Alexander Column (Alexandrian Pillars). Alexandrian Pillars - History, Construction, Legends Alexandrovsky Post on Palace Square

25.06.2019

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On the Palace Square of St. Petersburg, a unique monument - a column, crowned with the sculptural image of an angel with a cross, and at the base framed by relief allegories of victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.

Deeds to the headquarters of Alexander I, the monument is called the Aleksandrovsk column, and Pushkin is called "Alexandrian Pillar".

The construction of the monument accounted for the end of the 20s - the beginning of the 30s of the 19th century. The process was documented, and therefore there should be no such secrets in the appearance of the Alexander Column. But if there is no secret, I really want to come up with them, right?

What made the Alexandrovsk column

The network is fully assumed about the discovered lamination in the material from which the Alexandrovsk column was made. Say, Master of the past, without knowing how to mechanically handle hard, learned to synthesize the granite-like concrete - from which the monument was cast.

Alternative opinion is still radical. Alexandrovsk column is generally not monolithic! It is composed of separate blocks, drunk on each other like children's cubes, and outside the plaster with a large number of granite crumbs.

There are both fantastic versions that can sort with notes from the Chamber No. 6. However, in fact, the situation is not as difficult, and most importantly - the entire process of manufacturing, transporting and installing the Alexander column is documented. The history of the emergence of the main monument of the Palace Square is painted almost a few minutes.

Selection of stone for the Alexander Column

Auguste Monferran or, as he himself called himself to Russian manner, Auguston Montferand before receiving an order for a monument in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, St. Isaac Cathedral was built. During the procurement work in the granite career on the territory of modern Finland, Monferran discovered a 35 x 7 meters monolith.

Monoliths of this kind are a rarity and even greater value. So there is nothing surprising in the territy of the architect, who has already adopted, but did not let the huge granite slab in the case.

Soon, the Emperor had an idea of \u200b\u200ba monument to Alexander I, and Monferran drew a sketch of columns, marked by the presence of a suitable material. The project was approved. The prey and delivery of the stone for the Alexander Column was instructed to the same contractor, which provided the construction of Isaacia.

Skilled granite mining in a career

For the manufacture and waters, two monoliths were required for the column prepared place - one for the rod of the structure, the other for the pedestal. The stone for the column was carved first.

The first thing the workers cleared the granite monolith from the soft soil and every mineral garbage, and Monferran carefully examined the surface of the stone for cracks and defects. Flaws were not found.

Using hammers and forged chisels, workers rudely leveled the top of the array and made slotted recesses for fastening a rigging, after which it was time for separating a fragment from natural monolith.

Upon the bottom edge of the workpiece under the column, the horizontal ledge was carved for the entire length of the stone. On the upper plane, retreating from the edge, a sufficient distance, along the workpiece, gave the furrow to the foot of the depth and graft width. In the same furrow manually, with the help of forged jumpers and heavy hammers, the wells dried at a distance of the feet one from another.

Steel wedges placed in finished wells. In order for the wedges to work synchronously and gave a smooth crack in the granite monolith, a special strut was used - an iron bar, laid in a furrow and an aligning wedges in smooth frequency.

At the team of the senior hammer fever, placed one person for two or three wedges, began to work. The crack passed exactly along the wells of the wells!

With the help of levers and cablements (winches with a vertical arrangement of the shaft), the stone was overturned on the inclined bed of the logs and a firing facility.

In the same way, the granite monolith for the column pedestal was also mined. But if the billet for the column was initially weighed about 1000 tons, a stone for a pedestal of broke into two and a half times smaller - "total" 400 tons weight.

Career work has lasted two years.

Transportation of blanks for the Alexandrovsk Column

The "light" stone for a pedestal was delivered to St. Petersburg the first, in the company of several granite boulders. The total weight of the cargo was 670 tons. The loaded wooden barge was placed between two steamats and were safely towed to the capital. The arrival of the courts had been on the first days of November 1831.

The unloading was made using the synchronous work of ten volutton winches and took only two hours.

Transportation of the larger billet was postponed for the summer of next year. The brigade of Kamenotesov, in the meantime, he drank extra granite from her, giving the billet round shape of the column.

To transport columns, a vessel was built by a carrying capacity of up to 1100 tons. The workpiece in several layers was chosen. On the shore for the convenience of loading, the marina was built from the log cabins stamped by wild stone. The landing area of \u200b\u200bthe pier was 864 square meters.

In the sea in front of the pier built a log-stone mall. The road to the pier was expanded, purified from the vegetation and leaves of the stone. Particularly durable remains had to blow up. Of the many logs staged a similarity of the bridge for the unimpeded rolling of the workpiece.

