History of Fireworks

Wise Chinese invented gunpowder at the time is not for military purposes. They invented it for the fireworks.

In Russia, the fashion to celebrate the holidays with fireworks brought in Peter I (he was watching them from the Germans). From today's solemn salutes those fireworks differ greatly, instead of our usual fire-caps in the sky "burned" picture palaces and pavilions, waterfalls and fountains, embodied in the fire biblical themes and scenes of military battles. You can not imagine how wonderful, how exciting were the spectacle.

February 26, 1690 Peter I on eighteen cannon three times, given by 56 volleys, and of the king's hands kept flying missiles. In the sky of fireworks was painted Hercules, tearing the lion's mouth (by the way, then another volley of fireworks was worth 10 thousand. Rubles, and one cow - 3 rublin). It was the first major fireworks in Russia.

In fact, Peter I considered the founder of fireworks in Russia historically wrong. According to the documents, the first domestic fireworks (then called them "amusing lights") were launched back in 1389 when Dmitry Donskoy. However, while fireworks were arranged very sporadically and were completely to imported, mainly from Germany.

The first Russian master of art igniting the sky appeared around 1545 then Strelets Regiment was established under which the service was "powder head": he invented, manufactured and launched fireworks. In Moscow these things pyrotechnic miracle was first shown in 1683 on the Sparrow Hills.

And yet, the first Russian pyrotechnics Peter I called deserved: he turned funny lights in the indispensable attribute of court festivities, carnival, new year and celebrating military victories. And the king himself to create very complex pyrotechnic figures and the whole fiery pattern. Starting Emperor caught, although in the twentieth century as a simplified to the usual salutes volleys.

In the world of the love of fireworks is not cold. But especially loved funny lights in China (not by chance, for that they even invented gunpowder) and Japan. Almost every Japanese family, for example, the master of fireworks, passing from generation to generation of the family secrets. Usually painstakingly pore all winter and spring and summer ... Summer they almost continuous fireworks. Most of the temple festivals in the summer months and ends necessarily amusing lights (it reserved the blackness strictly as a religious cult).