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

On this Sunday, Alexander II, as usual, went to the review of troops in the Mikhailovsky Manege. Despite a series of assassination attempts, the protection of the emperor was not strengthened, but the Narodnaya Volya prepared thoroughly. Traps were placed on the traditional route of the royal cortege. Under Malaya Sadovaya Street, a tunnel was dug and a powder mine was laid, and as a backup option, four “throwers” of bombs were located at the beginning and end of the street. But on the morning of March 1, fate again favored Alexander II, his cortege drove to the arena along Inzhenernaya Street. After the end of the review, the emperor stopped by the Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna at the Mikhailovsky Palace. The Narodnaya Volya understand that the tsar will be returning to the Winter Palace along the embankment of the Catherine Canal. Sofia Perovskaya gives a prearranged signal, and the “throwers” move to the embankment. Therefore, when the emperor’s cortege turned from Inzhenernaya Street to the canal embankment, the bombers were already waiting for him.

Nikolai Rysakov was the first to throw a bomb under the Tsar’s crew. The explosion damaged the carriage and several people were injured. Alexander II remained intact and, ignoring the persuasions of the guards to quickly leave the scene of the attack, decided to express sympathy for the wounded and look at the captured terrorist.When the emperor was already walking towards the sleigh to continue his journey to the Winter Palace, another explosion occurred. No one in the confusion paid attention to Ignaty Grinevitsky, who was standing next to the canal fence. He throws a bomb at the emperor’s feet as he passes by him. The second explosion turned out to be fatal for Alexander II. The emperor will die in half an hour in the Winter Palace. During the explosions, in addition to Alexander II, another 20 people were injured. Three of them died from their wounds. This is a Cossack from the escort, a peddler boy who passed by, and also a bomber himself.

In April 1881, a temporary wooden chapel designed by Leonty Benois was erected at the site of the assassination of the emperor, and fundraising for the construction of the temple began. 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 took 24 years to build and was consecrated in 1907.

During construction, the western part of the Mikhailovsky Garden changes its layout, the garden is reduced by 8,000 square meters. m., trees are cut down, a winding path is removed, laid according to the plan of K. Rossi. The stone fence that protected the garden from the embankment of the Catherine Canal is being demolished and a new fence is being built. The Mikhailovsky Garden is protected 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 three-dimensional composition of the Mikhailovsky Garden.