Kovdor, the capital of Hyperborea, is beginning to be built in Russia. Hyperborean civilization

Reputable archaeologists and historians ask us to treat this phrase without skepticism. " Kovdor - the capital of Hyperborea"is not an attempt to expose one of the most ancient legends on the planet, this is a new cultural and historical project that should attract tourists to most western city Murmansk region and answer the question of where people came to the northern lands six thousand years ago. Ancient minds considered the legendary country to be the habitat of either the Titans, or the Delphi, or the Pelasgians. Modern minds are creating a smart and promising small town tourism brand based on a beautiful myth. Why not?

We can say that the beginning of a new project " Kovdor - the capital of Hyperborea"was founded in the 90s of the last century, when ancient runes depicting a snake biting its tail were accidentally discovered on stones in a city park. The name of the city also comes from the ancient Sami word for “snake,” so it was unconditionally chosen as the main symbol of the project. Later, seid and stone structures, reminiscent of remains ancient city. Over the past summer, about two dozen artifacts were added to the finds. While scientists are puzzling over the origin of these objects, a new one will appear near Kovdor. hyperborean park, where copies of all finds will be presented. New research will help replenish the reserves and exhibitions of local local history museum, and the first tourist routes“following the footsteps of a mysterious pre-glacial civilization” are already being laid both in Kovdor itself and in the suburbs. Next in line are the development of souvenir products, the construction of a tourist base and the production of water from local wells.

A good cultural and mystical idea, if well implemented, can draw people to little-known places that today can hardly be called touristic. There are many such examples in the world, when it was tourists who breathed life back into a dying old monotown, especially in Europe. Perhaps Hyperborea will never be found, but a new unusual tourist point will appear on the map.

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Kovdor- in the Murmansk region, located on the shore of Lake Kovdoro, 200 kilometers southwest of Murmansk. It was founded in 1953 near an iron ore deposit discovered in the 1930s. Today, in addition to ores, apatites and zirconium are mined here. The city is built up with standard neighborhoods and is surrounded by picturesque polar forests.

