Protection of the sculpture of the Summer Garden.

In the middle of the summer of 1941 the evacuation of museum valuables began. Some of the exhibits were sent to evacuation, some were transported to St. Isaac’s Cathedral. The sculpture of the Summer Garden was decided to cover in the land of the Summer Garden. For this, pits were excavated, the sculpture was lowered into a pit and covered with sand, sheltered by boards and earth, and then the lawn was made. In order to be able to find a sculpture afterwards, they made a detailed plan with reference to the growing trees or other landmarks. Above the Porphyry vase was made a shelter of logs, boards and bags of sand. Around the monument to I.A. Krylov also erected a shelter of logs and boards. All the blockade of the sculpture was held in cover. In the spring of 1944, the shelter was disassembled around the monument to Krylov and the vase. Sculpture of the Summer Garden is beginning to get out of the land already in 1945. Despite the fact that about a hundred bombs and shells fell on the Summer Garden, not a single sculpture was damaged.

About how the sculpture of the summer garden was covered by Anna Akhmatova wrote in the poem:

A little one!

In a star-covered veil,

In mourning mantles, with a sleepless owl.

Dear daughter!

How we covered you

Fresh garden land.

Empty now the Dionysian bowls,

The eyes of love are weeping …

It passes over our city

Terrible of your sisters.

May 30, 1942, Tashkent

Monument to I.A. Krylov covered to protect from bombing. Photo of 1941-1944.

In the background Porphyry vase in a protective case. Photo of 1943.

Extraction from the ground sculpture of the Summer Garden. Photo of 1945.

Workers of the Summer Garden extract a marble bust from the shelter. Photo of 1945.