The Demidovsky Pillar is a modern
obelisk
An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Anc ...
on
Demidov Square {{Expand Russian, Демидовская площадь, date=February 2009
Demidov Square (Russian - ''Демидовская площадь'') is a square in the Tsentralny City District of Barnaul in Russia, named after the Demidov
The Ho ...
in the Central District of
Barnaul,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. It is a memorial to 100 years of mining in the
Altai Krai
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar ...
. It was begun on the initiative of
Pyotr Kozmitch Frolov, with the first stone being laid on 18 June 1825 and completed in 1839.
The prototype for the Demidov Pillar was the
Rumyantsev Obelisk in honour of the victories of Count PA Rumyantsev, established at the end of the 18th century on Vasilevsky Island in Saint Petersburg. Initial designs for the Demidovsky Pillar were for it to be 21m high (close to the height of the Rumyantsev Obelisk), but during construction under architect
Jakob Nikolayevich Popov the height was significantly reduced, to 14m. It is made of 12 grey granite blocks, cut and processed in the Kolyvanskoy township and floated down the
Tcharych and
Ob to Barnaul on rafts. The base rests on four iron pillars underpinning the granite pedestal, and on that pedestal is a cast bronze plaque reading:
Also on the pedestal was a cast-iron oval bas-relief with a portrait of
Akinfiy Demidov produced at the Guriev plant.
In 1918 it was decided to dismantle and re-locate the obelisk as a monument to those who had died for the Revolution. Molten lead was poured between the granite slabs and there were attempts to scratch out the inscription, but it proved impossible to move it and it remains on its original site, though in the 1920s the authorities were able to remove the original memorial plaques. The bas-relief of Demidov passed to the Regional Museum as a model of artistic casting. The inscription plaque was replaced in 1949 with one reading:
References
{{reflist
Barnaul
Obelisks in Russia
1839 establishments in the Russian Empire
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Buildings and structures in Altai Krai
Monuments and memorials in Russia
Cultural heritage monuments in Altai Krai
Objects of cultural heritage of Russia of federal significance