Monument Monument “Millennium of Russia”
The monument “Millennium of Russia” is installed in Veliky Novgorod. It was opened in 1862 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the proclamation of the Varangian Prince Rurik as the Russian prince. The monument immortalizes an important date for the country, which is considered the beginning of the formation of the Russian state. In addition, it is dedicated to the most important principles of Russian statehood – autocracy, Orthodoxy and nationality.
Video: Monument to the Millennium of Russia
Contents- Highlights
- How the historical monument was created
The monument “Millennium of Russia” in details - History of the monument in the XX century
- How to get there
Highlights
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The events that took place in the country in 862 are described in the Tale of Bygone Years. According to this historical document, the tribes living in the Novgorod lands, the Chud, the Whole, the Krivichi and the Ilmen Slovenes united and invited the Varangians from the Rus people – Rurik and his younger brothers – to reign. Rurik himself became the first governor of Novgorod princedom and actually the founder of the Old Russian state. One of his brothers Sineus “sat down” in Beloozero, and other brother Truvor headed Izborsk. In the history of the country this fact is marked as “the calling of the Varangians”. Two years later the younger brothers of the Novgorod prince died, and all power was concentrated in his hands.
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Subsequently, the dynasty of Rurikovich from princely dynasty outgrew grand-ducal, and then in tsarist. Representatives of the branched dynasty were appanage princes and Russian tsars till the beginning of XVII century. The last monarchs of this lineage were Fyodor I Ioannovich, who died in 1598, and Vasily Shuisky, who reigned from 1606 to 1610.
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How the historical monument was created
In the late 1850s, the country held a competition for the best design of a monument dedicated to the millennium of Russia. The authoritative competition board was headed by the vice-president of the Russian Academy of Arts, Prince Grigory Grigorievich Gagarin. Under his leadership, respected artists, architects and engineers considered 52 projects, submitted, as it was supposed under the terms of the competition, in anonymous order.
In addition to Schroeder, other sculptors from the Academy of Arts – Zaleman, Mikhailov, Lyubimov, Chizhov and Laveretsky – were involved in the creation of the monument “The Millennium of Russia”. And the main work on the design of the structure on the square was done by architect Viktor Aleksandrovich Gartman.
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The grand opening of the historic monument took place with the participation of the family of the Russian sovereign in early September 1862 and lasted three days. The colorful event has remained in history, thanks to the pictorial canvas, which was created by Mikhail Nikishin’s teacher – academician and master of battle painting Bogdan Pavlovich Villevalde.
‘The Millennium of Russia monument in detail
History of the monument in the 20th century
Immediately after the revolutionary events of 1917, the historical monument began to be seen as one of the symbols of autocracy. It was not torn down, but was closed from people by covering it with boards and sheets of plywood. However, later they were removed, and the monument “Millennium of Russia” became available for viewing.
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In the late summer of 1941, Veliky Novgorod was occupied by German troops. In the winter of 1943-1944, the monument began to be dismantled in order to take parts of it to the territory of Germany. The Germans had already managed to dismantle and send the iron lattice and bronze lanterns. However, at the end of January 1944, Soviet troops entered the city.
By then, the historic monument was in a dilapidated state. Its upper part was almost completely destroyed. On the pedestal stood a shattered monument, many details of which were missing – swords, staffs, shields and spears were missing.
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The city authorities decided to restore the monument “Millennium of Russia” in the shortest possible time. For this purpose, a special narrow-gauge track was led to it and scaffolding for workers was built. Almost 1.5 thousand missing parts had to be cast anew. The grand opening of the Novgorod monument took place even before the end of the Great Patriotic War, in November 1944.
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Subsequently, there have been several restorations of the monument, the last of which took place in the mid-1990s.
.How to get there
The monument “Millennium of Russia” stands in the center of the city, on the territory of the Novgorod Kremlin, 1.55 km southeast of the railway station “Novgorod Passazhirsky”. The Kremlin is open to visitors daily from 6.00 to 24.00.
.Closer to the monument you can get by public transportation – buses and shuttle buses. You should get off at the stop “Ulitsa Rozvazha.”
