Who among the Petersburgers and guests of the city on the Neva does not know that, among other attractions of the Northern capital, you can see two real ancient Egyptian sphinxes adorning the University embankment. However, few know where they came from, what secret they hide and what adventures they have had.
One but fiery passion
And the sphinxes appeared in St. Petersburg thanks to … the religiosity of the titular adviser Andrei Nikolaevich Muravyov, who was at that time an official of the diplomatic office of Field Marshal Diebitsch. In 1829, the office was in Adrianople, where, after a successful two-year war with Turkey, a peace treaty was to be signed. While the war was going on, Muravyov was with the commander-in-chief, but when it ended, he decided not to immediately return to Russia, but to fulfill his dream - to visit Palestine, to see the holy places.
"Around midnight," he writes in his memoirs, "only a light flickered in the windows of the commander." This was what Muravyov took advantage of. He entered the tent and presented his request to Diebitsch.
“The Field Marshal listened to my words with great attention, but did not break the silence.
“Perhaps,” I said, “my desire, which is not in the spirit of our time, seemed strange to you, but, Count, I made up my mind!
He grabbed my hand and exclaimed:
Promotional video:
- Never what concerns religion can seem strange to me!
The field marshal was moved, hugged me and continued:
- I like this attraction in you, and I will ask you the permission of the emperor. And now six weeks later, thanks to Diebitsch's petition. Muravyov received the highest permission to travel. In 1830 he landed in the Nile Delta to travel across the Isthmus of Suez to Palestine. Here in Alexandria, he saw the first granite sphinx brought here from ancient Thebes. Muravyov was informed that a second one, exactly the same, was about to appear, and that both sculptures belong to a Greek merchant who is ready to sell them.
The Enchanted Wanderer
The unusual appearance, power and inimitable charm emanating from the monumental work of ancient Egyptian art made such a strong impression on Muravyov that he decided to inform the Russian ambassador in Istanbul, secret adviser Alexander Ivanovich Ribopier about the possibility of an unusual purchase. The merchant asked for 100 thousand francs for the sphinxes, but Muravyov told the ambassador that if the Russian government wanted to buy them - "in their antiquity and beauty, they are worth it" - then it would be possible to arrange a deal for half the indicated amount.
Muravyov's report was presented to Nicholas I, who immediately ordered the Academy of Arts to consider it and give a conclusion. The Academy Council stated that the acquisition of the sphinxes is highly desirable due to their antiquity, the material from which they are made, as well as the high opinion of Jean François Champollion, a recognized authority in the field of ancient Egyptian monumental applied art. It was also pointed out that it is possible, of course, to make copies of figures from Finnish granite, but it is inferior to the Egyptian in both density and texture, and the work will cost more than the actual purchase.
The consequences of a long buildup
In Russia, good projects are usually done slowly. So in this case, while negotiations and correspondence were going on, the owner of the stone sphinxes, tired of waiting for money from Russia, sold his exclusive to the French for 100 thousand francs, although the order for the deal had already been signed by Nicholas I. Thus, the works of ancient masters can be said floated out of our hands. But the situation was intervened … by another French revolution. Had it not happened, the sculptures would have adorned the Seine embankment or one of the squares in Paris. And in the end they became the acquisition of the Russian autocrat, who paid for the granite sphinxes … 40 thousand rubles. After the completion of this transaction, the purchase traveled to St. Petersburg on board the Greek ship "Good Hope" for almost a year!
Despite the humane name of the vessel, the beginning of the voyage was not without excesses. While loading the stone hulks onto the ship, several cables broke, and one of the figures collapsed, damaging the mast and breaking the side. At the same time, she acquired a deep scar, which was eliminated only in 2002-2003, when the sculptures were restored.
At the end of May 1832, the sphinxes were finally delivered to St. Petersburg, where they were kept in the courtyard of the Academy of Arts for two years. Meanwhile, the architect Konstantin Andreevich Ton, the creator of the pseudo-Russian style in the architecture of the Nikolaev era (this is how the Niva magazine spoke about him in 1912), had to develop a project for the installation of figures in the Northern capital. And he came up with! It was an ensemble of two columns, two horses with riders, which were to be cast in bronze, and Egyptian stone sphinxes. Such a composition would cost the tsarist treasury 450 thousand rubles. Naturally, such a "cool" estimate was not approved. In the end, it was decided to equip a granite pier with six steps leading to the water on the Neva embankment. On both sides of the stairs, like unusual guards, sphinxes are frozen, fixed on solid plinths. It was this idea that was brought to life. The inscriptions appeared on the pedestals: “Sphinx. From ancient Thebes in Egypt it was transported to the city of St. Peter in 1832 ".
At first, four bronze griffins were erected on the granite benches of the embankment, but later they were removed.
Pharaoh reformer's father
Who the sphinxes represent can be recognized by reading the hieroglyphic inscription made on them, which reads: “May Horus live. A mighty calf, shining in truth, establishing laws, calming both lands. Golden Horus, calf of kings, conqueror of nine bows. King of Upper and Lower Egypt, lord of both lands, Nebmaatra, the offspring of Ra. The son of Ra, his beloved Amenhotep - the ruler of Thebes, the image of Ra before the Both Lands. Horus is the good lord of eternity, who is given life, constancy, happiness, health. We are talking about Amenhotep III (1388-1351 BC), the father of the reformer pharaoh Amenhotep IV, better known as Akhenaten.
Surprisingly, we got sculptures depicting the king of Egypt in an era when he was at the peak of his power. It was under Amenhotep III that his statues were erected - the famous Colossi of Memnon. Each of the monolithic figures was carved from a single block of stone, their height was 21 meters, and their weight was more than 700 tons! In the south of Thebes, the famous Luxor Temple rose, one of the most exquisite creations of Egyptian architects, and many other equally beautiful and majestic structures.
The source of funds for conducting such an active and versatile construction activity of Amenhotep III was the untold wealth coming to Egypt from the conquered and dependent lands. There was so much gold that the pharaoh could send it as gifts to his loyal allies - the kings of Mitanni and Babylon. The Egyptian ruler did not skimp on gifts to “his people”!
They know, but they won't tell
We will never know what environment surrounded the future pharaoh-reformer Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) when he was the crown prince.
What did his father talk to him about? What did you teach, what did you instruct and how did you bring up? Alas, this has remained a mystery to us. One can only guess that somehow everything that surrounded the heir at that time influenced his consciousness, and later prompted reforms that made him, in the eyes of Egyptian society, a criminal cursed by gods and people.
Or maybe the young Akhenaten received the first lesson of self-will from his mother, Queen Teie? She, apparently, belonged to the provincial nobility and had a significant admixture of Nubian blood. By making her his wife, Amenhotep broke the ancient tradition, according to which the pharaohs, for the purity of blood, married the closest female relatives who received the title of "main wife", and their sons inherited the throne. But Amenhotep III neglected the custom of his ancestors and, in spite of everything, raised Teie above the rest of his wives. And she, being an intelligent and energetic woman, apparently had a great influence on the royal spouse and children. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that the future Pharaoh Akhenaten learned from childhood that "as he wishes, so be it!"
Whether this is really so, we are not given to know. And the granite sphinxes that adorn the bank of the Neva today, even if they know, will not tell.
Do you know that…
From the Editor: Old Petersburgers (Leningraders) know this legend. If you find yourself alone with the sphinxes standing on the University Embankment on a white night, they will begin to make riddles to a late passer-by. If you guess it, you will be happy, but you will not guess it … One joy: it is almost impossible to be alone on the embankment on a white night.
Magazine: Secrets of the 20th century №28. Author: Vyacheslav Shpakovsky