The movement of the prepared stone to the pier took two weeks and demanded effort more than 400-tons of workers.

Loading blank on the ship did not cost without trouble. The logs laid out in one end on the pier, the other - on board the vessel, did not stand the load and broke. Stone, however, did not go to the bottom: drown him did not give him a ship, rushing between the berth and mall.

The contractor had enough people and lifting equipment to straighten the situation. However, the bosses for loyalty caused a soldier from the nearby military unit. The help of several hundred hands turned out to be by the way: in two days, the monolith was raised on board, strengthened and sent to St. Petersburg.

During the incident, no one was injured.

Preparatory work

To avoid accidents when unloading the column, Monferran rebuilt the Petersburian pier so that the board of the vessel lay down to him without gaps throughout its height. Mera turned out to be successful: cargo rolling from barge to the shore passed immaculately.

Further movement of the column was carried out on inclined fasteners with the ultimate target in the form of a high wooden platform with a special trolley at the top. The trolley, moving on the back rollers, was intended for the longitudinal movement of the workpiece.

The stone, cut down for the pedestal of the monument, was in the fall taken to the place of installation of the column, covered with a canopy and put at the disposal of forty stone chambers. Obtaining a monolith from above and from all four sides, workers turned the stone on a sandy bunch - in order to exclude the splitting of the boulder.

After processing all six planes of the pedestal, the granite block was watered on the foundation base. The foundation for a pedestal relied on 1250 piles, driven into the bottom of the pick-up for the eleven meter depth, sculpted by the level and stationed into the stone masonry. On top of the four-meter masonry, which filleded the pit was posted cement mortar with soap and alcohol. The flexibility of the mortar pillow allowed to set the monolith of the pedestal with high accuracy.

For several months, the stone laying and the cement pillow of the pedestal grabbed and scored the required strength. By the time of delivery on the palace area, the pilestal column was ready.

Installing a column

Installation of the column weighing in 757 tons - a difficult engineering task even today. However, the engineers of two hundred years ago coped with solving the problem of "perfectly".

The estimated strength of rigging and auxiliary structures was triple. Workers and soldiers attracted to raise the columns, acted with great enthusiasm - notes Monferran. The competent placement of people, the impeccable management organization and the witty design of the forests allowed to raise, align and set the column in less than an hour. Two days left to reduce the vertical of the monument.

The finishing surface treatment, as well as the installation of architectural parts, the capitals and sculptures of the angels took another two years.

It is worth noting that there are no bonding elements between the sole of the column and the pedestal. The monument rests exclusively at the expense of switches of the giant sizes and the absence of any noticeable earthquakes in St. Petersburg.

Links to additional information

Drawings and other documents on the construction of the Alexandrovsky Column in St. Petersburg:

And the Lexadrovsk column decorates the palace area since 1834: Nicholas I ordered to build it in honor of the victory of Alexander I over Napoleon. Together with the portal "Culture.rf", I remember interesting details from the history of this building.

Aleksandrovskaya Column, St. Petersburg. Photo: Meros.org.

First sketches of Alexandrovsky Obelisk

Stepan Schukin. Portrait of Alexander I. The beginning of the 1800s. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

Evgeny Plushar. Portrait of Montferran Auguste. 1834.

Franz Kruger. Portrait of Nikolai I. 1852. Hermitage, St. Petersburg

In 1829, Nicholas I announced an open contest of the monument sketching in memory of Alexander I. Auguste Monferran - his project of the Alexander Column was subsequently implemented - first suggested establishing a granite obelisk on the square of 25 meters high. At the same time, Monferran developed several projects of the monument pedestal at once. On one of the sketches, he offered to decorate the pododor Tolstoy's polesal, which illustrated the events of the Patriotic War of 1812, and the rider's figure, a two-headed eagle flies, and behind the goddess of Victory. On a different sketch, he depicted the figures of elephants supporting Obelisk.

"In front of me appeared a column of trajan"

Alexandrovsk Column, Angel Figure

Alexandrovsk Column, Pedestal

However, no obelisk project was adopted. Monferran offered to create something like a Vandom column in Paris or a column of Trajan in Rome. As the architect wrote: "A column of trajan is prevailed as a model of the most beautiful, which is only able to create a man in this way. I had to try to approach this majestic pattern of antiquity as possible, as was done in Rome for Antonin's column, in Paris - for the Napoleon column..

The Monferran column was also several design options: In addition to the sketch with the angel's figure, the architect offered to crowned the obelisk of the cross, delighting the snake, or set up the figure of Alexander Nevsky at the top.

