The famous museum on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, which houses the panorama of the Battle of Borodino, is one of the main cultural symbols of not only Moscow, but the whole of our country. It is worth noting at least the fact that this is the only museum complex in the world dedicated exclusively to the Patriotic War of 1812 and its culmination - the battle near the village of Borodino.
Borodino panorama was conceived by the famous artist F. Roubaud, as a monument to the centenary of the terrible events of 1812. By that time, he had already become famous for writing two such battle paintings - “Defense of Sevastopol”, dedicated to the events of the Crimean War, and “Storm of Aul Akhulgo”.
The idea of creating a grandiose panorama of the Battle of Borodino was expressed by the artist at the end of 1909 and almost immediately found support from the authorities and the public. In the following months, the artist was engaged in careful collection of material, consultations with military experts and historians, repeated trips to the place of the former battle. Nicholas II also made his corrections to the work, who insisted that the picture should show the situation at the village of Semenovskoye at about 12.30 a.m.
The result of all this work was the majestic Borodino panorama opened on the eve of the centenary, which caused a real delight among contemporaries. The canvas for public viewing was exhibited in a building specially built for this occasion on Chistoprudny Boulevard. It depicted a majestic panorama of the battle of Borodino, the central place in which was occupied by the French attack on the Semenov flashes, accompanied by the retaliatory action of the Russian troops.
In 1918, the Borodino panorama was removed, since the pavilion in which it was exhibited fell into complete disrepair. For a long thirty years, the picture fell out of sight of not only ordinary viewers, but also specialists. Only after the end of World War II, the canvas was finally given into the hands of restorers, who in two years gave it its original appearance.
The Borodino panorama was again put on public display in 1962 in honor of the 150th anniversary of the great feat of the Russian people. By this significant date, a new building was built on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, not far from the place where the great commander held his famous council. However, the misadventures of the picture did not end there: less than five years later, when she nearly died in a fire that destroyed more than half of the original. The restorers performed a real miracle, presenting a few years later a panorama that was practically no different from the original for the audience.
Currently, the Borodino Panorama Museum Complex is a modern cultural site that is visited by thousands of tourists every day. In front of the museum itself, they are met by the majestic figure of Field Marshal Kutuzov, who with his appearance inspires confidence in the inevitable victory of Russian weapons. Next to the commander in chief are his closest associates - Barclay, Bagration, Platov, who together with the soldiers symbolize the unity of the Russian people in the face of the enemy.
Actually, the Borodino Panorama occupies the entire second floor of the museum. Consisting not only of a picture, but also of individual material objects, it emphasizes the heroism of Russian soldiers and conveys the unforgettable atmosphere of one of the largest battles in the history of mankind.