At the moment, the Russian Federation boasts the presence of 2.5 thousand universities. However, until the mid-18th century, even in Moscow there was not a single higher educational institution. Who participated in the creation of Moscow State University? How the university differed from its European counterparts, as well as interesting facts and myths about the country's oldest university, read in our material.
How was Moscow University created ?
In fairness, it is worth noting that Moscow State University was not the first university in the country. He was ahead of the University of St. Petersburg, opened under Peter the Great. However, the educational institution did not reach the European level, and for such a large country, one university was not enough.
This was understood by the first Russian academician, Mikhail Lomonosov. It was he who came up with the project of Moscow State University and wrote a letter to the favorite of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna Shuvalov. The youngest daughter of Peter I saw prospects in this project and signed it. The year of the creation of Moscow State University officially is the 1755th. The date coincided with the birthday of St. Tatiana - January 25. Therefore, students ’day is celebrated on this day.
Everyone who participated in the creation of Moscow State University, from the very beginning, took the project seriously. Firstly, the university was allocated a building in the center of Moscow on Red Square (the Historical Museum is now founded there). Secondly, the state did not spare funds for the maintenance of the university. Huge amounts were spent at Moscow State University. A thousand gold was spent on instruments and equipment, and the university library cost four times as much. They spent 10 thousand rubles on the creation of the university.
The first faculties of Moscow State University
The creation of Moscow State University by Lomonosov largely pushed the development of culture and science in the country. It was Moscow University that, for the first time in the history of Russia, began to recruit not only noble offspring, but also children from other classes. The exception concerned perhaps serfs. Studying at Moscow State University was possible at three faculties:
- medical;
- philosophical;
- legal.
Unlike Europe, the Russian university did not have a theological branch. In addition, students could study science both in Latin and in their native language. The most capable students were subsequently sent to Europe. So to speak, for advanced training.
A university teacher (according to the project of Lomonosov) could also be a person from any class. In the second half of the 18th century, 26 professors worked at Moscow State University, only three of them could boast of noble roots.
Despite huge investments, the university did not have enough money. The university was assisted by famous patrons: Demidov, Dashkova, Stroganov. This is only part of those figures who participated in the creation of Moscow State University. In addition, financially the university was supported by former graduates, and professors bequeathed to the library their accumulated collected works.
Great minds from Moscow University
The vast majority of educators of the 18-19th century graduated from Moscow State University. The history of the creation of the university, thus, determined the fate of the country. A year after the founding of the university, a printing house and a bookstore were opened at it. At MSU, the first non-governmental publication, the Moskovskiye Vedomosti newspaper, began to be published. For more than a century, anyone could attend lectures by professors or the library of Moscow University.
In the 18th century, figures of Russian science and culture, such as the philosopher Anichkov, the mathematician Pankevich, the physicist Strakhov, were graduated from the university. Graduated from the university and writers Fonvizin and Novikov. A century later, MSU began to form scientific societies. For example, lovers of Russian literature.
Griboedov, Chaadaev, Goncharov, Tyutchev, Chekhov and Fet - this is only a small part of eminent graduates of Moscow State University. Most of them warmly recalled their native university all their lives. That's just Athanasius Fet for some reason could not stand the university in the capital. Each time, passing or passing by Moscow State University, he approached the doors of the building, spat on them and then went about his business.
Myths and facts from the history of the university
Despite the fact that Lomonosov was the first to participate in the creation of Moscow State University, the university received his name only in 1940. In addition, world history did not pass by the country's oldest university. So, during World War II, Moscow University was evacuated from the capital. First to Ashgabat, then to Sverdlovsk. But even in the evacuation, he continued to produce valuable personnel. So, during the war, more than 3,000 specialists left Moscow State University. The same amount of scientific development was carried out within the walls of the university for those terrible 4 years.
In 1953, Moscow University received a new building on the Sparrow Hills. It was originally planned that the 36-story skyscraper will be crowned with a statue of Stalin, but the leader passed away in the year of construction, and now the Moscow State University is decorated with a spire. They say that the modern building is so strong that it can withstand the bombardment, and various legends and myths go about its cellars.