Unusual sculptures of St. Petersburg and its environs
Ten of the most interesting and unusual monuments and sculptures: from a lamplighter to a fireman, from a cat to a nose - in our selection of city attractions.
Major Kovalev's Nose
One of the most unusual monuments in St. Petersburg.
Dedicated to the antagonist of the main character of Gogol’s “The Nose”. It is noteworthy that it is located simply at one of the city intersections. Most of the events with which the story is connected took place in another part of the city center. It was invented by Rizo Gabriadze in 1995, who shortly before installed the famous “Chizhik-Fawn” near the Circus. — Rimsky-Korsakov Avenue, 11
Schweik
The only monument to a foreign literary character in St. Petersburg was unveiled on April 11, 2003 on Balkan Square on the day of the 120th anniversary of the character’s creator, Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek.
The seamstress was made by the same Albert Charkin who created Ostap Bender. The sculpture was made life-size (Svejk’s height was about 160 centimeters). At first, the monument stood at the entrance to the Kupchino metro station, and then was moved to the arch of the shopping center on Balkan Square. — Balkan Square
Reflection
We have already talked about the courtyard of the Faculty of Philology of St. Petersburg State University in connection with the sculptures of Brodsky (the one with his head on a suitcase) and Blok (the one who is thin and lanky).
But the courtyard of the philology department with sculptures, opened in 2002 with Avetisyan’s sculpture “Reflections on the Little Prince,” is famous not only for the monuments of famous writers; there are also many depersonalized monuments like Tony the Hippopotamus, which students stroke before exams. One of the most unusual monuments in the courtyard of the philological faculty is “Reflection”.
It was donated in 2009 by the government of Naples. The sculpture was made by Lidia Cottone from the solidified lava of the Vesuvius volcano. — Universitetskaya embankment, 11
The Tower of Babel of the technogenic era
Another wonderful sculpture of the courtyard of the philological department of St. Petersburg State University.
Not only is it very bright, but it also consists of inclusions of metal objects. It seems that everything that was at hand was used: wrenches, cans, batteries, bicycle gears and even frames. It can take more than an hour to properly examine the composition: a great excuse for couples to walk. — Universitetskaya embankment, 11
Stone-head
The sculptor of this monument is not exactly known, the only clue is that the work was carried out according to the design of F. Brouwer.
This architect worked in St. Petersburg at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 17th century. According to his plan, the head was supposed to depict a Russian warrior in an Orthodox helmet. The proof is the hole on the nose - most likely it remains from the fastening of a vertical protective plate, typical of the armor of Russian warriors. The “head stone” is called differently: “Old Man”, “Rusich”, “Warrior”, “Head of Samson”, and in student circles this sculpture was given the name Adam.
There are many legends about the monument.
One of them says that this is the head of Peter the Great. Another legend tells of a spring that was once located under the head. After it dried up, the “warrior” began to grow into the ground. If it grows completely, it will be the end of the world. — Petrodvorets, Sergievka Park, not far from the Leuchtenberg
Mumu
One of the most touching “literary” monuments of St. Petersburg.
Installed in 2006 near the Dva Mu cafe by sculptor Aram Arevikyan, it depicts a sad dog, apparently waiting for its owner (his boots and coat were also cast). And he, apparently, decides her fate, sitting in the tavern. - intersection of Turgenev and Sadovaya streets
Brave fireman
The project for the construction of a monument to a firefighter near the Rybatskoye metro station was developed by the sculptor Kardabovskaya, and it was installed on June 25, 2004.
On the same day, a massive celebration dedicated to firefighters was held in Rybatskoye: a parade of equipment, awards. This is not the only monument to firefighters in St. Petersburg.
The second one is located on Bolshoy Prospekt of Vasilyevsky Island. It was installed in 1985. At first they wanted to install it near the fire station, but it turned out that the firefighters in the sculpture were “running” with axes straight towards the Lenin monument nearby. As a result, the monument was removed into the courtyard and returned to its old location only in the 1990s. — Coastal Street
Lamplighter
Engineer Lodygin invented the incandescent lamp in 1872, and the first street lamp was installed right next to his house in 1873.
As eyewitnesses of that remarkable event wrote, “... from the newspapers, I learned that... somewhere on Peski, experiments in electric lighting with Lodygin lamps will be shown to the public. I passionately wanted to see this new electric light... Many people walked with us for the same purpose... From the darkness we found ourselves in some street with bright lighting. In two street lamps, kerosene lamps were replaced by incandescent lamps, which emitted a bright white light.” In 1996, in honor of Lodygin, ancient lanterns began to be installed here: a small and free street museum was gradually formed literally a stone's throw from Smolny.
— Odesskaya Street
Cats
There are two “cat” monuments in St. Petersburg - the cat Elisha and the cat Vasilisa.
Elisey is located on the facade of the Eliseevsky store. And Vasilisa “lives” opposite - on the facade of house No. 3 on Malaya Sadovaya Street. They were installed in memory of the animals that saved Leningrad from disease during the Siege. The fact is that with the beginning of the siege of the city, there was nothing to feed the cats; some were simply eaten (at the market they offered ten monthly salaries for a cat). Therefore, in 1943, after breaking the blockade, the leadership of Leningrad decided to “order” four carriages of smoky cats from Yaroslavl. They were immediately distributed to the main infrastructure points. Cats hunted rodents and thus saved the city's food supply. — Malaya Sadovaya Street
Monument to Mowgli in Priozersk
One of the oldest monuments to literary heroes.
Opened in Priozersk back in 1969. The sculptor Karagot depicted quite schematically a young man in a bandage and a puma Bagheera sitting next to him. The monument, one of the main attractions of the Priozersky Park, recently suffered from the actions of hooligans and began to crumble. — Alexander Park (exit the Gorkovskaya metro station and walk 100 meters towards the Planetarium)
One of the most unusual monuments in St. Petersburg.
