Another neat Russian Medal I know nothing about....NEW IMAGES (LARGE)

danglen

This is part of that big box of stuff I just bought from an estate. Neat looking, but again, my Cyrilic fails me The medal is copper, weighs 173.5 grams and is 79 millimeters in diameter. Any light you can shed on the subject is much appreciated.

Shipcoin

From the picture it is a litlle bit difficult to read the text. You should try to enlarge the image, or may be to show the text itself in more clear way (I mean in focus), than I'll be able to translate it. The reverse (obverse?) probably shows some of Romanov's dynasty tzars - at least the central tzar should be Peter the Great.

The building appears to be Isakievskii Cathedral in St Petersburg, but once more, I'd like to see the text in more clear way, if possible.

danglen

If someone can tell me how to post an image directly to the message, I will be happy to furnish larger images. Unfortunately, posting this way, I have a size limit I can't exceed.

satootoko

Dan - just host the picture on your own website, click on the little picture above the text box, and insert the URL. The only size limit that way is the limit on your website, although us poor slobs with dialup might take a while to load one that's too big!

danglen

ttt for new larger images

wildjag

I like it. Now I know why I pick up medals every so often, the amount of detail on some is incredible

Shipcoin

Well, the Cathedral side tells in Od Russian some Latin proverb: "To God the God's and to Caesar the Caesar's" sorry for the terrible English but I'm sure that some guys here will tell us the original Latin Proberb! Behind that text is written: " The rebuilding of the Cathedral was started in the time of Alexander The First and was continued in the time of Nicholas the First " - both from the Romanov dynasty, sure. Besides that, after the Proverb you can find some word's shortenings - some letters, sorry that I can't tell ,what they mean exactly: might be the initials fo Medal's master or/and factory and so on.

Second side tells us: " Was finished <the rebuilding> during the Reign of Prince <means the Tzar here> Alexander the Second. The Cathedral was sanctified in the name of St Ioann Dalmatskii" on May 28 in 1858"

That is the best I can do now, hope it helps.

As I told, it is Isakievskii cathedral in St Petersburg (or The Cathedral of St Isaak - one of the famous World-known symbols of the City, BTW. As for the tzars you know now who are depicted there, besides the Peter the Great (the founder of the City) and as for the rest two tzars if you'll enlarge their heads I will be able to identify them.

The foundation of the Cathedral was started in 1818 and the work was finished in 1858.

last thing: the text is written in Old Russian , using old Russian Alphabet, which is not in use there already about about last ~80 years

1jester

The proverb sounds like the Biblical text "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's", Mark 12:17.

I remember that cathedral in St. Petersburg. It is really really beautiful, and that's only on the outside. I'd love to see the inside as I'm sure it's far more elaborate and decorative.

Shipcoin

Yep, Mike, I was sure you'll be the first , who will tell the proverb! Thanks! And yes the Cathedral is really great! It is also nice inside (it has there working Fuco's Pendulum, BTW ) but for my opinion more beautiful outside. From it's different levels you can also see the City's great views - as from St Paul Cathedral in London, for example.

1jester

I was in St. Petesburg (then Leningrad) in June 1987, during the first days of "glasnost" and that cathedral was (well, with the possible exception of the winter palace-Hermitage museum) the only structure in the whole city that was worth seeing. It stuck out like a glistening jewel among drab colorless communist buildings. Really, it's impossible for those who've never seen communist cities to possibly imagine a whole city completely devoid of all color. To the credit of the cathedral, it is so beautiful that it would hold its own even among any type of architectural backdrop.

danglen

Thank you Nikolai (ShipCoin) for all your excellent help. We'll see if the folks out in the bay of E can appreciate the medal as much as I do