Principal Monument to the Russian Forces
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The principal monument to the Russian forces – the heroes of the Battle of Borodino – was erected in 1837 to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Battle for the Raevsky Redoubt. Future Russian Tsar Alexander II participated in its founding. The ceremonial unveiling of the momument occurred two years later. The unveiling was attended by Tsar Nicholas I, members of the royal family, the Tsar’s entourage, representatives of Russia’s noble families, and veterans of the Borodino Battle themselves. On Borodino Field a force of more than 150.000 men reconstructed the principal events of the Battle.
The monument to the Borodino heroes is exceptionally attractive. It’s a high (27.5 metres) eight-sided cast iron obelisk, topped with a gilded dome and a Russian Orthodox cross. In 1932 the monument was criminally damaged, along with the Bagration crypt. It was only restored in 1987, to original archive drawings by the Italian designer Antonio Adamini.
The crypt of General Pyotr Bagration is placed upon the site of the battle for Raevsky Redoubt. The Russian inscription on the memorial tells us that Bagration died of wounds he received at the Battle of Borodino on 26th August 1812, and that his remains were transferred here from the village of Sima in Vladimir Province. Bagration was buried twice.
The original solemn burial took place with the participation of Tsar Nicholas I and many thousands of troops. A monument was subsequently erected next to his tomb. But 148 years later Bagration was re-evaluated by soviet authorities as a bourgeois man and a Tsarist general. It was decided to blow his crypt up for the scrap metal value. Bagration’s human remains were scattered over the surrounding ground by the explosion. However, on a subsequent anniversary, matters were rethought, and a simple obelisk was erected at the site.
It was only the 1980s, many decades after the monument was demolished, that it was restored to its original form, and Bagration’s memorial left as had been intended. However, all that could be found of his remains were a few scraps of bone and some buttons from his uniform.
The monument to the Borodino heroes is exceptionally attractive. It’s a high (27.5 metres) eight-sided cast iron obelisk, topped with a gilded dome and a Russian Orthodox cross. In 1932 the monument was criminally damaged, along with the Bagration crypt. It was only restored in 1987, to original archive drawings by the Italian designer Antonio Adamini.
The crypt of General Pyotr Bagration is placed upon the site of the battle for Raevsky Redoubt. The Russian inscription on the memorial tells us that Bagration died of wounds he received at the Battle of Borodino on 26th August 1812, and that his remains were transferred here from the village of Sima in Vladimir Province. Bagration was buried twice.
The original solemn burial took place with the participation of Tsar Nicholas I and many thousands of troops. A monument was subsequently erected next to his tomb. But 148 years later Bagration was re-evaluated by soviet authorities as a bourgeois man and a Tsarist general. It was decided to blow his crypt up for the scrap metal value. Bagration’s human remains were scattered over the surrounding ground by the explosion. However, on a subsequent anniversary, matters were rethought, and a simple obelisk was erected at the site.
It was only the 1980s, many decades after the monument was demolished, that it was restored to its original form, and Bagration’s memorial left as had been intended. However, all that could be found of his remains were a few scraps of bone and some buttons from his uniform.
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