Tatishchev Monument
Tatishchev Monument is a bronze equestrian sculpture in Tolyatti, Russia, dedicated to Vasili Tatishchev, the founder of the city’s predecessor Stavropol-on-Volga. Opened on September 2, 1998, it stands on the shores of the Kuybyshev Reservoir. The monument is designed as a miniature fortress of Peter the Great’s era, with masonry walls, protruding polygonal towers, and a large central pedestal supporting the statue. The pedestal is made of limestone from the Shiryaevo quarry in Zhigulyovsk. The project was led by architect A. Kochekovsky, sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov, and engineer Mikhail Petukhov, and funded through donations and the Spiritual Heritage fund.
June 2018 © Лада Харитонова · CC BY-SA 4.0
August 2020 © Gyrsergey · CC BY-SA 4.0
September 2022 © Leyla Shvets · CC BY-SA 4.0
June 2018 © Лада Харитонова · CC BY-SA 4.0
February 2011 © Галина Купцова · CC BY-SA 4.0
Identification | |
| Title | Tatishchev Monument |
| Subject | Vasili Nikitich Tatishchev, founder of the city |
Historical context | |
| Design change during construction | The rider's gesture was changed during construction from pointing toward the drowned city to gesturing toward modern Tolyatti |
| Subject's lifespan | 1686–1750 |
| Subject's occupation | Russian statesman, historian, geographer, and economist |
| Subject's notable work | History of Russia Since Ancient Times, the first major comprehensive Russian history |
| Cities founded by subject | Perm and Yekaterinburg |
| City founded by subject | Stavropol-on-Volga, founded in 1737; present-day Tolyatti |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Delivery condition | Delivered to Tolyatti disassembled |
| Control assembly and testing location | Minsk |
| Casting locations | Poland and Belarus; the most complex parts were cast in the Czech Republic |
| Model completion date | 5 July 1997 |
| Decision year | 1995 |
| Decision-maker | Sergei Zhilkin, then mayor of Tolyatti |
| Other sculptor considered | Mikhail Shemyakin |
| Early competitor project | Pronyushkin's design, with Tatishchev standing by a globe |
| Early planned sculptor | Alexey Kuznetsov |
| Initial site search | Summer 1996 |
| Proposed | Early 1990s |
| Construction duration | Less than two years |
Creator | |
| Construction direction | B. Goritsky |
| Construction contractor | PSO AO Gidromontazh |
| Project chief engineer | Mikhail Petukhov |
| Engineer | M. D. Katanov |
| Architect | A. G. Kochekovsky |
| Sculptor | Alexander Rukavishnikov |
Location and ownership | |
| Location | On the shores of the Kuybyshev Reservoir near Tolyatti, Russia, on the bank of the reservoir near the site of the original city |
| Placement in city | On the outskirts rather than in the city center |
| Reason for location | The sculptor considered it the most successful location because a sculpture should have a suitable background and Tolyatti has no old buildings |
Physical characteristics | |
| Form | A miniature Petrine-era fortress with masonry walls and protruding polygonal towers, with a large equestrian statue on a high pedestal in the center |
| Pedestal height | 14 meters |
| Statue height | 7.5 meters |
Materials | |
| Pedestal material | Limestone slabs from the Shiryaevo quarry in Zhigulyovsk |
| Materials prepared for Kuznetsov's project | Clay and reinforcement bars (rebar) |
| Statue material | Bronze |
| Model material | Clay |
Technique | |
| Stylobate function | Observation platform |
Appearance | |
| Composition | A pedestal base of an equestrian statue rises from the center of the fortress |
| Relief sign | A stylized fortress plan with a cross in the center, installed on the pylon at the level of the capitals finishing the symbolic column-buttresses |
| Access | A staircase with lanterns shaped like stylized fortress turrets, ending in a cobblestone-clad ramp |
| Original intended gesture | The horseman was initially planned to point toward the flooded Stavropol-on-Don |
| Final gesture | The horseman makes a neutral gesture toward modern Tolyatti |
| Architectural form | Stylobate in the form of a former Petrine-era fortress with masonry walls and projecting polygonal towers |
Other | |
| Financing | Funded by the Spiritual Heritage fund and donations from organizations, institutions, and citizens |
| Total cost | 14,134,451.75 rubles |
| Landscaping cost of adjacent area | 835,000 rubles |
History and restoration | |
| Landscaping event | In 2000, 30 cherry saplings were planted at the foot of the monument during the first International Theatre Festival in Tolyatti |
| Maintenance | Authorities usually clean the graffiti only when preparing the monument for celebrations |
| 2011 proposal by the mayor | Mayor Anatoly Pushkov proposed placing a board near the monument where residents could draw and write so they would not touch the monument |
| Festival association | The festival opened with A. P. Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard, and the cherry branch was its symbol |
| Opened by | Sergey Zhilkin, then mayor of Tolyatti |
| Reported design change | Rukavishnikov later said that some changes were made to the sculptural composition during the work |
| Opening speech statement | The monument is a symbol confirming people's desire to know and remember their roots and the history of their homeland |
| Opening attendees | Nikolai and Maria Zhestkov, descendants of Tatishchev |
| Consecrated by | Bishop Sergius of Samara and Syzran |
| Opening date | 2 September 1998 |
Significance | |
| Public reception | Mixed: it is not very popular among townspeople, but it is very popular with city residents |
| Common uses | A favorite place for walks and wedding photo shoots |
| Vandalism | Hooligans periodically hang balloons on the horse and mar the pedestal with graffiti |
| City symbol | The statue image is the most common image of the city and has practically become its official symbol |
| Representations in popular culture | Images of the monument appear almost everywhere, from transit tickets to cognac labels |