Finnish granite for Russian monument

Vasily Tropinin. Portrait of Samson Suanov. 1823. Museum V.A. Tropinin and Moscow artists of his time, Moscow

Putherlah quarry, stone block branch from the rock. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

Tipping the array for the rod column in the quarry. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

Material for his monforrran monument chose in advance: granite from Finland was used for the Alexandrovsk column. The column itself was cut down from one cliff, and the stones for her foundation are the biggest of them weighed more than 400 tons. They were supplied for two years - from 1830 to 1832 - in the Puterlak Cantoline. There worked about 250 people, and they led the famous Kamenotes Samson Sukhanov.

Transportation on "Saint Nicholas"

Loading columns per ship. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

Delivery of blocks for pedestal of the Alexandrovsk column. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

The movement of the block for the pedestal of the Alexandrovsky column from the embankment. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

Transportation of blanks for obelisk from Finland to St. Petersburg was a difficult task. For the transportation of the water column, a special bot "Saint Nicholas" was built with a carrying capacity of more than 1000 tons. 600 soldiers loaded the column on his board, while they almost dropped monolith into water. Until St. Petersburg "Saint Nicholas" with a column towed two steamers.

Pine piles, cement with soap and casket with coins

Installing a pedestal for the foundation. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

Raise the column on the overpass. Lithograph from the book of Ogusta Monferran. "Plans and details of the monument dedicated to the memory of Emperor Alexander", 1836

When booking the foundation to install the columns, workers found piles: for half a century, it was planned to establish a monument to Peter I Bartolomeo Rastrelli.

When installing the column used innovative engineering developments of Augustine Betankura, which by that time were already tested during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral of Montferran. Here the foundation was laid on the same technology as in Isaacia: 1250 pine piles were knocked in the bottom of the bottom, they laid stone granite blocks. The foundation was put a monolith weighing 400 tons, which became the basis of the pedestal. Monolith connected with the foundation with a special solution - vodka and soap were added to the cement. Thanks to this, the monolith could be moved until it will not "sit down". The center of the foundation mounted a memorable bowl with coins, minted in honor of the war of 1812, and a mortgage board.

"MONFERRAN, you kind of indifferent!"

Alexander Denisov. Lifting the Alexander Column. 1832.

L.P.-A. Bišebua, A.j.-b. Bayo. Lifting the Alexander Column. 1834.

Gregory Gagarin. Alexandrian column in the forests. 1832.

The most difficult task facing the builders was the installation of the column. The developments made by Augustine Betancourt were also useful here during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral. He designed a special lifting system from scaffolding, Cesting - mechanisms for the movement of goods - and block systems. First, the column on the inclined plane rolled up on a special platform and secured on it. Then they began to raise ropes placed on the top of the forests. About 2500 people were performed this operation for almost 40 minutes. Nikolai I was so impressed by the solemn rise that he exclaimed: "Monferran, you kindly immentertilic!" After installing the column, it was grinding, polished and decorated - it took for two years.

Sculptural decoration of the column

Aleksandrovsky column, angel figure. Photo: Hellopiter.ru.

Alexandrovsk Column, Pedestal. Photo: Nevsky

Alexandrovsk Column, Pedestal. Photo: Fotokto.ru.

An angel figure with a height of almost five meters performed the sculptor Boris Orlovsky. In his left hand, Angel holds a cross, and the right attitude towards the sky. According to the plan of Monferran, the figure of the angel was supposed to be gilded, but due to the rush, with the discovery from this decision refused. At the pedestal of the columns placed images of the all-seeing eye, under which there are two-headed eagles, holding laurel garlands in the paws. Two winged female figures hold a sign with the text "Alexander I - Gratitude Russia," the symbols of the rivers of Vistula and Neman are located near the symbols. On other bas-reliefs are allegories of victory and peace, justice and mercy and wisdom and abundance. Drawings for registration of the pedestal performed the monferrand himself, artists made sketches in full size, and sculptors created forms for castings.

The highest monument from solid granite

Alexander Column. Photo: peterburg.center.

The solemn opening ceremony of the monument took place on September 11, 1834. The architect wanted to refuse to participate in the ceremony, but Nikolai I insisted, saying: "Monferran, your creation is worthy of its destination, you have erected a monument to yourself". For the holiday on the Palace Square, special tribunes were elevated: they were located the imperial family and other eminent guests.

"And no feather can describe the greatness of that minute when three cannon shots suddenly from all the streets, as if from the ground born, slender grudges, with a drum thunder, the columns of the Russian troops went under the sounds of the Parisian march ... The ceremonial march began: Russian The army passed by the Alexander Column; For two hours, this magnificent, the only spectacle in the world ... Introve the noisy crowds in the world around the streets of the illuminated city, finally, the lighting was fed, the streets were left on a deserted area with his clocks. "
Vasily Zhukovsky

Angel after the revolution

Restoration of the Alexander Column in 2002. Photo: Armycarus.do

Restoration of the Alexander Column in 2002. Photo: Petersburglike.ru.

