Monument to Cherepanov, Nizhny Tagil: description, history and interesting facts

– это самый известный монумент Нижнего Тагила. Monument Cherepanov, Russian engineers, inventors, builders of the first locomotive in Russia, is the most famous monument of Nizhny Tagil. It was erected in the central square by the decision of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR (August 22, 1945). And the very opening took place on November 4, 1956. The monument cost the city 251 thousand "old" rubles. In this article we will consider some facts about the monument to Cherepanov (Nizhny Tagil).

Idea of the author

The work on the creation of the monument was entrusted to the sculptor AS Kondratiev. He began by studying the life and life of the Cherepanovs. Soon the author formed the basic concept of the monument. The sitting figure in the person of Father EA Cherepanov personified the power of Russian antiquity, which comes from the very ground. In the hands of Yefim Alexemovich there is a scroll, and his face is turned towards his son. Thus, he throws a call to the younger generation for the final solution of the technical problem that has arisen. And the standing figure of the son - Myron Efimovich - expresses strength of mind, perseverance, calmness and confidence. It is understandable that he will solve the problem that has appeared. This, according to Kondratiev, should be seen by people who look at the monument to Cherepanov (Nizhny Tagil).

Inconsistency of reality

Here it is worth noting that the author of the sculpture, apparently, was full of romanticism and did not fully understand the biography of the heroes of his monument. If he did, the monument to Cherepanov would have turned out quite different. According to Lyubimov (the manager of the house of paravozostroiteley), Yefim Alekseevich was only considered literate. In fact, he had not even learned to read properly by the age of thirty. The only book he sowed was the Psalter. Also, Cherepanov the elder did not know how to write. The maximum that he was able to do was to sign in the statements.

Subsequently, the number of books he read increased. But, according to the testimony of contemporaries, he did it with great reluctance. Translations and writing of texts was carried out by his son Myron, and by drawings - by a nephew named Ammos. So in the sculptured scene, Yefim Alekseyevich, most likely, asks his son to read him a scroll.

The Two Yids

This is how the monument to Cherepanov was nicknamed by the people after its opening. The thing is that on the solemn day the first snow fell, decorating the heads of the son and father with white skull caps. But then the Tagilchans liked the monument of the pioneers of locomotive building, and they began to call the monument simply - "Cherepanovs" or "Skulls".

There are two interesting facts connected with the construction. Over time, they turned into urban legends.

Fact one: faces

Young people are unlikely to notice this feature. But the representatives of the older generation with a close examination of the monument appear vague guesses: somewhere they have already seen these faces. At least twice a year.

To understand why this happens, it is necessary to turn to history. In those far-off times the members of the Union of Artists earned mainly sculptures and busts of cult figures. Of course, the main of them were theorists of scientific communism - Engels, Marx and Lenin. In this regard, the sculptor Kondratiev, who created the monument to Cherepanov, was no exception. Either he decided not to bother with work on portraits of his son and father, or the routine imposed a certain imprint, but Miron is very similar to Marx, and his father - to Engels.

The second fact: the legend of the circulation

This story is about a drawing tool that was supposed to be in Miron Efimovich's hand. By the way, the monument to Cherepanov (Nizhny Tagil) is connected with a historical thread with another famous construction - a monument in honor of NN Demidov. And unites them nothing more than a pair of compasses.

It all began in 1830, when the sons of Demidov decided to build a monument to him. Seven years later their order was ready. The monument was installed in 1837 next to the unfinished Vyisko-Nikolskaya church. There was the tomb of Demidovs. After a while, Nizhny Tagil visited Alexander II and ordered that the monument be moved to the main square.

The monument was impressive. On the marble pedestal were two figures: dressed in the court caftan Demidov stretched out his hand to the kneeling woman in the ancient Greek costume and crown. Below the central pair in the corners were four bronze groups depicting different periods of the industrialist's life: a pupil, an enlightener, a protector and patron.

A few years later the clerk Belov discovered the theft of some elements of the monument. From the sculpture group, where Demidov was portrayed as a disciple, the compasses and the book disappeared. The clerk informed the owners, and the factory quickly restored the necessary items. But two months later the story repeated itself. Belov frightened out with rumors that there were Masons in the village. Who else could have stolen the book and the compasses so brazenly from the monument in front of the watchmen of the dam, the temple and the factory administration? Only Masons ...

To prevent further looting of the monument, the manager ordered all small parts to be wrung from the structure, and then handed them to the warehouse by inventory. In 1891, a mining museum was opened, and all the elements from the Demidov Monument were transferred to its exposition. As a result, to this day only the sign of Mercury has reached. Well, the building itself was waiting for an unenviable fate. In 1919, after the end of the revolution, the Demidov's monument, together with four allegories, was sent to Moscow for melting.

History repeats itself

In 1956 a monument to Cherepanov (Nizhny Tagil) was opened, the description of which is presented above. According to the draft, Miron Efimovich's hand could not be cast along with the compass. Therefore, this drawing tool was done separately, and then attached with a bolt. In the photographs of the monument on the opening day and ten days after the compass was in his hand. But two weeks later mysteriously disappeared. Is it really the Masons who took part in this?

The city authorities asked the manufacturers to make a few more circulations. But within 2-3 years and this stock was used. Gorispolkom order podnadoela mania of citizens, about the compasses decided to forget. So the monument and stood without this drawing tool right up to our days.

In the middle of the zero Nikolay Didenko (mayor) decided to restore the monument to Cherepanov (Nizhny Tagil), whose history is known to almost every resident of the city. Knowing the cravings of fellow countrymen to the bronze circus, he ordered as many as five of them. But after the restoration, the monument was put in place, shot a story for the news and twisted the drawing tool, deciding not to tempt the lovers of non-ferrous metals. As a result, Miron Efimovich remained without a compass. Most residents did not know anything about the drawing tool, so this subject became a category of urban legends.