Earlier in the group, a publication was posted about the beginning of the reign of Alexander II and about the assassinations that the revolutionaries arranged for him.

https://vk.com/rusmuseum.gardens?w=wall-6269987_3326

In continuation of the topic, we will tell in more detail about the events of March 13 (March 1, according to the old style) of 1881. As the Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich later wrote about this day: “Idyllic Russia with Tsar Batyushka and his loyal people ceased to exist on March 1, 1881.” Also, events on the Catherine’s Canal changed the layout of the western part of the Mikhailovsky Garden.

On this Sunday, Alexander II, as usual, went to see the troops in the Mikhailovsky Manege. Despite a series of attempts, the protection of the emperor was not strengthened, but the Narodnaya Volya prepared thoroughly. Traps were set on the traditional route of the royal motorcade. Under Malaya Sadovaya Street, a digging and powder mine was built, and as a backup option at the beginning and end of the street, there were four “metal throwers” of bombs. But on the morning of March 1, fate again favored Alexander II, his motorcade drove into the arena along Engineering Street. After the show, the emperor drove to the Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna in the Mikhailovsky Palace. Narodovoltsy understand that the king will return to the Winter Palace along the embankment of the Catherine’s Canal. Sophia Perovskaya gives a conditional signal, and the “metal throwers” ​​move to the embankment. Therefore, when the emperor’s motorcade turned from Engineering Street to the canal embankment, bombers were already waiting for him.

The first to drop a bomb under the Tsar’s crew was Nikolai Rysakov. The explosion damaged the carriage, several people were injured. Alexander II remained intact and, not paying attention to the entreaties of the guards to leave the scene of the attack faster, decided to express sympathy for the wounded and look at the caught terrorist.

When the emperor was already going to the sleigh to continue his journey to the Winter Palace, another explosion occurred. In the confusion, no one paid attention to Ignatius Grinevitsky, who was standing next to the canal fence. He throws a bomb under the emperor’s feet as he passes by him. The second explosion was fatal for Alexander II. The emperor will die in half an hour in the Winter Palace. During the bombings, in addition to Alexander II, another 20 people were injured. Three of them died from their wounds. This is a Cossack from an escort, a delivery boy who passed by, and also a bomber himself.
In April 1881, a temporary wooden chapel was designed at the site of the emperor’s murder, designed by Leonty Benoit, and also began to raise funds for the construction of the temple. In 1883, they began to build the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood. For the construction of the temple and temple buildings, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna gives part of the Mikhailovsky Garden. The cathedral was built 24 years and was consecrated in 1907.

During construction, the western part of the Mikhailovsky Garden changes its layout, the garden decreases by 8000 square meters. m., trees are cut down, a winding path laid out according to the plan of K. Rossi is removed. The stone fence that enclosed the garden from the embankment of the Catherine’s Canal is demolished and a new fence is being built. The Mikhailovsky Garden is fenced from the temple by a semicircular Art Nouveau fence designed by architect A.A. Parland.

This is how the revolutionary struggle in Russia influenced the spatial composition of the Mikhailovsky Garden.

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