The last capital of Hyperborea

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The center of the ancient state of Slavensk became the first capital of the Slavs In previous articles we talked about the fact that on the territory of modern Ukraine, Belarus and Russia there was the most ancient state in Europe - Hyperborea. And that many facts confirm that it ceased to exist within its former borders due to a difficult war with two enemies at once - nomadic tribes and the Roman Empire. Was Greek fire invented by the Hyperboreans? Quite a lot of fundamental structures were left behind by the Hyperborean civilization. These are the world's first Christian churches in the Crimea, in Chernigov, Kyiv, Kamenets-Podolsk. But the most amazing structures are the grandiose ramparts. Only the so-called Serpentine Ramparts stretch for one and a half thousand kilometers, and besides them we can observe the ramparts of Kyiv, the former capital of Hyperborea. Several giant half-rings, even by modern standards, fence off the territory where Odessa is now located. Obviously, in order to build such large-scale structures, it was necessary to have technologies that would allow significant volumes of soil to be moved over distances in a way other than manually. Let's analyze whether the ancient Hyperboreans could have mastered such technologies. Wherever the largest defensive structures are located, there is a river or reservoir nearby. They are mostly made of sand, judging by the angle of the slope, abundantly moistened with water during construction, and reinforced with wood or stone. As we wrote earlier, there is a lot of evidence that Hyperborea was an advanced power Ancient world. Accordingly, the gear transmission, which was used in many states Mediterranean, in particular for lifting water into irrigation systems, was known to them. Surely, the Hyperboreans could create an ancient version of pipes, for example, from animal skins sewn together and treated with fat. Thus, they were quite capable of carrying out the so-called hydrowashing. That is, using a primitive pump to pump sand mixed with water from a reservoir into the structure being built. This explains why, when building defensive structures, the Hyperboreans preferred sand ramparts, on top of which there were wooden or stone walls. The most developed state of the Ancient World The Greeks wrote that the Hyperboreans succeeded in the production of weapons, sciences, and art. In particular, their creations became role models for ancient Greek sculptors. Accordingly, we can assume that samples of weapons or art of the Hyperboreans were superior in their level to the products of other states and could be mistaken by archaeologists for works of later historical periods. As we have already described in previous articles, the constant enemy of Hyperborea on the eastern borders were nomadic warlike tribes, in particular the Scythians. It is known that the Persians, having conquered almost all of Asia, reached the Scythian lands and stopped. It is known about a temporary alliance between the Persians and Scythians. The question arises, in alliance against whom? It is unlikely that it would be against the Chinese Empire, with which the Persians had practically no interests. Another thing is Hyperborea, with which there was probably a struggle for influence on the Black and Mediterranean seas. We do not know what the Scythians, pushed by the Persians, did on the borders with Hyperborea. They may have managed to capture and burn several border towns. And, probably, for this they suffered severe retribution. In any case, when King Cyrus came to them as his old allies, without fearing anything, they cut off his head. And they drowned her in a barrel of blood, with the words: “Did you want blood? Get it! Whose blood did the Scythians mean? Perhaps our ancestors - the Hyperboreans. Let us note that for almost five hundred years the gigantic Persian power could not crush the scattered and relatively small Greek city-states in numerous wars. It is unlikely that this would have been possible if the Greeks in this confrontation had not had the support of another powerful power - their northern neighbor and teacher - Hyperborea. Let me remind you that the Persian state was destroyed by a united Greek army led by King Alexander the Great. Macedonia, if you look at the map, bordered almost directly on the territory of the Hyperboreans. Is there any evidence of a connection between the great Alexander and a people apparently possessing higher technology than the Romans and Greeks? Let us recall, for example, the famous Greek fire or simply the helmet of Alexander. This helmet was so impressive to everyone who saw it that numerous descriptions have been preserved. Due to the two twisted horns skillfully depicted on the helmet, Alexander even received the nickname “ram-headed”. This helmet was of extraordinary strength. Apparently, we are talking about steel, the secret of which was not then known to any of the peoples known to us. In terms of the elegance of its finishing, this helmet surpassed anything that Persian or Greek craftsmen of that time could create. But the products of Greek craftsmen still delight us! Alexander the Great's helmet was made of steel If we assume that the Hyperboreans were behind Alexander’s campaign, the origin of such an amazing helmet is clear. According to one legend, after the death of Alexander, who won dozens of victories in it, the helmet returned to his homeland and became a kind of symbol of the struggle of the Hyperboreans against the Romans several hundred years later. But more on that later. It is known that during the assault on the second city, the alliance of Troy and Tire, Alexander was forced to build a dam more than a kilometer long, spending about six months on it. This is almost impossible to do manually. But if you consider that the Hyperboreans helped him and hydraulic alluvium technologies were used, everything is explained. By the way, the diving bell in which Alexander descended to the bottom of the strait was most likely used to place pipes at the bottom. We have already said that in the fortieth year of our era, Emperor Nero brutally dealt with Christians, uniting all Romans with this monstrous crime against the inevitable enemy. Let us recall that Hyperborea was most likely the world’s first Christian state (see article in “KP in St. Petersburg” for February 6, 2006). And supported Christian communities on the territory of the Roman Empire. It is known that Armenia and Georgia adopted Christianity much earlier than Rome. Most likely, under the influence of Hyperborea. The Roman legions create a second front against the northern power at war with the nomads. But did the Romans achieve a quick victory? This is doubtful. Firstly, on the way of the Romans there was a natural water barrier - the Dniester. Secondly, the Hyperboreans are skilled warriors and good builders. Most likely, the crossing of the Dniester was opposite the city of Kamenets-Podolsky. It is there that we see the most powerful stone fortifications. In all reference books they are dated as medieval. Yes, of course, over the course of thousands of years the fortifications were completed and reconstructed. But nevertheless, part of the surviving walls was erected before our era. It would not be surprising if in the near future underwater archaeologists discover the remains of the pillars of a grandiose bridge at the bottom of the Dniester in this place. Probably, at these lines the Hyperboreans were able to delay the movement of the Roman army. They resisted the Romans and nomads for hundreds of years If you believe the legends, then Hyperborea at that time was ruled by King Volos (Veles), the adopted son of King Volotomar, the first Christian sovereign. What decision could he make in this situation? It is logical that the Hyperboreans retreat in