Moscow Triumphal Gates is a triumphal arch in Moscow (Russia). They were first built in 1829-1834 according to the project of the architect O. I. Bove on Tverskaya Zastava Square in honor of the victory of the Russian people in the Patriotic War of 1812. Dismantled in 1936. A copy of the gate was built in 1966-1968 according to the project of V. Ya. Libson on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, now – Victory Square in the Poklonnaya Gora area. The nearest metro station is Park Pobedy. The Triumphal Gates are categorized as objects of cultural heritage of regional significance.
The idea of building the Triumphal Gate in Moscow as a monument to the Victory belongs to Emperor Nicholas I.
The Triumphal Gates should not be confused with the triumphal arches that were erected in Moscow since 1721 on the occasion of various significant events on Triumphal Square, which, after the construction of the Triumphal Gates on Tverskaya Zastava Square, became known as the Old Triumphal Gate Square.
In 1966-1968, according to the project of a team of architects (I. P. Ruben, G. F. Vasilyeva, D. N. Kulchinsky), under the guidance of the architect-restorer V. Ya. Libson, a copy of the Arc de Triomphe was built in a new place – on Kutuzovsky Prospekt near the museum-panorama “Battle of Borodino”.
During the construction of the gate, dimensional drawings and sketches of the gate of 1936 were used, as well as the author’s model of the structure, which was kept in the Museum of Architecture. However, the copy of the gate differs from the original structure. Thus, reinforced concrete was used instead of brick in the construction of the walls, vaults and plinth of the new gates, white stone facing was replaced with grayish Crimean limestone and granite, guardhouses and gratings were not restored. The original details, statues and cast-iron reliefs preserved on the territory of the former Donskoy Monastery were not used – more than 150 sculptures were cast anew at the Mytishchi plant. According to the details of the only surviving cast-iron column, 12 new ones were cast at the Stankolit plant.
The texts on the commemorative plaques during the restoration of the gates were also changed: on the side of the Mozhaisk highway, a part of the inscription from the mortgage board of 1829 was placed, and on the side of the city – lines from the order of M. I. Kutuzov dated December 21, 1812, addressed to Russian soldiers.
The grand opening of the gate took place on November 6, 1968.
Main attractions and facilities around: Krasnopresnenskaya embankment, Bagration Bridge, Moscow Theater “Workshop of P. N. Fomenko”.
See also Moscow architecture, monuments of Moscow.
