Whose monument is on Manezhnaya Square? Manezhnaya Square. Monuments of the royal Romanov dynasty

04.07.2020

Klykov, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich. 1995. Bronze. Moscow, Russia

At first it was planned to erect a monument to G.K. Zhukov on Red Square in front of the Historical Museum, opposite other saviors of the Fatherland - Minin and Pozharsky. But, fortunately, UNESCO intervened. Since Red Square, a historical and cultural monument of world significance, is under the protection of UNESCO, it is not subject to any “changes or additions.” Then the sculpture was installed on the side of Manezhnaya Square, very close to the service entrance to the Historical Museum. The location was chosen poorly: the monument was not only “retracted”, but also placed on the north side of a large building that obscures the monument. Zhukov always looks dark, and at dusk it’s just black, since there is no evening illumination. This is the most “non-photogenic” monument in Moscow.

V.M. Klykov executed the sculpture in the traditionalist spirit of socialist realism; his creation can quite worthily be placed on a par with monuments to leaders and commanders from the time of the cult of personality. In essence, the monument is a veiled glorification of the Soviet-partocratic era. It is no coincidence that today's communists have chosen it as the site of their rallies.

Many critical comments were made about the Klykov monument. Artistic circles assessed the monument very coolly. Even Zurab Tsereteli cautiously remarked: “You know, the sculptor Klykov is a very gifted person, but in this case it didn’t work out. And I think he knows it himself.” Alexander Rukavishnikov spoke more openly: “I don’t like the Zhukov monument for sculptural and aesthetic reasons. Proportions have nothing to do with it - I don’t like the solution itself within the framework of this problem. I think this is Klykov’s failure.” The author himself reacted stoically and calmly to the criticism: “I know that this sculpture was made professionally, competently, just as I intended it to be. You can agree or disagree with the monument - I am absolutely sure that I did everything right and that the image, the composition that was conceived was made by me. I wanted to convey the image of a commander who, as if pulling on the reins, brought Victory, trampling fascist standards, to the walls of the ancient Kremlin. That's what the idea was, actually. That’s why I chose such a rhythmic, almost drum-like step.”

The illustrious marshal appeared on the pedestal at the zenith of glory and greatness - at the moment of the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945. It is no coincidence that the bronze Georgy Zhukov involuntarily evokes allusions to Saint George the Victorious, whose image is placed at the base of the monument.

However, this is far from the best example of equestrian sculpture. The rider, standing up in the stirrups, makes some strange gesture with his right hand - either calming or prohibiting. In addition, horse riding experts, looking at the monument, are perplexed at what gait the horse moves: trot, amble, gallop? The author himself answered this question evasively: “They also say that a horse cannot move its legs like that. I myself grew up in the village, loved horses since childhood, rode horses, and, thank God, I know horses and how a horse can move its legs.” But Klykov still did not say in what manner the horse (or rather horse) walks towards his statue, and people are now at a loss.

It is known that Comrade Stalin ordered Zhukov to accept the historical parade on a white horse. Since ancient times, a silver-white horse has symbolized Victory and Glory. This ride on a white horse became an exceptional event in Soviet horse parades. Two years later, during the May Day celebrations, Budyonny will want to ride across Red Square on a white horse, too, but Stalin will forbid him.

In the Manege of the Ministry of Defense, where horses and military leaders were prepared for parades, there was no white horse suitable for Zhukov and for such an occasion. After a feverish search, he was found in a KGB cavalry regiment. It was a stallion named Idol. Zhukov was an excellent cavalryman, but in the morning he came to train at the Manege. As a result, the marshal coped with the task perfectly. It was necessary to sit beautifully and firmly in the saddle in full view of the whole country, strictly observe the pace of movement, accurately follow the schedule of troop detours, be able to stop the horse in a strictly defined place and, after a greeting, immediately move on, not at a trot or at an amble, but at an arena gallop in time with the military orchestra. But the main thing is that the horse does not run away, does not “stand on the candle”, and that no other failure or mistake occurs: Stalin did not like this, and it could end in the ruin of his career. Illustrious commanders tried in every way to avoid such equestrian actions. K.K. Rokossovsky, another participant in the historical parade and an excellent horseman, admitted that he “would rather go on the attack twice than go to Red Square for the parade.” When Zhukov, on that significant day, finally stopped the heated Idol near the Mausoleum, dismounted and, patting the horse on the withers, headed to the podium, the Manege staff breathed a sigh of relief: “Thank God, the mountain has fallen from our shoulders” (Bobylev I.F. Horsemen from the Red square. - M., 2000. P. 65.).

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that after Stalin’s death, horse ceremonial rides ceased once and for all, and the cavalry, on the orders of Zhukov, was disbanded as a special branch of the military. Perhaps in this sense we should understand the prohibiting gesture of the military leader on the monument to the sculptor Klykov.

The monument to Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov by sculptor V. M. Klykov was erected in Moscow on Manezhnaya Square on May 8, 1995 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.
The idea appeared back in Soviet times. The USSR Ministry of Culture organized a competition, which was won by sculptor Viktor Dumanyan. The monument was first supposed to be installed on Smolenskaya Square, then a project for installing a monument on Manezhnaya Square began to be worked out, but this idea was also abandoned.
At the end of 1993 a project for installing a monument to Zhukov on Red Square appeared. At a meeting between Boris Yeltsin and veterans on the occasion of the anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad, it was announced that the monument to Zhukov would be erected on Red Square opposite the Historical Museum. The author of the project was V.M. Klykov. In his opinion, all other places for installing the monument would be a mockery of the memory of the hero. But due to the fact that Red Square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was decided to place the monument on Manezhnaya Square, on the opposite side of the museum.
The sculpture is made in the style of socialist realism.
The hero is depicted riding a horse, which tramples the standards of Nazi Germany with its hooves.
The total weight of the monument to Zhukov is 100 tons.
The monument has been criticized several times. Even the sculptor himself noted the unfortunate location of the Zhukov monument on the north side of the large museum building, almost always in the shade. At night, the monument is illuminated by one spotlight, but this is not enough. The lighting system built into the base of the monument is now not functioning at all due to design flaws.
The author notes:
“I know that this sculpture was made professionally and competently, just as I intended it to be. You can agree or disagree with the monument - I am absolutely sure that I did everything right and that the image, the composition that was conceived was made by me. I wanted to convey the image of a commander who, as if pulling on the reins, brought Victory, trampling fascist standards, to the walls of the ancient Kremlin. That's what the idea was, actually. That’s why I chose such a rhythmic, almost drum-like step.”
It is interesting that the order to host the Victory Parade on a warhorse was given personally by Stalin. The color of the horse - silver-white - was not chosen by chance and takes us back to the traditions of ancient times, when this color was considered a symbol of great victories and glory.

Zhukov became the only one to host a military parade on a white horse during the Soviet Union. Marshal Budyonny, 2 years later, also asked Stalin for such an honor, but the Supreme Commander-in-Chief did not give permission (after the death of Joseph Vissarionovich Zhukov, with his existing powers at that time, completely abolished the cavalry as a branch of the military, and there were no more ceremonial military parades with the participation of horses in the USSR carried out).
The monument is popular among tourists; veterans are honored here, the wartime tragedy is remembered and the Victory is glorified...

At a meeting between Boris Yeltsin and veterans on the occasion of the anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad, it was announced that the monument to the marshal would be erected opposite the Historical Museum.

The author of the project was V.M. Klykov. In his opinion, other places for installing the monument would be a mockery of the memory of the hero. But due to the fact that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the monument was erected in 1995 on the opposite side of the museum.

The description of the monument to Georgy Zhukov can be brief: the hero is depicted on horseback, trampling the standards of Nazi Germany with his hooves. The weight of the monument is 100 tons.

The monument was criticized a lot. Even the sculptor himself noted its unfortunate location on the northern side of the Historical Museum building - almost always in the shade. And although the monument is illuminated by a spotlight at night, this is not enough.

I know that this sculpture was made professionally and competently, just as I intended it to be. You can agree or disagree with the monument - I am absolutely sure that I did everything right and that the image, the composition that was conceived was made by me. I wanted to convey the image of a commander who, as if pulling the reins, brought Victory, trampling fascist standards, to the walls of the ancient. That's what the idea was, actually. That’s why I chose such a rhythmic, almost drum-like step.

In the fall of 2014, the Zhukov Memory Society proposed moving the monument to the marshal’s homeland in the Kaluga region, and installing another monument to Zhukov on Manezhnaya Square. But the commission on monumental art of the Moscow City Duma rejected this project.

Monument to the Marshal Soviet Union and commander Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov was installed on May 8, 1995 Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, not far from Red Square . The occasion was the celebration in Russia of the 50th anniversary of the victory over fascism in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Photo 1. The monument to Marshal Zhukov was installed on Manezhnaya Square

in front of the Historical Museum, near the entrance to Red Square

The sculptor captured the marshal on one of the most solemn days in his life - at the moment when Georgy Konstantinovich hosted the Victory Parade, which took place on June 24, 1945. The rider seemed to stand up in the stirrups and thus greet his comrades.

The sculptural composition is made in the so-called socialist realism style. Zhukov is depicted riding a war horse, which with its hooves tramples the Nazi standards of defeated Nazi Germany.

The sculpture evokes some allusions to the patron saint of Moscow - St. George the Victorious, whose image is present both on the capital's coat of arms and on the coat of arms of Russia.

The total weight of the monument (the sculpture is made of bronze, the pedestal is made of granite) is about 100 tons.

From the history of the monument to Zhukov

They planned to erect the monument to the great marshal back in Soviet times. The Union Ministry of Culture even organized a competition, the winner of which was the sculptor Viktor Khachaturovich Dumanyan. The intended installation location is Smolenskaya Square. True, then they began to work on the idea of erecting a monument on Manezhnaya Square, but the matter was never brought to its logical conclusion.

In 1993, the issue of installing a monument to Zhukov, now on Red Square, was raised again, especially since a significant date was approaching - the 50th anniversary of the Victory.

The seriousness of the intentions was confirmed by the then Russian President Yeltsin, who spoke to veterans during the celebrations on the anniversary of the lifting of the Leningrad blockade and promised to erect a monument near the walls of the Historical Museum from Red Square. It was designed by the sculptor Klykov and the Moscow architect Grigoriev for this place.

But Red Square is included in the list of significant world heritage sites of the international organization UNESCO and redevelopment there is prohibited. In this regard, the monument was installed on the back side of the building - on Manezhnaya Square.

A few words about the plot , embedded in the concept of the monument to Zhukov.

It is interesting that the order to host the Victory Parade on a warhorse was given personally by Stalin. The color of the horse - silver-white - was not chosen by chance and takes us back to the traditions of ancient times, when this color was considered a symbol of great victories and glory.

During the Great Patriotic War, Russia trained many great commanders. To pay tribute and recognition, monuments were erected to many of them in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities. One of the popularly recognized commanders is Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov - Marshal of the Soviet Union and four times Hero of the Soviet Union, as well as a holder of two Orders of Victory. In the post-war years, he was Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, and for two years served as First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR. The legendary commander died in 1974, on June 18. By decision of the country's leaders, Zhukov - as an outstanding statesman and military figure - was buried on Red Square. And on the 100th anniversary of Georgy Konstantinovich, an order was established and

No one is forgotten...

Heroes pass away, but their memory is eternal. The Military Command Academy of Air Defense in Tver is named after the commander. Also, avenues and streets in many settlements of the former USSR bear his name. Sculptural compositions in honor of the marshal were installed in Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Kursk, Kharkov and other cities. Zhukov was no exception; however, it appeared in the capital relatively recently - in 1995, although the idea of its creation arose during the times of the Soviet Union.

Story

The USSR Ministry of Culture organized a competition for the best sketch of the future sculpture. It was won by the sculptor of monumental art, who had previously created a monument to Marshal Zhukov (in the village of Strelkovka - the commander’s homeland), Viktor Dumanyan. The composition was supposed to be placed on Smolenskaya Square, but the Department of Architecture and Design, which gives recommendations on the placement of monuments in Moscow, decided that the best place to install such a sculptural composition as the monument to Zhukov was Manezhnaya Square. However, the impending perestroika made its own adjustments to the work. They forgot about the monument for a long time...

Monument to Marshal Zhukov

We resumed work in a new country under a new government. On May 9, 1994, President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree on the installation of a monument on Manezhnaya Square. However, then changes followed again. During Yeltsin’s meeting with WWII veterans, it was decided that the country’s most important square, Red Square, should be decorated with such a structure. They have now decided to install the monument to Zhukov in close proximity to the Historical Museum and other rescuers of the Fatherland - Pozharsky and Minin. The sculptor Vyacheslav Klykov (photo below) was entrusted to lead the work on the composition, and he supported the correctness of this decision. According to Klykov, choosing any other place to install the monument would be a violation of the memory of the commander.

And yet, the monument to Zhukov was erected on Manezhnaya Square, next to the entrance to the historical museum. The fact is that Red Square is a cultural and historical site of world significance, included in the UNESCO list and under protection, and this organization has prohibited making any additions or changes on its territory.

Description of the sculpture

The monument is made in the style of socialist realism. sits astride a horse, and its hooves trample the standards of Nazi Germany. In this we can trace a parallel with St. George the Victorious, fearlessly defeating the serpent. The commander is depicted standing up somewhat in his stirrups and greeting his comrades. Vyacheslav Klykov said that in this composition he sought to depict one of the most solemn episodes in the life of the marshal - the moment when he hosted the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945. The monument to Zhukov is mounted on a massive granite pedestal. The weight of the monument reaches one hundred tons.

It is noteworthy that Stalin ordered Georgy Konstantinovich to take part in the parade on a white horse. This is a unique case in the entire Soviet history of horse parades. It was not possible to find a white horse suitable for Zhukov in the Manege of the Ministry of Defense, and they found it only in the USSR State Security Committee. It was a stallion named Idol. By the way, Georgy Konstantinovich was an excellent cavalryman, but he still came to the Manezh for training in the mornings.

Monument to Zhukov: criticism

The location allocated for the monument turned out to be not very good: firstly, the sculpture is too close to the service entrance of the museum, and secondly, it is located on the north side of the building and is therefore very dark. It is possible to see the monument to Zhukov in detail only during daylight hours, because in the evening and night hours the composition looks simply black. In artistic circles, the monument was also subject to many criticisms. Architects and sculptors not only perceived the aesthetics and proportions of the monument negatively, they also condemned the embodied image of the marshal and the idea itself.

Author's opinion

Despite many unflattering reviews, Klykov continued to insist that the composition was constructed professionally and competently, and the image of the commander was conveyed correctly. Pulling back the reins, Zhukov seemed to bring Victory to the walls of the Kremlin. As the author says, the moment of acceptance of the Parade is depicted, when the marshal is at the zenith of glory and greatness. The rhythmic stride of the horse is consistent with this idea. However, it also caused some confusion among horse riding experts. They added fuel to the fire of general discontent by saying that horses don’t position their legs like that. Nevertheless, as already noted, Klykov did not find any shortcomings in his work. When creating the composition, he was guided by his own memories of that memorable Victory Parade and, in the image of Zhukov, sought to embody the theme of holiness, putting the commander on a par with Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy.

Perpetuation of memory

Of course, the monument to Zhukov in Moscow is not the only monument dedicated to the marshal. Where else is the memory of this great man immortalized?

Outside the USSR, the first sculptural composition in honor of Georgy Konstantinovich was installed in 1979 in Mongolia, in Ulaanbaatar, on the fortieth anniversary of the victory at Khalkhin Gol, next to the first house-museum of the commander in the whole world. The street where the museum is located also bears the name of Zhukov.
In the USSR, the first monument to the marshal was erected in 1988 (laid in 1973) in a microdistrict called the “Zhukov microdistrict”.
In Moscow, the monument on Manezhnaya Square is also not the only sculpture in honor of Georgy Konstantinovich. A monument to him was erected in the park on Marshal Zhukov Avenue and at the northern lobby of the two-hall Kashirskaya metro station.
In St. Petersburg, the monument to Zhukov has stood in Moscow Victory Park since 1995.
A sculpture of the commander was also installed in Armavir on the street of the same name.
In 1995, a monument to the marshal was erected in Omsk.
A year earlier, in 1994, in the city of Irbit, in the Sverdlovsk region, a monument to Zhukov was opened. The sculpture was made in full height on a marble pedestal in memory of the time when Georgy Konstantinovich was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR from the Irbit district and the city of Irbit.
On May 8, 2007, a square in memory of the marshal was opened in Minsk (Belarus), and a bust of Zhukov was installed in it.
In the city of Uralsk (Kazakhstan), a bust of the commander flaunts right in front of the administrative building of the military unit.
In 2005, a monument to Georgy Konstantinovich was erected in Irkutsk, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of the Victory in the Second World War.