an organized manner to the north of their power, where their allies are dense forests and swamps. And those lands that were not previously developed by them due to the harsh climate become their new homeland. Their main task is to fight against the Roman Empire that betrayed them. Every man is obliged to crown himself with military glory. Perhaps this is where the new name of the people comes from - Slavs, and the new northern capital- Slavensk. By the way, many ancient Slavic sources indicate that the first capital of Rus' was founded by Veles himself, who began to be considered the god and patron of the Slavs. Let's try to imagine Slavensk. This must be Big city, not inferior in size to ancient Kyiv. It must be near the water. And at the same time, considering when it was built, in a fairly secretive and protected place. It should be surrounded by powerful ramparts, and the date of its construction dates back to the middle of the first century AD. Let's return to the legend about the helmet of Alexander the Great. According to this legend, the helmet crowned with his glory was made by King Veles as his talisman and symbol of the fight against the Romans. Perhaps this is what caused the hatred of the Romans towards Alexander the Great. Let us recall that, according to one version, they destroyed the grandiose memorial built by Alexander in honor of the heroes of the Trojan War under the walls of Ephesus (“KP” for November 18, 2005). Thus, in this legendary helmet with twisted horns, King Veles already won one victory after another. Probably inferior in numbers and in general in resources, the war on the part of the Hyperboreans was partly partisan in nature. According to the Greeks, they were unsurpassed sailors. Crossing the seas on their ships and going down rivers, they unexpectedly attacked Roman cities and garrisons. Note that later the Varangians borrowed this tactic from them, as did the horns on their helmets. The Finns almost discovered Slavensk Thus, we can add one more parameter in the search for Slavensk. It must be somewhere at the junction of Scandinavian and Slavic cultures. I have repeatedly examined the grandiose ramparts located outside the city of Zelenogorsk near St. Petersburg. As an engineer, I can say unequivocally - they are of artificial origin. They stretch for tens of kilometers. Come to the very Gulf of Finland in the place where the Black River flows into it, forming a natural, fairly deep harbor. This place meets all the characteristics that we have identified for the search for the first capital of Rus'. And until someone proves otherwise, we will assume that we have found it. I have information that in the early 80s, local excavations were carried out on these ramparts near Zelenogorsk and the remains of houses dating back to the 1st century were found. n. e. Information about these excavations was classified. I also read that at the end of the 30s Finnish archaeologists tried to start excavations in this place. By a peculiar coincidence, it was beyond this line that Stalin demanded that they move the Soviet-Finnish border. The dramatic events of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1940 are known to everyone... According to one of them northern legends, the king of the Hyperboreans, the founder of Slavensk Veles, died in a major battle with the Romans somewhere in the area of modern Smolensk, having previously lost his talisman, the helmet of Alexander, knocked down by a powerful blow. Which, most likely, became a trophy of some Roman commander. Of course, placed in conditions of guerrilla warfare with a superior enemy in conditions northern climate The Hyperborean power most likely collapsed. But, perhaps, before this it was partially restored in the Byzantine state. The fact that the Slavs were directly related to the emergence and development of the Byzantine state is historical fact. Let us note that the guards of the Byzantine Caesars were traditionally Slavs. It must be assumed that the Byzantine Empire, which considered itself the successor of Rome, made every effort to ensure that the very memory of Hyperborea was erased from world history. Byzantium borrowed the religion and language of the Hyperboreans Where is the best place to hide a piece of snow - in the snow; a piece of paper - in a pile of other papers. The ancients knew this truth no worse than we do. Most likely, the newly emerged Byzantine Empire took over the language and script of the collapsed Hyperborea, that is, Greek. Indeed, Greek inscriptions are found almost everywhere in all Slavic lands. And nowhere have they yet found a single text older than the 8th century in Russian. Maybe, new language deliberately introduced by Byzantium on the territory of the former Hyperborea. Thus, it is likely that New Rome appropriated the culture and writing of the first Christian people devoted to it. By the way, if you analyze the ancient Greek myths, it is obvious that the events in many of them take place in more northern lands, overgrown with dense forests, including coniferous ones. And in the tragedy of Aeschylus “Prometheus Bound” it directly speaks of the lands of the Kemerians, where the night lasts for almost six months. So, perhaps the ancient Hyperboreans (Slavs) spoke and wrote in their native “Greek” language. Thus, the great Veles and the great Alexander, if they lived at the same time, could understand each other without a translator. But it is not only the tongue and the helmet that unite them; both Veles and Alexander were deified during their lifetime. Both Veles and Alexander were considered not only gods, but also sons of gods. As we wrote earlier, Veles was the adopted son of King Volotomar, during whose reign the building was built large quantity everyone Christian churches. Including a temple in Kyiv over the burial of two people - a man and a woman. Perhaps (“KP” for February 6, 2006), the bodies of Jesus Christ and his wife are buried there. Considering Jesus Christ to be God and accepting Christianity as the state religion. It is logical that the Hyperboreans could only call the son of Jesus Christ the son of God. Thus, it is possible to assume that the king of the Hyperboreans and Slavic god Veles may indeed have been the earthly son of Jesus himself. That this was so was an unshakable postulate of the religion of the Russian Old Believers or Old Believers, many of whom suffered martyrdom for their beliefs. BY THE WAY The helmet of Alexander the Great and Veles is in the Hermitage Unfortunately, it is very difficult to separate the traces of the culture of Ancient Hyperborea from the Greek and Byzantine ones. In those days, no one protected copyright and all the best, as a rule, was appropriated to newcomers. There are many examples in history when old inscriptions were knocked out on ancient obelisks and new ones were cut out. Signatures were changed under the monuments, and new stamps were placed on coins and medals belonging to a different era. Once, while visiting the hall of medieval weapons in the Hermitage, I noticed four helmets made by the Italian master from Milan F. Negroli in the 30s of the 16th century. One of these helmets is very different from the other three. So much so that it is visible to the naked eye - they belong not only to different masters, but also to different eras and civilizations. Not only the quality and manufacturing technology are fundamentally different, but also the material from which the helmets are made. The helmet, in which F. Negroli clearly surpassed himself and all the masters of his era, is forged in the form of the head of a fantastic animal with twisted horns. The more I looked at this helmet, the more the conviction grew stronger in me - not for the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo II and long before the 16th century. This brilliant work of art was created by an unknown ancient master.