After the revolution, the figure of the angel on the Alexander Column during the urban holidays masked with a red cloth or balloons. There was a legend that instead they plan to establish a statue of Lenin, but this did not happen. The fence around the monument in the 1930s was interposed on the cartridges. During the Great Patriotic War, the Alexandrovsky column disguised not completely, as many other architectural monuments of Leningrad, but only 2/3 of the height. Angel received fragmentation "injuries." The column and territory around it was restored several times - in the 1960s, 1970s and 2000s.

The idea of \u200b\u200bthe installation in St. Petersburg is a triumphal column belongs to the monferran itself. Back in 1814, by handing his album to Alexander I in Paris, he expects the interest of the emperor who won the powers in Russia in Russia "the triumphal column dedicated to the Universal Mire", and presented the draft of this column consisting of three parts: base with a pedestal, body column ( Fusta) and the crowning column of Alexander I figures in ancient clothes. I liked the idea, but I didn't receive the order for her incarnation and, as we know, a decade, from 1818 to 1828, was engaged in the design and construction of St. Isaac Cathedral. Meanwhile, after the death of Alexander I, wanting to approve the acts of the predecessor, Nicholas I considered it necessary to create a monument on the square in front of the Winter Palace.

Monferran, by that time appointed by the chief architect of St. Isaac's Cathedral, became the author of several other buildings. Having received an order for the project of the monument, Monferran wrote: "Reflecting pre-about the place that it was intended for him, it was easy for me to understand that the sculptural monument, which would be His proportions, would never succeed to agree with the surrounding extensive buildings" [63] . Refusing a sculptural image, the architect began to design a monument, conceiving him in the form of a four-granular obelisk from a solid piece of granite, according to its proportions of the middle kingdom of approaching to Egyptian obeliskam (Obelisk Senuserte, the first third of the II millennium BC. Er) at its faces should The bas-reliefs of the sculptor Fedor Tolstoy, depicting the episodes of war 1812

This is how the architect himself has justified the choice of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe memorial monument: "Monuments is always an open page, where people can draw at all times of knowledge about the past events, to penetrate fair pride at the sight of remarkable examples that he was tested by glorious ancestors ... Citizens will love cities, Enriched by the monuments that they will remind the glory of debris. "

Soon I had to refuse and to establish Obelisk on the Palace Square. The main reason was that it did not correspond to the nature of the architecture of the area of \u200b\u200bthe Square, which was formed in connection with the construction of the main headquarters and acquired the features of completion, despite the time and stylistic inhomogeneity of the buildings of it.

Panorama Palace Square

The Esplanade of the three squares: Isaac, Admiralty and Palace with the Global Buildings of the Winter Palace and Admiralty, Nevi and Grounds of the St. Isaac Cathedral required for its equilibrium other than the character of the vertical. Monferrand finally approved in thought that such a dominant should be a column, which would not exceed the height of the admiralty spire and the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral, but was proportionate to the Palace Square and was the necessary composite element in the spatial structure of the architectural ensemble of the central square of the city. It was about creating a monument worthy of a responsible goal to emphasize the center of the Palace Square.

Pondering the architectural, plastic solution of the monument, Monferrane in search of possible prototypes again turned to historical analogies. Now there is no ancient Egypt, and the imperial Rome has become a source of artistic inspiration. Of the three antique triumphant columns - Antonina and Trajan in Rome and Pompey in Alexandria - his attention attracted the column of Tranhan. There was another example - a column of glory 43 meters high, installed on the Vandom Square in Paris in 1806-1810. According to the project of the architect J. Lemer, who was under the strong influence of the artistic image of the Triatan column. It was at that time the highest monument of this type. In his project, the Triumphal Column Monferran decided to exceed the altitude of this column.

Considering the column of trayana an unsurpassed sample on the perfection of the shape and inner harmony, he wrote: "The column of Trajan, this most excellent sample created by people in this way, naturally seemed to my mind, and I had to continue, just like how it was done in Rome in relation to the antonin column, and in Paris with a column of Napoleon, try as far as possible to approach the beautiful ancient pattern "[63].

At the same time, Monferran considered an unacceptable repetition of an ancient sample, he wanted to give a column specific character. "I replaced the spiral sculptures of this monument to a monolithic rod 12 feet in diameter (3.66 m) and 84 feet height (25.56 m) carved from the granite block, to which I drew attention during frequent trips to Finland in the last 13 years "," Wrote Monferran. In addition, they were also led by practical considerations: "Red granite's block, which does not have drawn faults that can get the best polishing, not inferior to anything better than the best granite of the East, is in the career of Puterlax, near Friedrichsgam, in the very place from where they were extracted 48 granite columns of St. Isaac Cathedral "[63].

By taking the decision to leave the monument smooth, without embossed compositions, Montferran paid great attention to the construction of the most accurate and correct shape of the column rod. The ratio of upper and lower diameters, outlines of the outer contour, the ratio of the base to the general height - all this required the most thorough study. But the most important thing was the question of choosing the clarification curve of the column rod. To achieve the most perfect shape of the rod, all the largest architects, starting with Vitruvia, offered their ways of refinery. Architects of the Renaissance of Vigola and A. Palladio believed that one third of its height of the column has a cylindrical shape, then some thickening gets some thickening, after which the gradual refinement of the barrel occurs. In each case, such constructions were made by calculations.

To build the shape of the columns of St. Isaac Cathedral, Monferran used these calculations. Designing Alexandrovsk column, the architect took a pedestal and base of the Trojan column as the basis, adopting the base diameter of the rod 12 feet (3.66 m), the height of the rod 84 feet (25.58 m), the diameter of the top base of the rod 10 feet 6 inches (3,19 m). It turned out that the diameter of the column was laid at its height 8 times. It follows that the ratio of the upper diameter to the bottom is 3.19: 3.66, i.e. equals ratio of 8: 9.

The most responsible task is the stencil of the column, Monferran decided in its own way. He, unlike Vitruvia, Vinologi and Palladio, believed that the refinement should begin not from one third of the height, but from the very reason, and reinforced this point of view with the calculations made according to the Mathematics Mathematics method. This calculation confirmed the correctness of the task supplied by the Montferran and allowed us to create a beautiful smooth curve of the exterior contour of the column. Assessing her artistic effect, Lama wrote: "The type of towering column, elegant and firmly built, causes true pleasure, mixed with surprise. Satisfied eye with love overlooks the details and rests on the whole. The special cause of its effect is a happy choice of a meridal curve. The impression that the appearance of a new structure depends as much as the thought arising from the viewer about its strength, as well as from the grace of forms and proportions "[63].

Career plan in Puterlax. Engraving Schraiber in Figure O. Monferran. 1836

The coherence curve of the trunk constructed by the method of monopherran gives an amazingly smooth line of the contour, successfully combined with a perspective reduction. The method of constructing the refinement curve, proposed by Monferran, fully meets the most stringent requirements that can be brought to a column freely overgoing from all sides. This is his great merit.

Comparative height of the columns of Alexander I, Napoleon, Trajan, Pompey and Antonina. Lithography Muller in drawing O. Monferran. 1836

The project was approved on September 24, 1829, and Monferrand was appointed to the construction of a monument. The Academy of Arts, who had not previously recognized the architect, now gave him a tribute to the same meeting room, where ten years ago there was a discussion of the Note of Moduia and the answers of Monferran. On September 29, 1831, the Council of the Academy at the suggestion of the President of Olinin assigned him the title of "Honorary Free Physics". This title was usually awarded with titled domestic policies or very famous, outstanding foreign artists.

Type of work in the quarry. Litography of Bishbua and Watto in Figure O. Monferran. 1836

The history of the creation of the Alexander Column is set out in the album published by Monferran in 1836, called the "Plan and details of the memorial monument dedicated to the emperor Alexander." The whole process associated with the search for the desired monolith in the Puterlax career, with its delivery on a special vessel in St. Petersburg, unloading and transporting to the palace square, and the moment of opening the monument is set forth in this work with all the details.

Fragment of forests for lifting a column. Lithography Bishbua in Figure O. Monferran. 1836

Therefore, without stopping in detail on the description of all the works, I still would like to mention some curious episodes that accompanied this unusual construction. When the column was already prepared for lifting, a casket transfer casket with medals was held in order to put it in a special deepening in the center of the pedestal. In the box were coins and medals with the image of Alexander I. Among them is a platinum medal, made in drawing of Monferran, depicting the Alexander Column and the date "1830". On the rim medal inscription: "Alexander Blessed Grateful Russia." In addition, a plaque was made of gold-plated bronze with the inscription: "In the summer of Christmas 1831, the construction of the monument, erected by Emperor Alexander, thanks to Russia on the granite foundation, laid in 19 day of November 1830 in St. Petersburg. When struggling, the monument was chaired by Count Y. Litta. Reached: Prince P. Volynsky. A. Olenin, Count P. Kutaisov, I. Gladkov, L. Carbonner, A. Vasilchikov. The construction was carried out on the drawing of the same architect Augustine de Monferran. "

Details of the Alexandrovsk Column. Pedestal, base, cap and sculpture. Litography Arna in Figure O. Monferran. 1836

On August 30, 1832, the column was assigned to the pedestal. This construction operation resulted in an event of nationwide importance. Montferran sketched in detail and described this operation: "Streets leading to Palace Square, Admiralty and Senate, were completely twisted by the public attracted by the novelty of such an extraordinary spectacle. The crowd increased shortly to such limits that horses, carriages and people were mixed into one. Houses were filled with people to the most roofs. There is no free one of the windows, not a single protrusion, so great was the interest in the monument. The semiconductor building of the main headquarters, like the Amphitheater of ancient Rome like this day, contained more than ten thousand people. Special Pavilion is located Nicholas I with his family. In another, Messengers of Austria, England, France, ministers authorized in cases constituting a foreign diplomatic corps. Then special places for the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Arts, University professors, for foreigners, people close to art arriving from Italy, Germany to attend this ceremony. " .

Rise column. Lithography Bishbua in Figure O. Monferran. 1836

For the next two years, the finalization of the monument was made: polishing the trunk, the clarification of the entazis, the installation of bronze jewelry on the pedestal and the figures of an angel, which by the plan of the architect should have completed the column. Creating sketches and the manufacture of preliminary models was charged with sculptors S. I. Galberg, I. Leppe and B. I. Orlovsky. Academician B. I. Orlovsky, despite the difficult conditions of work, caused by the unceremonious intervention of Nicholas I, drove in clay for eight months and cast in the gypsum figure of angel into the design magnitude. However, the question of the sizes of the foundation under the figure of the angel was discussed in detail in the construction commission. Opinions were made to reduce its magnitude. Member of the commission Prince G. Gagarin considered: "If the Colon, erected in honor of Alexander I, should be crowned with his image, then it is necessary that this final part triumphane over the whole monument, but since it is a symbolic image, then ... this The emblem should look as simple as possible, and in this case, all the requirements of art should be directed mainly to showing anything with nothing comparable boulders of granite and its beautiful pedestal. "

The design of the granite pedestal and forests with a stone base for setting the column. Lithograph Ru in Figure O. Monferran. 1836

Aleksandrovskaya Column, Admiralteyskaya and Isaac Square. Litography Arna and Bayo in the drawing of Monferran. 1836

Angel with a cross. Sculptor B. I. Orlovsky

Bas-relief on the podium of the column. Artist D. Scotti, Sculptors P. Children and I. Leppe. Photo 1920 is published for the first time

Alexander Column

As a result of thorough discussion and voting, members of the Commission came to the decision that the pedestal and the hemisphere should be reduced, the angel figure does not increase and abandon the gilding. This solution is logically substantiated and reveals the artistic idea of \u200b\u200bthe monument as a monument to the heroic feat of the people in the Patriotic War of 1812

For forty years of life in Russia, Monferrane was creatively survived two historical epochs, being a contemporary and performer of the will of two Russian emperors - Alexander I and Nikolai I. In the artistic style, these are three stages of the development of Russian classicism: early, mature and late and the beginning of eclectics, which could not Do not affect its work on two monuments, so as similar to one another. Aleksandrovskaya Column - Monument to Alexander I. Designing him, Monferrane retreated from the traditional crowd of the column by the statue of the emperor and completed it an allegorical group depicting an angel with a cross and a snake arguing in front of him. This is a generalized and deep-content image, although the monument does not contain a single image, even in the bas-reliefs associated directly with the episodes of the Patriotic War or the Acts of the Emperor, with the exception of the victory figures and the world-in-making dates of the historical victories of Russian weapons.

Alexandrovsk Column through the Gold Gate of the Winter Palace

Monferran constantly reminded that the Alexandrovsk column is like a column of Trajan. Noting the similarity, at the same time he saw the difference, which from his point of view was that the Alexandrovsky column, unlike the column of the trayan, is deprived of a solid ribbon of bas-reliefs dedicated to the events of the war. However, it is rather an external sign. The difference has much more deep character.

Angel's figure with a cross, crowned by an Alexander column, is symbolic. It is made plasticly consolidated, without excessive parts, and merge together with a foot and a pedestal, which is granted different from the rod column processing. On four bas-reliefs of the pedestal are the symbolic images of the Neman and Vistula rivers, with whom the events of the Patriotic War of 1812, as well as the victory, peace, wisdom, justice, mercy, and abundance surrounded by the ancient Military characters and Russian combat armor.

The compositions of the bas-reliefs are drawn by Monferran. He perfectly relieved the scale of these compositions with the monumental shapes of the column. The bas-reliefs were performed in the design magnitude by the artist D.-B. Scotty. The models did the sculptors of P. Leads and I. Leppe, ornamental decorations Sculptor E. Balin, and bronze castings were performed at the Berdy plant (now Admiraltei).

If you continue to compare the alexandrovsk column from the Triatan column, then it should be noted that the latter in the period of creation was crowned with the figure of the bronze eagle - the symbol of the imperial power, and only after the death of Trian - the sculptural image of the emperor (the statue of the Apostle Paul was installed in the Middle Ages). Thus, the initial symbolic content of this monument was expressed more definitely, and this is rather relative to both monuments than they disconnect, although other characteristic features indicate their difference.

The Alexandrovsk column was created from another material, which has a different color and other surface structure, other proportions and outlines of the contour of the barrel and even a different composition. Unlike the column of Trajan, Monferrane put the column pedestal on the ruined stilobate and a small speed terrace. From this, the construction only won in terms of monumentality, for the antique pre-preparation, the transition from the horizontal base to the vertical column seems not enough smooth. All this allowed Monferran to create no similarity and not imitation, but an independent monument, the excellent qualities of which do not prevent however, to see the inimitable features of the ancient original.

The solemn opening of the monument took place exactly two years after installing the column on the pedestal - August 30, 1834, the memories of this event of the poet V. A. Zhukovsky was preserved: "And no pen can describe the greatness of the minute when three cannon shots suddenly from all Streets, as if from the Earth, born, slender grudges, with a drum thunder, the columns of the Russian troops went under the sounds of the Parisian march ... The ceremonial march began: the Russian army passed by the Alexander Column; For two hours, this magnificence continued, the only spectacle in the world ... Introve the noisy crowds on the streets of the illuminated city long, finally the lighting of the street, the magnificent colossus with his clocks remained on the deserted square.

The column fell in harmoniously in the Palace Square ensemble and became inseparable from the arch of the General Staff. Montferrer placed it not in the geometric center of the square, but on the axis arch of the main headquarters and the central passage of the Winter Palace. A certain dominant relationship between the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Admiralty Tower and the vertical of the column arose with the installation of the Alexandrovsk column. There was an opportunity to consider them together as the volume and spatial structure of the entire architectural ensemble of the central square of the city. The city-planning talent of Monferran manifested itself in the fact that he managed to make close on the scale and topics to connect the two of his creations - St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Alexander column, which are completely different in absolute sizes and mass - with the main town-planning accent of the city - the Admiralty Tower.

The column is visible in the perspective of four streets overlooking the Palace Square, and its architectural perception varies depending on the place of view. The most interesting is the well-known perspective, which opens from the Nevsky Prospect on the street of Herzen to the arch of the General Staff and then to the Square itself, the composite center of which is the arch.

Alexandrovsk Column (Alexandrian Pillars)

This is not only the world-famous symbol of St. Petersburg, but the highest in the world (its total height is 47.5 m) free-standing triumphal column. That is, the column, cut down from a monolithic piece of granite, is not fixed, - it is held on the pedestal solely under its own weight, which is over 600 tons.

The foundation of the monument was built of stone granite blocks of half-meter thickness. It was removed to the horizon of the area of \u200b\u200baqueous masonry. The Bronze Basket with coins was laid in his center, mined in honor of the victory of 1812.

The Aleksandrovsk column of the architect Henri Louis Auguste Ricar de Monferrand, a native of France, whom August Augustov was called in Russia. The epoch-worked at the turn, Monferran determined the paths of further development of Russian architecture - from classicism to eclectics.

We installed the finished column on the square in front of the Winter Palace in 1832 two thousand soldiers. At the same time, manual work and ropes were used.

After the "Alexandrian pillar" rose to the pedestal, the Thunder "Hurray!" Was swept along the square, and the sovereign, contacting the architect, said: "Monferrane, you kind of immortalized."

Within the next two years, the refinement of the monument.

The column was completed by an allegorical figure of an angel, which the cross tramples the snake. Its light shape, flowing folds, strict vertical cross emphasize the harness of the column. Author statue Sculptor Boris Ivanovich Orlovsky.

And so what is interesting - a monument on the Palace Square, initially dedicated to the victory of Russia over Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812, began to be almost immediately perceived as a monument to the foundation of the Russian state. This happened, among other things, thanks to the pedestal.

Alexander Column

The pedestal of the monument is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs with the image of allegorical figures and military armor.

