In honor of the famous researcher

The monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky in Smolensk. Photo by Svetlana Volosevich
The monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky in Smolensk. Photo by Svetlana Volosevich

Today, the 23rd of September, in Smolensk, in the park next to the music school, there was erected a monument to the famous traveler and explorer, Honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society Nikolai Przhevalsky. Honored President of the Society, academician Vladimir Kotlyakov took part in the solemn opening ceremony, which was held in the framework of the celebration of the Day of Smolensk. 

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The Honored President of the Russian Geographical Society, Academician V.M. Kotlyakov (on the right), Chairman of the regional department A.Katrovsky and guests of the holiday
The Honored President of the Russian Geographical Society, Academician V.M. Kotlyakov (on the right), Chairman of the regional department A.Katrovsky and guests of the holiday

Nikolay Mikhailovich Przhevalsky (1839 - 1888) is an internationally famous naturalist. All his life he was studying Central Asia. Even in his youth he made an expedition in the Ussuri region, which became one of the most significant Asian studies of those years. Thanks to his expeditions, Europeans got an idea of the vast territory from Mongolia, Dzungaria to Eastern Tibet and Turkestan.

Przhevalsky discovered several species of animals, including a wild camel, a wild horse, a Tibetan bear. The explorer and geographer collected impressive zoological, mineralogical and botanical collections.

We should remind you that in 2014 the Russian Geographical Society celebrated the 175th anniversary from the birth of the great geographer. By the jubilee, a lot of events have been timed: scientific conferences, photo exhibitions and even the issue of a collector's postage stamp. And in the homeland of the explorer, in Smolensk, he decided to erect a monument. The initiative was supported by the President of the Russian Geographical Society Sergey Shoygu.

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Monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky
Monument to Nikolay Przhevalsky

There was launched a fund-raising campaign on the website of the Russian Geographical Society, for the construction of the monument. As it is known, monuments to many outstanding people in Russia are "folk". One of the most famous monuments erected on people's money is a monument to "citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky" in Moscow, opposite the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. Money to create a monument to Pushkin on Pushkin Square in the capital was collected on the initiative of graduates of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. The monument to Gogol on Nikitsky Boulevard in Moscow was also built on folk remedies. The Russian Geographical Society continued this tradition. In addition, the Society announced a competition for the best project of the monument. The winner was the work of the sculptors Alubaev, Shcherbakov and Danilov.

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The guests of the event
The guests of the event

The name of Przhevalsky is the glacier in the Altai, the ridge in Kunlun, many species of plants and animals. In 1891, on the proposal of the Russian Geographical Society, a special prize named after Nikolai Przhevalsky was established and a silver medal, and in 1946 - a gold medal.