Alexander Column (Alexandrian Pillar). Alexandria Column: history, construction features, interesting facts and legends Alexandria Column

St. Petersburg, Palace Square, metro: Nevsky Prospekt, Gostiny Dvor.

The Alexandria Pillar was erected on August 30, 1834 in the center of Palace Square in St. Petersburg by the architect Auguste Richard Montfern by order of Emperor Nicholas I in memory of the victory of his elder brother, Emperor Alexander I, over Napoleon.

Montferand's original project to create a granite obelisk was rejected by Nicholas, and, as a result, Montferand created the monument, which is a huge column of pink granite standing on a square pedestal.

The column is crowned with a sculpture by Orlovsky, depicting a gilded angel with the facial features of Emperor Alexander I. The angel holds a cross in his left hand, and raises his right hand to the sky.

The height of the Pillar together with the statue is 47.5 m (it is taller than all similar monuments in the world: the Vendome Column in Paris, Trajan's Column in Rome and Pompey's Column in Alexandria). The diameter of the Pillar is 3.66 m.

The pedestal of the column is decorated on four sides with bronze bas-reliefs with ornaments of military armor, as well as allegorical images of the victories of Russian weapons. Individual bas-reliefs depict ancient Russian chain mail, cones and shields, stored in the Armory Chamber in Moscow, as well as the helmets of Alexander Nevsky and Ermak.

The granite monolith, which served as the basis for the creation of the column, was mined in one of the quarries near Vyborg and transported in 1832 on a barge specially designed for this purpose to St. Petersburg, where it was further processed.

To install the column vertically in the square, 2,000 soldiers and 400 workers were recruited. They installed it on the pedestal in just 1 hour and 45 minutes. 1,250 pine piles were driven under the base of the column.

The Pillar of Alexandria is a marvel of engineering - for more than 150 years it has stood unsecured, held upright solely by its own weight of 600 tons.

In the first years after its construction, St. Petersburg residents experienced some fears - what if the column would one day fall. In order to dissuade them, Montferand made himself the habit of starting every day with a walk under the column, and did it almost until his death.

The column is clearly visible through the arch of the General Staff building from Herzen Street and from the embankment of the Moika River.

In 1841, cracks appeared on the column. By 1861 they had become so prominent that Alexander II established a committee to study them. The committee concluded that the cracks in the granite were present initially, but were sealed with mastic. In 1862, the cracks were repaired with Portland cement.

In 1925, it was decided that the presence of an angel figure on the main square of Leningrad was inappropriate. An attempt was made to cover it with a cap, which attracted a fairly large number of passers-by to Palace Square. A balloon hung above the column, but when it flew up to it at the required distance, the wind immediately blew and drove the balloon away. By evening, attempts to hide the angel stopped. A little later, a plan emerged to replace the angel with the figure of V.I. Lenin. However, this was not implemented either.

Arches of the General Staff, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.

The idea of ​​​​building the monument was proposed by the famous architect Carl Rossi. When planning the space of Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. An open competition was officially announced on behalf of Emperor Nicholas I in 1829 with the wording in memory of the “unforgettable brother”. Auguste Montferrand responded to this challenge with a project to erect a grandiose granite obelisk, but this option was rejected by the emperor.

In honor of the 175th anniversary of the installation of the Alexander Column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg, a solemn ceremony was held, and the Day of the Alexander Column was established in the Hermitage.

On September 25, 2009, the Bank of Russia issued a commemorative coin with a face value of 25 rubles dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. The coin is made of 925 silver, with a circulation of 1000 copies and weighing 169.00 grams.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Alexandria Pillar (Alexandrovsky, Alexandrinsky) - a monument to Alexander I, the winner of Napoleon in the war of 1812-1814. The column, designed by Auguste Montferrand, was installed on August 30, 1834. It is crowned with the figure of an Angel, made by the sculptor Boris Ivanovich Orlovsky.

A The lexandrine pillar is not only an architectural masterpiece in the Empire style, but also an outstanding achievement of engineering. The tallest column in the world, made of monolithic granite. Its weight is 704 tons. The height of the monument is 47.5 meters, the granite monolith is 25.88 meters. It is taller than Pompey's Column in Alexandria, Trajan's Column in Rome and, what is especially nice, the Vendôme Column in Paris - a monument to Napoleon.

Let's start with a brief history of its creation

The idea of ​​​​building the monument was proposed by the famous architect Carl Rossi. When planning the space of Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. From the side, the installation point of the column looks like the exact center of Palace Square. But in fact, it is located 100 meters from the Winter Palace and almost 140 meters from the arch of the General Staff building.

The construction of the monument was entrusted to Montferrand. He himself saw it a little differently, with a group of cavalry below and with many architectural details, but he was corrected)))

For the granite monolith - the main part of the column - the rock that the sculptor outlined during his previous trips to Finland was used. Mining and preliminary processing were carried out in 1830-1832 in the Pyuterlak quarry, which was located in the Vyborg province (the modern city of Pyterlahti, Finland).

These works were carried out according to the method of S.K. Sukhanov, the production was supervised by masters S.V. Kolodkin and V.A. Yakovlev. It took half a year to trim the monolith. 250 people worked on this every day. Montferrand appointed mason master Eugene Pascal to lead the work.

After the stonemasons examined the rock and confirmed the suitability of the material, a prism was cut off from it, which was significantly larger in size than the future column. Giant devices were used: huge levers and gates to move the block from its place and tip it onto a soft and elastic bedding of spruce branches.

After separating the workpiece, huge stones were cut from the same rock for the foundation of the monument, the largest of which weighed about 25 thousand poods (more than 400 tons). Their delivery to St. Petersburg was carried out by water, for this purpose a barge of a special design was used.

The monolith was duped on site and prepared for transportation. Transportation issues were dealt with by naval engineer Colonel K.A. Glazyrin, who designed and built a special boat, named “Saint Nicholas”, with a carrying capacity of up to 65 thousand poods (almost 1065 tons).

During loading, an accident occurred - the weight of the column could not be supported by the beams along which it was supposed to roll onto the ship, and it almost collapsed into the water. The monolith was loaded by 600 soldiers, who completed a forced march of 36 miles from a neighboring fortress in four hours.

To carry out loading operations, a special pier was built. Loading was carried out from a wooden platform at its end, which coincided in height with the side of the ship.

Having overcome all difficulties, the column was loaded on board, and the monolith went to Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamships, from there to go to the Palace Embankment of St. Petersburg.

The arrival of the central part of the column in St. Petersburg took place on July 1, 1832. The contractor, merchant son V. A. Yakovlev, was responsible for all of the above work.

Since 1829, work began on the preparation and construction of the foundation and pedestal of the column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg. The work was supervised by O. Montferrand.

