Walking around Moscow: a monument to Dmitry Donskoy

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

Moscow, like St. Petersburg, is a city of museums and theaters, a city where modernity and history are closely intertwined. And this is reflected both in the collections of the capital and architectural objects, as well as in the monuments. One of the historical monuments is the monument to Dmitry Donskoy in Moscow.

One of the young ones

The monument to Dmitry Donskoy, an ancient Russian prince, is one of the youngest in the capital of Russia. In one of the historical districts of Moscow, where the monument to Dmitry Donskoy is located, the current Yauzskaya and Nikoloyamskaya streets intersect. The author of the project, V. Klykov, made the monument out of bronze. The monument is quite high - it reaches 12 meters, not counting the pedestal. Its pedestal is made of granite. And a monument was erected at the place where, according to legend, the Russian army, led by the prince, set out on a military campaign against the Golden Horde to the Don - on the Kulikovo field. It was there that the decisive battle with the Mongol-Tatar army took place. An interesting connection between the shape of the foundation stone for the monument - in the form of a cross, and the fact that Dmitry Donskoy was considered RussianOrthodox Church to the face of saints. That is why there is a sense of holiness in the image of Dmitry Donskoy in the monument in Moscow. Unfortunately, this feeling is not conveyed in the photo.

Label for reigning

Dmitry Ivanovich was born on October 12, 1350 in the family of the Russian Prince Ivan the Red. He continued the Rurik dynasty on the princely throne. And very early he was able to show his qualities as a ruler, and just a wise person. For which, at the age of 9, he was declared a Moscow prince, however, under the guardianship of Metropolitan A. F. Byakont, and then at the age of 13 he received a label for a great reign. From that moment on, the leadership from the Vladimir principality passes to the Moscow one. However, Prince Mikhail of Tver did not agree with this fact. As a result, civil strife broke out between the Tver and Moscow principalities, which ended after the victory of Dmitry Donskoy over the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who concluded an agreement with the principality of Moscow. After some time, the Lithuanian prince Jagiello will come to an agreement with the Horde Khan Mamai. Ryazan Prince Oleg will join them. What was it supposed to lead to? If successful, the Principality of Moscow was to be divided among these three rulers. There is, however, a version that Oleg had an order from Dmitry Donskoy to deceive Lithuania from hostilities. This confrontation between the Horde and the Moscow prince ended in the complete defeat of the first in the Battle of Kulikovo.

Defender of the Russian land

The first baptism of fire as the ruler of Russia, he took as a teenager, when he had severalonce to defend the throne in front of the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who tried to take it by force from the young prince. The results of the problems with Lithuania severely undermined the Russian economy. Many lands were devastated, a large number of people were taken prisoner.

At the same time, I had to defend the throne from other Russian princes: Smolensk and Bryansk. And then against a terrible enemy - the Golden Horde, led by Khan Mamai. The centralization of power and the strengthening of the economy through the collection of tribute could make the Moscow principality strong, which could not but disturb the Horde ruler. The defeat of Mamai by Dmitry Donskoy near the Vozha River was not the last. Mamai again gathered huge forces and threw them to the place where the Nepryadva flows into the Don. In this battle, Mamai was defeated, but subsequently Dmitry Donskoy was forced to defend Russia from another Horde Khan - a descendant of Genghis Khan Tokhtamysh.

The image of Dmitry Donskoy in the monument of Moscow

On a proud mighty horse, crouching on its hind legs and beating with the hoof of the right front leg, as if impatiently waiting for the first command of the rider to rush into battle, sits dressed in armor, with shoulders covered with a cloak and head uncovered, young Prince Dmitry Ivanovich. His feet, shod in morocco boots, rest firmly on the stirrups. The back is proudly straightened. The prince sits confidently and firmly in the saddle. With his left hand he holds a bridle, and in his right hand he holds a banner with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands - a symbol of God, blessing for a just cause.

High pedestalmonument to Dmitry Donskoy in Moscow from polished brownish granite in shape resembles a sarcophagus - a symbol of eternal life, which is bestowed on the prince by his glorious deeds and zeal for the good of the Russian land.

Opening of the monument

The grand opening of the monument to Dmitry Donskoy in Moscow took place on May 8, 2013. In the presence of the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Metropolitan Kirill consecrated the monument. It happened in a significant year, when all the Orthodox believers of the capital celebrated the year of the 700th anniversary of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

This ceremony was very symbolic. Speakers at the ceremony at the monument to Dmitry Donskoy in Moscow noted that only thanks to the support of the church and the personal merits of the leader of the Russian army Dmitry Donskoy, the Russian people were able to withstand the battle on Kulikovo Field and undermine the forces of a powerful enemy. Which proves that against even the greatest force there will always be another force - both physical and spiritual, which together can work wonders. That every Russian person is always ready to fight evil for their homeland, for their land. The battle on the Kulikovo field also showed how, in a difficult moment, the Russians can rally and unite in the face of a common danger, and the church can be a powerful support for them, affirming in faith for a righteous battle.