General Yermolov: a monument in Orel. History and modernity

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

They wanted to erect a monument to the brave General Yermolov in Orel even before the revolution, but somehow everything did not work out. Only in 2012, a new square appeared on the map of the city of Orel, and a sculpture was installed in its center - General Alexei Yermolov on horseback.

Who is Alexei Yermolov?

Alexey Yermolov was born into the family of an Oryol nobleman, the family originated from Murza Arslan-Yermol, who went to the service of the Russian tsars from the Golden Horde. The family was not rich, the father of Alexei Petrovich owned 150 souls in the Mtsensk district, and after his resignation he lived modestly in the village of Lukyanchikovo. But he sent his son to study at the Moscow University boarding school and the Cadet Corps.

Yermolov began to serve the Motherland in 1792, having received a baptism of fire during the Polish campaign. His whole life was connected with wars. He brilliantly proved himself in the Patriotic War of 1812, in military battles in Europe, the Caucasus, and Persia.

General Yermolov died in 1861, ordering to bury himself without any pomp near his mother and sisters onfamily cemetery next to Trinity Church.

The streets of Orel on the April day of the General's funeral were crowded with people. Veterans of the Caucasian wars, who served under Yermolov, erected a modest obelisk over the grave at their own expense.

Chronicle of erection of the monument: beginning

The story of Yermolov's monument is somewhat reminiscent of his life - just as restless.

The residents of Oryol wanted to perpetuate the memory of the famous Oryol resident, the conqueror of the violent Caucasus and the hero of the wars with Napoleon in the middle of the 19th century

In 1864, Emperor Alexander II allocated 6 thousand rubles for the construction of the monument, Yermolov's children added their own funds. With this money, a chapel was added to the Holy Trinity Church, where the family tomb is located, but there was no longer enough for the monument.

In 1911, they again started talking about the need to build a monument to Yermolov in Orel. The Oryol City Duma named a street in honor of Yermolov, now it is Pionerskaya. Private donations began to be collected around the country. For this purpose of fundraising, postcards were issued on which Yermolov's portrait was placed. They collected 20 thousand rubles, but then the First World War began, there was no time for monuments.

In the 90s, local historians again raised the topic of the monument to the famous native of the Oryol region. They wanted to transport the monument from the city of Grozny, but did not have time: the terrorists destroyed it. They wanted to restore the obelisk, erected in 1861 and destroyed over the years, in the church aisle: the diocese did not support it, because today the place was occupied by the kliros.

In 2002, the new city square was givenYermolovsky name and put a memorial stone, arranged a competition for the best project, choosing 3 options for monuments, but the preparation ended there.

Our days: discovery

In 2012, Russia widely celebrated the victory of our people in the War of 1812. It was then that the monument to General Yermolov in Orel was finally erected.

The opening of the monument was a real holiday for the whole city.

To the sounds of old romances, young ladies in white dresses danced on the square, members of military historical societies in the form of soldiers of 1812 stood in orderly rows. To the sounds of the choir performing "Glory" by M. Glinka, white doves flew up into the sky, a volley of weapons sounded and the monument was opened to the townspeople.

Cadets of the police school, Cossacks, Yunarmiya members, members of military history clubs and drummers paraded past the new monument. In the evening, the sky over the city was adorned with fireworks.

And now the monument to Yermolov in Orel is the visual center of the square near the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky Cathedral. Neat lawns, topiary figures, flower arabesques adorn the square where tourists and locals like to stroll and relax.

Description of the monument

Many tourists leave descriptions of the Yermolov monument in Orel on their blogs: they note that this imposing monument dominates the square and square, is visible from afar and attracts the eye. After all, the height of the complete composition is almost 10 meters:

• general on horseback - 5.5m;
• pedestal - 4 m.

Shapesmade of bronze, and the pedestal - of granite. The monument was created by the Moscow sculptor Ravil Rafkatovich Yusupov, it was he who created another monument to the general, which is located in Pyatigorsk.

The sculptor took as a basis the ceremonial portrait of the hero of the war of 1812, made by the artist Dow for the Gallery in the Winter Palace dedicated to the Patriotic War. In the picture, the general's face is made in profile, so the sculptor had to dream up a little, relying on literary sources.

Compositionally, the monument repeats the famous Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg.

Mistakes

Connoisseurs of monumental sculpture note one irregularity of the Yermolov monument in Orel: the photo shows that the horse is rearing up, its front legs are thrashing the air.

The horse was given a special role in the monumental sculpture, it demonstrated the life and death of its owner: the leg is not raised high, as if the horse is walking - he lived for a long time; leg raised high - died of wounds; stands on two hind legs - died in battle.

But Yermolov did not die, but died at a respectable age - such a discrepancy between the monument and history was seen by experts after the opening of the monument.

Cost of work

To erect a monument to General Alexei Petrovich Yermolov in Orel, private funds were collected, while not a penny was spent from the regional budget. The money was raised quickly, in just a year, a great contribution was made by the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation.

The sculptor's work cost 11 million rubles. For quarrying, molding and transportationalmost 6 million rubles were spent on the pedestal. There is still a little left for the landscaping of the territory and the organization of the holiday.

In total, 19 million rubles were spent on the creation and installation of a monumental sculpture, as well as the improvement of the square and festive events.

But now Oryol people know: the monument to the national hero is truly popular.

The story continues

But the Oryol residents were not limited to one monument.

The Yermolov Society plans to buy the house of Alexei Petrovich Yermolov's father and set up a museum of the commander there. The townspeople hope that the necropolis where Yermolov's family and himself are buried will also be put in order.