First, a geological survey of the area was carried out, which resulted in the discovery of a suitable sandy continent near the center of the area at a depth of 17 feet (5.2 m).

The contract for the construction of the foundation was given to the merchant Vasily Yakovlev. By the end of 1829, the workers managed to dig a foundation pit. While strengthening the foundation for the Alexander Column, workers came across piles that had strengthened the ground back in the 1760s. It turned out that Montferrand repeated, after Rastrelli, the decision about the location for the monument, landing on the same point!

In December 1829, the location for the column was approved, and 1,250 six-meter pine piles were driven under the base. Then the piles were cut to fit the spirit level, forming a platform for the foundation, according to the original method: the bottom of the pit was filled with water, and the piles were cut to the level of the water table, which ensured that the site was horizontal. Previously, using a similar technology, the foundation of St. Isaac's Cathedral was laid.

The foundation of the monument was built from stone granite blocks half a meter thick. It was extended to the horizon of the square using planked masonry. In its center was placed a bronze box with 0 105 coins minted in honor of the victory of 1812. A platinum medal minted according to Montferrand’s design with the image of the Alexander Column and the date “1830” was also placed there, as well as a mortgage plaque with the following text:

“In the summer of Christ 1831, the construction of a monument began, erected to Emperor Alexander by grateful Russia on a granite foundation laid on the 19th day of November 1830. In St. Petersburg, the construction of this monument was presided over by Count Yu. Litta. Volkonsky, A. Olenin, Count P. Kutaisov, I. Gladkov, L. Carbonier, A. Vasilchikov. The construction was carried out according to the drawings of the same architect Augustine de Montferand.

The work was completed in October 1830.

After laying the foundation, a huge four-hundred-ton monolith, brought from the Pyuterlak quarry, was erected on it, which serves as the base of the pedestal.

The engineering problem of installing such a large monolith was solved by O. Montferrand as follows: the monolith was rolled on rollers through an inclined plane onto a platform built close to the foundation. And the stone was dumped on a pile of sand, previously poured next to the platform.

“At the same time, the earth shook so much that eyewitnesses - passers-by who were in the square at that moment, felt something like an underground shock.” Then it was moved on rollers.

Later O. Montferrand recalled; “Since the work was carried out in winter, I ordered cement and vodka to be mixed and a tenth of soap added. Due to the fact that the stone initially sat incorrectly, it had to be moved several times, which was done with the help of only two capstans and with particular ease, of course , thanks to the soap that I ordered to be mixed into the solution..."

Album with drawings by Montferrand.

By July 1832, the monolith of the column was on its way, and the pedestal was already completed. It's time to begin the most difficult task - installing the column on the pedestal.

Based on the developments of Lieutenant General A. A. Betancourt for the installation of columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in December 1830, an original lifting system was designed. It included: scaffolding 22 fathoms (47 meters) high, 60 capstans and a system of blocks.

On August 30, 1832, masses of people gathered to watch this event: they occupied the entire square, and besides this, the windows and roof of the General Staff Building were occupied by spectators. The sovereign and the entire imperial family came to the raising.

To bring the column into a vertical position on Palace Square, it was necessary to attract the forces of 2,000 soldiers and 400 workers, who installed the monolith in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

After installation, people shouted "Hurray!" And the delighted emperor said: “Montferrand, you have immortalized yourself!”

The granite pillar and the bronze angel standing on it are held together solely by their own weight. If you come very close to the column and, raising your head, look up, it will take your breath away - the column is swaying.

After installing the column, all that remained was to attach the bas-relief slabs and decorative elements to the pedestal, as well as to complete the final processing and polishing of the column.

The column was surmounted by a bronze capital of the Doric order with a rectangular abacus made of brickwork with bronze facing. A bronze cylindrical pedestal with a hemispherical top was installed on it.

In parallel with the construction of the column, in September 1830, O. Montferrand worked on a statue intended to be placed above it and, according to the wishes of Nicholas I, facing the Winter Palace. In the original design, the column was completed with a cross entwined with a snake to decorate the fasteners. In addition, the sculptors of the Academy of Arts proposed several options for compositions of figures of angels and virtues with a cross. There was an option to install the figure of Saint Prince Alexander Nevsky, but the first option that was approved was a cross on a ball without an angel, in this form the column is even present in some old engravings..

But in the end, the figure of an angel with a cross was accepted for execution, made by the sculptor B.I. Orlovsky with expressive and understandable symbolism - “By this victory!”

Orlovsky had to redo the sculpture of the Angel several times before Nicholas I liked it. The Emperor wanted the Angel’s face to be given a resemblance to Alexander I, and the face of the snake trampled by the Angel’s cross must certainly resemble Napoleon’s face. If he does sweat, it is only remotely.

Initially, the Alexander Column was framed by a temporary wooden fence with lamps in the form of antique tripods and plaster lion masks. The carpentry work for the fence was carried out by the “carver” Vasily Zakharov. Instead of a temporary fence, at the end of 1834 it was decided to install a permanent metal one “with three-headed eagles under the lanterns,” the design of which was drawn up by Montferrand in advance.

Parade at the opening of the Alexander Column in 1834. From a painting by Ladurneur.

To accommodate the guests of honor, Montferrand built a special platform in front of the Winter Palace in the form of a three-span arch. It was decorated in such a way as to architecturally connect with the Winter Palace.

A parade of troops took place in front of the podium and the column.

It must be said that the monument, which now seems perfect, sometimes aroused criticism from contemporaries. Montferrand, for example, was reproached for allegedly using the marble intended for the column to build his own house, and using cheap granite for the monument. The figure of the Angel reminded the people of St. Petersburg of a sentry and inspired the poet to write the following mocking lines:

“In Russia everything breathes military craft:
And the Angel puts a cross on guard.”

But the rumor did not spare the emperor himself. Imitating his grandmother, Catherine II, who inscribed “Peter I - Catherine II” on the pedestal of the Bronze Horseman, Nikolai Pavlovich in official papers called the new monument “Pillar of Nicholas I to Alexander I,” which immediately gave birth to the pun: “Pillar of a pillar of a pillar.”

In honor of this event, a commemorative coin was minted in denominations of 1 ruble and one and a half rubles

The grandiose structure inspired admiration and awe in St. Petersburg residents from the moment of its foundation, but our ancestors were seriously afraid that the Alexander Column would collapse and tried to avoid it.

To dispel philistine fears, the architect Auguste Montferrand, fortunately living nearby, on the Moika, began to exercise daily around his brainchild, demonstrating complete confidence in his own safety and the correctness of his calculations. Years have passed, wars and revolutions have passed, the column still stands, the architect was not mistaken.

On December 15, 1889, an almost mystical story happened - Foreign Minister Lamsdorff reported in his diary that at nightfall, when the lanterns were lit, a luminous letter “N” appeared on the monument.

