On the high bank of the Amur, in Khabarovsk, stands a monument to Muravyov-Amursky. He, folding his arms over his chest, carefully and thoughtfully looks towards China, as if anticipating his main opponent, neighbor and partner in this great nation. The history of the monument is very curious and even a little tragic. What does the name of N. N. Muravyov-Amursky tell us? How did he become famous and earn the love of the inhabitants of the glorious city of Khabarovsk? We will talk about this in the article.
Who is Muravyov-Amursky?
First of all, N. N. Muravyov-Amursky is a general from infantry, an outstanding leader and an outstanding official who perceives the interests of the state as his own. Fourteen years served the interests of the country in Eastern Siberia. His name is associated with the expansion of the possessions of the Russian state in Eastern Siberia. On his persistent initiative, the process of the return of the Amur, which was ceded to China in 1689, was begun.
The founder of the city on the Amur is Khabarovsk. A man who, with his joy for the interests of the state, has earned the respect and reverence of the inhabitants of the most remote territories of Russia. After retiring, he lived and died in Paris. After which it was decided to erect a monument to Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk.
His life is a prime example of Russia's ministry. Having chosen a military career, he did not sit behind his father, a high-ranking official, but chose to serve in a hot spot in the Caucasus, where he rose to the rank of general infantry. After retiring for health reasons, he was the governor of Tula, where, speaking for the abolition of serfdom, he was known as a liberal and a democrat, after which Nicholas I signed a decree appointing him to East Siberia as governor general.
Monument Installation
After the death of the count by Emperor Alexander III, a decision is made to erect a monument to Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk. The best sculptors of Russia were invited to the competition - M. M. Antokolsky, M. O. Mikeshin and A. M. Opekushin. The commission completed the work in a year, the results were summed up, the project A.M. was declared the winner. Guardian. The laying of the monument took place on 10/28/1888. The construction lasted three years. The opening of the monument was honored by the presence of Tsarevich Nikolai.
The monument stands on a significant hill of the city - the Khabarovsk cliff. It is rather a small complex. A staircase leads to the monument, on which one of the five bronze commemorative plaques with carved surnames of citizens who are actively involved in joining Primorye to Russia is fortified. Four boards are located on the four sides of the pedestal.
A guard house is located at a distance from the monument to Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk. This small ensemble is surrounded by anchor chains fixed on old cast-iron cannons half rooted in the ground. This is a worthy monument to the military general who made a significant contribution to the annexation of Primorye to Russia.
Demolition of the monument
Monuments, like people, have their own destiny. Some stand for centuries and even millennia, others disappear after a few years. The monument to Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk stood for only 37 years. In 1925, people who do not remember their roots, the glories of their homeland, adopted a decree on the demolition of the monument and its handing over to the museum, where it is sent for re-melting as unnecessary.
A monument to Lenin is erected on a pedestal. The figure of the leader was made small and did not look on a high and powerful pedestal. They closed their eyes to this awkward discrepancy until 1983, when a stele with a rook dedicated to the discoverers was installed on a pedestal.
Recovery
Ten years later, by the next anniversary, the collection of money begins for the revival of the monument to Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk. In the Russian Museum of Moscow, his model, made by the sculptor A. M. Opekushin, has been preserved. The work on the manufacture of the new statue was entrusted to the Leningrad sculptor L.V. Aristov.
Restoration of the fence and guardhouse
It turned out that the old guns that were buried nearby were not destroyed. Only a few guns were missing, which replaced the finely executed dummies. In 1992, the monument to Count N. N. Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk was reopened with honors a second time.
In place of the guardhouse there was another building that did not correspond to the original. Therefore, a decision is made to disassemble it and restore the building. But during the analysis it was revealed that the guardhouse was not destroyed, but only lined with brick outside. The old house has been restored. Now it houses a branch of the Khabarovsk Museum of Local Lore. The recreation of the complex was completed. The ashes of N. Muravyov-Amursky, who died and was buried in Paris, was brought to Russia and reburied in Vladivostok.