“All those epithets and attributes with which we usually decorate the concept of God are nothing more than our secret thought that these attributes should become our property, the property of humanity,”- wrote Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky (1828-1889) in the Sovremennik magazine in 1857.
Thought, as we know, is material, and especially if it is hidden. 90 years later, in 1947, a four-meter monument to Chernyshevsky was erected in Leningrad on Chernyshevsky Square (sculptor Vsevolod Lishev, architect Vsevolod Yakovlev). His photo is shown in the title of the post. The philosopher and democratic revolutionary with a book in his hands sits majestically on a huge concrete pedestal. He is depicted as very young, his gaze directed into the distance through round glasses.
The monument was a masterpiece for its time, and in fact remains so now. The mysterious and meditative gaze of the thinker recalls his own words:
“...It is light, it is beautiful. Tell everyone: this is what is in the future, the future is bright and wonderful.”
“...You saw in the hall how the cheeks were burning, how the eyes were shining; you saw them leaving, they coming; they left - it was I who carried them away, here each and everyone’s room is my refuge, in them my secrets are inviolable, door curtains, luxurious carpets absorbing sound, there is silence, there is mystery; they returned - it was I who returned them from the kingdom of my secrets to light fun. I reign here."
“...Now you know who I am; find out that I... I have the pleasure of the feeling that was in Astarte: she is the ancestor of all of us, other queens who succeeded her. I am intoxicated with the contemplation of beauty that was in Aphrodite...
But in me all this is not the same as it was in them, but fuller, higher, stronger. What was in “Purity” is united in me with what was in Astarte and with what was in Aphrodite.”
A little more, and the phalanstery of the goddess of dreams Vera Pavlovna will come to life ()
As for the ancestor Astarte in all her faces, this is a very ancient story. If I’m not confused, the problem of its “phalansteries” was first successfully solved by the pious King of Judah Josiah (Joshiahu) in the 7th century BC:
“...And he carried Ashtoreth out of the house of the Lord beyond Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned her by the brook Kidron, and ground her to dust, and threw her ashes into the public cemetery;
and he destroyed the houses of fornication that were at the temple of the Lord, where the women wove clothes for Ashtoreth...
Before him there was no king like him... and after him there was no king like him.”(2 Kings 23:6,7,25).
But that's not what this is about. The blissful picture with the monument to the philosopher was mercilessly destroyed on March 4, 2015. As the Petersburg Diary reported, after clearing the area around the Chernyshevsky monument from ice and snow, among the granite paving, passers-by found a gravestone on which the rank, dates of birth and death were preserved (1836 -1877), as well as part of the name of the deceased.
On this plate we were able to read the name - Nakhichevansky, and the date of death - 1912.
There is almost a 100% probability that this is Khan Nikolai (1891-1912), the eldest son of the famous adjutant general Huseyn Khan of Nakhichevan (1863-1919?).
Khan Nikolai Nakhichevansky was a cornet of the L.-Gv. Horse regiment. The cause and circumstances of his death on February 21, 1912 are still unknown. In “The St. Petersburg Necropolis” by V. Saitov, published in 1913, there is not even a mention of the burial of Nakhichevan. Only the last Highest order about him has survived:
So, in our almost mystical history, the tombstone of the second Nicholas appeared. He lived 21 years, 40 years less than Nikolai Chernyshevsky. Whether there is some secret meaning in all this, let everyone judge for themselves.
You can laugh at various coincidences, but after the abdication of Nicholas II in March 1917, amid chaos and turmoil, only two people from the highest Russian generals openly declared their rejection of the revolution and loyalty to the monarchy. One of them was the cornet's father, Huseyn Khan Nakhichevan, commander of the Guards Cavalry Corps. Here is the text of his telegram sent through the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General. Alekseev (an active participant in the Emperor’s abdication of the throne, as a result of which the telegram did not reach the addressee):
“We have received information about major events. I ask you to place at the feet of His Majesty the boundless devotion of the Guards cavalry and your readiness to die for your beloved monarch.
