In Germany, on the federal state of Saxony, there is the city of Leipzig, in which the monument "Battle of the Nations" is located. Its construction was completed at the beginning of the 20th century, and the building itself became the most massive in Europe. About the monument "Battle of the Nations" in Leipzig, the history of its construction and features will be described in detail in the article.
History of the monument
Telling about the monument "Battle of the Nations", it is necessary to consider in honor of what event it was erected. In 1813, from October 16 to 19, the largest battle between the troops of Napoleon and the coalition of the allied armies of Austria, Russia, Sweden and Prussia took place near Leipzig. As a result of these clashes, Bonaparte and his troops were defeated, suffering heavy losses.
Battles took place on the territory of Saxony, near Leipzig. At the beginning of the battle on October 16, the Napoleonic troops launched their successful offensive, but they failed to develop success, and already on the 18th they were forced to retreat to Leipzig. The next day with big lossesNapoleon began his retreat to France.
Consequences
This victory was as key as the one that happened a year earlier, in 1812 near Moscow near Borodino. As a result, the French troops were defeated and forced to flee. The victory in the battle of the nations was the final in a series of successes of the Russian-Prussian troops that liberated Germany, right up to the Elbe.
Napoleon's army, according to some estimates, lost about 80 thousand soldiers in the battles near Leipzig, of which half were killed and wounded, and the rest were captured. The Allies lost approximately 54 thousand people, of which about 23 thousand Russian, 16 thousand Prussian and 15 thousand Austrian soldiers.
Commemorative events were held on the first anniversary of the victory, numerous memorials were created at various points of the battle. Some time later, it was decided to erect a large monument in memory of these heroic events.
Establishment of a monument
For the first time, the idea to build a large-scale monument was proposed by the German writer and deputy E. M. Arndt. However, not everyone supported the creation of such a monument. So, for example, Saxony, whose soldiers fought on the side of the Napoleonic army, and that lost part of their territories, was against the erection of a monument.
On the 50th anniversary of the victory, the so-called Napoleon's stone was laid in the place where his headquarters was located during the legendary battle. Moreover, until the end of the 19th century, there were no plans to implement the erection of the “Battle of the Nations” monument. ATConstruction began in 1898.
The "Battle of the Nations" monument near Leipzig was designed by the famous Berlin architect B. Schmitz. 15 years later, a grand opening took place, which was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the victory in the battle. One of the initiators of the project was K. Thieme, who was the chairman of the German Patriotic Union, as well as the master of the Masonic Lodge of Leipzig. The main part of the funds was received through voluntary donations and a specially organized lottery draw.
General Description
The "Battle of the Nations" monument reaches a height of 91 meters and is located directly in the center of the battlefield. 500 steps lead from the base of the monument to its highest viewing platform. After the reconstruction of the 21st century, two elevators were built that take visitors to the middle observation platform at a height of 57 m.
Inside the monument "Battle of the Nations" is the Hall of Fame, on the vault of which there is an image of 324 horsemen almost life-size. There are four statues in the hall, the so-called commemorators, reaching a height of 9.5 m. They personify the virtues: the strength of faith, courage, selflessness and people's power.
At the base of the monumental composition is the figure of the Archangel Michael, who, in addition to being the main angel, is also considered the patron saint of warriors. Around the head of the archangel there is an inscription carved in stone: “Saint Michael”, and even higher - “God is with us.”
Thisthe phrase is often found in references in connection with the German army of various periods. Around the monument are carved images of battles, striking in their realism. On the facade there are 12 huge sculptures that lean on the swords of warriors and symbolize the Guardians of Freedom. At the foot of the monument is an artificial reservoir called the Lake of Tears.
Specifications
On the photo of the monument "Battle of the Nations" you can see all its scale and monumentality. It is worth noting that at present it is the largest in Europe. As mentioned earlier, its total height is 91 m, and the main hall, together with the dome, rises to 68 m.
In order to build such a large-scale monument, it was necessary to install 65 foundation piles, on which a slab 80 m long, 70 m wide and 2 m high was built. 120 thousand cubic meters of concrete and 26, 5 thousand stone blocks. The total mass of the structure is 300,000 tons, and 6 million gold German marks were spent on its construction.
Temple of Doom
The "Battle of the Nations" monument has become a monument that shows the unity of different peoples under the threat of a common enemy. In the main hall there are eight massive columns, on each of which “Masks of Fate” are carved in full height. In front of them are the "Guardians of Death" dressed in knightly armor. The whole composition is saturated with sacred meaning and symbolism.
Over time, the monument "Battle of the Nations" began to lose its brilliance and beauty. In this connection, in 2003, it was decided to restore, as well as partial reconstruction of the building. All work was completed in 2013 and was dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the legendary victory over Napoleon's troops. Today, anyone can see this monument, as well as visit the museum dedicated to this battle located nearby.
