famous architect Carl Rossi. When planning the space of Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. The installation point of the column 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 construction of the monument was entrusted to Montferrand. He himself saw it a little differently, with an equestrian group below and with many architectural details, but he was corrected)))

For the granite monolith - the main part of the column - a rock was used, which the sculptor outlined during his previous trips to Finland. Mining and pre-treatment were carried out in 1830-1832 in the Pyuterlak quarry, which was located in the Vyborg province (the modern city of Pyuterlahti, Finland).

These works were carried out according to the method of S. K. Sukhanov, the production was supervised by masters S. V. Kolodkin and V. A. Yakovlev. It took half a year to trim the monolith. 250 people worked on this daily. The stone master Eugene Pascal was appointed the head of the Montferrand work.

After the masons, having examined the rock, confirmed the suitability of the material, a prism was cut off from it, much larger than the future column. Giant devices were used: huge levers and gates in order to move the block from its place and overturn it on a soft and elastic bedding of spruce branches.

An accident occurred during loading - the weight of the column could not withstand the bars 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 march 36 miles long from a neighboring fortress in four hours.

To perform loading operations, a special pier was built. Loading was carried out from a wooden platform at its end, coinciding in height with the ship's side.

Having overcome all difficulties, the column was loaded on board, and the monolith set off for Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamers in order to go from there to Palace embankment St. Petersburg.

The arrival of the central part of the column in St. Petersburg took place on July 1, 1832. The contractor, the merchant's son V.A. Yakovlev, was responsible for all the above works.

Since 1829, on Palace Square in St. Petersburg, work began on the preparation and construction of the foundation and pedestal of the column. O. Montferrand supervised the work.

First, a geological survey of the area was carried out, as a result of which a suitable sandy continent was found near the center of the area at a depth of 17 feet (5.2 m).

The contract for the construction of the foundation was given to the merchant Vasily Yakovlev. Until 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 soil back in the 1760s. It turned out that Montferrand repeated after Rastrelli the decision on the place for the monument, landing at the same point!

In December 1829, the place for the column was approved, and 1250 six-meter pine piles were driven under the foundation. Then the piles were cut to the level, forming a platform for the foundation, according to the original method: the bottom of the pit was filled with water, and the piles were cut at the level of the water table, which ensured the horizontality of the site. Earlier, using a similar technology, the foundation of St. Isaac's Cathedral was laid.

The foundation of the monument was built from stone granite blocks half a meter thick. It was brought out to the horizon of the square with a plank masonry. In its center was placed a bronze box with 0 105 coins minted in honor of the victory of 1812. There was also placed a platinum medal minted according to the Montferrand project with the image of the Alexander Column and the date "1830", as well as a mortgage board with the following text:

"In the summer of the Nativity of Christ 1831, the construction of a monument erected to Emperor Alexander by grateful Russia began on a granite foundation, laid on the 19th day of November 1830. In St. Petersburg, during the construction of this monument, Count Y. Litta presided. The meeting was: Prince P Volkonsky, A. Olenin, Count P. Kutaisov, I. Gladkov, L. Carbonier, A. Vasilchikov. The construction was carried out according to the design of the same architect Augustine de Montferand".

The work was completed in October 1830.

After laying the foundation, a huge four-hundred-ton monolith, brought from the Pyuterlak quarry, was hoisted onto it, which serves as the base of the pedestal.

The engineering problem of installing such a large monolith was solved by O. Montferrand as follows: the monolith was rolled on rollers through an inclined plane onto a platform built near the foundation. And the stone was piled on a pile of sand, previously poured next to the platform.

"At the same time, the earth trembled so much that the eyewitnesses - passers-by who were on the square at that moment, felt, as it were, an underground shock." Then it was moved on skating rinks.

Later, O. Montferrand recalled; "Since the work was carried out in winter, I ordered to mix cement with vodka and add a tenth of soap. Due to the fact that the stone initially sat 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 that I ordered mixed into the solution ... "

On the basis of the developments of Lieutenant General A. A. Betancourt for the installation of the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in December 1830, an original lifting system was designed. It included: scaffolding 22 fathoms (47 meters) high, 60 capstans and a system of blocks.

On August 30, 1832, masses of people gathered to watch this event: they occupied the entire square, and besides this window and the roof of the General Staff Building were occupied by spectators. The sovereign and the entire imperial family came to the raising.