Dedicated to the antagonist of the main character of Gogol’s “The Nose”. It is noteworthy that it is located simply at one of the city intersections. Most of the events with which the story is connected took place in another part of the city center. It was invented by Rizo Gabriadze in 1995, who shortly before installed the famous “Chizhik-Fawn” near the Circus. — Rimsky-Korsakov Avenue, 11
Schweik
The only monument to a foreign literary character in St. Petersburg was unveiled on April 11, 2003 on Balkan Square on the day of the 120th anniversary of the character’s creator, Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek.
The seamstress was made by the same Albert Charkin who created Ostap Bender. The sculpture was made life-size (Svejk’s height was about 160 centimeters). At first, the monument stood at the entrance to the Kupchino metro station, and then was moved to the arch of the shopping center on Balkan Square. — Balkan Square
Reflection
We have already talked about the courtyard of the Faculty of Philology of St. Petersburg State University in connection with the sculptures of Brodsky (the one with his head on a suitcase) and Blok (the one who is thin and lanky).
But the courtyard of the philology department with sculptures, opened in 2002 with Avetisyan’s sculpture “Reflections on the Little Prince,” is famous not only for the monuments of famous writers; there are also many depersonalized monuments like Tony the Hippopotamus, which students stroke before exams. One of the most unusual monuments in the courtyard of the philological faculty is “Reflection”.
It was donated in 2009 by the government of Naples. The sculpture was made by Lidia Cottone from the solidified lava of the Vesuvius volcano. — Universitetskaya embankment, 11
The Tower of Babel of the technogenic era
Another wonderful sculpture of the courtyard of the philological department of St. Petersburg State University.
Not only is it very bright, but it also consists of inclusions of metal objects. It seems that everything that was at hand was used: wrenches, cans, batteries, bicycle gears and even frames. It can take more than an hour to properly examine the composition: a great excuse for couples to walk. — Universitetskaya embankment, 11
Stone-head
The sculptor of this monument is not exactly known, the only clue is that the work was carried out according to the design of F. Brouwer.
This architect worked in St. Petersburg at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 17th century. According to his plan, the head was supposed to depict a Russian warrior in an Orthodox helmet. The proof is the hole on the nose - most likely it remains from the fastening of a vertical protective plate, typical of the armor of Russian warriors. The “head stone” is called differently: “Old Man”, “Rusich”, “Warrior”, “Head of Samson”, and in student circles this sculpture was given the name Adam.
There are many legends about the monument.
One of them says that this is the head of Peter the Great. Another legend tells of a spring that was once located under the head. After it dried up, the “warrior” began to grow into the ground. If it grows completely, it will be the end of the world. — Petrodvorets, Sergievka Park, not far from the Leuchtenberg
Mumu
One of the most touching “literary” monuments of St. Petersburg.
Installed in 2006 near the Dva Mu cafe by sculptor Aram Arevikyan, it depicts a sad dog, apparently waiting for its owner (his boots and coat were also cast). And he, apparently, decides her fate, sitting in the tavern. - intersection of Turgenev and Sadovaya streets
Brave fireman
The project for the construction of a monument to a firefighter near the Rybatskoye metro station was developed by the sculptor Kardabovskaya, and it was installed on June 25, 2004.
On the same day, a massive celebration dedicated to firefighters was held in Rybatskoye: a parade of equipment, awards. This is not the only monument to firefighters in St. Petersburg.
The second one is located on Bolshoy Prospekt of Vasilyevsky Island. It was installed in 1985. At first they wanted to install it near the fire station, but it turned out that the firefighters in the sculpture were “running” with axes straight towards the Lenin monument nearby. As a result, the monument was removed into the courtyard and returned to its old location only in the 1990s. — Coastal Street
Lamplighter
Engineer Lodygin invented the incandescent lamp in 1872, and the first street lamp was installed right next to his house in 1873.
As eyewitnesses of that remarkable event wrote, “... from the newspapers, I learned that... somewhere on Peski, experiments in electric lighting with Lodygin lamps will be shown to the public. I passionately wanted to see this new electric light... Many people walked with us for the same purpose... From the darkness we found ourselves in some street with bright lighting. In two street lamps, kerosene lamps were replaced by incandescent lamps, which emitted a bright white light.” In 1996, in honor of Lodygin, ancient lanterns began to be installed here: a small and free street museum was gradually formed literally a stone's throw from Smolny.
— Odesskaya Street
Cats
There are two “cat” monuments in St. Petersburg - the cat Elisha and the cat Vasilisa.
Elisey is located on the facade of the Eliseevsky store. And Vasilisa “lives” opposite - on the facade of house No. 3 on Malaya Sadovaya Street. They were installed in memory of the animals that saved Leningrad from disease during the Siege. The fact is that with the beginning of the siege of the city, there was nothing to feed the cats; some were simply eaten (at the market they offered ten monthly salaries for a cat). Therefore, in 1943, after breaking the blockade, the leadership of Leningrad decided to “order” four carriages of smoky cats from Yaroslavl. They were immediately distributed to the main infrastructure points. Cats hunted rodents and thus saved the city's food supply. — Malaya Sadovaya Street
Monument to Mowgli in Priozersk
One of the oldest monuments to literary heroes.
Opened in Priozersk back in 1969. The sculptor Karagot depicted quite schematically a young man in a bandage and a puma Bagheera sitting next to him. The monument, one of the main attractions of the Priozersky Park, recently suffered from the actions of hooligans and began to crumble. — Alexander Park (exit the Gorkovskaya metro station and walk 100 meters towards the Planetarium)