Monument to Yermak - conqueror of Siberia: history, interesting facts

An interesting story is connected with the monument to the conqueror of Siberia, Cossack ataman Ermak, erected in the city of Novocherkassk. This monument of the Russian national hero belongs to the objects of the national cultural heritage. Surprisingly, this long-standing sculptural work has been preserved intact and has long been a visiting card of the Don Cossack Region, Siberia and the whole of Russia.

Monument to Ermak: Novocherkassk

The photo, posted in the article, gives an idea of the manly appearance of this great man. It all began in 1870 with a solemn event, which was celebrated in the city of Novocherkassk - the 300th anniversary of the troops of the Don Cossacks. Through the chief of staff of Major-General Leonov, all the Cossacks turned to the Tsar's heir, Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich, the August Ataman of the Cossack troops who had come to the celebration, to help put a monument to their heroic countryman, Yermak Timofeevich (a native of Kachalinskaya stanitsa on the Don) in the capital of the Don Cossacks.

A subscription was announced to raise funds for the monument, which dragged on for many years. This was hampered by wars, in which Russia was continually drawn in. In a quarter-odd century, an amount of 100,000 rubles was raised. The main donations were granted by the Cossacks of the Urals and Siberia. The rest, which amounted to 40,000 rubles, the Cossack Host Government borrowed from its treasury.

Start

When the money was collected, the question arose about the image of the glorious ataman Ermak on the monument to Novocherkassk's main square. On this occasion, in 1889, a whole commission was created, which consisted of the patron of W. Wagner, the head of the mountain and salt part of the Don Army, the city engineer B. Krasnov, the publisher of the newspaper "Donskoy Vestnik" A. Karasev, etc. In Russia A contest for the best monument was announced among the most famous sculptors, and afterwards several projects were considered.

The sculptor M. Antokolsky (creator of the monument to Peter I in Taganrog in 1903) was the first to develop the monument to Ermak, but in 1891 he was not approved. The project of the St. Petersburg sculptor M. O. Mikeshin (who created the famous monument "Millennium of Russia" in Novgorod in 1862) was not accepted, but he, taking into account all the comments, proposed another version of the monument, and in 1896 it was approved, but The sculptor died.

Monument to Ermak in Novocherkassk: description

Now the commission was looking for someone who, according to the project of Mikeshin, would undertake to create a monument. Spent several years and found the rector of the Russian Higher Art School of the Academy of Fine Arts VA Beklemishev. Thus, the work began.

On the birthday of Emperor Nicholas II May 6, 1903 in the square held a ceremonial masonry. A granite pedestal was ordered to Italian master S. Tonitto. First, the pit was excavated, then a foundation was built, the base was concreted, 8 steel chains of 4.2 meters each were manufactured at the Novocherkassk plant. In St. Petersburg, according to the plaster model of VA Beklemishev, Moran poured a bronze statue weighing 5 tons. The total height of the monument was 14 meters 92 cm, weight - 1,600 tons.

Opening

The following year, again on the birthday of Emperor Nicholas II - May 6, 1904, the opening ceremony took place. At noon the bells rang, the square was filled with Cossack troops, pupils of gymnasiums, cadets, cadets and citizens. From the Ascension Cathedral passed the procession with the cathedral shrines.

Ataman of the Cossack army KK Maksimovich dropped the veil from the monument and, finally, all present saw a mighty and majestic statue of Ermak, who in one hand had a battle flag, and in another - a crown symbolizing the conquered Siberia. Archbishop of Don and Novocherkassk Athanasius consecrated the monument. Then there was a parade, distribution of postcards and brochures describing the deeds by which the brave ataman Ermak, who died in the waves of the Irtysh River on August 5, 1584, became famous.

Bronze witness

Since then, the monument to Ermak has become a silent witness of many historical events that took place on the main Novocherkassk square near the Ascension Cathedral, including the visits of kings, presidents, patriarchs, people's leaders, etc.

In the first year of construction from this square the Cossacks left for the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Then a year later rallies were held in support of democratic freedoms (the Tsarist Manifesto of October 17, 1905). Then - the First Russian Revolution (1905-1907 gg.) And its victims among the Don Cossacks, who were singing in the square. Further, the First World War and mass mobilization, the February Revolution and meetings of representatives of the Provisional Government, the oath of the military general AM Kaledin, his election as ataman and the October Revolution of 1917. To these events, you can add and the constant transition of Novocherkassk to the "white", then the "red", until the power in their hands did not take General Vsevelikogo Donskoy PN Krasnov.

Preservation of the local shrine

However, there were attempts to throw off the monument to the "Ermaku-bourgeois". In 1918, they wanted to make it a machine, in 1938 - a tractor, but for technical reasons it was not possible to accomplish this. And in 1942 the Nazis during the occupation of Novocherkassk, with the same goal, drove up to the monument three tractors with winches, but left the locals and the Cossacks who summoned the commandant and explained that Ermak was not a red Cossack or Bolshevik, but a local shrine and the hero of the Don . Then the German officer gave the order to remove tractors, and this once again saved the monument to Ermak from the destruction. All not indifferent inhabitants of the city of Novocherkassk and the Cossacks in the hardest times tried not to forget their heroes.

In 2001, all necessary restoration work was carried out. May 6, 2004 the city solemnly celebrated the 100th anniversary of the monument. Today it has been more than a hundred years, but the monument to Ermak stands and will rise, while there is a city, and in its history it is inscribed forever.