Rumors began to spread around St. Petersburg that this was an omen of a new reign in the new year, but the next day the count figured out the reasons for the phenomenon. The name of their manufacturer was etched on the glass of the lanterns: "Simens". When the lamps were working from the side of St. Isaac's Cathedral, this letter was reflected on the column.

There are many tales and legends associated with it)))

In 1925, it was decided that the presence of an angel figure on the main square of Leningrad was inappropriate. An attempt was made to cover it with a cap, which attracted a fairly large number of passers-by to Palace Square. A hot air balloon hung above the column. However, when he flew up to the required distance, the wind immediately blew and drove the ball away. By evening, attempts to hide the angel stopped.

There is a legend that at that time, instead of the angel, they seriously planned to erect a monument to Lenin. It would have looked something like this))) Lenin was not appointed because they could not decide in which direction to extend their hand to Ilyich...

The column is beautiful both in winter and summer. And it fits perfectly into Palace Square.

There is another interesting legend. This happened on April 12, 1961, after a solemn TASS message about the launch of the first manned spacecraft was heard on the radio. There is general rejoicing on the streets, real euphoria on a national scale!

The very next day after the flight, a laconic inscription appeared at the feet of the angel crowning the Alexandria Pillar: “Yuri Gagarin! Hurray!”

Which vandal was able to express his admiration for the first cosmonaut in this way and how he managed to climb to such a dizzying height will remain a mystery.

In the evening and at night the column is no less beautiful.

History of creation

This monument complemented the composition of the Arch of the General Staff, which was dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The idea of ​​​​building the monument was proposed by the famous architect Carl Rossi. When planning the space of Palace Square, he believed that a monument should be placed in the center of the square. However, he rejected the proposed idea of ​​​​installing another equestrian statue of Peter I.

An open competition was officially announced on behalf of Emperor Nicholas I in 1829 with the wording in memory of “ unforgettable brother" Auguste Montferrand responded to this challenge with a project to erect a grandiose granite obelisk, but this option was rejected by the emperor.

A sketch of that project has been preserved and is currently in the library. Montferrand proposed installing a huge granite obelisk 25.6 meters (84 feet or 12 fathoms) high on a granite plinth 8.22 meters (27 feet). The front side of the obelisk was supposed to be decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the events of the War of 1812 in photographs from the famous medallions by medalist Count F. P. Tolstoy.

On the pedestal it was planned to carry the inscription “To the Blessed One - Grateful Russia.” On the pedestal, the architect saw a rider on a horse trampling a snake with his feet; a double-headed eagle flies in front of the rider, followed by the goddess of victory, crowning him with laurels; the horse is led by two symbolic female figures.

The sketch of the project indicated that the obelisk was supposed to surpass all known monoliths in the world in its height (secretly highlighting the obelisk installed by D. Fontana in front of St. Peter's Basilica). The artistic part of the project is excellently executed using watercolor techniques and testifies to Montferrand’s high skill in various areas of fine art.

Trying to defend his project, the architect acted within the limits of subordination, dedicating his essay “ Plans et details du monument consacré à la mémoire de l’Empereur Alexandre“, but the idea was still rejected and Montferrand was explicitly pointed to the column as the desired form of the monument.

Final project

The second project, which was subsequently implemented, was to install a column higher than that of Vendôme (erected in honor of Napoleon's victories). Trajan's Column in Rome was suggested to Montferrand as a source of inspiration.

The narrow scope of the project did not allow the architect to escape the influence of world-famous examples, and his new work was only a slight modification of the ideas of his predecessors. The artist expressed his individuality by refusing to use additional decorations, like the bas-reliefs spiraling around the shaft of the ancient Trajan's Column. Montferrand showed the beauty of a giant polished pink granite monolith 25.6 meters (12 fathoms) high.

In addition, Montferrand made his monument taller than all existing monolithic columns. In this new form, on September 24, 1829, the project without sculptural completion was approved by the sovereign.

Construction took place from 1829 to 1834. Since 1831, Count Yu. P. Litta was appointed chairman of the “Commission on the Construction of St. Isaac’s Cathedral,” which was responsible for the installation of the column.

Preparatory work

After separating the workpiece, huge stones were cut from the same rock for the foundation of the monument, the largest of which weighed about 25 thousand poods (more than 400 tons). Their delivery to St. Petersburg was carried out by water, for this purpose a barge of a special design was used.

The monolith was duped on site and prepared for transportation. Transportation issues were handled by naval engineer Colonel K.A. Glazyrin, who designed and built a special boat, named “Saint Nicholas”, with a carrying capacity of up to 65 thousand poods (1100 tons). To carry out loading operations, a special pier was built. Loading was carried out from a wooden platform at its end, which coincided in height with the side of the ship.

Having overcome all difficulties, the column was loaded on board, and the monolith went to Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamships, from there to go to the Palace Embankment of St. Petersburg.

The arrival of the central part of the column in St. Petersburg took place on July 1, 1832. The contractor, merchant son V. A. Yakovlev, was responsible for all of the above work; further work was carried out on site under the leadership of O. Montferrand.

Yakovlev's business qualities, extraordinary intelligence and management were noted by Montferrand. Most likely he acted independently, " at your own expense» - taking on all financial and other risks associated with the project. This is indirectly confirmed by the words

Yakovlev's case is over; the upcoming difficult operations concern you; I hope you have as much success as he did

Nicholas I, to Auguste Montferrand regarding the prospects after unloading the column in St. Petersburg

Works in St. Petersburg

Since 1829, work began on the preparation and construction of the foundation and pedestal of the column on Palace Square in St. Petersburg. The work was supervised by O. Montferrand.

A geological survey of the area was first carried out and a suitable sandy continent was discovered near the center of the area at a depth of 17 feet (5.2 m). In December 1829, the location for the column was approved, and 1,250 six-meter pine piles were driven under the base. Then the piles were cut to fit the spirit level, forming a platform for the foundation, according to the original method: the bottom of the pit was filled with water, and the piles were cut to the level of the water table, which ensured that the site was horizontal.

The foundation of the monument was built from stone granite blocks half a meter thick. It was extended to the horizon of the square using planked masonry. In its center was placed a bronze box containing coins minted in honor of the victory of 1812.

The work was completed in October 1830.

Construction of the pedestal

After laying the foundation, a huge four-hundred-ton monolith, brought from the Pyuterlak quarry, was erected on it, which serves as the base of the pedestal.

The engineering problem of installing such a large monolith was solved by O. Montferrand as follows:

1. Installation of a monolith on the foundation
2. Precise installation of the monolith
   • The ropes, thrown over the blocks, were pulled into nine capstans and raised the stone to a height of about one meter.
   • They took out the rollers and added a layer of slippery solution, very unique in its composition, on which they planted the monolith.

Since the work was carried out in winter, I ordered cement and vodka to be mixed and a tenth of soap added. Due to the fact that the stone initially sat incorrectly, it had to be moved several times, which was done with the help of only two capstans and with particular ease, of course, thanks to the soap that I ordered to be mixed into the solution

O. Montferrand

Setting up the upper parts of the pedestal was a much simpler task - despite the greater height of the rise, subsequent steps consisted of stones of much smaller sizes than the previous ones, and besides, the workers gradually gained experience.

Column installation

Rising of the Alexander Column

As a result, the figure of an angel with a cross, made by sculptor B.I. Orlovsky with expressive and understandable symbolism, was accepted for execution - “ You'll win!" These words are associated with the story of finding the life-giving cross:

The finishing and polishing of the monument lasted two years.

Opening of the monument

The opening of the monument took place on August 30 (September 11) and marked the completion of work on the design of Palace Square. The ceremony was attended by the sovereign, the royal family, the diplomatic corps, a hundred thousand Russian troops and representatives of the Russian army. It was carried out in a distinctly Orthodox setting and was accompanied by a solemn service at the foot of the column, in which kneeling troops and the emperor himself took part.

This open-air service drew a parallel with the historical prayer service of Russian troops in Paris on the day of Orthodox Easter on March 29 (April 10).

It was impossible to look without deep emotional tenderness at the sovereign, humbly kneeling in front of this numerous army, moved by his word to the foot of the colossus he had built. He prayed for his brother, and everything at that moment spoke of the earthly glory of this sovereign brother: the monument bearing his name, and the kneeling Russian army, and the people among whom he lived, complacent, accessible to everyone.<…>How striking was at that moment the contrast between the greatness of life, magnificent, but fleeting, with the greatness of death, gloomy, but unchangeable; and how eloquent was this angel in view of both, who, unrelated to everything that surrounded him, stood between earth and heaven, belonging to the one with his monumental granite, depicting what no longer exists, and to the other with his radiant cross, a symbol of what always and forever

In honor of this event, a memorial ruble was issued in the same year with a circulation of 15 thousand.

Description of the monument

The Alexander Column is reminiscent of examples of triumphal buildings of antiquity; the monument has amazing clarity of proportions, laconism of form, and beauty of silhouette.

Text on the monument plaque:

Grateful Russia to Alexander I

It is the tallest monument in the world, made of solid granite, and the third tallest after the Column of the Grand Army in Boulogne-sur-Mer and Trafalgar (Nelson's Column) in London. It is taller than similar monuments in the world: Vendôme Column in Paris, Trajan's Column in Rome and Pompey's Column in Alexandria.

Characteristics

View from the south

• The total height of the structure is 47.5 m.
  • The height of the trunk (monolithic part) of the column is 25.6 m (12 fathoms).
  • Pedestal height 2.85 m (4 arshins),
  • The height of the angel figure is 4.26 m,
  • The height of the cross is 6.4 m (3 fathoms).
• The bottom diameter of the column is 3.5 m (12 ft), the top is 3.15 m (10 ft 6 in).
• The size of the pedestal is 6.3×6.3 m.
• The dimensions of the bas-reliefs are 5.24×3.1 m.
• Fence dimensions 16.5×16.5 m
• The total weight of the structure is 704 tons.
  • The weight of the stone column trunk is about 600 tons.
  • The total weight of the column top is about 37 tons.

The column itself stands on a granite base without any additional supports, only under the influence of its own gravity.

Pedestal

Column pedestal, front side (facing the Winter Palace). At the top is the All-Seeing Eye, in the circle of an oak wreath is the inscription of 1812, below it are laurel garlands, which are held in the paws of double-headed eagles.
On the bas-relief - two winged female figures hold a board with the inscription Grateful Russia to Alexander I, under them are the armor of Russian knights, on both sides of the armor are figures personifying the Vistula and Neman rivers

The pedestal of the column, decorated on four sides with bronze bas-reliefs, was cast at the C. Byrd factory in 1833-1834.

A large team of authors worked on the decoration of the pedestal: sketch drawings were made by O. Montferrand, based on them on cardboard the artists J.B. Scotti, V. Soloviev, Tverskoy, F. Brullo, Markov painted life-size bas-reliefs. Sculptors P.V. Svintsov and I. Leppe sculpted bas-reliefs for casting. Models of double-headed eagles were made by sculptor I. Leppe, models of the base, garlands and other decorations were made by sculptor-ornamentalist E. Balin.

The bas-reliefs on the pedestal of the column in an allegorical form glorify the victory of Russian weapons and symbolize the courage of the Russian army.

The bas-reliefs include images of Old Russian chain mail, cones and shields kept in the Armory Chamber in Moscow, including helmets attributed to Alexander Nevsky and Ermak, as well as the 17th-century armor of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and that, despite Montferrand's assertions, it is entirely doubtful the shield Oleg of the 10th century, nailed by him to the gates of Constantinople.

These ancient Russian images appeared on the work of the Frenchman Montferrand through the efforts of the then president of the Academy of Arts, a famous lover of Russian antiquity, A. N. Olenin.

In addition to armor and allegories, allegorical figures are depicted on the pedestal on the northern (front) side: winged female figures hold a rectangular board with the inscription in civil script: “Grateful Russia to Alexander the First.” Below the board is an exact copy of armor samples from the armory.

The symmetrically located figures on the sides of the weapons (on the left - a beautiful young woman leaning on an urn from which water is pouring out and on the right - an old Aquarius man) represent the Vistula and Neman rivers, which were crossed by the Russian army during the persecution of Napoleon.

Other bas-reliefs depict Victory and Glory, recording the dates of memorable battles, and, in addition, on the pedestal are depicted the allegories “Victory and Peace” (the years 1812, 1813 and 1814 are inscribed on the Victory shield), “Justice and Mercy”, “Wisdom and Abundance” "

At the upper corners of the pedestal there are double-headed eagles; they hold in their paws oak garlands lying on the ledge of the pedestal cornice. On the front side of the pedestal, above the garland, in the middle - in a circle bordered by an oak wreath, is the All-Seeing Eye with the signature “1812”.

All bas-reliefs depict weapons of a classical nature as decorative elements, which

...does not belong to modern Europe and cannot hurt the pride of any people.

Column and angel sculpture

Sculpture of an angel on a cylindrical pedestal

The stone column is a solid polished element made of pink granite. The column trunk has a conical shape.

The top of the column is crowned by a bronze capital of the Doric order. Its upper part - a rectangular abacus - is made of brickwork with bronze cladding. A bronze cylindrical pedestal with a hemispherical top is installed on it, inside which is enclosed the main supporting mass, consisting of multi-layer masonry: granite, brick and two more layers of granite at the base.

Not only is the column itself taller than the Vendôme Column, the figure of the angel surpasses in height the figure of Napoleon I on the Vendôme Column. In addition, an angel tramples a snake with a cross, which symbolizes the peace and tranquility that Russia brought to Europe, having won the victory over Napoleonic troops.

The sculptor gave the angel’s facial features a resemblance to the face of Alexander I. According to other sources, the figure of the angel is a sculptural portrait of the St. Petersburg poetess Elisaveta Kulman.

The light figure of an angel, the falling folds of clothing, the clearly defined vertical of the cross, continuing the vertical of the monument, emphasize the slenderness of the column.

Fence and surroundings of the monument

19th century color photolithograph, view from the east, showing a guard's box, fence and lantern candelabra

The Alexander Column was surrounded by a decorative bronze fence about 1.5 meters high, designed by Auguste Montferrand. The fence was decorated with 136 double-headed eagles and 12 captured cannons (4 in the corners and 2 framed by double gates on four sides of the fence), which were crowned with three-headed eagles.

Between them were placed alternating spears and banner poles, topped with guards double-headed eagles. There were locks on the gates of the fence in accordance with the author's plan.

In addition, the project included the installation of candelabra with copper lanterns and gas lighting.

The fence in its original form was installed in 1834, all elements were completely installed in 1836-1837. In the north-eastern corner of the fence there was a guard box, in which there was a disabled person dressed in a full guards uniform, who guarded the monument day and night and kept order in the square.

An end pavement was built throughout the entire space of Palace Square.

Stories and legends associated with the Alexander Column

Legends

• During the construction of the Alexander Column, there were rumors that this monolith turned out by chance in a row of columns for St. Isaac's Cathedral. Allegedly, having received a column longer than necessary, they decided to use this stone on Palace Square.
• The French envoy to the St. Petersburg court reports interesting information about this monument:

Regarding this column, one can recall the proposal made to Emperor Nicholas by the skillful French architect Montferrand, who was present at its cutting, transportation and installation, namely: he suggested that the emperor drill a spiral staircase inside this column and demanded for this only two workers: a man and a boy with a hammer, a chisel and a basket in which the boy would carry out fragments of granite as he drilled it out; finally, two lanterns to illuminate the workers in their difficult work. In 10 years, he argued, the worker and the boy (the latter, of course, would grow up a little) would have finished their spiral staircase; but the emperor, justifiably proud of the construction of this one-of-a-kind monument, feared, and perhaps with good reason, that this drilling would not pierce the outer sides of the column, and therefore refused this proposal.

Baron P. de Bourgoin, French envoy from 1828 to 1832

Addition and restoration work

Two years after the installation of the monument, in 1836, under the bronze top of the granite column, white-gray spots began to appear on the polished surface of the stone, spoiling the appearance of the monument.

In 1841, Nicholas I ordered an inspection of the defects then noticed on the column, but the conclusion of the examination stated that even during the processing process, the granite crystals partially crumbled in the form of small depressions, which are perceived as cracks.

In 1861, Alexander II established the “Committee for the Study of Damage to the Alexander Column,” which included scientists and architects. Scaffolding was erected for inspection, as a result of which the committee came to the conclusion that, indeed, there were cracks on the column, originally characteristic of the monolith, but fear was expressed that an increase in the number and size of them “could lead to the collapse of the column.”

There have been discussions about the materials that should be used to seal these caverns. The Russian “grandfather of chemistry” A. A. Voskresensky proposed a composition “which was supposed to impart a closing mass” and “thanks to which the crack in the Alexander Column was stopped and closed with complete success” ( D. I. Mendeleev).

For regular inspection of the column, four chains were secured to the abacus of the capital - fasteners for lifting the cradle; in addition, the craftsmen had to periodically “climb” the monument to clean the stone from stains, which was not an easy task, given the large height of the column.

The decorative lanterns near the column were made 40 years after the opening - in 1876 by the architect K. K. Rachau.

During the entire period from the moment of its discovery until the end of the 20th century, the column was subjected to restoration work five times, which was more of a cosmetic nature.

After the events of 1917, the space around the monument was changed, and on holidays the angel was covered with a red tarpaulin cap or camouflaged with balloons lowered from a hovering airship.

The fence was dismantled and melted down for cartridge cases in the 1930s.

The restoration was carried out in 1963 (foreman N.N. Reshetov, the head of the work was restorer I.G. Black).

In 1977, restoration work was carried out on Palace Square: historical lanterns were restored around the column, the asphalt surface was replaced with granite and diabase paving stones.

Engineering and restoration work of the early 21st century

Metal scaffolding around the column during the restoration period

At the end of the 20th century, after a certain time had passed since the previous restoration, the need for serious restoration work and, first of all, a detailed study of the monument began to be felt more and more acutely. The prologue to the start of work was the exploration of the column. They were forced to produce them on the recommendation of specialists from the Museum of Urban Sculpture. The experts were alarmed by large cracks at the top of the column, visible through binoculars. The inspection was carried out from helicopters and climbers, who in 1991, for the first time in the history of the St. Petersburg restoration school, landed a research “landing force” on the top of the column using a special fire hydrant “Magirus Deutz”.

Having secured themselves at the top, the climbers took photographs and videos of the sculpture. It was concluded that restoration work was urgently needed.

The Moscow association Hazer International Rus took over the financing of the restoration. The Intarsia company was chosen to carry out work worth 19.5 million rubles on the monument; this choice was made due to the presence in the organization of personnel with extensive experience working at such critical facilities. Work at the site was carried out by L. Kakabadze, K. Efimov, A. Poshekhonov, P. Portuguese. The work was supervised by first category restorer V. G. Sorin.

By the fall of 2002, scaffolding had been erected and conservators were conducting on-site research. Almost all the bronze elements of the pommel were in disrepair: everything was covered with a “wild patina”, “bronze disease” began to develop in fragments, the cylinder on which the figure of the angel rested was cracked and took on a barrel-shaped shape. The internal cavities of the monument were examined using a flexible three-meter endoscope. As a result, the restorers were also able to establish what the overall design of the monument looks like and determine the differences between the original project and its actual implementation.

One of the results of the study was the solution to the stains appearing in the upper part of the column: they turned out to be a product of the destruction of the brickwork, flowing out.

Carrying out work

Years of rainy St. Petersburg weather resulted in the following destruction of the monument:

• The brickwork of the abacus was completely destroyed; at the time of the study, the initial stage of its deformation was recorded.
• Inside the cylindrical pedestal of the angel, up to 3 tons of water accumulated, which got inside through dozens of cracks and holes in the sculpture’s shell. This water, seeping down into the pedestal and freezing in winter, tore the cylinder, giving it a barrel-shaped shape.

The restorers were given the following tasks:

1. Get rid of water:
   • Remove water from the cavities of the pommel;
   • Prevent future accumulation of water;
2. Restore the abacus support structure.

The work was carried out mainly in winter at high altitudes without dismantling the sculpture, both outside and inside the structure. Control over the work was carried out by both core and non-core structures, including the administration of St. Petersburg.

The restorers carried out work to create a drainage system for the monument: as a result, all the cavities of the monument were connected, and the cavity of the cross, about 15.5 meters high, was used as an “exhaust pipe”. The created drainage system provides for the removal of all moisture, including condensation.

The brick pommel weight in the abacus was replaced with granite, self-locking structures without binding agents. Thus, Montferrand's original plan was again realized. The bronze surfaces of the monument were protected by patination.

In addition, more than 50 fragments left over from the Siege of Leningrad were recovered from the monument.

The scaffolding from the monument was removed in March 2003.

Fence repair

... “jewelry work” was carried out and when recreating the fence “iconographic materials and old photographs were used.” “Palace Square has received the finishing touch.”

Vera Dementieva, Chairman of the Committee on State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments

The fence was made according to a project completed in 1993 by the Lenproektrestavratsiya Institute. The work was financed from the city budget, costs amounted to 14 million 700 thousand rubles. The historical fence of the monument was restored by specialists from Intarsia LLC. The installation of the fence began on November 18, the grand opening took place on January 24, 2004.

Soon after the discovery, part of the grating was stolen as a result of two “raids” by vandals - hunters for non-ferrous metals.

The theft could not be prevented, despite the 24-hour surveillance cameras on Palace Square: they did not record anything in the dark. To monitor the area at night, it is necessary to use special expensive cameras. The leadership of the St. Petersburg Central Internal Affairs Directorate decided to establish a 24-hour police post at the Alexander Column.

Roller around the column

At the end of March 2008, an examination of the condition of the column fence was carried out, and a defect sheet was compiled for all losses of elements. It recorded:

• 53 places of deformation,
• 83 lost parts,
  • Loss of 24 small eagles and one large eagle,
  • 31 partial loss of parts.

• 28 eagles
• 26 peak

The disappearance did not receive an explanation from St. Petersburg officials and was not commented on by the organizers of the skating rink.

The organizers of the skating rink have committed themselves to the city administration to restore the lost elements of the fence. Work was supposed to begin after the May holidays of 2008.

Mentions in art

Cover of the album “Love” by the rock band DDT

The column is also depicted on the cover of the album “Lemur of the Nine” by the St. Petersburg group “Refawn”.

Column in literature

• “The Pillar of Alexandria” is mentioned in the famous poem by A. S. Pushkin “”. Pushkin's Alexandria Pillar is a complex image; it contains not only a monument to Alexander I, but also an allusion to the obelisks of Alexandria and Horace. At the first publication, the name “Alexandrian” was replaced by V. A. Zhukovsky for fear of censorship with “Napoleons” (meaning the Vendôme Column).

In addition, contemporaries attributed the following couplet to Pushkin:

In Russia everything breathes military craft
And the angel puts a cross on guard

Commemorative coin

On September 25, 2009, the Bank of Russia issued a commemorative coin with a face value of 25 rubles dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. The coin is made of 925 silver, with a circulation of 1000 copies and weighing 169.00 grams. http://www.cbr.ru/bank-notes_coins/base_of_memorable_coins/coins1.asp?cat_num=5115-0052

Notes

1. On October 14, 2009, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation issued an order to secure the operational management of the Alexander Column
2. Alexander Column "Science and Life"
3. According to the St. Petersburg encyclopedia on spbin.ru, construction began in 1830
4. Yuri Epatko Knight of Malta against the background of the Alexander Column, St. Petersburg Gazette, No. 122(2512), July 7, 2001
5. According to the description in ESBE.
6. Architectural and artistic monuments of Leningrad. - L.: “Art”, 1982.
7. Less common, but more detailed description:

   1,440 guardsmen, 60 non-commissioned officers, 300 sailors with 15 non-commissioned officers of the guards crew and officers from the guards sappers were seconded

8. You'll win!
9. Alexander Column on skyhotels.ru
10. Auction page numizma.ru for the sale of a commemorative coin
11. Wolmar.ru auction page for the sale of a commemorative coin
12. After crossing the Vistula there was practically nothing left of Napoleonic troops
13. The crossing of the Neman was the expulsion of Napoleonic armies from Russian territory
14. In this remark is the tragedy of the violation of the national feeling of the Frenchman, who had to build a monument to the winner of his fatherland

The idea of ​​​​installing a triumphal column in St. Petersburg belongs to Montferrand himself. Back in 1814, presenting his album to Alexander I in Paris, he hoped to interest the emperor of the victorious power in the installation in Russia of a “triumphal column dedicated to Universal Peace,” and presented a design for this column, consisting of three parts: a base with a pedestal, the body of the column ( fusta) and the figure of Alexander I in ancient clothes crowning the column. I liked the idea, but Montferrand did not receive an order for its implementation and, as we know, for a whole decade, from 1818 to 1828, he was busy designing and building St. Isaac's Cathedral. Meanwhile, after the death of Alexander I, wishing to confirm the deeds of his predecessor, Nicholas I considered it necessary to create a monument on the square in front of the Winter Palace.

Montferrand, by that time appointed chief architect of St. Isaac's Cathedral, became the author of several other buildings. Having received the order for the design of the monument, Montferrand wrote: “Reflecting in advance on the place that was intended for it, it was easy for me to understand that a sculptural monument, whatever its proportions, could never be coordinated with the vast buildings surrounding it” [63] . Having abandoned the sculptural image, the architect began designing the monument, conceiving it in the form of a tetrahedral obelisk made of a single piece of granite, its proportions approaching the Egyptian obelisks of the Middle Kingdom (the obelisk of Senusret, the first third of the 2nd millennium BC). On its edges there should be bas-reliefs by the sculptor Fyodor Tolstoy depicting episodes of the War of 1812 were placed.

Here is how the architect himself justified the choice of the idea of ​​a memorial monument: “Monuments are always an open page where people can at all times draw knowledge about past events, be imbued with just pride at the sight of wonderful examples that were bequeathed to them by glorious ancestors... Citizens will love cities more enriched with monuments that will remind them of the glory of the Fatherland.”

Soon I had to abandon the idea of ​​​​installing an obelisk on Palace Square. The main reason was that it did not correspond to the character of the architecture of the square ensemble, which was formed in connection with the construction of the General Staff Building and acquired features of completeness, despite the different periods and stylistic heterogeneity of the buildings included in it.

Panorama of Palace Square

The esplanade of three squares: St. Isaac's, Admiralteyskaya and Dvortsovaya with the majestic buildings of the Winter Palace and the Admiralty, the expanses of the Neva and the bulk of St. Isaac's Cathedral required a vertical of a different nature for its balance. Montferrand finally became convinced that such a dominant column should be a column that would not exceed the height of the spire of the Admiralty and the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral, but was commensurate with Palace Square and was a necessary compositional element in the spatial structure of the architectural ensemble of the central squares of the city. The point was to create a monument that would adequately meet the goal of highlighting the center of Palace Square.

Contemplating the architectural, plastic solution of the monument, Montferrand, in search of possible prototypes, again turned to historical analogies. Now it is no longer ancient Egypt, but imperial Rome that has become a source of artistic inspiration. Of the three ancient triumphal columns - Antoninus and Trajan in Rome and Pompey in Alexandria - Trajan's Column attracted his attention. There was another example - the 43-meter-high Column of Glory, installed on the Place Vendôme in Paris in 1806–1810. designed by the architect J. Lemaire, who was strongly influenced by the artistic image of Trajan's Column. It was the tallest monument of its type at that time. In his design for the triumphal column, Montferrand decided to surpass this particular column in height.

Considering Trajan's Column an ​​unsurpassed example of perfection of form and internal harmony, he wrote: “Trajan's Column, this most beautiful example created by people of this kind, naturally presented itself to my mind, and I had to continue in the future, just as they did in In Rome in relation to the Antonine Column, and in Paris with the Napoleon Column, try to get as close as possible to the beautiful antique model” [63].

At the same time, Montferrand considered it unacceptable to completely repeat the ancient model; he wanted to give the column a specific character. “I replaced the spiral sculptures of this monument with a monolithic rod, 12 feet in diameter (3.66 m) and 84 feet high (25.56 m), carved from a granite block, which I noticed during frequent trips to Finland in the last 13 years "- wrote Montferrand. In addition, he was also guided by practical considerations: “A block of red granite, which has no flaws, is capable of obtaining the best polish, and is in no way inferior to the best granite of the East, is located in the Pueterlax quarry, near Friedrichsham, at the very place from which they were extracted 48 granite columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral" [63].

Having decided to leave the monument smooth, without relief compositions, Montferrand paid great attention to constructing the most accurate and correct shape of the column core. The ratio of the upper and lower diameters, the outline of the outer contour, the ratio of the base to the overall height - all this required the most careful study. But the most important question was the choice of the thinning curve of the column rod. To achieve the most perfect shape of the rod, all the major architects, starting with Vitruvius, proposed their own methods of thinning. The Renaissance architects Vignola and A. Palladio believed that at one third of its height the column has a cylindrical shape, then it becomes somewhat thicker, after which the trunk gradually thins. In each case, such constructions were made using calculations.

Montferrand used these calculations to construct the shape of the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral. When designing the Alexander Column, the architect took as a basis the pedestal and base of the Trojan column, taking the diameter of the base of the rod 12 feet (3.66 m), the height of the rod 84 feet (25.58 m), the diameter of the upper base of the rod 10 feet 6 inches (3.19 m). It turned out that the diameter of the column fit into its height 8 times. It follows that the ratio of the upper diameter to the lower one is 3.19: 3.66, i.e. equal to the ratio 8: 9.

Montferrand solved the most important task - thinning the column core - in his own way. He, unlike Vitruvius, Vignola and Palladio, believed that thinning should begin not from one third of the height, but from the very base, and supported this point of view with calculations made according to the method of the mathematician Lame. This calculation confirmed the correctness of the task posed by Montferrand and made it possible to create a beautiful smooth curved line of the outer contour of the column. Assessing its artistic effect, Lame wrote: “The sight of a towering column, elegantly and firmly built, evokes real pleasure mixed with surprise. A satisfied eye lovingly surveys the details and rests on the whole. The special reason for its effect is the fortunate choice of the meridian curve. The impression made by the appearance of a new structure depends as much on the viewer’s thoughts about its strength as on the elegance of its forms and proportions” [63].

Plan of a quarry in Pueterlax. Engraving by Schreiber based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

The barrel thinning curve constructed using the Montferrand method gives an amazingly smooth contour line, successfully combined with a perspective reduction. The method proposed by Montferrand for constructing a thinning curve fully meets the most stringent requirements that can be imposed on a free-standing column visible from all sides. This is his great merit.

Comparative heights of the columns of Alexander I, Napoleon, Trajan, Pompey and Antoninus. Lithograph by Müller based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

The project was approved on September 24, 1829, and Montferrand was appointed builder of the monument. The Academy of Arts, which had previously not recognized the architect, now paid tribute to him in the same meeting room where ten years earlier the discussion of Mauduit's note and Montferrand's responses took place. On September 29, 1831, the Academy Council, at the suggestion of President Olenin, awarded him the title of “honorary free associate.” This title was usually awarded to titled domestic persons or very famous, outstanding foreign artists.

Type of work in a quarry. Lithograph of Bichebois and Watteau based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

The history of the creation of the Alexander Column is outlined in an album published by Montferrand in 1836 entitled “Plan and details of a memorial monument dedicated to Emperor Alexander.” The entire process associated with the search for the desired monolith in the Puterlax quarry, with its delivery on a special ship to St. Petersburg, unloading and transportation to Palace Square, as well as the moment of the opening of the monument are set out in this work with all the details.

Fragment of scaffolding for lifting a column. Lithograph of Bichebois based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

Therefore, without dwelling in detail on the description of all the work, I would still like to note some interesting episodes that accompanied this unusual construction. When the column was already prepared for lifting, a ceremony took place to hand over the box of medals to Montferrand so that he could place it in a special recess in the center of the pedestal. The box contained coins and medals with the image of Alexander I. Among them is a platinum medal, made according to a drawing by Montferrand, with the image of the Alexander Column and the date “1830”. On the rim of the medal there is an inscription: “Grateful Russia to Alexander the Blessed.” In addition, the box contained a gilded bronze plate with the inscription: “In the summer of Christ 1831, construction began on a monument erected to Emperor Alexander by grateful Russia on a granite foundation laid on the 19th day of November 1830 in St. Petersburg. Count Y. Litta presided over the construction of this monument. Meeting: Prince P. Volynsky. A. Olenin, Count P. Kutaisov, I. Gladkov, L. Carbonner, A. Vasilchikov. The construction was carried out according to the drawings of the same architect Augustine de Montferrand."

Details of the Alexander Column. Pedestal, base, capital and sculpture. Lithograph by Arnoux based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

On August 30, 1832, the column was set to be raised on a pedestal. This construction operation resulted in an event of national significance. Montferrand sketched and described this operation in detail: “The streets leading to Palace Square, the Admiralty and the Senate were completely crowded with the public, attracted by the novelty of such an extraordinary spectacle. The crowd soon grew to such an extent that horses, carriages and people mixed into one whole. The houses were filled with people to the very roofs. Not a single window, not a single ledge remained free, so great was the interest in the monument. The semicircular building of the General Staff Building, which on that day resembled the amphitheater of Ancient Rome, accommodated more than ten thousand people. Nicholas I and his family were located in a special pavilion. In the other, envoys from Austria, England, France, ministers, commissioners for affairs, constituting the foreign diplomatic corps. Then special places for the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Arts, university professors, for foreigners, people close to art who arrived from Italy, Germany to attend this ceremony.” .

Lifting the column. Lithograph of Bichebois based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

Over the next two years, the monument was finalized: polishing the barrel, clarifying the entasis, installing bronze decorations on the pedestal and the figure of an angel, which, according to the architect’s plan, was supposed to complete the column. The creation of sketches and the production of preliminary models was entrusted to the sculptors S. I. Galberg, I. Leppe and B. I. Orlovsky. Academician B.I. Orlovsky, despite the difficult working conditions caused by the unceremonious intervention of Nicholas I, within eight months sculpted in clay and cast in plaster the figure of an angel in the designed size. However, the issue of the size of the base for the figure of an angel was discussed in detail in the Construction Commission. Opinions have been expressed about reducing its value. Member of the Commission, Prince G.G. Gagarin believed: “If a column erected in honor of Alexander I should be crowned with his image, then it is necessary that this final part triumph over the entire monument, but since we are talking about a symbolic image, then... this the emblem should look as simple as possible, and in this case all the demands of art should be aimed mainly at showing the incomparable block of granite and its beautiful pedestal.

Construction of granite pedestal and scaffolding with stone base for column installation. Lithograph of Roux based on a drawing by O. Montferrand. 1836

Alexander Column, Admiralteyskaya and St. Isaac's Squares. Lithograph by Arnoux and Bayot after a drawing by Montferrand. 1836

Angel with a cross. Sculptor B. I. Orlovsky

Bas-relief on the pedestal of the column. Artist D. Scotti, sculptors P. Svintsov and I. Leppe. Photo from 1920 Published for the first time

Alexander Column

As a result of careful discussion and voting, the members of the Commission came to the decision that the pedestal and hemisphere should be lowered, the figure of the angel should not be enlarged, and gilding should be abandoned. This decision is logically justified and reveals the artistic idea of ​​the monument as a monument to the heroic feat of the people in the Patriotic War of 1812.

During his forty years of life in Russia, Montferrand creatively experienced two historical eras, being a contemporary and executor of the will of two Russian emperors - Alexander I and Nicholas I. In artistic style, these are three stages of the development of Russian classicism: early, mature and late, and the beginning of eclecticism, which could not not reflected in his work on two monuments, so different from each other. The Alexander Column is a monument to Alexander I. When designing it, Montferrand departed from the traditional crowning of the column with a statue of the emperor and completed it with an allegorical group depicting an angel with a cross and a snake writhing in front of him. This is a generalized and deep image, although the monument does not contain a single image, even in bas-reliefs, associated directly with episodes of the Patriotic War or the acts of the emperor, with the exception of the figures of Victory and Peace, which record the dates of historical victories of Russian weapons on the tablets.

Alexander Column through the lattice gate of the Winter Palace

Montferrand constantly reminded that the Alexander Column was similar to Trajan's Column. Noting the similarities, he also saw the difference, which from his point of view consisted in the fact that the Alexander Column, unlike Trajan’s Column, was devoid of a continuous ribbon of bas-reliefs dedicated to the events of the war. However, this is more of an external sign. The difference is much more profound.

The figure of an angel with a cross crowning the Alexander Column is symbolic. It is made plastically enlarged, without unnecessary details, and is fused together with the foot and pedestal, which is given a different treatment than the core of the column. On the four bas-reliefs of the pedestal there are symbolic images of the Neman and Vistula rivers, with which the events of the Patriotic War of 1812 are associated, as well as allegories of Victory, Peace, Wisdom, Justice, Mercy and Abundance, surrounded by ancient Roman military symbols and Russian combat armor.

The bas-relief compositions were drawn by Montferrand. He perfectly linked the scale of these compositions with the monumental forms of the column. The bas-reliefs were made to the designed size by the artist D.-B. Scotty. The models were made by sculptors P. Svintsov and I. Leppe, ornamental decorations by sculptor E. Balin, and bronze castings were made at the Berda factory (now Admiralteysky).

If we continue to compare the Alexander Column with Trajan's Column, it should be noted that during the period of its creation the latter was crowned with the figure of a bronze eagle - a symbol of imperial power, and only after the death of Trajan - with a sculptural image of the emperor (in the Middle Ages a statue of the Apostle Paul was installed). Thus, the original symbolic content of this monument was expressed more definitely, and this rather unites both monuments than separates them, although other characteristic features indicate their differences.

The Alexander Column is created from a different material, which has a different color and a different surface structure, different proportions and contours of the trunk, and even a different composition. Unlike Trajan's Column, Montferrand placed the pedestal of the column on a widened stylobate and a small stepped terrace. From this, the structure only benefited in terms of monumentality, because in the ancient prototype the transition from the horizontal base to the vertical column does not seem smooth enough. All this allowed Montferrand to create not a likeness or imitation, but an independent monument, the excellent qualities of which do not, however, interfere with seeing the inimitable features of the ancient original.

The grand opening of the monument took place exactly two years after the installation of the column on the pedestal - August 30, 1834. The memory of this event by the poet V. A. Zhukovsky has been preserved: “And no pen can describe the greatness of that moment when, with three cannon shots, suddenly from all streets, as if born from the earth, in slender masses, with the thunder of drums, columns of the Russian army marched to the sounds of the Paris March... The ceremonial march began: the Russian army passed by the Alexander Column; This splendor lasted for two hours, the only spectacle in the world... In the evening, noisy crowds wandered through the streets of the illuminated city for a long time, finally the lighting went out, the streets were empty, and a majestic colossus with its sentry remained in a deserted square.”

The column harmoniously fit into the ensemble of Palace Square and became inseparable from the arch of the General Staff Building. Montferrand placed it not in the geometric center of the square, but on the axis of the General Staff arch and the central passage of the Winter Palace. With the installation of the Alexander Column, a certain dominant connection arose between the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Admiralty tower and the vertical of the column. It became possible to consider them together as a volumetric-spatial structure of the entire architectural ensemble of the central squares of the city. Montferrand's town-planning talent was manifested in the fact that he managed to make his two creations close in scale and thus connect them - St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Alexander Column, which are completely different in absolute size and weight - with the main town-planning accent of the city - the Admiralty Tower.

The column is visible from the perspective of four streets facing Palace Square, and its architectural perception changes depending on the viewing location. The most interesting is the well-known perspective opening from Nevsky Prospekt along Herzen Street to the arch of the General Staff Building and further to the square itself, the compositional center of which is the arch.