Researchers of ancient legends and myths mention one mysterious world, which is called Hyperborea. There is also information that this country sometimes called Arctida. Many have tried to find its possible location, but so far its existence has not been proven and has not been confirmed by anything other than myths. What is Hyperborea? This is a hypothetical ancient continent or huge island, which previously existed in the northern part of the planet near the North Pole. In those days, Hyperborea was inhabited by a very powerful people - the Hyperboreans, who had a fairly developed civilization. Considering what Hyperborea is, it should be noted that its name means “beyond the north wind Boreas.” Some researchers believe that this is the notorious Atlantis.

Cards

Gods of Hyperborea

What else can you say about this place? The ancient Greeks believed that the inhabitants of this continent (island) were especially loved by the god Apollo. His servants and priests lived on the territory of Hyperborea. Ancient legends say that the god Apollo came to this territory once every 19 years.

What scientists say

The mysteries of Hyperborea could not be ignored by modern historians. They have both put forward and continue to put forward their versions about the inhabitants of the secret place and their culture, comparing facts and drawing certain conclusions. According to some historians, Arctida is the foremother of all world culture, since in the past these lands were a very favorable place for the prosperity and life of people. Previously, a favorable subtropical climate reigned there, which attracted the advanced people of that time. Therefore, the Hyperboreans often came into contact with the Romans and Greeks.

Where did the mysterious Hyperborea disappear to?

Surely you are wondering, where did Hyperborea, the cradle of humanity, go? The history of this continent or island goes back more than one thousand years. Based on ancient writings, we can conclude that the way of life of this people was democratic and simple. All the people here lived as one family, settled near water bodies, and their main activities in the form of crafts, art and creativity contributed to the revelation of human spiritual qualities. Currently only Northern part modern Russia considered to be the remnants of that ancient Hyperborea, which was once inhabited by people. But why did she disappear? Where did it go? Scientists suggest that the reasons why Hyperborea, the cradle of humanity, ceased to exist are as follows:

Changing of the climate. Most likely, the peoples who inhabited this continent, due to changes climatic conditions began to migrate south. Lomonosov also wrote that a long time ago in Siberia and to the north it was so warm that even elephants could feel comfortable there. This is confirmed by the fossilized remains of palm trees and magnolias found in Greenland. The climate could change due to a shift in the earth's axis. Ice ages also contributed to this. Glaciation occurred so quickly that mammoths froze alive.

War of Hyperborea and Atlantis. This version is not confirmed by any facts or documents. Scientists have only Plato's notes. He argued that the disappeared civilization ceased to exist as a result of the disastrous war that was waged between Hyperborea and Atlantis.

Since the existence of this ancient civilization has not yet been scientifically proven, it can only be discussed in theory, drawing information from various ancient sources. There are many different legends about Antarctica. Let's look at the most popular of them:

As mentioned earlier, Apollo himself made his journey to Hyperborea every 19 years.

Another myth connects the territory of Hyperborea with modern northern peoples. Even some of the modern studies prove that Hyperborea once existed in the north of the Eurasian continent, and the Slavs come from it.

The war between Hyperborea and Atlantis was fought using nuclear weapons. Perhaps this legend can be called the most incredible.

Historical facts

Historians have concluded that the ancient civilization existed about 20,000 years ago. It was then that huge ridges (Lomonosov and Mendeleev) rose above the surface of the Arctic Ocean. In those days there was no ice, and the water in the sea was very warm, as modern paleontologists say. The existence of this vanished continent can only be confirmed experimentally. This suggests that one should look for traces of the Hyperboreans, various artifacts, ancient maps, and monuments. Incredibly, such evidence is now available.

In 1922, a Russian expedition led by Alexander Barchenko on the Kola Peninsula found skillfully crafted stones that were oriented to the cardinal points. At the same time, a blocked hole was found. These finds belonged to a more ancient period than the Egyptian civilization.

More about the expedition

A targeted search for this place was never carried out, but at the beginning of the 20th century a scientific expedition set off to the area of Lovozero and Seydozero (now they are located in the Murmansk region). Its leaders were travelers Barchenko and Kondiain. During research work, they were engaged in geographical, ethnographic and psychophysical study of the area.

17.09.18

For thousands of years, the minds of millions of people around the world have been occupied by the secrets of Hyperborea - mysterious country, inhabited by beautiful, strong people-gods. This country was sought by ancient Greek scientists and philosophers - Alcaeus, Herodotus, Pliny the Elder, and then medieval scientists. They all believed that the unknown country was located where it is now Kola Peninsula. It was not for nothing that it was called Hyperborea: hyper means above, beyond, Boreas means north wind. Country behind north winds, with a wonderful warm climate and natural abundance, became a super-civilization of powerful titans, because its patron was the ancient Greek god Apollo himself and his sister Artemis.