On three bas-reliefs of the allegory of the world, justice, wisdom, abundance and images of military armor. The armor is reminded of the combat glory of the Russian people and the era of Rurikovich and the era of the Romanovs. Here the shield of the thing Oleg, who he nailed to the goal of Tsargrad-Konstantinople, helmet of the hero of the ice travel, the prince Alexander Nevsky, and the helmet of the conqueror of Siberia Ermak, the armor of King Alexei Mikhailovich Romanova.

The pedestal ends with bronze garlands that support double-headed eagles.

The base of the column is decorated in the form of a laurel wreath. After all, it is a wreath on tradition walked winners.

On the bas-relief facing in the direction of the Winter Palace, two figures are symmetrically placed - women and old man. They personify the rivers - Vistula and Neman. These two rivers were forced by the Russian army during the persecution of Napoleon.

On August 30, 1834, a solemn opening of the Alexander Column was held on the Palace Square in St. Petersburg. August 30 was not chosen by chance. This day since Peter I was celebrated as the Day of St. Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky - Heavenly Defender of St. Petersburg. On this day, Peter I concluded the "Eternal World with Sweden", on this day the relics of Alexander Nevsky from Vladimir were transferred to St. Petersburg. That is why an angel, crowded by the Alexander Column, has always been perceived primarily as a defender.

The memories of this event of the poet Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky was preserved: "No pen can describe the moments of that minute, when three cannon shoots suddenly from all the streets, as if from the ground, slender grudges, with a drum thunder, the columns of the Russian troops went under the sounds of the Parisian march ... two hours continued by this magnificence, the only spectacle in the world. Intrumber long on the streets of the illuminated city roamed the noisy crowds, finally, the lighting was faded, the streets were empty, the majestic colossus with his watch remained on a deserted area. "

By the way, then the legend has arisen that this one-hour angel, the crown of the column, has a portrait similarity with Emperor Alexander I. and it did not happen by chance. Orlovsky's sculptor had to redo the Angel sculptor, before she liked Nicholas I. According to Orlovsky, the emperor wanted to face the angel to give similarity to Alexander I, and the head of the snake, the head of the Angel's head, was to be sure to resemble Napoleon's face.

Imitation with his grandmother, Catherine II, stressed on the pedestal of the copper rider "Peter I - Ekaterina II", and the father who wrote on the Monument of Peter I in the Mikhailovsky Castle "Graduda - Little", Nikolai Pavlovich in official papers called the new monument "Pole Nicholas I - Alexander I. By the way, it was the monument to Peter I at Mikhailovsky Castle, made in Elizabeth Petrovna, once planned to be installed in the center of Palace Square.

According to legend, Petersburgers after the opening of the column were very afraid that she would fall and tried not to approach her. And, they say, then Architect Monferran took the rule every morning to walk along with his beloved dog right under the pillar, which did almost until the very death.

But still a monument to the townspeople loved. And, of course, around the pillar, as one of the symbols of the city, has become its mythology. And, of course, the monument began to be perceived as a natural dominant of the main square of the city and the symbol of the entire Russian Empire.

And an angel, crowded by Alexander column, was for the citizens primarily by a defender and guard. Angel as if guarded and blessed the city and its inhabitants.

But it was the angel, the guardian angel and caused more than amazing events that unfolded around the Alexander Column. These are little-known pages. So, only the case saved a monument in 1917. Here, on Palace Square, they wanted to establish the main graveyard of the country. A column, as a monument to Tsarizmu, to pour, and along the winter to arrange a number of memorial graves.

But it turned out that the 600-ton column is not so simple. From further projects of turning the main square of the city and the empire in the cemetery saved the Government's move to Moscow in the spring of 1918. The idea of \u200b\u200bcreation failed in Petrograd was implemented on the Red Square of the first-hearth, the Kremlin Wall.

But the most incredible events unfolded in 1924 after the death of Lenin.

On November 11, 1924, the Leningrad authorities decide on the reorganization of the so-called Alexander Column, built by architect Montferran and standing in the middle of the Uritsky Square, and the waters on it instead of the Angel's figures with the cross of the statue of the Grand Chief of the proletariat of Tov. Lenin ... ". Uritsky Square is renamed palace. Only the People's Commissar of Enlightenment A.V. Lunacharsky managed to convincingly prove the absurdity of the idea of \u200b\u200bLenin's waters to Alexander column by the authorities.

Angel remained standing on the largest in the world (among this kind of monuments) "Alexandrian Pillar", as the column A.S. Pushkin. The last time he was attempted in 1952. There was a series of mass Stalin's renaming: the Stalinsky district appeared in the city, Moscow Prospect became Stalin. On this wave there was an idea to establish us a column Bust Joseph Stalin. But - did not have time.

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