Monuments to Lomonosov in St. Petersburg: history of creation, description

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

The first monument to Lomonosov in St. Petersburg was erected in the 19th century at the initiative of the State Duma. Paying tribute to the great scientist, the city named after him a street, a square and a bridge located between the Griboyedov Canal and the Fontanka. The last object erected in honor of M. V. Lomonosov at the end of the 20th century is a monument near the university.

Genius Lomonosov

Mikhail Vasilyevich is an outstanding person. He is a world-famous scientist, naturalist, chemist, physicist, encyclopedist, historian, poet and writer. He succeeded in everything, in whatever area he directed his interest. And he was interested in the world around him.

A 19-year-old young man who came with a fishing caravan from the northern outback to the capital of Russia, using only his natural abilities, was able to get an excellent education in Russia and abroad. He generously gave the acquired knowledge for the benefit of his country.

Lomonosov made discoveries that changed the view of the scientific world in almost all areas. He put forward the idea of the molecular structure of the material world, laid the foundations of physical chemistry, formulated the laws of thermodynamics, and invented a helicopter prototype. Knowing foreign languages, he made translations of works of art. He found time to write historical tragedies and composed poetry.

Mikhail Vasilievich, having flown through the steps of career growth, for a long time was the rector of the leading educational institution of the city. That is why a monument to Lomonosov was erected in St. Petersburg near the university.

Bust of Lomonosov on Fontanka

During the reign of Emperor Alexander III, in 1890, it was decided to install a bronze bust of M. V. Lomonosov on the embankment of the Fontanka River, not far from Chernyshev Bridge. Academician P. P. Zabello worked on the sculptural image, the bust was cast at the foundry of A. Moran. The grand opening of the monument to Lomonosov in St. Petersburg took place in September 1892.

The gray marble pedestal was created by the architect A. S. Lytkin, who depicted a reading boy, Lomonosov, as a child on the front. On the reverse side of the column is a poem by A. S. Pushkin "Young", which the poet dedicated to the great scientist.

The bust was restored in 2000 and reinstalled on the pedestal in October 2002.

Monument to Lomonosov in St. Petersburg on Universitetskaya

This work, unlike the bust, was born for more than one decade. In 1959 wasan official competition was announced for the design of a monument in honor of the champion of education, who contributed to the development of Russian science. 100 sculptors fought for the right to bring their ideas to life. The option closest to socialist reality won. A scientist in an apron makes a discovery, sitting on a low pedestal, as a sign of his closeness to the common people. But the matter did not progress further than the installation of the foundation. An official announcement was made that the monument was too large to fit into the proposed site.

In the 80s, during the preparations for the celebration of the 275th anniversary of the birth of Mikhail Vasilyevich, the question of installing a monument to Lomonosov in St. Petersburg was again raised. The authors of the new project were the artists B. Petrov and V. Sveshnikov. The opening took place on the anniversary day of November 1986.

Description of the monument

The modern monument to Mikhail Lomonosov in St. Petersburg is significant and majestic. Designed in the style of classical traditions, it reflects the importance of the scholar to whom it is dedicated.

The figure of our great compatriot is made of bronze. Mikhail Vasilievich sits freely on a chair, his gaze is directed into the distance. From a height of ten meters, he looks at the changed surroundings, at the oldest university in the city, at modern students. His coat is unbuttoned, and he holds a manuscript in his hands. What is written there, a poem or a chemical formula, is unknown.

Beautiful and at the same time strict high pedestal of the monument. The author created it from dark red granitecolors and it blends in harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.

The university has a good tradition. Every year on September 1, hundreds of first-year students begin their long-term journey to the heights of science from the Lomonosov monument in St. Petersburg. It is here that the city administration, the rector's office and the dean's offices hold the traditional initiation into students.

In addition to the previously listed objects named after Mikhail Vasilievich, the city has a metro station and the Lomonosov Museum. The city remembers and honors the man who glorified him and his country. The scientist wrote about himself:

I erected a sign of immortality for myself

More than the pyramids and stronger than copper…”.

The contribution of the scientist to world science and art, his patriotism and service to the Fatherland - this is the sign of immortality.