A rather fascinating story is connected with the monument to the conqueror of Siberia, the Cossack chieftain Yermak, erected in the city of Novocherkassk. This monument to the Russian folk hero belongs to the objects of the national cultural heritage. Much to my surprise, this ancient sculptural work has been preserved intact and has long become the hallmark of the Don Cossack region, Siberia and all of Russia.
Monument to Yermak: Novocherkassk
The photo posted in the article gives an idea of the courageous appearance of this great man. It all started in 1870 with a solemn event that was celebrated in the city of Novocherkassk - the 300th anniversary of the troops of the Don Cossacks. Through the chief of staff, Major General Leonov, all the Cossacks turned to the Sovereign's heir, Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich - the August Ataman of the Cossack troops, who arrived at the celebration, with a request to help erect a monument to them in the capital of the Don Cossacksto the heroic countryman Ermak Timofeevich (a native of the Kachalinskaya village on the Don).
A fundraising subscription for the monument was announced and dragged on for many years. This was hindered by the wars in which Russia was constantly drawn into. After more than a quarter of a century, an amount of 100,000 rubles was collected. The main donations were granted by the Cossacks of the Urals and Siberia. The rest, amounting to 40,000 rubles, the Cossack Troop Government borrowed from its treasury.
Start
When the money was collected, the question arose of what image the glorious ataman Yermak should appear on the monument to the main square of Novocherkassk. On this occasion, in 1889, a whole commission was created, which consisted of the philanthropist V. Wagner, the head of the mining and s alt part of the Donskoy army, the city engineer B. Krasnov, the publisher of the Donskoy Vestnik newspaper A. Karasev, etc. over time, a competition for the best monument was announced among the most famous sculptors, and after that several projects were considered.
The first to develop a monument to Yermak was offered to the sculptor M. M. Antokolsky (creator of the monument to Peter I in Taganrog in 1903), but in 1891 he did not receive approval. The project of the St. Petersburg sculptor M. O. Mikeshin (who created the famous monument "Millennium of Russia" in Novgorod in 1862) was not accepted either, but he, taking into account all the comments, proposed a different version of the monument, and in 1896 it was approved, but the sculptor died.
Monument to Yermak in Novocherkassk: description
Now the commission was looking for someone who, according to Mikeshin's project, would undertake the creation of a monument. We spent several years and found the rector of the Russian Higher Art School of the Academy of Arts V. A. Beklemishev. Thus, work began.
On the birthday of Emperor Nicholas II on May 6, 1903, a solemn laying took place on the square. The granite pedestal was ordered from the Italian master S. Tonitto. First, a foundation pit was dug, then a foundation was built, the foundation was concreted, and 8 steel chains, 4.2 meters each, were manufactured at the Novocherkassk plant. In St. Petersburg, according to the plaster model of V. A. Beklemishev, the company "Moran" poured a bronze statue weighing 5 tons. The total height of the monument was 14 meters 92 cm, weight - 1600 tons.
Opening
The next year, again on the birthday of Emperor Nicholas II - May 6, 1904, the opening took place. At noon, the bells rang, the square was filled with Cossack troops, pupils of gymnasiums, cadets, cadets and townspeople. From the Ascension Cathedral there was a procession with cathedral shrines.
Ataman of the Cossack army K. K. Maksimovich threw off the veil from the monument and, finally, all those present saw the mighty and majestic statue of Yermak, who held a battle banner in one hand, and a crown symbolizing Siberia conquered by him in the other. Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk Athanasius consecrated the monument. Then there was a parade, distribution of postcards and brochures describing the deeds for which the brave ataman Yermak became famous, who died in the waves of the Irtysh River 5August 1584.
Bronze Witness
Since then, the monument to Yermak has become a mute witness to many historical events that took place on the main square of Novocherkassk near the Ascension Cathedral, including the arrivals of tsars, presidents, patriarchs, people's leaders, etc.
In the very first year of construction, the Cossacks left this square for the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). Then, a year later, rallies were held in support of democratic freedoms (the Tsar's Manifesto of October 17, 1905). Then - the First Russian Revolution (1905-1907) and its victims among the Don Cossacks, who were buried in the square. Further, the First World War and mass mobilization, the February Revolution and rallies of representatives of the Provisional Government, the oath of military general A. M. Kaledin, his election as chieftain and the October Revolution of 1917. To these events, one can add the constant transition of Novocherkassk to the “whites”, then to the “reds”, until General of the Great Don Army P. N. Krasnov took power into his own hands.
Preserving a local shrine
However, there were attempts to throw off the monument to "Bourgeois Yermak". In 1918, they wanted to do it by car, in 1938 - by a tractor, but for technical reasons it was not possible to do this. And in 1942, during the occupation of Novocherkassk, the Nazis drove three tractors with winches to the monument for the same purpose, but local residents and Cossacks came out, who called the commandant and explained that Yermak was not a Red Cossack and not a Bolshevik, but a local shrine and hero of the Don. Thenthe German officer gave the order to remove the tractors, and this once again saved the Yermak monument from destruction. All caring residents of the city of Novocherkassk and the Cossacks in the most difficult times tried not to forget their heroes.
In 2001, all the necessary restoration work was carried out. On May 6, 2004, the city solemnly celebrated the 100th anniversary of the monument. Today more than a hundred years have passed, but the monument to Yermak stands and will rise as long as the city exists, and it is inscribed in its history forever.