To bring the column to a vertical position on Palace Square, it was necessary to attract the forces of 2,000 soldiers and 400 workers, who installed the monolith in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

After installation, the people shouted "Hurrah!" And the admiring emperor said: "Montferrand, you immortalized yourself!"

The granite pillar and the bronze angel standing on it are supported solely by their own weight. If you get very close to the column and, with your head up, look up, it takes your breath away - the column sways.

After the installation of the column, it remained to fix the bas-relief plates and decorative elements on the pedestal, as well as to complete the final processing and polishing of the column.

The column was topped with a Doric bronze capital with a rectangular masonry abacus with bronze facing. A bronze cylindrical pedestal with a hemispherical top was installed on it.

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 to Winter Palace. In the original project, the column was completed by a cross wrapped around with a snake to decorate the fasteners. In addition, the sculptors of the Academy of Arts proposed several options for the compositions of the figures of angels and virtues with a cross. There was an option with the installation of the figure of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky, but the first option that was approved was a cross on a ball without an angel, in this form the column is even present on some old engravings ..

But in the end, the figure of an angel with a cross was accepted for execution, made by the sculptor B. I. Orlovsky with expressive and understandable symbolism for everyone - “You will conquer this!”.

Orlovsky had to redo the sculpture of the Angel several times before Nicholas I liked it. The emperor wished that the face of the Angel was given a resemblance to Alexander I, and the snout of the snake trampled by the cross of the Angel must certainly resemble the face of Napoleon. If it does, it's far away.

Initially, the Alexander Column was framed by a temporary wooden fence with lamps in the form of antique tripods and plaster lion masks. The carpenter's 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 put a permanent metal one "with three-headed eagles under the lanterns", the project of which Montferrand had drawn up in advance.

I must say that the monument, which now seems perfect, sometimes caused criticism from contemporaries. Montferrand, for example, was reproached for allegedly spending the marble intended for the column on the construction of his own house, and for the monument he used cheap granite. The figure of the Angel reminded the Petersburgers of a sentry and inspired the poet to the following mocking lines:

"In Russia, everything breathes military craft:
And the Angel makes a cross on guard.

But the rumor did not spare the emperor himself. Imitating her grandmother, Catherine II, who inscribed on a pedestal Bronze Horseman"To Peter I - Catherine II", Nikolai Pavlovich called in official papers new monument"Pillar of Nicholas I to Alexander I", which immediately gave life to the pun: "Pillar of pillar to pillar."

In honor of this event, a commemorative coin was minted with a face value of 1 ruble and a ruble and a half

The grandiose building inspired admiration and awe in Petersburgers from the moment of its foundation, but our ancestors were seriously afraid that the Alexander Column would collapse, and tried to bypass it.

In order to dispel philistine fears, the architect Auguste Montferrand, who lived nearby, on the Moika, began to exercise daily around his brainchild, demonstrating complete confidence in his own safety and the correctness of calculations. Years have passed, wars and revolutions, the column is standing, the architect was not mistaken.

On December 15, 1889, almost mystical story- Foreign Minister Lamsdorf said in his diary that at nightfall, when the lanterns are lit, a luminous letter "N" appears on the monument.

Rumors began to spread around St. Petersburg that this was an omen of a new reign in the new year, but the next day the count figured out the reasons for the phenomenon. The name of their manufacturer was etched on the glass of the lamps: "Siemens". When the lamps were working from the side of St. Isaac's Cathedral, this letter was reflected on the column.

There are many tales and legends associated with it)))

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 him with a cap, which gathered a fairly large number of passers-by on Palace Square. hung over the column balloon. However, when he flew up to her at the required distance, the wind immediately blew and drove the ball away. By evening, attempts to hide the angel stopped.

There is a legend that at that time, instead of an angel, they seriously planned to erect a monument to Lenin. It would look something like this))) Lenin was not installed, because they could not decide in which direction Ilyich should extend his hand ...

The column is beautiful both in winter and summer. And it fits perfectly into the Palace Square.

There is one more interesting legend. This happened on April 12, 1961, after the solemn announcement of TASS about the launch of the first manned spacecraft was heard on the radio. There is general jubilation on the streets, real euphoria on a national scale!

The very next day after the flight, at the feet of the angel crowning the Pillar of Alexandria, a laconic inscription appeared: "Yuri Gagarin! Hurrah!"

What kind of vandal was able to express his admiration for the first cosmonaut in such a way and how he managed to climb to such a dizzying height will remain a mystery.

In the evening and at night, the column is no less beautiful.

Popular in category: