How much does the Alexander Column weigh? The Pillar of Alexandria: history, construction features, interesting facts and legends. Transportation of blanks for the Alexander Column

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

Dedicated to the military genius of Alexander I, the monument is called the Alexander Column, and with light hand Pushkin is called the “Pillar of Alexandria”.

The construction of the monument took place in the late 20s - early 30s of the 19th century. The process was documented, and therefore there should be no secrets in the appearance of the Alexander Column. But if there are no secrets, you really want to invent them, don’t you?

What is the Alexander Column made of?

The alternative opinion is even more radical. The Alexander Column is not monolithic at all! It is made up of separate blocks, stacked on top of each other like children's blocks, and the outside is lined with plaster with big amount granite chips.

There are even fantastic versions that can compete with the notes from Ward No. 6. However, in reality the situation is not so complicated, and most importantly, the entire process of manufacturing, transportation and installation of the Alexander Column is documented. The history of the emergence of the main monument of Palace Square is described almost minute by minute.

Choosing a stone for the Alexander Column

Monoliths of this kind are very rare and even more valuable. So there is nothing surprising in the thriftiness of the architect, who noticed but did not put into use a huge granite slab.

Soon the emperor had the idea of ​​a monument to Alexander I, and Montferrand drew a sketch of the column, keeping in mind the availability of suitable material. The project was approved. The extraction and delivery of stone for the Alexander Column was entrusted to the same contractor who provided the material for the construction of Isaac.

Skillful mining of granite in a quarry

First of all, the workers cleared the granite monolith of soft soil and any mineral debris, and Montferrand carefully examined the surface of the stone for cracks and defects. No flaws were found.

Using hammers and forged chisels, workers roughly leveled the top of the mass and made slotted recesses for attaching the rigging, after which it was time to separate the fragment from the natural monolith.

A horizontal ledge was carved along the lower edge of the blank for the column along the entire length of the stone. On the upper plane, stepping back a sufficient distance from the edge, a furrow a foot deep and half a foot wide was cut along the workpiece. In the same furrow, holes were drilled by hand, using forged bolts and heavy hammers, at a distance of a foot from each other.

Steel wedges were placed in the finished wells. In order for the wedges to work synchronously and create an even crack in the granite monolith, a special spacer was used - an iron bar laid in a furrow and leveling the wedges into an even palisade.

At the command of the elder, the hammermen, placed one person at a time in two or three wedges, got to work. The crack ran exactly along the line of the wells!

Using levers and capstans (winches with a vertical shaft), the stone was tipped onto an inclined bed of logs and spruce branches.

The granite monolith for the column pedestal was also mined using the same method. But if the blank for the column initially weighed about 1000 tons, the stone for the pedestal was cut two and a half times smaller - “only” 400 tons in weight.

The quarry work lasted two years.

Transportation of blanks for the Alexander Column

The unloading was carried out using the synchronized operation of ten dragging winches and took only two hours.

Transportation of larger pieces was postponed until the summer next year. Meanwhile, a team of stonemasons chipped off excess granite from it, giving the workpiece a rounded column shape.

To transport the column, a ship with a carrying capacity of up to 1,100 tons was built. The workpiece was sheathed with board in several layers. On the shore, for ease of loading, a pier was built from log cabins ballasted with wild stones. The pier flooring area was 864 square meters.

A log and stone pier was built in the sea in front of the pier. The road to the pier was widened and cleared of vegetation and stone outcrops. Particularly strong remains had to be blown up. From many logs they made a kind of pavement for unhindered rolling of the workpiece.

Moving the prepared stone to the pier took two weeks and required the efforts of more than 400 workers.

Loading the workpiece onto the ship was not without troubles. The logs, laid out in a row with one end on the pier and the other on board the ship, could not withstand the load and broke. The stone, however, did not sink to the bottom: the ship, propped between the pier and the pier, prevented it from sinking.

The contractor had enough people and lifting equipment to correct the situation. However, to be sure, the authorities called soldiers from a nearby military unit. The help of several hundred hands came in handy: in two days the monolith was lifted on board, strengthened and sent to St. Petersburg.

No one was injured during the incident.

Preparatory work

Further movement of the column was carried out along inclined floors with the final goal in the form of a high wooden platform with a special cart on top. The trolley, moved on supporting rollers, was intended for longitudinal movement of the workpiece.

The stone cut for the pedestal of the monument was delivered to the installation site of the column in the fall, covered with a canopy and given to the disposal of forty stonemasons. Having trimmed the monolith from above and from all four sides, the workers turned the stone over onto a sand pile in order to prevent the block from splitting.

After processing all six planes of the pedestal, the granite block was placed on the foundation. The foundation for the pedestal rested on 1,250 piles driven into the bottom of the pit to an eleven-meter depth, sawn to level and embedded in the masonry. A cement mortar with soap and alcohol was laid on top of the four-meter masonry that filled the pit. The flexibility of the mortar pad made it possible to position the pedestal monolith with high precision.

Over the course of several months, the stonework and cement pad of the pedestal set and gained the required strength. By the time the column was delivered to Palace Square, the pedestal was ready.

Column installation

The design strength of the rigging and auxiliary structures was threefold. The workers and soldiers involved in raising the column acted with great enthusiasm, notes Montferrand. Proper placement of people, impeccable management and ingenious scaffolding design made it possible to lift, level and install the column in less than an hour. It took another two days to straighten the verticality of the monument.

Finishing the surface, as well as installing the architectural details of the capital and the angel sculpture took another two years.

It is worth noting that there are no fastening elements between the base of the column and the pedestal. The monument rests solely due to its gigantic size and the absence of any noticeable earthquakes in St. Petersburg.

Links to additional information

Alexander Column is one of the most famous monuments St. Petersburg. It is often mistakenly called the Pillar of Alexandria, after Pushkin’s poem “Monument”. Erected in 1834 by order of Emperor Nicholas I in honor of the victory of his elder brother, Emperor Alexander I, over Napoleon. Style - Empire. Installed in the center of Palace Square, in front of the Winter Palace. The architect was Auguste Montferrand.

The monument is made of solid red granite. Its total height is 47.5 m. The top of the column is decorated with a figure of an angel of peace cast in bronze. It stands on a hemisphere, also made of bronze. In the angel's left hand is a cross, with which he tramples the serpent, and he extends his right hand to the sky. The features of Emperor Alexander I appear in the face of the angel. The height of the angel is 4.2 m, the height of the cross is 6.3 m. The column is installed on a granite pedestal. It is noteworthy that it stands without additional supports, only under the influence own strength gravity. The pedestal is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs. On the side facing the palace there is an inscription: “To Alexander I. Grateful Poccia.”

Under these words you can see ancient Russian weapons and figures symbolizing Peace and Victory, Mercy and Justice, Abundance and Wisdom. On the sides there are 2 allegorical figures: Vistula - in the form of a young girl and Neman - in the form of an old Aquarius. At the corners of the pedestal are double-headed eagles, with laurel branches clutched in their claws. In the middle, in an oak wreath, the “All-Seeing Eye” is depicted.

The stone for the column was taken from the Pieterlak quarry, located in Finland. This is one of the grandest granite monoliths in the world. Weight – more than 600 tons.

The work was fraught with enormous difficulties. First of all, it was necessary to very carefully separate a solid granite piece of the required size from the rock. Then, right there on the spot, this mass was finished, giving it the shape of a column. Transportation was carried out by water on a specially built vessel.

At the same time, in St. Petersburg, on Palace Square, the foundation was being created. 1250 pine piles were driven to a depth of 36 m, and hewn blocks of granite were laid on them to equalize the area. The largest block was then placed as the basis for the pedestal. This task was accomplished at the cost of enormous effort and a large number of mechanical devices. When the foundation was laid, it was bitterly cold, and for better setting, vodka was added to the cement mortar. A bronze box with coins that were minted in honor of the victory of 1812 was placed in the middle of the foundation.

It seems that the column represents the exact center of Palace Square. However, this is not so: it is installed 140 m from the arch of the General Staff building and 100 m from the Winter Palace. The installation of the column itself was extremely difficult. On both sides of the pedestal, scaffolding up to 22 fathoms high was built. The column was rolled along an inclined plane onto a special platform and wrapped in rope rings to which blocks were attached. Corresponding blocks were also installed on top of the scaffolding.

On August 30, 1832, the column was raised. Emperor Nicholas I and his family arrived at Palace Square. Many people came to watch this action. People crowded into the square, at the windows and on the roof of the General Staff building. 2000 soldiers grabbed the ropes. Slowly the column rose and hung in the air, after which the ropes were released, and the granite block quietly and accurately sank onto the pedestal. A loud “Hurray!” rang across the square, and the sovereign, inspired by success, said to the architect: “Montferrand, you have immortalized yourself!”

After 2 years, the final finishing of the column was completed, and the consecration ceremony was performed in the presence of the emperor and the 100,000-strong army. The Alexander Column is the tallest monument in the world, created from a single piece of granite and third in height after the Column of the Grand Army in Boulogne-sur-Mer and London's Trafalgar Column. It is taller than similar monuments in the world: the Vendôme Column in Paris, the Roman Trajan's Column and Pompey's Column in Alexandria.

The lines below from the great poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin are known to almost everyone.

“I erected a monument to myself, not made by hands,

The people's path to him will not be overgrown,

He ascended with his rebellious head

Pillar of Alexandria."

Of course, today it is difficult to say what the author’s idea was when he wrote this work. However, most historians are sure that the poet meant the same Alexandria Pillar, which stands on Palace Square and is one of the landmarks of St. Petersburg. This amazing creation evokes admiration among our contemporaries, so it is easy to imagine what a significant event the installation of this monument dedicated to the victory over Napoleon was. It seems that the history of the Pillar of Alexandria cannot have any dark spots, since the monument was created only about two hundred years ago. However, apart from the official version of its manufacture and installation, as well as small drawn albums that give a very vague idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe technologies of the nineteenth century, nothing has survived. Surprisingly, during the construction of St. Petersburg, architects created incredibly accurate maps, and construction technologies were described in specialized documentation. But the history of the creation of the Pillar of Alexandria is devoid of such details, and upon a closer look, it is completely replete with inconsistencies and outright blunders. All this gives historians a lot of reasons to doubt the official version of the appearance of the monument. It is overgrown with myths and legends, which we will definitely mention today, not forgetting to talk about the official version.

Sights of St. Petersburg: Pillar of Alexandria

All guests of the Northern capital are eager to see this monument. However, to fully appreciate the skill of its creators, you need to tilt your head back to see the very top of the column. On it there is a figure of an angel with a cross and a snake at his feet, which is an allegory symbolizing the victory of Alexander I over the army of Napoleon.

The size of the Alexandria Pillar is truly impressive. Many of our contemporaries, who have technical knowledge, argue that it may take decades to create such a creation today. And in order to install the column on the pedestal, even two days will not be enough. And this is taking into account that workers have a huge number of machines and various installations that make their work easier. How all this was possible in the first half of the nineteenth century is a real mystery.

The weight of the Pillar of Alexandria is six hundred tons and another hundred tons weighs the base on which the column, made of rare pink granite, is installed. He had beautiful name"Rapakivi" and was mined only in the Vyborg region in the Pyuterlak quarry. It is noteworthy that the column was cut out from a single piece of granite. According to some reports, its weight in its original form exceeded one thousand tons.

The height of the Alexandria Pillar is forty-seven and a half meters. To the pride of Russian craftsmen, it should be noted that the column is significantly larger than all similar structures in the world. The photo below shows Trajan's Columns in Rome, Pompeii in Alexandria and the Vendôme Column installed in Paris, in comparison with the monument on Palace Square. This drawing alone gives an idea of ​​this miracle of engineering, which delights all tourists without exception.

The angel installed on the top is six and four tenths meters high, and its base is almost three meters. The figure was installed on the column after it had taken its place in the square. The Alexandria Pillar, which seems absolutely incredible, is not secured to its pedestal in any way. The engineers made all the calculations so accurately that the column has stood firmly without any fastenings for almost two hundred years. Some tourists talk. that if you throw your head back near the monument and stand like that for ten minutes, you will notice how the top of the pillar sways.

Experts in the history of St. Petersburg claim that the Pillar of Alexandria on Palace Square might not have appeared. Since the project of the monument was not approved by the emperor for a long time. Ultimately, his sketch was approved, and then the material from which it was planned to create this masterpiece.

Background to the appearance of the column

The world-famous Carl Rossi was in charge of planning the space of Palace Square. He became the ideological inspirer for the creation of a monument that would become the main decoration of this place. Rossi himself made several sketches of the future design, but none of them formed the basis of the monument. The only thing that was taken from the architect’s ideas was the height of the monument. Carl Rossi wisely believed that the structure should be very tall. Otherwise, it simply will not be a single ensemble with the General Staff.

Nicholas I treated Russia’s advice with great respect, but decided to dispose of it in his own way free space area. He announced a competition for best project monument. The authors' imagination was not limited by anything; the only nuance was compliance with the thematic focus. Nicholas I set out to immortalize his ancestor, who managed to defeat the French.

The Emperor had to look through a huge number of projects, but the works of Auguste Montferrand seemed the most interesting to him. He proposed creating a granite obelisk on which bas-reliefs depicting scenes of military battles would be placed. However, it was this project that the emperor rejected. He became interested in the Vendôme Column, erected by the Parisians in honor of Napoleon. Therefore, it is quite symbolic that the defeat of the French army was also to be immortalized by a column, but a taller and more unusual one.

The architect listened to the wishes of Nicholas I and created a design for the structure, which at that time became the tallest in the world. After some adjustments, in the twenty-ninth year of the nineteenth century, the project of the Alexandrian Pillar was approved and signed. It was time to get to work.

The first stage of creating the monument

The history of the Alexandria Pillar in St. Petersburg began with the choice of material. Since it was supposed to cut the column out of a single piece of granite, Montferrand had to go study the quarries in order to choose a suitable place for extracting such a massive block. After some time of searching, the architect decided to send his workers to the Puterlak quarry in Finland. It was there that there was a rock of suitable size, from which it was planned to break off a huge block.

In the twenty-ninth year in the Northern capital they began to create the foundation of the Alexandrian Pillar on Palace Square. A year later, work began on the extraction of granite in quarries. They lasted two years, and about four hundred workers took part in this process. According to official sources, they worked day and night in shifts. And the stone mining technology was developed by a young self-taught Samson Sukhanov. It is still unknown how exactly the block was broken off from the rock, which was later used to make the column. Not a single official document has survived where the technology would be described in the slightest detail. In Montferrand's albums it is written only that the piece of granite exceeded one thousand tons. It was broken off using some long crowbars and levers. Then the monolith was turned over and a huge piece was cut off from it for the foundation.

It took another six months to process the block. All this was done manually with the simplest tools. We advise readers to remember this fact, since in the future we will return to it and look at it from a slightly different angle. The almost finished Pillar of Alexandria was ready for the trip to St. Petersburg. It was decided to do this by water and for the difficult journey it was necessary to build a special ship, which combined in its design all the innovative technologies of that time. At the same time, a pier was being built in the Northern capital, ready to receive an unusual ship and its cargo. The architect’s plans were to immediately roll the column over a special wooden bridge to the square after unloading.

Delivery of a monolithic column

Very little is known about how the loading and unloading of the monument took place. This unique process is described very sparingly in official sources. If you trust Montferrand's albums and fragmentary information from the captain of the ship, then the column was loaded above the waterline and almost safely transported to St. Petersburg. The only unpleasant event was a storm, which rocked the ship and almost threw the monument into the water. However, with great effort, the captain managed to secure the precious cargo himself.

Another incident occurred at the time of unloading the column. Under it, the logs placed for movement along the pier bent and cracked. One end of the column almost fell into the water, but it was held in place by timely ropes passed from below. The monument was kept in this position for two days. During this time, a messenger was sent to the neighboring garrison asking for help. About four hundred soldiers, in the unimaginable heat, were able to overcome the forty-kilometer distance separating them from the pier in four hours and, with their joint efforts, saved the six-hundred-ton column.

A few words about the pedestal

While the granite block was being mined in Finland, work was going on in St. Petersburg to prepare the foundation for the pedestal and the column itself. For this purpose, geological exploration was carried out on Palace Square. She identified sandstone deposits, where it was planned to begin digging a pit. It’s interesting, but visually it seems to all tourists that the Pillar of Alexandria is located exactly in the middle of the square. However, in reality this is not the case. The column is installed a little closer to the Winter Palace than to the General Staff.

While working on the pit, workers came across already installed piles. As it turned out, they were dug into the ground on the orders of Rastrelli, who planned to erect a monument here. It's amazing that seventy years later the architect managed to choose the same place. The dug hole was filled with water, but more than a thousand piles had been driven into it first. In order to correctly align them relative to the horizon, the piles were cut exactly along the water surface. Workers then began laying the foundation, which consisted of several granite blocks. A pedestal weighing four hundred tons was placed on it.

Fearing that the block would not be able to immediately rise as needed, the architect came up with and used an unusual solution. He added vodka and soap to the traditional mixture. As a result, the block was moved several times. Montferrand wrote that this was done quite easily with the help of just a few technical devices.

Column installation

In the middle of the summer of the thirty-second year of the nineteenth century, builders approached the final stage of creating the monument. In front of them stood almost the most difficult task over all the past years - roll the monolith to its destination and place it vertically.

To bring this idea to life, it was necessary to construct a complex engineering structure. It included scaffolding, levers, beams and other devices. According to the official version, almost the entire city gathered to see the installation of the column, even the emperor himself and his entourage came to look at this miracle.

About three thousand people took part in raising the column, who were able to do all the work in one hour and forty-five minutes.

The end of the work was marked by a loud cry of admiration that burst from the lips of all those present. The emperor himself was very pleased with the work of the architect and declared that the monument had immortalized its creator.

The final stage of work

It took Montferrand another two years to decorate the monument. He “dressed” himself in bas-reliefs and received other elements that made up a single decorative ensemble. This stage of work did not cause any complaints from the emperor. However, completing the column sculptural composition became a real stumbling block between the architect and Nicholas I.

Montferrand planned to place a huge cross entwined with a snake on the top of the column. The sculpture had to be turned towards the Winter Palace, which all members of the imperial family especially insisted on. In parallel, projects and other compositions were created. Among them were angels different poses, Alexander Nevsky, a cross on a sphere and similar sculptures. The last word V this issue remained with the emperor, he leaned in favor of the figure of an angel with a cross. However, it also had to be redone several times.

According to Nicholas I, the face of the angel was supposed to have the features of Alexander I, but the snake not only symbolized Napoleon, but also visually resembled him. It's hard to say how readable this similarity is. Many experts claim that the angel’s face was modeled on one of the famous women of that time, while others still see him as a victorious emperor. In any case, the monument has reliably kept this secret for two hundred years.

Grand opening of the monument

In August of thirty-four, a monument was opened in honor of the victory of the Russian people over the French troops. The event was held on a truly imperial scale.

For spectators, stands were built in advance, which did not stand out from general style palace ensemble. The service held at the foot of the monument was attended by all the important guests, the army and even foreign ambassadors. Then a military parade was held on the square, after which mass festivities began in the city.

Myths, legends and interesting facts

The history of the Pillar of Alexandria would be incomplete without mentioning various rumors and facts related to it.

Few people know that the foundation of the monument contains a whole box of gold coins. There is also a memorial plaque with an inscription made by Montferrand. These items are still stored at the base of the column and will remain there as long as the monument stands on the pedestal.

Initially, the architect planned to cut columned staircases inside. He suggested that the emperor use two people for this purpose. They had to complete the work in ten years. But due to fears for the integrity of the column, Nicholas I abandoned this idea.

Interestingly, the city residents were very distrustful of the Pillar of Alexandria. They were afraid of his fall and avoided Palace Square. To convince them, Montferrand began to walk here every day and over time the monument turned into the most favorite place guests of the capital and its residents.

At the end of the nineteenth century, a rumor spread throughout the city about a mysterious letter that literally burned on a column at night. At dawn she disappears and reappears at dusk. The townspeople were worried and came up with the most incredible explanations for this phenomenon. But everything turned out to be extremely prosaic - the smooth surface of the column simply reflected the letter from the name of the manufacturer of the lanterns that surrounded the fence near the pedestal.

One of the most common legends about the Pillar of Alexandria is the story of the inscription on its top. It was painted on the night after Yuri Gagarin's space flight and glorified him. Who managed to climb to such a height is still unknown.

Unofficial version of the appearance of the monument

The most fierce debates are ongoing on this topic. Particularly meticulous and attentive archaeologists, historians and architects carefully studied the official version of the construction of the monument and found a huge number of inconsistencies in it. We will not list them all. Any readers who are interested will be able to find such information. And we will tell only about the most obvious of them.

For example, experts cast great doubt on the very fact of raising the column in less than two hours. The fact is that not so long ago the largest tent in the world was raised and installed in Astana. It weighed one and a half thousand tons and the process took about two days. The most modern machines and technologies were used. After this, it seems strange how Russian craftsmen were able to do something like this by hand.

The production of the column itself raises even more questions. Many people believe that even modern technologies could not help our contemporaries create such a miracle. Since the monument is carved from a single block, it is impossible to even imagine what kind of technology was used by the craftsmen. At the moment, nothing like this exists. Moreover, authoritative experts say that even in two hundred years we could not create something similar to the Pillar of Alexandria. Therefore, stories about manual extraction of a block, its movement and processing to an ideal state seem simply fabulously funny to people who are knowledgeable in working with stone.

In addition, questions are raised about the biographies of the chief architect and inventor of stone processing technology, specifications the ship that delivered the monolith, completely different pictures of the column created by Montferrand, and many other nuances.

It is not for nothing that the great Pushkin immortalized this monument in his work. After all, all information about it requires careful study, but it is already clear that scientists, in the form of a structure known to everyone, are faced with the greatest of the mysteries of the nineteenth century.

The Alexander Column is among many tourists' admiration. special place. Many of those who come to Moscow go first of all to Palace Square. This is where the Alexander Column is located in St. Petersburg. It is one of the most famous monuments of this city. This Empire style building was erected in the center of Palace Square in 1834. Architect - O. Montferrand. The Alexander Column in St. Petersburg was built by order of Nicholas I. It is a tribute to the victory of Alexander I over Napoleon, which was very important for Russia and the whole world. Below is the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg (photo taken several years ago).

Carl Rossi's idea

This monument complements the composition dedicated to victory in the War of 1812 Arches of the General Staff. Carl Rossi came up with the idea of ​​​​building a monument. He believed that a monument should be placed in the center of Palace Square. Rossi rejected the idea of ​​installing another statue of Peter I on horseback. He wanted to see something different.

Montferrand's original design

The idea did not immediately arise, which was later realized as the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. Let's briefly talk about the initial project proposed to the emperor. In 1829 it was officially announced open competition. Auguste Montferrand responded to him with his project for the construction of a grandiose granite obelisk. However, the emperor considered that the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg should look somewhat different. Short description The original project can be made on the basis of its sketch, which has been preserved. The architect proposed installing a granite obelisk, the height of which would be 25.6 m, on a granite plinth. It was also planned to decorate the front side of this obelisk with bas-reliefs depicting the events of the War of 1812. The architect saw a rider on a horse on a pedestal, trampling a snake with his feet. A double-headed eagle flies in front of him. The goddess of victory follows the rider, crowning him with laurels. Two female figures lead a horse.

Influences of previous samples and individuality of the project

The second project, implemented subsequently, consisted of installing a column, the height of which exceeds that erected in honor of Napoleon’s victories by Vendôme, installed on the square of the same name. Auguste Montferrand was offered the Roman Trajan's Column as a source of inspiration. The narrow scope of this project did not allow the architect to escape the influence of examples known throughout the world. Only a slight modification of the ideas of his predecessors was the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. Its description, however, would not be entirely accurate if we did not mention the originality of this monument. In it, Montferrand expressed his own individuality, refusing to use additional decorations in the structure, such as bas-reliefs spiraling around the core of Trajan's Column. The architect chose to show the beauty of polished pink granite. The height of the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg is 25.6 m. Montferrand made his monument higher than all existing ones. In 1829, on September 24, the project was approved by the sovereign in this new form, without sculptural completion. Construction took place between 1829 and 1834.

Mining stone for the future column

Rock was used for the main part of the column (granite monolith). The sculptor planned it during his previous trips to Finland. In 1830-32 mining and preliminary processing of rock was carried out in the Pyuterlak quarry, located between Friedrichsgam and Vyborg. These works were carried out using Sukhanov's method. V. A. Yakovlev and S. V. Kolodkin supervised the production. After examining the rock, the stonemasons confirmed the suitability of this material, they cut off a prism from it, which was significantly larger in size than the future column. Gigantic devices were used for this: huge gates and levers in order to move the huge block from its place and then tip it onto an elastic and soft bedding of spruce branches. From the same rock, after the pieces were separated, huge stones were cut out for the foundation of the monument. The largest of them weighed more than 400 tons.

Delivery of stone and columns to St. Petersburg

It was very difficult at that time to implement such a grandiose project as the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. Interesting facts are associated not only with the extraction of stone, but also with its transportation. Parts of the future column were delivered by water to St. Petersburg. A barge of a special design was used for this purpose. The monolith itself was duped on site, after which it was prepared for transportation. Colonel Glasin, a naval engineer, dealt with transportation issues. He designed and then built a special bot called "Saint Nicholas". Its carrying capacity reached 1,100 tons. A special pier was built to carry out loading operations. Loading was carried out from a wooden platform. The column was loaded on board, after which the monolith went to Kronstadt on a barge towed by two steamships, and then to St. Petersburg to the Palace Embankment. In 1832, on July 1, the central part of the future column arrived in St. Petersburg - an important event, which marks the history of the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg.

Column foundation

On Palace Square, in 1829, work began on the construction of a pedestal and foundation. They were led by the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg. First of all, we carried out geological exploration of the nearby area. A sandy continent was discovered at a depth of 5.2 m near the center of the area. The location for the column was approved in 1829. 1,250 six-meter pine piles were driven under its foundation. Then they were cut off for a spirit level. Thus, a platform was created for the foundation on which the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg was supposed to stand. A brief description of the foundation is as follows. It consists of stone granite blocks half a meter thick. The foundation was built with plank masonry to the horizon of the square. A bronze box containing coins minted in honor of the victory in the War of 1812 was placed in its center. The work was completed in 1830, in October. The artist G. Gagarin captured on his canvas how the Alexander Column was built in St. Petersburg.

Raising the column

The new stage was the installation of a 400-ton monolith on the foundation. This monolith serves as the base of the pedestal. At that time, of course, it was not easy to install such a heavy stone on the foundation. But they coped with this task. In 1832, by July, the pedestal was completed, and the monolith of the column was on its way. Now the most difficult task lay ahead - installing the column on the pedestal. The original lifting system was designed by A. A. Betancourt in December 1830. This required scaffolding 47 meters high, 60 capstans, and a block system.

The column was rolled up an inclined plane onto a special platform located at the foot of the scaffolding. After that, she was wrapped in rings of ropes with blocks attached to them. At the top of the scaffolding was another block system. A large number of The ropes that encircled the stone were wound with their free ends on capstans placed in the square. The Emperor, along with the entire imperial family, came to the ceremony. On Palace Square, to bring the column into a vertical position, Betancourt needed to attract the forces of 400 workers and 2000 soldiers, who installed the monolith in 1 hour 45 minutes.

Placing a statue on top of a column

After installation, all that remained was to fix the decorative elements and bas-relief slabs on the pedestal, as well as polish the column. In September 1830, in parallel with the work on the construction of the column, Montferrand was also working on the statue that was to crown it. It was supposed to be facing, according to the wishes of Nicholas I; in the original design, the column was completed with a cross, which was entwined with a snake. The sculptors of the Academy of Arts, in addition, offered several options for angels with a cross. As a result, the figure made by B.I. Orlovsky was accepted for execution. The polishing and finishing of the monument lasted two years.

Grand opening of the monument

In 1834, on August 30, work on Palace Square was completed. The sovereign with his family, representatives of the Russian army and 100,000 Russian army attended the opening ceremony. It was carried out in an Orthodox setting. The opening was accompanied by a solemn service performed at the foot of the column. In honor of the opening of this monument, a commemorative ruble was issued, the circulation of which was 15,000 coins.

Description of the monument

The Alexander Column in St. Petersburg, a photo of which is presented in this article, is reminiscent of examples of triumphal structures from antiquity. This monument has an amazing beauty of silhouette, laconic form, and clarity of proportions. It is the tallest in the world, created from solid granite. The monument is crowned with a figure of an angel, made by Boris Orlovsky. He holds a four-pointed Latin cross in his left hand and raises his right hand to the sky. The angel's head is tilted, his gaze is fixed on the ground. His figure, according to Montferrand's original design, was supposed to rest on a steel rod. However, it was later removed. When restoration was carried out in 2002-2003, it turned out that the angel was supported by its own mass. His facial features were given a resemblance to Tsar Alexander I. An angel tramples a serpent with a cross, which symbolizes the peace and tranquility that Russia brought to Europe with its victory over Napoleon’s troops. The slenderness of the column is emphasized by the light figure of the angel, as well as the vertical of the cross, which continues the vertical of the monument.

Bronze fence

The Alexander Column in St. Petersburg is surrounded by a bronze fence, which was designed by O. Montferrand. Its height is about 1.5 m. It was installed in 1834, and all the elements were installed in 1836-1837. A guardhouse was built in its north-eastern corner. There was a disabled person in it, dressed in a guards uniform. He guarded such an important monument as the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg day and night, and also kept order on Palace Square.

N. EFREMOVA, State Museum of Urban Sculpture, St. Petersburg

The Alexander Column (1829-1834) is the world's largest granite monolith, standing under its own weight.

The rise of the Alexander Column. Lithograph from 1836.

Science and life // Illustrations

The top of the Alexander Column is being examined by a steeplejack.

The back of an angel is striking in the care of the coinage.

The Alexander Column is surrounded by metal scaffolding. Restoration is underway. Photo from 2002.

Scaffolding appeared on Palace Square in St. Petersburg. The restoration of the Alexander Column is underway. It was created in 1834 according to the project French sculptor Auguste Ricard Montferrand as a monument to Emperor Alexander I (on one of the faces of the pedestal there is an inscription: “Alexander I - Grateful Russia”). Due to its artistic expression the column immediately began to be perceived as one of the most solemn triumphal structures in honor of the victories of the Russian army, in the glory of victories " eternal memory 1812".

The French architect Auguste Ricard Montferrand (1786-1858) managed to attract the attention of Alexander I by presenting him with his own “Album of various architectural projects, dedicated to His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia Alexander I." This happened immediately after the Russian troops entered Paris in April 1814. Among the drawings were designs for an equestrian statue, a colossal obelisk, Arc de Triomphe"To the Brave Russian Army" and "Column in Honor of Universal Peace", which has a certain similarity with the future project of the Alexander Column. In addition to the drawings themselves, a short list of necessary building materials and the cost of expenses was indicated. Thus, Montferrand managed to show himself not only as an excellent draftsman, connoisseur and admirer classical art, but also as a technically competent specialist. The architect received a kind, albeit official, invitation to come to St. Petersburg and was not afraid to take advantage of it. In 1816 he came to the northern capital, where he worked for more than 40 years, until his death.

Montferrand received the position of court architect and began work on rebuilding St. Isaac's Cathedral. He was already quite famous by the time he decided to take part in a competition to design a monument to Alexander I. The competition was announced in 1829 by Emperor Nicholas I in memory of his “unforgettable brother.” Montferrand presented a project for a colossal obelisk, quite rightly believing that any sculptural monument would be lost in the vastness of Palace Square. The emperor ordered the obelisk to be replaced with a column. And the architect proposes, taking as a basis a wonderful antique example - Trajan's Column in Rome, to create a work that surpasses this masterpiece.

The project is approved, and the work, which has no analogues in its painstaking and exhausting severity, begins. For the column, Montferrand decided to use a monolith that he discovered in granite scraps near Vyborg, in Puterlax, where the stone for the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral was mined. The granite block was separated from the rock by hand over the course of two years. To deliver the stone to St. Petersburg, a special boat “St. Nicholas” was built, and on it the rough-hewn column was delivered first to Kronstadt, and then to St. Petersburg, to the Palace Pier. The most difficult stage lay ahead - installing the column on a pedestal that had been built earlier. They made scaffolding, as well as many blocks, winches and ropes, with the help of which they were going to lift the monolith.

On August 30, 1832, on Palace Square, in front of a huge crowd of people, the column was installed on a pedestal. The entire operation lasted 100 minutes. The Emperor, congratulating the architect, said: “Montferrand, you have immortalized yourself.” But the granite still had to be finally processed, numerous decorative and symbolic details, bas-reliefs and sculptural completion had to be cast in bronze.

There have been various proposals regarding the latter. The project of the sculptor B.I. Orlovsky was approved: “The figure of an Angel with a cross, which tramples on enmity and malice (snake) at the foot, depicts a striking thought - thereby conquer.” (The model also took into account the urgent desire of the imperial house “to give the angel a portrait resemblance to the face of Alexander I.”) The sculptural top, bas-reliefs depicting military armor, weapons and allegorical figures, and other decorative details were cast from bronze at the C. Berd factory.

And again on August 30, but already in 1834, the grand opening of the monument took place. Since the time of Peter I, August 30 (September 12, new style) has been celebrated as the day of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, the heavenly protector of St. Petersburg. On this day, Peter I concluded “eternal peace with Sweden”; on this day the relics of Alexander Nevsky were transferred from Vladimir to St. Petersburg. That is why the angel crowning the Alexander Column has always been perceived, first of all, as a protector and as a guardian.

The angel protected and blessed. Together with him, the city experienced all historical collisions: revolutions, wars, environmental adversities. In the post-revolutionary period, it was covered with a canvas cap, painted red, and camouflaged with balloons lowered from a hovering airship. A project was being prepared to install a huge statue of V.I. Lenin instead of an angel. But providence wanted the angel to survive. During the Great Patriotic War the monument was covered only 2/3 of the height and the angel was injured: there was a shrapnel mark on one of the wings.

The safety of the sculpture was largely ensured by the reliability of the author's design solution. The figure of an angel with a cross and a snake is cast together with a platform, shaped like the completion of the dome. The dome, in turn, is crowned by a cylinder mounted on a rectangular platform - the abacus. Inside the bronze cylinder is the main supporting mass, consisting of multilayer masonry: granite, brick and two layers of granite at the base. A metal rod runs through the entire massif, which was supposed to support the sculpture. The most important condition for reliable fastening of the sculpture is the tightness of the casting and the absence of moisture inside the support cylinder.

The monument was constantly monitored, additional inspections and calculations of the stability margin were carried out. Unfortunately, harmful vibration loads increase over the years. IN last time A complete restoration of the monument using scaffolding was carried out in 1963. Since the late 1980s, the custodians State Museum In the city sculpture, there were reasons for concern: whitish streams flowed from under the bronze capital of the column and tongues of moisture did not dry out even on the hottest days of summer. There could be only one reason: water getting inside the sculptural top and then into its base. Water, seeping through the brickwork, washes away the binding solution, and, in addition, in a humid environment, the process of corrosion of the support rod is actively underway.

In 1991, for the first time in the history of St. Petersburg restoration school a visual examination of the sculpture crowning the Alexander Column was carried out. Verkholazov raised the elevator of a special fire hydrant "Magirus Deutsch" to the angel. Having secured themselves with ropes, the steeplejacks made photo and video recordings of the sculpture. A significant number of cracks, leaks, and deterioration of sealing materials were discovered. But it took another 10 years of anxiety and a tireless search for funding to, having installed reliable stationary scaffolding, begin a professional and comprehensive survey of the monument.

In the summer of 2001, curators and restorers, having climbed a little over 150 steps of a metal staircase, went on their first date with the angel. Seeing it up close, you are shocked: it is huge and at the same time elegant. Extremely expressive and concise. The masterly thoroughness of the chasing and the plastic elaboration of every detail is striking: curly hair, parted and falling onto the shoulders, frames the beautiful face, the eyes are half-closed with eyelids, the gaze is directed downwards. He is so focused that it is impossible not to feel that the angel is looking inside himself. It is useless and unnecessary to look for any portrait resemblance. The angel looks just like himself! The gesture of the right hand raised to the sky in a blessing gesture is extremely expressive. The running of bare feet, visible from under the flowing clothes, is light and swift. The huge wings are airy, every feather is minted. In the open mouth of the defeated snake, teeth and a poisonous sting are visible.

Upon inspection, we saw, in addition to cracks, divergences of connecting seams that were once held together with lead. Lead is completely destructured. There are still hatches on the angel's head and shoulder, intended for removing molding earth and reinforcement. In the hem of the clothing there is a flange (flat ring) with bolts, partially lost. The flange was removed and the sculpture was examined from the inside using a special device - a fiber-optic endoscope. It turned out that both the sculpture and the cross did not have a supporting rod. The rod, passing through the internal masonry of the cylinder, rests with its upper end against the “sole” of the angel, that is, at the spherical end of the cylinder. The sculpture's wings, cast in three parts, are bolted together and attached to the back. A through hole measuring 70 x 22 mm was found on the angel's head.

The conclusion was disappointing: moisture gets inside the sculpture, which seeps into the cylinder and into the abacus. The cylinder is deformed, the walls are “bulging out,” and the connecting bolts are missing. By removing 54 copper screws, restorers partially exposed the bronze lining of the abacus. The interior brickwork was destroyed. There is no binding mortar between the bricks, and the whole thing is extremely saturated with moisture. During the inspection, samples were taken and relevant studies of bronze contamination and patina quality were carried out. In general, the condition of the bronze surface is satisfactory; the damage to the “bronze disease” is fragmentary.

The design of the abacus plays an important role in the stable condition of the pommel. The fastening system included “ribs” made of brick. Opening the sheets of bronze lining of the abacus revealed a completely depressing, emergency state of the internal supports: a complete absence of binder, the brick was destroyed (collected by restorers using a brush). The new supports are made of granite, eliminating concerns that the 16-tonne abacus could fall or tilt.

The attention of curators and restorers is focused not only on eliminating cracks and protecting the bronze surface, but, first of all, on drying the internal masonry. It should be strengthened with the latest solutions, as well as additional bolts and screws installed.

More than 110 traces of shell fragments were found on the reliefs of the monument's pedestal. The “armor” of Alexander Nevsky was also pierced by shrapnel.

Due to the interaction of various metals - bronze and cast iron, there is an active process of corrosion and destruction of bronze. Restorers have to painstaking work on "healing the wounds of war."

Ultrasonic examinations of the column are now being carried out to detect visible and invisible cracks on the surface and in the thickness of the granite. At the same time it is decided serious problem restoration of granite at the base. Under the influence of the weight of the column, the granite here is covered with cracks. This is exactly what Montferrand feared when he proposed enclosing the bottom of the column in a bronze rim, but the proposal was not implemented then.

The methodology for carrying out such large-scale and unparalleled restoration and conservation operations was developed by the specialists of Intarsia LLC carrying out the work. The restoration is financed by the Moscow association Hazer International Rus.

By the spring of 2003, the Alexander Column will be strengthened. The four floor lamps located nearby will also acquire their original appearance. Restorers intend to recreate the fence designed by Montferrand in 1836. And then the monument, conceived and implemented as a single artistic and architectural ensemble, will regain the solemn splendor of a triumphal monument - a true St. Petersburg miracle. Alexandria pillar Official, historical name monument to Alexander I on Palace Square in St. Petersburg - Alexander Column. However, often, referring to famous poem A. S. Pushkin, the Alexander Column is called the “Alexandrian Pillar”:

I erected a monument to myself
not made by hands,
It won't grow on him
folk trail,
He rose higher with his head
rebellious
Alexandria
pillar

On the topic, this poem by A. S. Pushkin echoes the ode of the ancient Roman poet Horace (65-8 BC) “To Melpomene.” Epigraph to Pushkin's poem: Exegi monumentum (lat.) - I erected a monument - taken from an ode by Horace.

Among the seven wonders of the world, the colossal lighthouse tower, erected in Alexandria at the end of the 3rd century, is famous. BC e. and had a height of 180 meters. (In architecture, a pillar is a tower, a tower-like structure.) Pushkin, an excellent expert in mythology, certainly knew about ancient monuments. It should be noted that the poem was written in 1836, when the Alexander Column had already been towering over the Palace Square. And this monument could not leave the poet indifferent. Pushkin’s metaphor is multi-valued; it includes ancient monuments and at the same time is a response to the monument to Alexander I.