Apollo came here every 19 years in a chariot drawn by swans, which Zeus gave him as a gift. The young god argued for the leadership of his territory with the god of the seas and oceans, Poseidon, who patronized Atlantis. In the decisive battle, Apollo defeated Poseidon and Atlantis sank to the bottom.

The fact that in our area has been known about the god Apollo since ancient times is evidenced by the names of two mountain peaks, located 70 kilometers from Kovdor - Payuaive and Payoiva, which are translated from the Sami language as Apollo and Artemis. This means that the northern peoples who appeared here thousands of years later knew something about Hyperborea and its divine patrons?

Myths about Hyperborea haunted people striving for world domination. Even Adolf Hitler, a lover of everything occult, little-studied and obsessed with the idea of a superman, searched for this country by ancient map, which I treasured like the apple of my eye. Surprisingly, the borders of this mysterious country coincided with the borders where Russian soldiers stopped the advance of German troops to the north in 1941. This happened in the area of Western Litsa and the Verman line in the Kandalaksha direction in the Alakurtti region.

The search for Hyperborea was carried out by Soviet scientists Barchenko and Demin, who conducted two series of expeditions to the Kola Peninsula and found traces of an ancient civilization. These studies were kept secret for a long time.

Until now, no one has found the ancient mysterious country. But even today the Kovdor region is full of little-studied artifacts and mysteries that will invariably arouse world interest: seids and stone pyramids, petroglyphs and shaman altars, stone labyrinths and ruins of an ancient city, star charts made of stones - these are just a small part of the traces found of being on this land of ancient people.

And who knows, maybe we will be able to find the key to unraveling the mysteries of Hyperborea and become discoverers of the unknown?

231 years ago, on November 14, 1788, Mikhail Lazarev, a Russian naval commander and admiral, participant in several circumnavigation of the world and other sea voyages, discoverer and explorer of Antarctica.

Having gone through a long and difficult path from midshipman to admiral, Lazarev not only took part in the most key naval battles of the 19th century, but also did a lot to improve the coastal infrastructure of the fleet, stood at the origins of the establishment of the Admiralty and the founding of the Sevastopol Maritime Library.

The life path and exploits of M. P. Lazarev in the historical material of the research institute military history Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev devoted his entire life to serving the Russian Navy. He was born into the family of a nobleman, Senator Pyotr Gavrilovich Lazarev, who came from the nobility of the Arzamas district of the Nizhny Novgorod province, and was the middle of three brothers - the future Vice Admiral Andrei Petrovich Lazarev (born in 1787) and Rear Admiral Alexei Petrovich Lazarev (born in 1787). in 1793).

After the death of their father, in February 1800, the brothers were enrolled as ordinary cadets in the Naval Cadet Corps. In 1803, Mikhail Petrovich passed the exam for the title of midshipman, becoming the third best performer out of 32 students.

E.I. Botman. Portrait of Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev. 1873

In June of the same year, for further study of maritime affairs, he was assigned to the battleship Yaroslav, operating in the Baltic Sea. And two months later, together with the seven best-performing graduates, he was sent to England, where for five years he participated in voyages in the North and Mediterranean seas, in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. In 1808, Lazarev returned to his homeland and passed the exam for the rank of midshipman.

During the Russian-Swedish War of 1808 -1809, Mikhail Petrovich was on the battleship "Grace", which was part of the flotilla of Vice Admiral P. I. Khlynov. During the fighting near the island of Gogland, the flotilla captured a brig and five Swedish transports.

While evading the superior English squadron, one of the ships - the battleship Vsevolod - ran aground. On August 15 (27), 1808, Lazarev and his crew on a lifeboat were sent to help. It was not possible to refloat the ship, and after a fierce boarding battle with the British, the Vsevolod was burned, and Lazarev and the crew were captured.

In May 1809 he returned to the Baltic Fleet. In 1811 he was promoted to lieutenant.

Mikhail Petrovich met the Patriotic War of 1812 on the 24-gun brig Phoenix, which, together with other ships, defended the Gulf of Riga, participated in the bombardment and landing in Danzig. For his bravery, Lazarev was awarded a silver medal.

After the end of the war, preparations began in the Kronstadt port trip around the world to Russian America. The frigate Suvorov was chosen to participate in it, and in 1813 Lieutenant Lazarev was appointed its commander. The ship belonged to the Russian-American company, which was interested in regular sea communication between St. Petersburg and Russian America.