Adjutant General Khan Nakhichevansky.
No. 2770. March 3, 1917."
Let's give a very short story about him.
KNIGHT OF HONOR OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA
Emperor Nicholas II, Huseyn Khan of Nakhichevan and Baron Fredericks. Groundbreaking ceremony for the church of L.-Gv. Horse Regiment
in the name of the Holy Prince. Olga August 6, 1907 Krasnoye Selo
The Russian cavalry general, Adjutant General Huseyn Khan Nakhichevansky commanded the oldest and most famous regiments of the RIA, the Nizhny Novgorod Dragoons and the Leningrad Guards. Equestrian. Recipient of 15 Russian and 9 foreign awards, including the Military Order of St. George of the 3rd and 4th degrees and the Golden Weapon “For Bravery.”
He came from a family of rulers of the city and region of Nakhchivan, who at the beginning of the 19th century. They moved, along with their lands and people, from Persian citizenship to Russian citizenship and became Russian titled nobility, hence the title Khan. He was the only adjutant general in history who was a Muslim in the RIA.
Emperor Nicholas II and Huseyn Khan of Nakhichevan
Vel. served under the command of General Khan of Nakhichevan at different times. princes Mikhail Alexandrovich, Dmitry Pavlovich and Ivan Konstantinovich, future leaders of the White movement, generals P.N. Wrangel, A.I. Denikin, A.M. Kaledin, future Hetman of Ukraine General P.P. Skoropadsky and President of Finland K.-G. Mannerheim.
Officers of the L.-Gv. Cavalry regiment with regimental commander
Huseyn Khan of Nakhichevan refused to swear allegiance to the Provisional Government. In 1918 he lived in Petrograd as a private individual, on Admiralteyskaya embankment, 6, apt. 2. Arrested by the Petrograd Cheka on May 18, 1918. Presumably he was shot on January 29, 1919 in the Peter and Paul Fortress along with Vel. princes Pavel Alexandrovich, Nikolai Mikhailovich, Georgiy Mikhailovich and Dmitry Konstantinovich.
Three years ago, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth, a project appeared to create a monument to Huseyn Khan of Nakhichevan in St. Petersburg at the intersection of the street. Malaya Posadskaya and Michurinskaya (sculptor Boris Petrov, architect Gennady Peychev).
I would really like to see this monument. The current status of the project is unknown. It would be a pity if it all ends with yet another dream about the future, which, as we know, is bright and beautiful.
Main sources:
1. A tombstone was found in St. Petersburg during the restoration of the monument to Chernyshevsky.
The monument to Chernyshevsky, the great Russian writer, publicist, and revolutionary, was the first monument erected in post-war Leningrad. Opened in 1947 next to the newly founded Victory Park, it became a symbol of the city’s restoration.
History of the creation of the monument
The monumental propaganda plan proposed by V.I. Lenin in 1918 provided for the demolition of monuments to the kings and the erection of new ones in honor of fighters for revolutionary ideals.
Among the first on the list of candidates was the name of Chernyshevsky. Several monuments were erected to him in the cities of the USSR, primarily in his homeland. In 1940, it was decided to immortalize the revolutionary and writer in St. Petersburg.
The all-Union competition, in which 22 works took part, was won by the monument to Chernyshevsky, created by V.V. Lishev and V.I. Yakovlev. Casting began at a local factory. At the same time, preparatory work was underway at the monument installation site. But the installation was carried out only after the war.
It took more time to procure and deliver granite for the pedestal, since pre-war reserves were used to construct bunkers.
Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky
His place of birth is the city of Saratov. Here he lived with his parents until he was 18 years old. Since the father was a clergyman, the son initially followed in his footsteps. But three years later he realized that he had chosen the wrong path, and in 1846 he entered St. Petersburg University in the department of history and philology.
