History of St. Petersburg: Inauguration ceremony of a bust to Grand Duke of Russia Mikhail Nikolaevich at Artillery Museum

On November 18 2011 the Military-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps (St. Petersburg) is running an inauguration ceremony of a bust to Grand Duke of Russia Mikhail Nikolaevich, which is timed to the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery.

The bust was presented by Saint Michael Monastery of Holy Mount Athos in the Caucasus, which was founded on the initiative of the Grand Duke, who had been the Governor General of the Caucasus for almost 20 years. The idea to set up a monument to Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich appeared in December 2009, a centenary of the Grand Duke’s decease, and was intended to honor his service for Russia, the Caucasus and Russian artillery. In October 2010 the Saint Michael Monastery of Holy Mount Athos opened Russia’s first monument to Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich. This bust is the work by sculptor Alexander Appolonov. 

It was then that Father Superior Gerasim of Saint Michael Monastery of Holy Mount Athos in the Caucasus came up with a proposal to make a gift to St. Petersburg – a copy of the Grand Duke’s bust, the one installed in the monastery. Out of all possible places to house the bust the Artillery Museum was chosen as the most appropriate, as for almost half a century the Grand Duke had been the chief artilleryman of the Russian Empire, and being General-Feldzeugmeister, he became the patron of this museum and made a great contribution to its development and stocking of its collections.

On November 18 2011 the bust will occupy its place in Hall №2 (History of Artillery from mid. 19th up to 1917).

In 2012, the year which will see 180th birth anniversary of Grand Duke of Russia Mikhail Nikolaevich, the bust will become a part of the museum’s outdoor exposition. The jubilee year is expected to include the Third Mikhail’s Readings to open at the museum. It keeps authentic belongings of Mikhail Nikolaevich, including his office table, clothes, personal gun. They may go on display as a part of the exhibition, which will become the first of its kind after the Revolution of 1917 in case the project is fulfilled.