On October 9 (21), 1813, the ship left Kronstadt. Having overcome strong winds and dense fogs, passing through the Sound, Kattegat and Skagerrak straits (between Denmark and the Scandinavian Peninsula) and avoiding collisions with French and allied Danish ships, the frigate arrived in Portsmouth (England). After a three-month stop, the ship, passing along the coast of Africa, crossed the Atlantic and stopped for a month in Rio de Janeiro.

At the end of May 1814, "Suvorov" entered the Atlantic, crossed Indian Ocean and on August 14 (26) entered Port Jackson (Australia), where he met the news of the final victory over Napoleon. Continuing its voyage across the Pacific Ocean, at the end of November the frigate arrived at the Novo-Arkhangelsk port, where the residence of the chief manager of Russian America, A. A. Baranov, was located.

During the voyage, on the approach to the equator, a group of coral islands was discovered, to which Lazarev gave the name “Suvorov”.

After wintering, the frigate completed a cruise to Aleutian Islands, where he accepted a large load of furs for delivery to Kronstadt. At the end of July 1815, Suvorov left Novo-Arkhangelsk. Now his path lay along the coasts of North and South America, bypassing Cape Horn.

During the voyage, the frigate made a call at the Peruvian port of Callao, becoming the first Russian ship to visit Peru. Here Mikhail Petrovich successfully conducted the trade negotiations entrusted to him, receiving permission for Russian sailors to trade without any additional taxes.

Having rounded Cape Horn, the ship passed through the entire Atlantic Ocean and on July 15 (28), 1816, arrived in Kronstadt. In addition to a large cargo of valuable furs, Peruvian animals were delivered to Europe - nine llamas, one each of a vigoni and an alpaca. The Suvorov spent 239 days under sail on the way from Kronstadt to Novo-Arkhangelsk, and 245 days on the way back.

Navigation route of M.P. Lazarev on the frigate "Suvorov" in 1813 - 1815.

At the beginning of 1819, Lazarev, already an experienced commander and navigator, received under his command the sloop Mirny, which was preparing for an expedition to the South Arctic Circle.

After two months of preparation, re-equipping the ships, covering the underwater part of the hull with copper sheets, selecting a crew and procuring provisions, the Mirny, together with the sloop Vostok (under the overall command of its commander, Lieutenant-Commander F.F. Bellingshausen), left the ship in July 1819. Kronstadt. Having made a stop in the capital of Brazil, the sloops headed to the island South Georgia, nicknamed the “entrance gate” to Antarctica.

The voyage took place in difficult polar conditions: among icy mountains and large ice floes, with frequent storms and snowstorms, heaps of floating ice, slowing down the movement of ships.

Thanks to the excellent knowledge of maritime affairs by Lazarev and Bellingshausen, the ships never lost sight of each other.

Making their way among the icebergs to the south, the sailors reached latitude 69° 23´5 on January 16 (30), 1820. This was the edge of the Antarctic continent, but the sailors did not fully realize their feat - the discovery of a sixth part of the world.

Lazarev wrote in his diary:

On the sixteenth we reached latitude 69° 23´5, where we encountered ice of extreme height, extending as far as vision could reach. However, we did not enjoy this amazing spectacle for long, because soon it became cloudy again and, as usual, it began to snow... From here we continued our way to the island, attempting to go south whenever possible, but, not reaching 70°, we invariably encountered an icy continent.

After futile attempts to find a passage, the ship commanders, after consulting, decided to retreat and turned north. The crews of the sloops were in constant nervous tension, they were tormented by dampness and cold. Bellingshausen and Lazarev made every effort to ensure normal living conditions. The Vostok and Mirny headed to the Australian port of Jackson for the winter.

Swimming of F. F. Bellingshausen and M. P. Lazarev in 1819 - 1821.

On May 8 (20), 1820, the repaired ships headed to the shores of New Zealand, where for three months they plied the waters of the little-studied southeastern region Pacific Ocean, discovering a whole series of islands. In September, the ships returned to Australia, and two months later they headed again to Antarctica.

During the second voyage, the sailors managed to discover the island of Peter I and the coast of Alexander I, completing their research work in Antarctica.

Thus, Russian sailors were the first in the world to discover a new part of the world - Antarctica, refuting the opinion of the English traveler James Cook, who argued that there is no continent in the southern latitudes, and if it exists, it is only near the pole, in areas inaccessible for navigation.

The ships were on the voyage for 751 days, 527 of them under sail, and covered over 50 thousand miles. The expedition discovered 29 islands, including a group of coral islands named after the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812 - M. I. Kutuzov, M. B. Barclay de Tolly, P. H. Wittgenstein, A. P. Ermolov, N. N. . Raevsky, M. A. Miloradovich, S. G. Volkonsky.

For his successful voyage, Lazarev, bypassing the rank of captain-lieutenant, was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank.

The sloops “Vostok” and “Mirny”. Artist Yu. Sorokin

In March 1822, M.P. Lazarev was appointed commander of the newly built 36-gun frigate "Cruiser".

