Monument to Tatischev and de Gennin, Ekaterinburg: historical facts

On the Iset River, a city was founded for a very long time, which grew into a huge metropolis called Ekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk, from 1924 to 1991), which deservedly bears the name of the capital of the Urals. Today its population totals about one and a half million people. In honor of the transformations in the cultural and political life of the Urals, which led to the creation of the city, a monument was erected to Tatischev and de Gennin.

Ekaterinburg

The city has a rich historical heritage, rooted in Peter's times. It all began with the construction of a metallurgical plant for the smelting of iron and steel in 1723. The main initiator was a well-known statesman, economist and geographer-historian Tatishchev Vasily Nikitich. There were also opponents of this enterprise, among which the surname of the Russian industrialist Demidov Nikita is called, he substituted the footstep for Tatishchev, who eventually was removed from all cases. At that moment unexpectedly Tatishchev was supported by the outstanding German engineer Georg Wilhelm de Gennin, who continued his work.

After a while the plant was built and put into operation. Due to the fact that it resembled by its appearance a mighty fortress, later the city was named after Catherine I.

The monument to Tatishchev and De Gennin (Yekaterinburg) was installed in the city on August 14, 1998. The central square of Labor, on which this monument stands, already changed its name, it was the Cathedral, then the Church and even the Catherine. The opening of the monument was timed to coincide with the 275th anniversary of the foundation of the city.

The monument to Tatishchev and De Gennin (Yekaterinburg) is a bronze composition, which was traditionally produced at the famous Ural plant, called Uralmash. Its author was Honored Artist of the RSFSR and sculptor P. P. Chusovitin. The most interesting thing is that he himself was born in the Sverdlovsk region in the Beloyarsk region in the village of Shiplevo.

Monument to Tatischev and de Gennin: description

This monument is among the most famous in the Ural capital, it perfectly blended into the city's architectural ensemble. It is a monolithic monument, collected from 19 separate fragments. On the monument itself are depicted from left to right de Gennin in a hat-cocked hat and Tatishchev in a wig.

Some local historians say that these two characters did not like each other. However, this did not prevent to portray them together, because they did one common thing and their works found a response in the hearts of the local population and not only. Today, the Square of Labor and the city itself can not be imagined without this monument.

Tatischev

The Tatischev family is rooted in the genus Ryurikov. Tatishchev was born April 19, 1686 in the Pskov district and at the age of 7 was already a cadet under Ivan V (Romanov). Then he served in the Azov dragoon regiment, carried out diplomatic assignments of Peter I, participated in the Northern War, in battles near Poltava and in the Prut campaign. Then he continued his education in the Engineering and Artillery School in Moscow, served in Petersburg and received his knowledge in Germany. He became the first compiler of the Russian postal book. Then he was appointed the managing mining enterprises of the Urals, where he showed himself as a competent economist. In general, Tatishchev, in addition to Yekaterinburg, became the father of such cities as Orenburg, Stavropol, Orsk, Chelyabinsk, Perm.

With all his merits and rewards, he did not escape the palace intrigues, and he was sent for life to a family estate in Boldino. Death he had foreseen and even ordered to dig out his grave in advance. The day before his death, a courier arrived from St. Petersburg with a decree from the empress about his forgiveness and a certificate of awarding the Order of Alexander Nevsky, but Tatishchev returned the order, indicating that he was dying. The next day he summoned a priest to him, took communion and died. This happened on July 15, 1750, his body was buried in the Christmas graveyard.

De Gennin

Born Georg Wilhelm de Gennin October 11, 1665, whether in Lower Saxony, or in Siegen. In Russia, he fell at the request of General F. Ya. Lefort and participated in the Northern War in the artillery troops as an engineer-fortifier. He was a Russian military engineer of German (in other sources - of Dutch origin), lieutenant-general, friend of Peter I.

In 1719 he went on a foreign trip, where he received valuable experience in surveying and studying mountain plants. And he brought 16 masters from there to Russia to introduce machine production.

In 1723, on the basis of his own administrative instruction, De Gennin received permission to build a plant named after Catherine I. The construction involved soldiers of military units and garrisons, civilian peasants and serfs from the surrounding volosts and provinces.

The plant was launched in the second half of November 1723. For 12 years of his work in this area, the general built nine factories, including Yoshihinsky, which became the city-forming Perm.

Since 1734, he lived in St. Petersburg, he controlled the arms factories, the only one had the right to report the affairs of the Empress Anna Ioannovna herself. He was engaged in the reconstruction of weapons factories in Sestroretsk and Tula. He died on April 12, 1750.

These are the different fates of these great founding fathers. The monument to Tatischev and de Gennin (Ekaterinburg) has long been the main attraction of the city, where all its guests and tourists go first.