Monument to Peter Mstislavets

Monument to Pyotr Mstislavets on Pyotr Mstislavets Square is one of the main attractions of Mstislavl, Mogilev Region. This monument is dedicated to the Belarusian first printer, associate of Ivan Fyodorov—Pyotr Timofeevich Mstislavets, who was born in this city. The monument has become a landmark attracting tourists and admirers of printing history.

Historical role of Pyotr Mstislavets

Pyotr Mstislavets made a significant contribution to the development of printing in Eastern Europe. Together with Ivan Fyodorov, he founded the first Russian printing house in Moscow. In 1564, they printed "Acts and Epistles of the Apostles" ("Apostle")—the first printed book in Russian. In the following years, Pyotr Mstislavets published the "Book of Hours" (1565) and "Psalter" (1567), which played an important role in spreading literacy.

Unveiling of the monument

The monument to Pyotr Mstislavets was erected in 2001 and officially unveiled on September 2 during the celebration of Belarusian Writing Day. The monument is located in the central square of the city, opposite the Mstislavl District Executive Committee building. The authors of the monument were renowned Belarusian sculptors Alexander Botvinenok and Alexander Chigrin, along with architect Yuri Kazakov.

Description of the monument

The monument is made of bronze and stands three meters tall. It depicts Pyotr Mstislavets in full height, at a mature age. In his left hand, he holds an open book, while his right hand rests on a printing press. The details of the composition emphasize the significance of printing: the gilded pages of the book and the edges of his clothing symbolize the light of knowledge. The granite pedestal bears an inscription in Belarusian—"ПЕТР МСЦІСЛАВЕЦ".

The second monument to the first printer in Mstislavl

Interestingly, this monument became the second one dedicated to Pyotr Mstislavets in Mstislavl. The first monument was erected in 1986 and is located opposite the Jesuit church. Its author was sculptor Nikolai Malinovsky. Thus, the city paid tribute to its famous native, who played a crucial role in the development of Slavic printing.

Acts of vandalism

Unfortunately, the monument to Pyotr Mstislavets has repeatedly suffered from acts of vandalism. Initially, the inscription "Pyotr," weighing about 5 kilograms, was stolen but later found nearby. Later, the inscription "Mstislavets," weighing approximately 10 kilograms, disappeared. It is believed that the thieves mistook the cast-iron elements, painted with bronze paint, for real bronze.