Description of the attraction
On Petrovskaya Square, in Vyborg in June 2010, a monument was unveiled to a companion and like-minded person of Peter I, an outstanding statesman and politician, commander, Admiral General Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin. This event took place within the framework of the All-Russian project of the Center of National Glory, which is called “Serving the Fatherland: Events and Names”. The ceremony was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the capture of the city by the Russians in the 1700-1721 war.
The main goal of the large-scale project is to preserve in the memory of generations of Russians the names and merits of statesmen and politicians, scientists and military leaders who were at the origins of the Russian state. During the existence of the project, the public was given back the names of a prominent politician of the times of Peter the Great Count Fyodor Alekseevich Golovin, the most talented Russian inventor and engineer Vladimir Grigorievich Shukhov, Baron Alexander Ludwigovich Stieglitz, who made an invaluable contribution to the cause of charity, the Governor-General of Count Nikolay Nikolayevich-Amursky Muravyev the borders of our Motherland to the East, the hero-pilot of the Great Patriotic War, the famous polar explorer Endel Karlovich Pusep.
The monument is located next to the Vyborg Castle, near the Fortress Bridge across the strait, which connects Zamkovy Island and Petrovskaya Embankment. It all started with a competition for the project - the best monument to the commander, which was announced in 2009. The commission determined the work of the sculptors E. B. Volkova, P. P. Vandysheva, V. P. Timonina, V. M. Churilina, A. S. Charkin. The height of the bronze bust is 4.5 meters. It is installed on a granite pedestal with a dedication to Apraksin on one side. The figure of Peter's associate is turned to the Peter's Hill, where the monument to the tsar-creator Peter I rises.
The name of Count Apraksin is associated with many "victors" of the Russian army in the Northern War. For the capture of Vyborg, Fyodor Apraksin was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Fedor Matveyevich Apraksin was one of the founders of the naval and merchant fleets in Russia, was the manager of the Mint, headed the Admiralty, Oruzheiny and Yamskaya prikaz. The life of Count Apraksin is closely connected with Vyborg. It fell to his lot to become the head of the siege corps, which was able to overcome the Gulf of Finland on the ice and take control of the fortress, which has always been considered an impregnable stronghold. Fedor Apraksin on June 14, 1710 received the keys to Vyborg from the hands of the city administration.
It is noteworthy that the Vyborg monument is the only monument in Russia that immortalized the name of Apraksin. The name of Fyodor Apraksin until that moment was preserved only in the name of the plot of land, of which he was the first owner - Apraksin Dvor.
The right to open the monument to Apraksin was given to Valery Serdyukov, Governor of the Leningrad Region, and Vladimir Yakunin, head of the Russian Railways company and head of the Board of Trustees at the Center of National Glory. The consecration was conducted by the rector of the Vyborg Metropolitanate of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Archpriest, Father Lev Tserpitsky.
After the capture of Vyborg, Tsar Peter I instituted the award "For the capture of Vyborg." During the opening ceremony of the Apraksin monument, commemorative medals were awarded to people who made the greatest personal contribution to the creation of the monument. Valery Serdyukov was awarded a commemorative gold award of the Center of National Glory for his great contribution to the preservation of the history of Russia and historical memory, service to the fatherland. The awards were received by the chairman of the Vyborg district administration K. Patraev, chairman of the Vyborg administration Vasily Osipov and others.