Here Nikolai Gavrilovich began to engage in journalism. Thanks to the Sovremennik magazine, which published his works, the author’s name became widely known in the circles of progressive youth. The topic of serfdom and the situation of peasants in Russia was especially actively raised. In the 50s and early 60s, Chernyshevsky took every opportunity to express his opinion on the pages of the magazine, anticipating a peasant uprising after the abolition of serfdom in 1861. His name became the banner of Sovremennik.
The magazine was closed for eight months for revolutionary agitation, and Nikolai Gavrilovich, “enemy of the empire No. 1,” was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1862. The reason was his proclamation “To the lordly peasants.” Over the two years that the investigation was underway, Chernyshevsky wrote several works in prison, including his main novel, “What is to be done?”, which was published in the newly opened Sovremennik.
According to the court verdict, after the “civil execution”, that is, the public breaking of a sword over the head of the convicted person as a sign of deprivation of all rights, he was exiled to hard labor for 7 years, followed by exile to Siberia for the rest of his life. A commutation of the sentence was accepted twenty years later. He did not live long after his return and died in Saratov in 1889.
Monument to Chernyshevsky
The monument to the revolutionary democrat reaches a height of 3.8 meters. The bronze figure is mounted on a granite pedestal 2.2 meters high. The sculptor V.V. Lishev and the architect V.I. Yakovlev saw Chernyshevsky, first of all, as a writer and journalist. A young man sits on a bench with a thoughtful look. He holds a book in his hands. The coat is thrown casually over the shoulders, the gaze is directed into the distance. But at the same time, one gets the impression of him as an active, active person, ready to quickly get up and start acting.
In 2016, the monument to N. G. Chernyshevsky was under restoration for a month. The craftsmen cleaned the sculpture, and with the help of a protective composition applied to the bronze, its strength was enhanced. We restored an accessory that was lost 20 years ago - a writer's glasses. The granite pedestal was also cleaned and strengthened, and lanterns and benches were placed around it.
Chernyshevsky Square
The square on which the monument was erected, which arose in the thirties, was called New. In 1948, she was named after the writer.
Today Chernyshevsky Square has a rectangular shape. The space is free from buildings, which allows you to see the monument, located in the center, from anywhere. On both sides the boundaries of the square are houses built in the pre-war period in the classicist style. The monument looks impressive against the backdrop of the ten-story Rossiya Hotel, built in 1962.
The monument to Chernyshevsky, the square and the buildings, thanks to the classical style, respect for harmony and the high taste of the authors, reflect the refined “St. Petersburg” style and create a single ensemble.
Victory Park
Opposite the Chernyshevsky monument in St. Petersburg is Victory Park. It was founded in 1945 and became a symbol of memory of the heroism of Leningraders.
Previously, there was a brick factory on this territory, the kilns of which were used as a crematorium during the years of the siege. The ashes were buried in quarries, which is why there is a large mass grave here. Several monuments in the park are erected in memory of people buried here.
The central alley, which runs from the Chernyshevsky monument to Victory Park, divides it into two parts. They are made in different styles: landscape and regular. Along the alley there are monuments to twice Heroes of the Soviet Union born in Leningrad. Intricately shaped ponds appeared in the park where there used to be quarries and bomb and shell craters.
Country: Russia
City: Moscow
Nearest metro: Chistye Prudy
Delivered: 1988
Sculptor: Neroda Yu.G.
Description
Walking along Pokrovsky Boulevard near Pokrovsky Gate Square, you can meet the famous literary critic, publicist and writer Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky. Just like you, on a sunny summer day, walking along the boulevard, he sat down on a bench in the shade of the trees. He sits thoughtfully, placing his right hand on his left.
Chernyshevsky's sculpture is located on a small rectangular pedestal. On the pedestal there is a commemorative inscription “Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky”. Behind the monument there is a semicircular wall. Around the site with the monument there are lamps from the late 19th century.
History of creation
The monument was opened in 1988 according to the design of the sculptor Yu.G. Nerod. The sculptor adopted the rich experience of his father and embodied his ideas in a very interesting and beautiful monument to Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky.
How to get there
You can get to the monument faster and more interestingly by arriving at the Chistye Prudy metro station. Get out onto Chistoprudny Boulevard and follow it to the intersection with Pokrovka Street. Near the metro you will see a monument to another famous writer Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov. And also, after passing the entire Chistoprudny Boulevard, you will see a monument to the Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbayev, and of course Chistye Prudy themselves. Immediately after the intersection with Pokrovka, on the left side in the park you will see a monument to Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky. (Pokrovka st. 22/1с1).
What's interesting:
In 1945, in the city of Leningrad, on the site of a factory that served as a crematorium during the war, the foundation of a park was laid. In Soviet times, the facts of mass burning of people on the territory of the former plant were carefully kept silent. This park was supposed to become a resting place for working people, but it became a symbol of memory of their heroic deeds during the war years. The park project was developed by the architect T. B. Dubyago in 1940. The territory of the park at that time was 1/7 of the current 68 hectares.
For residents and guests of the city of St. Petersburg, the groundbreaking date for the construction of a park in honor of the Great Victory became a significant event. Its opening took place in July 1946. This park has become a symbol of the eternal memory of the great feat of the heroic people. In 1947, on February 2, a monument to Chernyshevsky was unveiled here, which rightfully became one of the many attractions of the beautiful park.
A little about the sights
A propylaea was installed at the main entrance to the park, a greenhouse and a metro station pavilion were built on the territory, and its highlight was the intricate ponds connected by channels, which were created on the basis of shell craters and quarries of a former brick factory. According to the project of E. I. Katonin and V. D. Kirkhoglani, it was conceived in landscape and regular styles. These parts of the park are separated from each other by a central alley, which stretches from Chernyshevsky Square to the SKK. This alley contains monuments to many heroes of the Soviet Union. Also a sad reminder of the terrible years of the war is the trolley installed right there, which was pulled out from the bottom of the pond. During the war, the bodies of people burned in the crematorium were transported there. Now it is a memorial sign.
Monument to Chernyshevsky
During his career, Nikolai Gavrilovich created a huge number of wonderful literary, philosophical works, memoirs, translations, quotes, novels and stories. In February 1947, a monument to the Russian utopian philosopher, editor, revolutionary, literary critic, writer and publicist Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky was inaugurated in Victory Park. Nikolai Gavrilovich considered activity to be the main advantage of human nature, and the crown of his creation, with an active but changeable essence. This man was the first editor of the magazine “Military Collection”, he involved people in revolutionary circles. He followed the revolutionary democratic thought and philosophy of the French materialists. He was called enemy number one of the Russian Empire because of his proposal to publish banned literature. In 1864 he was exiled to hard labor for 14 years. After that he was settled in Siberia for life. However, Alexander 2 reduced the sentence of hard labor to 7 years. In total, Nikolai Gavrilovich spent twenty years in hard labor and in prison. In May 1864 he was executed by civil execution in St. Petersburg. The execution took place on Horse Square. Afterwards he was transferred to Nerchinsk penal servitude, followed by several more transfers. In the fall of 1889, Chernyshevsky died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was buried at the Resurrection Cemetery in Saratov. A square, avenue, metro station, village, garden, republican library, several alleys and streets in many cities of the country are named in memory of Chernyshevsky. During his career, Nikolai Gavrilovich created a huge number of wonderful literary, philosophical works, memoirs, translations, quotes, novels and stories. The architect of the monument to this outstanding person was Yakovlev V.I., and the sculptor was Lishev V.V.
Today, in addition to many different attractions, Victory Park also offers entertainment. There is an amusement park, boat rental, several tennis courts, mini golf, and an ice skating rink in winter.