Monument to the Millennium of Russia In the centre of the
Detinets in 1862 the monument to the Russian Millennium, that I was mentioning in the beginning, was installed. I think that now you understand why this quiet provincial town won that competition. Do you want to know more about the monument?
Apart from the competition between cities, there was a contest of projects for the future monument in which 40 artists participated. As sometimes happens, the project of a winner belonged to a young and unknown sculptor, Mikhail Mikeshin, recently graduated from
the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts. The monument represents the most important historical events of the country through its outstanding characters. In total, there are 128 bronze figures - the governors, military heroes, artists and writers. The upper level of the monument is a giant orb, the symbol of power, crowned with an angel with the cross blessing a kneeled female figure with the Russian coat of arms in her hands.
Novgorod the Great was modernized and restored for the Russia Millennium's celebrations. The population of the city doubled during the celebrations. There was a military parade with 12,000 soldiers and 62 cannon fireworks.
Soon the monument became the symbol of the city and of the nation. It stood in the centre of
the Detinets until 1941 when Novgorod was taken over by the Nazi forces. The occupants decided to dismantle the monument and move it in parts to Germany as a trophy. They began to do it in December of 1943, however, on January 20, 1944 the city was liberated by the Soviet army. At that time, the pedestal was practically empty, only large damaged figures and the curved cross remained.
Immediately after the liberation of the city, the restoration began. The monument was reopened without waiting for the end of the war, on November 2, 1944. Almost the entire population of the city came to greet the monument. Witnesses recall that it was a very exciting ceremony. Although the city had no electricity, the monument was lit with headlights and people shouted with enthusiasm: "The monument is ours!"