Monument to Minin and Pozharsky

The idea of the creation of the monument appeared in 200 year anniversary of the deliverance from the Polish-Lithuanian interventionists. But in the same 1812 year the aggression of Napoleon happened, so Moscow appeared in enemy's hands for almost two years. Originally the monument was supposed to be installed in Nizhny Novgorod, where Kuzma Minin was born and the second Russian militia appeared. But the Emperor Alexander I, taking into account the meaning of it for the Russian history, decreed to set the monument up near the Kremlin walls. Figures of the memorial shield the fortress by their bodies and symbolize the ideals of the civic courage and patriotism.

The production of the model in miniature was completed in 1812 by I. Martos. Almost as soon as the work under miniature was finished, the creation of the full-sized model, which was casted by the Russian foundry master V. Ekimov, began. It was the first time of the creation of such a massive (almost 18 tons) monument in Empire style in European history. The both figures of the monument are distinguished by the big plasticity. Kuzma Minin gives Dmitry Pozharsky the ancient sword as a call be a head of the army. Wounded commander leans on a sword, trying to stand up, as an embodiment of the risen people's self-awareness. For the construction of the pedestal the granite was transported from Finland. From the both sides it is decorated by the bas-reliefs. From the front side there is a depiction of the bringing gift by the women to figures of fathers and sons, symbolizing the gratitude of the Russian people to the heroes. From the backside there is a picture , which demonstrates the great triumphal of Dmitry Pozharsky.

In 1612 Russia was at a war with Poland and Sweden. The troops of the both countries were hurried into the territory of Russia. Poland army managed to occupy the Kremlin. Under the command of Novgorod district superintendent Dmitry Pozharsky, who is famous by his courage and loyalty. In August the same year the bloody battle between the army of Hetman Chodkiewicz and the troops of the second volunteer army. On the 4th of November 1612 the second volunteer army soldiers under the command of Minin and Pozharsky took by storm the Kitay-gorod and forced the military leadership of the Commonwealth to capitulate. Nowadays, every year on the 4th of November Russia celebrates the Unity Day (Day of People’s Unity or National Unity Day) as a memory of the great feat of Russian people.