Kostroma ... A beautiful ancient city, which can often be heard in various sources. He captivates people with his story and events that took place on this earth. Many come here to get acquainted with the cultural monuments of Kostroma, to see the local architecture, sights and other objects of cultural heritage. Also, people are often interested in the question of whether there is a monument to Ivan Susanin in the city? This is largely due to the fact that not far from here, in one of the villages near Kostroma this hero lived. It is worthwhile to examine in more detail the history of the monument, where it is located, as well as talk a little about the very feat of Ivan Susanin.
Monument to Ivan Susanin in Kostroma - general information
So, it’s worth starting the story with general information about this wonderful cultural site. To the question of whether there is a monument to Ivan Susanin in Kostroma, the answer, of course, will be in the affirmative. This monument was installed several times in the city. This is due to the fact that after the first installation, it was destroyed and then rebuilt. The first monument dedicated to these events was erected in 1851. The author of the monument is the then-famous sculptor V.I. Demut-Malinovsky. However, after some time, the monument was destroyed, and already in 1967 the monument was re-established. The author of this work is N. A. Lavinsky.
This monument exists in our time. Here you can see many tourists at any time of the year. Many are interested in getting acquainted with this cultural object, since it covers the events that took place in our country in the Time of Troubles, the heroism of ordinary people. In a sense, this allows you to touch the story and better understand it.
The construction of the monument in 1851
Now it’s worth talking about the history of this monument. As mentioned above, the first monument to Ivan Susanin in Kostroma was erected in the XIX century. A prerequisite for the creation of such an object was a visit to the city of Nicholas I. The emperor believed that the feat of Ivan Susanin should be perpetuated by creating a special monument. It happened in 1835. Initially, it was supposed to place the object on the central square of the city and give it the name Susaninskaya (earlier it had a different name - Yekaterinoslavskaya).
Thus, already in 1851, the grand opening of the monument took place. He became the central monument of the whole city. After some time, it was decided to set up a nearby square. He was also given the same name.
What did the monument look like then?
Initially, the monument to Ivan Susanin was made in the form of a column made of red granite. It was located on a pedestal. At the top of the composition was a bust of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. A Monomakh hat was put on his head , and a large cross on his neck. A state emblem was placed next to the bust.
At the bottom of the entire sculptural composition was the figure of Susanin himself, who knelt and prayed. Thus, the monument looked then, back in the distant XIX century.
How did the destruction of the monument?
This cultural object was for some time the central attraction of the city. Many people came here on purpose, knowing that in the city of Kostroma there is a monument to Ivan Susanin. However, it did not last long. After the revolution, he was threatened with demolition, since a special document was published. It provided for the destruction of objects that were ever erected in honor of the kings and their servants. Thus, the monument could not be saved; it was demolished in 1918.
There are even several versions about what fate befell the figures of this monument. According to one of them, the figures were dumped into the Volga, and on the other, they were buried in an unknown place. There is another version that they were sent for re-melting for more necessary purposes. Then only one column remained at the site of the monument.
It is not surprising that at that time there was a renaming of the square into the square of the Revolution. After the events described, a small obelisk was located at this place for a long time, which covered the remaining column. A red flag was hung on it. After some time, they also decided to liquidate the column, in 1934 the monument was finally demolished, its lining was broken and used as a crumb for paving the road.
Restoration of the monument
So, events related to the destruction of this cultural heritage site were examined. For a long time, the answer to the question of whether there is a monument to Ivan Susanin in Kostroma was negative. However, after some time, the authorities decided that this event still deserves to be perpetuated in the form of a monument, since this is an important stage in the history of the entire state. Therefore, it was decided to design a new monument, in which there will not be any features associated with monarchical and religious themes. This event occurred in 1947. However, preparation for the construction was very long, and work began only in 1959. It was carried out by a young sculptor - N. A. Lavinsky. He made the design of the monument in his graduation work. A monument to Ivan Susanin began to be built on the edge of Revolution Square.
However, it was not so simple. The project was temporarily suspended due to an audit that deemed such construction incorrect. Nevertheless, in 1965 the project was nevertheless approved, and already in 1967 the grand opening of the facility took place.
It has been standing on this site for many years, recently the question of moving a monument from Kostroma to a place where the events and the feat of Susanin directly took place has been considered.
A monument to Ivan Susanin - what does he look like now?
Naturally, the new monument was made in a completely different way. It absolutely does not look like a monument that existed before. Therefore, it is worth telling more about it. So, in the new version, he looks like a peasant figure, which is placed on a high pedestal. The peasant is dressed in long clothes. The figure itself is made of such material as white limestone.
The figure faces the Volga, and its back to Susaninskaya Square. It is worth noting that the area was renamed back in 1992.
Creating a monument to Ivan Susanin, the sculptor sought to convey the true heroism of man, a Russian patriot. This is not even a historical figure, but the image of the person of a person who loves his homeland and is ready, if necessary, to defend it. In a word, the monument leaves a large number of impressions.
Address of the monument, where is it located?
Thus, the entire history of the monument was considered, an idea of how it looked in different years was given. In connection with its demolition and restoration, many people often wonder if there is a monument to Ivan Susanin in the city. Now the answer to this question is known. Once in Kostroma, you should definitely see this object of cultural heritage. The monument will make you think about the heroism of Russian people, and will also allow you to better know the history of your country. Monument address: Kostroma, st. Ostrovsky.