The concept of "triumphal arch" arose in Ancient Rome. It was there that a similar structure was erected for a more solemn reception of the winners.

The most famous are the arches of Titus, Trajan, Constantine, etc. Images of some of them were even minted on medals during the times of Nero and Augustus.

In Paris, perhaps the most famous of them, was built in honor of the victory of Napoleon Bonaparte and his army at the Battle of Austerlitz in December 1805. A lot of projects were proposed for implementation, all of them were different and original. There was even a version to imagine it in the form of a huge elephant made of stone with a museum located inside so that everyone could learn about all the victories of the emperor. And yet, Triumphal Arch, which we know today, became the prototype of a similar structure in Rome, the author of which was Titus. Both the columns and the openings are completely copied from the Italian original.

This majestic structure rises fifty meters high with almost the same width. However, such dry numbers cannot convey all the beauty and monumentality that the Parisian Arc de Triomphe possesses. The project is made in antique style. Beautiful winged maidens blowing fanfares and the glory of the emperor. Their author is the Swiss architect Jean-Jacques Pradier, who was awarded the prize for his not only sculptural, but also artistic achievements.

The Parisian Arc de Triomphe, a photo of which together with the image of the Eiffel Tower can be considered business card city, is, according to the authors, a precious reward for his legion. The capital of France is not the only place where you can find such a structure. There are quite a lot of them scattered around the world, and most of us have never heard of many of them. However, the Parisian arch is familiar to everyone.

It is decorated with sculptures, each of which can be called a separate masterpiece. For example, “Marseillaise”, symbolizing a protest against the Russian army, “Triumph” dedicated to the signing of the Vienna Peace, “Resistance” and “Peace”, authored by Etex. Unfortunately, this architect is practically unknown in the world, and in France itself he is known only in a narrow circle, although the Arc de Triomphe is in some way famous for his creations.

Napoleon was not destined to see what the monument built in his honor looked like in honor of the victory, strength and power of France. The construction was completed in 1836, when the emperor was no longer alive. And only once, in 1810, did he see a model of the project of his dreams: a wooden arch was built on a stone foundation covered with decorated wood. future project canvases.

In Russia, similar pompous gates were installed at the entrances to the capital and were intended for the ceremonial entry of commanders. They were first organized under Peter the Great in 1696, when he was returning with victory from Azov.

And in 1703, not one triumphal arch was built, but three: in honor of Repnin, Sheremetyev and Bruce - associates in the war against Ingria. They were displayed at the Myasnitsky and Ilyinsky Gates, as well as next to the Zaikospassky Monastery.

In addition to Paris and Moscow, today such triumphal gates stand in the city on the Neva, Novocherkassk, Potsdam, Barcelona, ​​Bucharest, Berlin and even Pyongyang.

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Since the time of Peter the Great, the most striking victories of the Russian people have been celebrated with some kind of majestic structure that will remind of the country’s feat. The Arc de Triomphe or the Moscow triumphal gate, erected in the early thirties of the 19th century in honor of the 1812 victory over Napoleon Bonaparte, is precisely such a monument.

History of the monument

The history of the monument goes back to the first half of XIX century to the distant Tverskaya outpost, where it was originally erected, but not from stone, but from wooden materials. The architectural structure was crowned by a chariot of glory; the cornice rose on monumental columns, which represented a majestic gate decorated with statues of liberators and images of the departure of enemy troops. But, since the monument quickly deteriorated and became unusable, they soon decided to replace the wooden arch with a stone one in order to preserve it for a longer period.

Initially, the idea of ​​​​creating the Arc de Triomphe belonged to the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, who was inspired by the projects being built at that time in St. Petersburg, and wished to build something similar in Moscow. The project was entrusted to the most famous at that time Osip Ivanovich Bova. But lack of finance and lack of government assistance have been the centuries-old scourge of Russia, so construction was extended over several years. A legendary monument for more than a century great victory The Fatherland existed at the Tverskaya Zastava, and only in 1936, in connection with the reconstruction and expansion of Moscow streets and squares, was it decided to move the famous gate.

