Description of the attraction
The monument to the sunken ships is the most famous military monument of Sevastopol, was depicted on the Soviet coat of arms of the city and is considered one of the main city symbols. The monument is in Sevastopol Bay, near the embankment of Primorsky Boulevard.
Officially, the monument is called " The obstruction of the Sevastopol fairway". In any case, this is indicated in the document of 1907. But the simpler and more understandable "Monument to Sunken Ships" is widely used.
Crimean War
In the middle of the 19th century, international tension began to build up. The Ottoman Empire is weakening, Russia wants to withdraw the Orthodox Balkans from the influence of the Turks, the rest of the countries are opposed to the strengthening of Russia. All this leads to an international crisis. In the fall of 1853, war was declared … England and France supported the Ottoman Empire, unofficially at first. Military operations began, first of all, they were conducted on the Black Sea - between the Turkish and Russian fleets. There were several collisions. Some of them remained in the history of military affairs forever - for example, the first battle in the world between the newest ships of this time - steamers. The Russian sailing fleet was gradually giving way to a more modern steam fleet. During the three-day battle Russian steamer "Vladimir" managed to defeat the Turkish "Pervaz-Bahri".
In November 1853, a battle took place off the Black Sea coast of Turkey near Sinop. There were sailing and steam ships on both sides. Admiral PS Nakhimov defeated the Ottoman squadron. Just after this victory of the Russian fleet, England and France entered the war, supporting Turkey. The actions of the allied fleet began against the southern cities - for example, in the spring of 1854, they bombed Odessa.
In June 1854, the Anglo-French fleet approached Sevastopol. The city was under siege, many Russian ships were blocked in the bay. Ground forces began to land in Evpatoria. In October 1854, during the bombing of Sevastopol, the chief of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Kornilov, was killed. Russian troops repeatedly tried to liberate Sevastopol, but the Balaklava and Inkerman battles were lost.
It is to this autumn that the event in honor of which the monument was erected belongs. In the fall of 1854 Admiral Nakhimov decides to flood obsolete sailing ships across the fairway in order to block access to the bay.
Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov served in the Mediterranean Fleet since 1834 (and before that he commanded the famous frigate "Pallada", thus, the journey of which was described by I. Goncharov). It is to him that the honor of victory in the Battle of Sinop belongs. In the winter of 1855, PS Nakhimov officially took charge of the defense of Sevastopol. He was unforgettably loved by soldiers and sailors, he was later called "a colossal personality." It was he who maintained the fighting spirit in the defenders throughout this terrible siege.
Defense of Sevastopol and sunken ships
The first to be flooded seven ships: "Varna", "Silistria", "Uriel", "Flora", "Sizopol", "Selafail" and "Three Saints". Each of these ships had its own history. These were mainly sailing ships of the line, built in the 30s of the XIX century, many of them participated in the Battle of Sinop. For a long time, the Silistria was under the command of Nakhimov himself.
In November, the Russians felt better. It would seem that nature itself intervened: a terrible storm broke out and the allied fleet was literally scattered across the sea. More than fifty enemy ships were killed. The end of autumn and the beginning of winter in the Crimean climate seemed very harsh to the British and French, especially since the transports with warm things were carried away by the waves. The three months of the winter siege of Sevastopol, not only by the Russians, but also by the allies, are still regarded as the most difficult and tragic page of this war.
During the storm, the wreck was damaged. During the fall and winter it was flooded several more ships: "The Twelve Apostles", "Gabriel", "Rostislav", "Messemvria", "Cahul" and "Media". They were also sailing frigates, many were named after the battles of the previous war - the Russian-Turkish. ("Messemvria" - in memory of the capture of the Turkish Messemvra in 1829, "Media" - in memory of the capture of Media at the same time).
The government thought about surrendering Sevastopol, but the defenders of the city were determined. There was not enough gunpowder in the city, and the supply of weapons practically stopped. It is known that when a monetary reward for Admiral Nakhimov came from Alexander II, he spat in his hearts: “Why do I need money here? It would be better if they sent bombs!"