At this time, the situation in Russian America worsened; American industrialists predatorily exterminated valuable fur-bearing animals in our possessions. It was decided to send the frigate "Cruiser" and the sloop "Ladoga", commanded by his older brother Andrei, to distant shores. In August of the same year, the ships left the Kronstadt roadstead.

After stopping in Tahiti, each ship went on its own course, “Ladoga” - to the Kamchatka Peninsula, “Cruiser” - to the shores of Russian America. For about a year, the frigate guarded Russian territorial waters from smugglers. In the summer of 1824, it was replaced by the sloop "Enterprise", and the "Cruiser" left Novo-Arkhangelsk. In August 1825, the frigate arrived in Kronstadt.

For exemplary performance of the task, Lazarev was promoted to captain 1st rank and awarded the Order of Vladimir, III degree.

At the beginning of 1826, Mikhail Petrovich was appointed commander of the building under construction in Arkhangelsk battleship"Azov", at that time the most advanced ship of the Russian navy.

The commander carefully selected his crew, which included Lieutenant P. S. Nakhimov, Midshipman V. A. Kornilov and Midshipman V. I. Istomin - the future leaders of the defense of Sevastopol.

His influence on his subordinates was limitless; Nakhimov wrote to a friend:

It’s worth listening, my dear, to how everyone here treats the captain, how they love him!... Really, the Russian fleet has never had such a captain.

Upon the ship's arrival in Kronstadt, it entered service with the Baltic squadron. Here Mikhail Petrovich had the opportunity to serve for some time under the command of the famous Russian admiral D. N. Senyavin.

In 1827, Lazarev was appointed concurrently chief of staff of the squadron, which was being equipped for a trip to the Mediterranean Sea. In the summer of the same year, the squadron under the command of Rear Admiral L.P. Heyden entered the Mediterranean Sea and united with the French and English squadrons.

Command of the combined fleet was taken over by British Vice Admiral Edward Codrington, a student of Admiral Nelson, and consisted of 27 ships (11 English, seven French and nine Russian) with 1.3 thousand guns. The Turkish-Egyptian fleet consisted of over 50 ships with 2.3 thousand guns. In addition, the enemy had coastal batteries on the island of Sphacteria and in the Navarino fortress.

On October 8 (20), 1827, the famous Battle of Navarino took place. Azov was in the center of a curved battle line of four battleships. It was here that the Turks directed their main attack.

The battleship Azov had to fight simultaneously with five Turkish ships; with artillery fire it sank two large frigates and a corvette, burned the flagship under the flag of Tagir Pasha, forced an 80-gun battleship to run aground, and then set it on fire and exploded.

In addition, a ship under the command of Lazarev destroyed the flagship of Muharrem Bey.

At the end of the battle at Azov, all the masts were broken, the sides were broken, and 153 holes were counted in the hull. Despite such serious damage, the ship continued to fight until the last minute of the battle.

Russian ships bore the brunt of the battle and played a major role in the defeat of the Turkish-Egyptian fleet. The enemy lost a battleship, 13 frigates, 17 corvettes, four brigs, five fire ships and other ships.

For the Battle of Navarino, the battleship Azov, for the first time in the Russian fleet, was awarded the highest award - the stern St. George's flag.

Lazarev was promoted to rear admiral and awarded three orders at once: the Greek - Commander's Cross of the Savior, the English - Bath and the French - St. Louis.

Subsequently, Mikhail Petrovich, being the chief of staff of the squadron, cruised in the Archipelago and participated in the blockade of the Dardanelles, cutting off the Turks’ path to Constantinople.

"Battle of Navarino" Artist I. Aivazovsky

Since 1830, Lazarev commanded a brigade of ships of the Baltic Fleet, in 1832 he was appointed chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet, and the following year - commander of the fleet, governor of Nikolaev and Sevastopol. Mikhail Petrovich held this post for 18 years.

Already at the beginning of 1833, Lazarev led the successful campaign of the Russian fleet and the transfer of 10,000 troops to the Bosphorus, as a result of which an attempt to capture Istanbul by the Egyptians was prevented. Military assistance Russia forced Sultan Mahmud II to conclude the Unkiar-Iskelesi Treaty, which highly raised the prestige of Russia.

Russia's consolidation in the Caucasus was viewed with particular hostility by England, which sought to turn the Caucasus with its rich natural resources into its colony.

For these purposes, with the active support of England, a movement of groups of religious fanatics (muridism) was organized, one of the main slogans of which was the annexation of the Caucasus to Turkey.

To disrupt the plans of the British and Turks, the Black Sea Fleet needed to block the Caucasian coast. For this purpose, for operations off the coast of the Caucasus, Lazarev allocated a detachment, and later a squadron of the Black Sea Fleet, consisting of six armed ships. In 1838, a place was chosen to base the squadron at the mouth of the Tsemes River, which marked the beginning of the construction of the Novorossiysk port.