Relocation of the Arc de Triomphe

The arch was carefully disassembled, the museum architects made careful measurements for subsequent restoration work, and the parts were placed in storage at the museum. It was not restored immediately, but only thirty years later. One can only imagine how complex and painstaking work fell to the architects and engineers of that time.

Using the remaining drawings, drawings and old photographs, it was necessary to restore the monument to its original form, filling in those details that had irretrievably disappeared. On the arch cornice alone, it was necessary to place more than a thousand independent parts! A huge team worked to recreate the lost fragments: using plaster casts, they re-cast the shapes of details of military armor and coats of arms of ancient cities. The panorama of the “Battle of Borodino” helped a lot in this process, some compositions from which were also used.

There was also a lot of controversy regarding the choice of location. Undoubtedly, when the arch was initially erected in the 19th century, it looked majestic anywhere in Moscow, since the nearby houses were not distinguished by their height, and after a century the capital had changed beyond recognition, and it was difficult to preserve the architect’s original idea among the high-rise buildings and highways.

The Arch was installed on Kutuzovsky Prospekt not far from Victory Park, where it fit perfectly into the bustle of Moscow life, reminding people of the great feat of the Russian people, who from time immemorial have stood guard over the Fatherland. The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most significant monuments of the Patriotic War of 1812, which silently recalls those great events sung by many writers of past years.

And many other cities where there are the same or similar structures. At the same time, the Moscow Arc de Triomphe, despite the external resemblance to them, upon closer examination turns out to be completely different: original, with its own zest and, of course, with its own unique history. It impresses with its beauty and grandeur. In these gates, even the most inexperienced tourist sees the embodiment of the high self-awareness of the Russian people, their pride in their sons, who defended the freedom of their native Fatherland on the battlefields.

A little background

In May 1814, Russian troops, having completely defeated the French, were returning home from Paris. Head of the Cabinet of Ministers Russian Empire Sergei Kuzmich Vyazmitinov ordered a ceremonial meeting of our units, sending out a corresponding decree to all provinces. At the same time, Emperor Alexander I officially notified the Governor-General of Moscow, Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rastopchin, about the conclusion of the Paris Peace Treaty, which legally secured the defeat Great Army Napoleon and the victory of Russia in this bloody war.

The Moscow mayor ordered magnificent celebrations to be held in honor of the entry of the Allied troops into the French capital and the achievement of the long-awaited peace. By his order, in June 1814, the construction of wooden triumphal gates began at the Tverskaya Zastava. Why was this particular location chosen? There seemed to be no other options. When the emperor came to the Mother See, it was here that the leaders of Moscow met him along with a large retinue of representatives of the local nobility and merchants.

It should be noted that the mentioned gates were not the only ones installed along the route of Russian troops from defeated France. The construction of similar structures was carried out in two more places: at the Narvskaya outpost, at the entrance to St. Petersburg (near the Obvodny Canal), and in the capital of the Don Cossacks, the city of Novocherkassk.

At the same time, Emperor Alexander I was afraid that the solemn meeting of the victors could develop into popular unrest, and in connection with this, in early July 1814, he banned the holding of mass meetings and receptions. At that time, the Triumphal Arch in Narva was almost ready, only the external decoration work remained, which was completed by the end of the month.

Construction of the Arc de Triomphe in Moscow

The triumphal gates in the capital are perceived today as a kind of collective symbol of all our victories over foreign invaders who have ever set foot on our land and received a worthy rebuff. Meanwhile, the history of this landmark began with one victory - in the Patriotic War of 1812. Immortal feat it was her heroes who were called upon to perpetuate this unique architectural structure.

The initiative to build an arch in Moscow similar to the one in St. Petersburg belongs to Emperor Nicholas I, who voiced it in April 1826 during the celebrations of his own coronation. The development of the project was entrusted to Osip Ivanovich Bova, the most authoritative domestic architect of that time. He completed the task in a short time, but it became necessary to make adjustments, which took much more time - two whole years. And so on August 17, 1829, after the final version was approved by the sovereign, the ceremony of laying the foundation of the Arc de Triomphe took place, arranged very solemnly. Governor General of Moscow Dmitry Golitsyn and Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna Filaret (Drozdov) were present.

It should be noted that the foundation ceremony was mostly a formality, since by that time work on the construction of the gate was already underway full swing. The foundation, which is based on a bronze slab, has already been brought to the surface level. 3,000 piles were also driven. Interesting fact: a handful was placed in the foundation silver coins the same year of minting, as they say, “for good luck.”

For the construction of the Arc de Triomphe in Moscow, a wide variety of materials from different places were used. The walls were lined with stone from the Samotechny Canal, which, coincidentally, was just being dismantled, and “Tatar marble” - stone imported from the village of Tatarovo, Moscow district. The columns and the sculpture crowning the structure were made of cast iron, but Ivan Timofeevich Timofeev and Ivan Petrovich Vitali worked on the sculptural decoration of the gate. The craftsmen were guided by the drawings of the “father” of the project, the architect Beauvais.

On the decorative attic crowning the Arc de Triomphe there is an inscription, the text of which was personally approved by the emperor in 1833. It is in two languages ​​– Russian and Latin, both versions are identical. The first could be read from the city side, the second - on the opposite side. From the inscription we learn that the triumphal gate is dedicated to the “blessed memory of Alexander I.”

The text also noted that the sovereign raised from the ashes and decorated with many monuments “this capital city during the invasion of the Gauls and with them twenty languages, in the summer of 1812 it was dedicated to fire.” And the year is indicated: “1826”. True, it does not correspond to the date of the official opening of the monument, which took place only in September 1834. Construction dragged on for two main reasons: lack of funding and indifference to the project on the part of the Moscow authorities.

The Moscow triumphal gate, albeit indirectly, is associated with such a historical event for the capital as the beginning of operation in 1899 of the first gate in the city. electric tram– he passed just under them. The tram line ran from Pushkinskaya Square (it was then called Strastnaya) to Petrovsky Park, which is now adjacent to Leningradsky Prospekt. On the approach to the arch, the conductor invariably announced: “Tverskaya Zastava. Triumphal Gate. Alexandrovsky Station.

For the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, which was celebrated in 1912, the capital's Arc de Triomphe was cleaned and restored. On the day of celebrations on the occasion of this epoch-making date, the Moscow leadership laid a wreath at its foot. The next time the monument was renewed was after October revolution, in the mid-20s. The restoration work was led by the talented Russian and Soviet architect Nikolai Vinogradov.

Subsequently, however, the fate of the monument was unenviable. In accordance with the reconstruction plan for the square located on Kutuzovsky Prospekt - this is at its intersection with Barclay, General Ermolov and 1812 streets - in the summer of 1936, the triumphal gates were dismantled. Before dismantling, the architects carefully measured the arch, photographed it and made the appropriate drawings and sketches, since it was planned that it would be restored in the future in a new location, namely on the Belorussky Station Square. But since this was not done, the details of the gate and some of the sculptures remained where they were sent for storage after dismantling - in the Museum of Architecture, on the territory of the former Donskoy Monastery. The cast-iron columns of the gate lay on Miusskaya Square for several years, until during the Great Patriotic War they were melted down. All but one.

In 1965, the Soviet government finally recognized that the Arc de Triomphe has great socio-historical and artistic value, having adopted a corresponding resolution on its restoration. A group of architects was formed consisting of I.P. Ruben, D.N. Kulchinsky and G.F. Vasiliev under the leadership of the architect-restorer V.Ya. Libson, which built a new Arc de Triomphe within two years (1966-1968). A new place was found for it on Kutuzovsky Prospekt - next to the Battle of Borodino panorama museum, opened for the 150th anniversary biggest battle Patriotic War of 1812.

Despite the fact that during the construction of the gate, sketches and measurement drawings made before dismantling were used, the resulting copy still differs from its predecessor arch. Here are the main differences: the walls, vaults and basement were made of reinforced concrete (on the previous gate they were brick), grayish Crimean limestone and granite were replaced with white stone on the cladding, and the gratings and guardhouses were not restored at all. The original parts that were kept in the former monastery were also not useful - the same statues and cast-iron reliefs. At the Mytishchi plant, more than 150 sculptures were cast from scratch, and at the Stankolit plant, 12 new cast iron columns were cast, using as a basis the only original column that survived the war. The height of each is no less than 12 meters.

The changes also affected the texts on memorial plaques. In particular, they contained lines from the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army M.I. Kutuzov dated December 21, 2012, in which he honors our victorious soldiers, indicating that future generations will keep their exploits in their memory.

And now the long-awaited day has come for the opening of the capital's new Arc de Triomphe. The ceremony took place on November 6, 1968.

Triumphal Arch in Moscow today

In 2012, Russia celebrated the 200th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. In preparation for the celebrations, it was decided to restore this unique monument. The leadership of Moscow, through the mouth of Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, officially announced that the Arc de Triomphe was in disrepair, which meant that the authorities were planning large-scale repair and restoration work.

Their implementation was carried out by the state government institution “Mosrestavratsiya”. The cladding, which had fallen into disrepair, was almost completely replaced, and the stone walls and sculptural groups were thoroughly cleared. The chariot with six horses and a sculpture of the goddess Nike crowning the arch was also removed (on May 31, 2012 they were returned to their original place). The restorers did not ignore even those elements of the gate that could not be dismantled and could still serve for some time.

The restoration of the triumphal gates cost the capital's treasury 231.5 million rubles. The renewed and rejuvenated beautiful arch was inaugurated on September 4, 2012 in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev - three days before the historical date of the 200th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Borodino. During this battle, as we know, neither side achieved a decisive victory, but the French, having received serious damage, failed to destroy the Russian army and force Russia to surrender on its own terms, which ultimately predetermined Napoleon's defeat.

How to get there

The Triumphal Arch in Moscow is located at Pobeda Square, 2, k1.

You can get there by metro, reaching the Park Pobedy station on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line. From there you can walk.

The construction of the stone memorial designed by Osip Bove lasted for several years due to lack of funds. The arch was decorated with Russian knights - allegorical images of Victory, Glory and Courage. Above them are high reliefs “The Expulsion of the Gauls from Moscow” by I.T. Timofeeva and “Liberated Moscow” by I.P. Vitali. On the cornice you can see the coats of arms of the administrative regions of Russia that participated in the war with Napoleon, figures of Glory and Victory. And the Arc de Triomphe is crowned by six horses with the goddess of victory Nike.

The inscription on the arch was chosen personally by Nicholas I: To the blessed memory of Alexander I, who raised this capital city from the ashes and decorated with many monuments of paternal care, during the invasion of the Gauls and with them the twelve languages, in the summer of 1812, dedicated to the fire, 1826. On one side of the arch the inscription was in Russian, and on the other - in Latin.

After reconstruction, the inscription on the main facade was changed. The new text was taken from the bronze foundation board embedded in the base of the Arc de Triomphe: These Triumphal Gates were laid as a sign of remembrance of the triumph Russian soldiers in 1814 and the resumption of the construction of magnificent monuments and buildings of the capital city of Moscow, destroyed in 1812 by the invasion of the Gauls and with them the twelve languages.

On the second memorial plaque the words of M.I. are carved Kutuzova: This glorious year has passed. But the great deeds and exploits you have done there will not pass away or become silent; your descendants will preserve them in their memory. You saved the Fatherland with your blood. Brave and victorious troops! Each of you is the savior of the Fatherland.

In 1936 A.V. Shchusev, in accordance with the General Plan of Moscow 1935, developed a project for the reconstruction of Tverskaya Zastava Square. No place was found for the Arc de Triomphe.

The memorial obstructed traffic and was dismantled. Some of the sculptures were transferred to the Museum of Architecture on the territory of the Donskoy Monastery. Then some elements were mounted into monuments on the Borodino Field, and part of the decor of the Arc de Triomphe is still kept in the Museum of Architecture.

At first they wanted to restore the arch on Tverskaya Zastava Square, but in 1966-1968 the monument was recreated on Kutuzovsky Prospekt using old drawings and photographs. Thus a historical incident arose that the Arc de Triomphe began to greet Napoleon entering Moscow.