Among all Russian cities, Sochi is one of the most popular among tourists. Not surprisingly, the city authorities are striving to give the resort a personality. And monuments play an important role in this. There are more than 60 of them in total, the most original, perhaps, are: “Horse in a Coat”, “March Cat”, “Lovers' Shop”, “Diamond Arm”. Busts, monuments, memorials are installed in parks, squares, along the embankment, near administrative buildings, cultural and sports facilities.
Monument "Horse in a Coat"
Sculptor Hakob Khalafyan from a small Armenian village has been pleasing residents and guests of Sochi for decades with creative compositions made from "improvised" materials. Henchmen, of course, conditionally. To create even seemingly simple monuments, funds are required, and not small ones.
An example of this is the cheerful composition "Horse in a Coat". Made from a piece of iron plumbingpipes and handfuls of fantasy, it will not leave indifferent even the most gloomy person in the world. The hero of a well-known saying, sitting imposingly on a bench, cordially greets passers-by with a glass of virtual wine. According to tradition, passers-by throw coins into the vessel “for good luck.”
Despite its apparent simplicity, the installation of the monument in 2007 cost 120,000 rubles. Nevertheless, besides the pipe, a lot of kilograms of non-ferrous metal were used. You can get acquainted with a cheerful horse in the resort heart of the city - on the Theater Street of the Central District.
By the way, A. Khalafyan prepared a lot of sculptural surprises for the townspeople and tourists. His works can be found in the most unexpected corners of the resort. Such monuments in Sochi as Bremen Town Musicians, Quartet, Goat and Ostriches, Where? From a camel!”, “Janitor Petrovna” and others.
Lieutenant Rzhevsky
How could you ignore the legendary hero of jokes Lieutenant Rzhevsky? Perhaps, the customers and the author of the unique monument in Sochi thought so. Incidentally, the quality of performance is by no means anecdotal. The project was made with the highest degree of detail, despite the fact that the composition is cast from a material that is difficult to work with - cast iron.
It all started with the idea of the owners of the Art Hotel, Lieutenant Rzhevsky, to place a monument at the entrance that would embody both the hero of folk tales and the film hero of the Hussar Ballad performed by Yuri Yakovlev, and the real hussar Rzhevsky, who lived in Napoleonic era. Surprisingly, butsculptor Konstantin Girev managed to perfectly realize all the ideas. Our hero, sitting on the edge of the bench, fervently twists his mustache, and the cunning squint of his eyes betrays an experienced and dashing hussar who is no stranger to a sense of humor.
Works on the creation of one of the most interesting monuments of Sochi were carried out "in an adult way", in compliance with all technological chains. First, a trial reduced model was made, then a scale model was molded from plasticine, a plaster copy was made, which served as an object for making a mold. The smelting was entrusted directly to the employees of the Kasli Iron Foundry, who have relevant experience. The build quality was excellent. Today, anyone can sit down and talk heart to heart with Rzhevsky.
V. I. Lenin
A monument to Vladimir Lenin was erected in almost every city of the USSR. Although Sochi is not the cradle of the revolution, the leader of the proletariat proudly shows the current generation the direction to a brighter future. One can relate to the events of 1917 in different ways, but it was the ideological revolutionaries who advocated universal education and industrialization of the once technologically backward agrarian country.
We must pay tribute to the authors of the monument to Vladimir Lenin in Sochi - sculptor Z. Vilensky and architect L. Rudnev. The founder of the first socialist state does not look pompous and does not belittle by monumental size. Before us on a pedestal of red marble appearsthoughtful Vladimir Ilyich, probably talking about serious things.
The bronze sculpture is located in the Central District near the embankment near the Sochi Hotel. Installed on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Revolution back in 1957. It is gratifying that the townspeople do not demolish monuments and honor all stages of their history.
Arrow Breaker
Another visible symbol of the Soviet era. It demonstrates the desire of the people for universal peace and the rejection of wars. The reinforced concrete composition depicts a horsewoman taming a rearing horse. With her hands raised above her head, she breaks the murder weapon - arrows.
The monument "Breaking Arrows" by V. Glukhov was erected in 1976. Like the previous compositions, it is located in the park area of the Central District, opposite the monument to V. I. Lenin.
Anchor and cannon
The monument is designed to perpetuate the memory of the foundation in 1838 of the city of a new outpost of the Russian Empire on the Black Sea coast. This is one of the oldest monuments in Sochi, the installation of which took place in a solemn atmosphere on April 23, 1913.
The composition is a stylized cannon mounted on a concrete base, in front of which a ship's anchor is placed. Thus, a reminder is left for posterity at what a difficult cost the region was recaptured from Turkey in 1829.
Yuri Gagarin
The monument to Yuri Gagarin in Sochi is located onstreet, also named after the first cosmonaut, in the Central District. Unlike Vladimir Lenin and Peter I, the legendary cosmonaut visited the city.
Yuri Alekseevich and his family came to rest in Sochi 25 days after the space flight. He actively spent time, met with residents, participated in events. In the square (now named after Gagarin) he planted a Himalayan cedar with his own hands. By the way, the tree took root and today reaches the height of a five-story building. Under the canopy of its branches is the bust of Yu. A. Gagarin.
Other monuments
Of course, this is only a fraction of the existing memorial sites and sculptural compositions. Examples of other nominal characters:
- Vladimir Vysotsky;
- To Nikolai Ostrovsky;
- To Sergei Kirov;
- To Aidamir Achmizov;
- Mikhail Lazarev;
- To Maxim Gorky;
- To Peter I;
- Fevroniya and Peter of Murom;
- To Alexander Pushkin;
- Catherine II;
- Stalin, Churchill and Rovelt;
- To Ivan Pavlov;
- Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin.
Symbolic compositions:
- "Tourist";
- "Bench snail";
- March Cat;
- "Grey Yeti";
- "Neptune";
- "Lovers";
- "Sochi teachers";
- Golden Fleece;
- "Make a wish";
- "Matsesta";
- "Gambuzia fish";
- "Housing and communal services worker";
- dedicated to the heroes of the film "The Diamond Arm";
- a series of compositions dedicated to the Olympics in Sochi.
Memorials:
- "Feat for the sake of life";
- “To the victims of the A-320 disaster”;
- "To the victims of the Caucasian War";
- "City-bearer";
- "To the Chernobyl liquidators";
- "Zavokzalny";
- "To the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War";
- "Sochi soldiers";
- "Afghan Knot";
- “Victims of political repression.”
Every year this list is updated with new sculptures.
Reviews
Needless to say, both Sochi residents and guests are pleased with the transformation of the city. Pretentious and monumental monuments are being replaced by creative compositions with a twist.
The sculptural group dedicated to the heroes of the cult comedy "The Diamond Arm" has become a real decoration of Sochi: the Gorbunkov family in full force, as well as the criminal duet of Papanov and Mironov. Many thematic monuments dedicated to sports were installed on the eve of the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