In 1838-1840, troops of General N.N. Raevsky (junior) were landed from the ships of the Black Sea Fleet with the direct participation of Lazarev, who cleared the enemy from the coast and the mouths of the Tuapse, Subashi and Pazuape rivers, on the banks of the latter a fort was built named after Lazarev . The successful activities of the Black Sea Fleet prevented the implementation of the aggressive plans of the British and Turks in the Caucasus.

Lazarev was the first to organize a two-year expedition of the frigate “Skory” and the tender “Pospeshny” with the aim of describing the Black Sea, which resulted in the publication of the first pilotage of the Black Sea.

Under the personal supervision of Lazarev, plans were drawn up and the area was prepared for the construction of the Admiralty in Sevastopol, and docks were built. In the Hydrographic Depot, reorganized on his instructions, many maps, sailing directions, regulations, manuals were printed and a detailed atlas of the Black Sea was published.

Under the leadership of Mikhail Petrovich, the Black Sea Fleet became the best in Russia. Serious successes were achieved in shipbuilding; he personally supervised the construction of each ship.

Under Lazarev, the number of ships of the Black Sea Fleet was brought to a full complement, and naval artillery was improved. The Admiralty was built in Nikolaev, taking into account all the technological advances of that time, and construction of the Admiralty began near Novorossiysk.

M.P. Lazarev understood perfectly well that the sailing fleet was becoming obsolete and should be replaced by a steam fleet. However, technological backwardness did not allow Russia to make such a transition at a rapid pace.

Lazarev made every effort to ensure that steamships appeared in the Black Sea Fleet. He achieves this by ordering the construction of iron steam ships with all the latest improvements. Preparations were made for the construction in Nikolaev of the screw-driven 131-gun battleship "Bosphorus" (laid down after Lazarev's death in 1852).

In 1842, Mikhail Petrovich obtained orders for the construction by shipyards for the Black Sea Fleet of five steam frigates “Khersones”, “Bessarabia”, “Crimea”, “Gromonosets” and “Odessa”.

In 1846, he sent his closest assistant, Captain 1st Rank Kornilov, to the English shipyards to directly supervise the construction of four steamships: Vladimir, Elbrus, Yenikale and Taman. All ships were built according to Russian designs and draft drawings.

Lazarev paid a lot of attention to the cultural growth of sailors. According to his instructions and under his leadership, the Sevastopol Maritime Library was reorganized and the Assembly House was built, as well as many other public and cultural institutions.

The admiral paid great attention to the defensive structures of Sevastopol, increasing the number of guns defending the city to 734 units.

The Lazarev school was harsh; working with the admiral was sometimes difficult. However, those sailors in whom he managed to awaken the living spark that lived in himself became true Lazarevites.

Mikhail Petrovich trained such outstanding sailors as Nakhimov, Putyatin, Kornilov, Unkovsky, Istomin and Butakov. Lazarev's great merit is that he trained a cadre of sailors who ensured the transition of the Russian fleet from sailing to steam.

The admiral always cared little about his health. However, at the end of 1850, the pain in his stomach intensified, and on the personal instructions of Nicholas I, he was sent to Vienna for treatment. The disease was very advanced, and local surgeons refused to operate on him. On the night of April 11 (23), 1851, at the age of 63, Lazarev died of stomach cancer.

His ashes were transported to Russia and interred in Sevastopol in the Vladimir Cathedral. In the basement of this cathedral in the form of a cross, with their heads towards the center of the cross, M. P. Lazarev, P. S. Nakhimov, V. A. Kornilov and V. I. Istomin were buried.

Burial place of Admiral M.P. Lazarev in the Vladimir Cathedral, Sevastopol.

In 1867, in this city, then still in ruins after the Crimean War of 1853–1856, the grand opening of the monument to M.P. Lazarev took place. At the opening, Rear Admiral of the Suite I.A. Shestakov gave a brilliant speech, in which he vividly outlined the merits of the famous admiral in creating the Russian fleet and educating high quality Russian sailors.

Committed by M. P. Lazarev geographical discoveries have world-historical significance. They are part of the golden fund of Russian science. Mikhail Petrovich was elected an honorary member of the Geographical Society.

The St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly, in memory of the remarkable Russian admiral M.P. Lazarev, established a silver medal in 1995, which is awarded to workers of the sea, river and fishing fleet, educational institutions, research institutes and other naval organizations that have made a great contribution to the development of the fleet, who have completed significant voyages, as well as taking a significant part in the creation of equipment for the fleet and who were previously awarded the golden badge of the Maritime Assembly.

The Russian people lovingly preserve the memory of the outstanding Russian admiral, deservedly placing him among the best naval commanders of our Motherland.

Medal of M. P. Lazarev of the St. Petersburg Maritime Assembly

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