During the winter and spring, the city holds on and builds fortifications and makes forays. At least from the disembarkation of enemies from ships, it is protected. There are several hospitals in the city. Funds and medicines are mercilessly plundered, but heroic nurses work continuously, rescue the wounded and transport them to safety. The chief surgeon of the besieged city was a doctor Nikolay Pirogov - It is to him that we owe the development of military field surgery.
By the end of spring, it became clear that the forces of the besieged were running out. In April, the allies occupied Kerch. During the summer, battles were fought for the main key height - Malakhov Kurgan … In the summer, it was there, bypassing the fortifications, that Admiral Nakhimov died. At the end of August, the last assault began. The city was watered with continuous bombardment. On August 27, Malakhov Kurgan fell. The Russian command decided to leave the almost completely destroyed Sevastopol.
It was then that there were all the remaining ships were sunk. They were "Brave", "Maria", "Chesma", "Kulevichi", "Paris", "Constantine" - the remains of the sailing fleet. The latest steamers were sunk or simply planted on stones, only 10 ships. Including "Chersonesos" and "Vladimir"who were fighting throughout the siege.
Each month of the siege, all surviving members were counted for a year of service. Some of the steamers were eventually saved … For example, "Chersonesos" was removed from the shallows and repaired the next summer, then it was used in the Black Sea until 1886 under the same name, but already as a passenger steamer.
The Vladimir is the first Russian steamer to take part in a naval battle. It was on it that Nicholas I conducted a review of the Black Sea Fleet in 1849. It was on it that the new tactics of artillery salvos from ships in the fall and winter of 1855 was applied. It was also restored in 1860 and served until 1894.
Sevastopol symbol
In 1905 Russia celebrated the 50th anniversary of the heroic defense of Sevastopol … Then they did not know that this defense would be the "first", and in forty years the city would again have to be defended from the invaders. Sevastopol was fully restored by that time. Primorsky Boulevard was laid out on the site of the former redoubts, and the bay was redecorated.
It was decided to honor the monument of the once sunken ships of the Russian fleet, which protected the bay. The project of the monument belongs to the Estonian sculptor Amandus Henrich Adamson … This was not his first monument on a marine theme. Earlier, in 1902, a monument to sailors from the battleship "Rusalka" was erected in Reval (Tallinn). And his most famous creation, which has survived to this day, is a dome and a ball on the house of the Singer company in St. Petersburg on Nevsky Prospekt.
The monument is installed right in the sea - twenty-three meters from the coast … This is a granite rock, ten meters high, on which a pedestal with a column is installed. There is a bronze double-headed eagle on the column. On his head is an imperial crown with an Andreevskaya ribbon, and in his beaks there is a sea anchor on a chain and wreaths of laurel and oak leaves. The composition is crowned with an Orthodox cross. Andreevskaya ribbon - ribbon of the order of St. Andrew the First-Called: in imperial Russia, he was the highest award. And it is also a symbol of the Russian fleet, the flag depicted "St. Andrew's Cross". It is on this, according to legend, that the Apostle Andrew was once crucified. In antiquity, laurel wreaths were awarded to winners, for example, such a wreath was worn by Caesar. And the oak wreath was a symbol of the strength of courage. They were awarded to athletes at the Olympic Games and defenders of besieged cities in ancient Rome.
The second part of the same complex is located on the embankment itself: two large sea anchorslifted from ships that were once sunk in the bay. Once on the side of the bark, another symbol was installed - a bronze mast protruding from the water. It has not survived.
In Soviet times, the imperial monument with an eagle, crown, cross and St. They offered to demolish it and replace it with something more progressive. For example, on some stele with a five-pointed star. The cross was eventually removed, but the monument itself remained, the people of Sevastopol loved it too much. When the coats of arms of Soviet cities were being developed in the 60s, this very monument, together with a five-pointed star and a laurel branch, was depicted on the coat of arms.
Currently the cross was restored - he has crowned the eagle again since 2003, since the last restoration. It is a recognized symbol of the city. Many of his images are sold on the embankment: from small bronze copies to numerous magnets.
