As evidenced by the chronicles, the Novgorodians and their neighbors invited the Varangians to control Russia. It was Rurik who in 862 became the head of the Novgorod principality. From that moment, the Russian state was formed.
Russian history in bronze
It was decided to celebrate the Millennium of Russia holiday on a grand scale. Emperor Alexander II wanted to perpetuate the feat of the Russian prince with a monumental structure, although the idea itself belonged to the head of the Ministry of the Interior, Lansky. The millennium of Russia was to be captured in bas-reliefs and images of prominent statesmen and heroes of the Fatherland, who did a lot for its prosperity. At the same time, it can be said without exaggeration that the monument is the property of all the people.
Preparation for the celebration of such an important date as the millennium of Russia was thorough. After the government approved the construction of the monument, the collection of voluntary donations began.
It was decided to erect a monument in the GreatNovgorod. The millennium of Russia was supposed to symbolize this particular city.
Why Veliky Novgorod
The city on the Volkhov River was chosen as a place for the erection of a monument dedicated to the celebration of the Millennium of Russia, not by chance. Neither Belokamennaya nor the Northern capital were suitable for this role. Why Veliky Novgorod? The Millennium of Russia monument was supposed to appear in the city ruled by Rurik. It was here that the Russian statehood was born, and it is the Novgorod land that is considered the "cradle of the All-Russian kingdom." This was recalled by Alexander II, speaking with a festive greeting to representatives of the Novgorod nobility.
Popular donations
During the period from 1857 to 1862, about 150,000 rubles were collected for the construction of the monument. However, later it became clear that the Millennium of Russia monument could not be built with this money, and then the government budgeted an additional 350,000 rubles for two years to implement the project.
Preparation
In the spring of 1859, a competition was initiated, the participants of which could submit their own sketch of the monument.
The Millennium of Russia monument was presented in fifty-three versions. As a result, the choice was made on the project of the sculptor Mikeshin. Mikhail Osipovich was instructed to compile a list of the greatest figures of Russia, whose memory will be immortalized in the monument.
List
Theme of the list of names of the heroes of the Fatherland, whom the monument was supposed to glorify"Millennium of Russia" in Novgorod, was debatable. Disputes flared up around her, as a result of which adjustments were repeatedly made to the list of great statesmen and patriots of the country. Some officials doubted whether such figures as Mikhail Kutuzov, Gavrila Derzhavin, Mikhail Lermontov, Vasily Zhukovsky were worthy of perpetuation. Fedor Ushakov, Alexei Koltsov, Nikolai Gogol were added to the list, but subsequently deleted. The candidacy of Tsar Ivan the Terrible was rejected without much discussion, since in the 19th century he was considered a real tyrant and despot.
The first stone of the Millennium of Russia monument in Novgorod was laid on May 28, 1861 on the territory of the local Kremlin.
Top Tier
Of course, everyone is amazed by the grandeur and grandiosity of the Millennium of Russia monument. Veliky Novgorod is visited annually by thousands of tourists just to see this unique monument. It includes several bronze groups. The two figures of the upper ball represent the entire Fatherland: a woman dressed in a Russian national costume is kneeling and holding the state emblem. Nearby is an angel with a cross in his hands, which is the personification of Orthodoxy. At the foot of this group is a large ball. It symbolizes autocracy.
Middle Tier
The central part of the monument consists of six sculptural groups made of bronze. They are a reflection of six milestones in Russian history.
On the south side of the tier, we see the full-length first Russian prince - Rurik, whose shoulders are decorated with an animal skin. In his left hand, the ruler holds a sword, and in his right hand, an acute-angled shield.
On the right side of Rurik stands the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, in whose right hand is a cross, and in his left is a book. To the right of Vladimir is a woman who brings a child for baptism, and to the left of the prince, a man throws a broken image of the pagan god Perun. This whole group belongs to the period when Russia was baptized.
In the southeastern part of the monument is the majestic figure of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, who is dressed in the armor of a warrior - a helmet and chain mail. The prince's leg rests on the defeated Tatar, in his left hand he holds a bunchuk, and in his right - a club.
In the eastern part of the monument, five figures stand out, which personify the victory over the enemies of the country during the formation of a centralized state. In the center you can see the figure of Prince Ivan III.
In the western part of the monument are statesmen and heroes who did everything possible to destroy the Polish invaders and restore unity of command in Russia. In the foreground are the figures of Dmitry Pozharsky and Kozma Minin.
In the northern part of the middle tier, Emperor Peter the Great is depicted in purple and with a scepter in his hand. His figure is directed forward, at the feet of the king is a Swede with a torn banner.
Lower tier
In the lower tierthe sculptor divided all historical figures into four categories: "Statemen", "Writers and artists", "Enlighteners", "Military people and heroes".
Among the heroes, one can single out Martha Boretskaya, who was the widow of a Novgorod posadnik. There is a broken veche bell at the feet of Marfa the Posadnitsa, a symbol of the loss of independence by the Novgorod Republic.
The monument survived after 1917
It is noteworthy that after the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks did not destroy the Millennium of Russia monument in Novgorod, despite the fact that the Soviet press considered it “politically and artistically offensive.”
He was saved by an anti-religious campaign, when all the forces of officials were focused on plundering the Novgorod diocese. However, during the celebration of communist holidays, the monument was covered with plywood.
The monument was not destroyed during the Great Patriotic War
During the Great Patriotic War, when the Germans captured Novgorod, one of the German generals wanted to make a military trophy out of the Millennium of Russia monument. However, the plans of the enemy were not destined to come true: the monument was only half dismantled, after which the city was liberated.
