LOVE TREE

"Frunzenskaya" metro station
on the map

Love has come to Moscow! In the capital there are not a few monuments of different sizes and of different characters, but there have never been any love symbol in Moscow. A famous sculptor Grigory Pototsky has been dreaming for 20 years about granting to Moscow of such monument.

The sculpture consists of two figures – of a young man and of a lady – merged into one, spreading their hands-bunches, “which turned either into wings or into the Life Tree”, - as the author said at its inauguration ceremony. The composition of more than 3 meters height impresses by its lightness and by the brightness of its character.

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Bird of Happiness

and Wailing Wall

"Kitay-gorod" metro station
on the map

The inauguration took place on the 16th of May 2001, in front of the Moscow Choral Synagogue in Bolshoi Spasoglinischevsky lane. The composition of the sculptor Igor Burganov represents a hand quitting hold of a pigeon – symbol of friendship among nations.

The monument is complemented by the prototype of the Jerusalem relic – Wailing Wall, composed of the rock-face stones – 15 meters long and 3 meters high.

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Fountain of Arts

"Tret'yakovskaya" metro station
on the map

On the 28th of April, 2006, in Lavrushinskiy lane near the Tretiakov gallery the inauguration ceremony of the new Fountain of Arts took place. The opening was coincided with the 150th anniversary of the Tretiakov gallery.

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Reconciliation Bench

"Tret'yakovskaya" metro station
on the map

A new wedding ceremony has been introduced in Moscow. At Luzhkov’s pedestrian bridge, which runs over the gout near the Bolotnaya quay, the specialists of GUP “Gormost” planted the “Love tree”. So as the grooms and brides could hang “happiness locks” on it.

Just married occupied the bridge hanging the key locks on its railing. Superstitious grooms and brides believe that once you throw the key from the lock to the Moscow River, nobody will be able to reach the heart of their beloved ones. It is widely thought that the new custom came to the Russian capital from Baltics.

The locks became so numerous that the urban services could no more secure the exploitation of railings and fences. So, they had to dismantle the locks. Just married did not like this at all. Finally, the authorities and the townspeople came to compromise. At first they wanted to erect chiseled decorative gratings, but in spring they decided “to plant” a metallic love tree, almost 2 meters high, on the Tretiakovskiy Bridge. In order not to let the vandals “root up” the happiness “plant”, the specialists set up a watch on it and asked the policemen keep an eye on the symbol of the domestic bliss.

When the tree becomes overgrown by the locks, GUP “Gormost” will plant more. In future, probably, a whole alley of such trees will grow in Moscow, at Prechistenskaya quay along the Obvodnoy Canal of Moscow River.

By the way: Rome authorities took decision to dismantle dozens of thousands of locks hang by the people in love from the railings and lanterns of Ponte Milvio bridge. It happened after the weight of the symbols of happiness caused one of the lanterns to collapse. The tradition was born 15 years ago, after the publication of the famous book of Federico Moccia “Three meters on the sky”, whose characters acted similarly. The mayor of Rome reassured the townspeople that all the dismantled locks will be preserved and that the authorities will find the "golden mean". According to one of the existing projects a special metallic construction will be set up on the bridge – so as everybody could hang their locks on it.

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To all those enamored

"Chekhovskaya" metro station
on the map

In Moscow there is a unique place specially created for dating, romantic walking and making wishes. It is the oldest park of the capital – “Hermitage” garden. There you will find a “Big Silver Heart” – the Monument to All Those Enamoured.

The history of the monument’s creation is as follows: On the 14th of February 2005 the radio station “Silver rain” celebrated with its audience the St Valentine’s Day in the “Hermitage” garden. A girl approached the MCs, showed them a photo of a small heart and told a story, that somebody drew it on the wall of Julliette’s house in Verona many years ago. On the basis of this picture “Silver rain” ordered the production of the monument, which ought to be the symbol of love and romance for Muscovites.

And every year, on the 14th of February, the “Silver rain” radio station invites all those enamored to the “Hermitage” garden to take part in the most funny and romantic competition – mass kiss near the monument to all those enamored.

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Vatslav Vorovskiy

"Lubyanka" metro station
on the map

To plenipotentiary representative of R.S.F.S.R. and U.S.S.R. in Italy comrade Vatslav Vatslavovitch Vorovskiy, killed by the White Guards on his post in Lauzanne on the 10th of May 1923. Vorovskiy comrade is featured in a strange pose – one hand on loins, second – in the air, while the head is turned as if he was staring at the upper windows of the house nearby. The monument belongs to the first way of the “Soviet monumental art”, which is now can rarely be found in Moscow.

"Monument to the radiculitis", "..to the dancing diplomat", "…to the drunk lane" – such nicknames were given to the monument by Muscovites. The posture of Vatslav Vatslavitch in full discussion was indeed very specific: fingers of one hand spread out, while the other hand holds the trousers’ belt, legs half-bent and the fanny bulged.

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Russian Intellectuals

"Kurskaya" metro station
on the map

The monument to the Russian intellectuals, who came to harm during the totalitarian period – the sculpture “Skewered Pegasus” - was installed on the 29th of June 2004 in the mini-park near the Museum and the Public Center named after Andrey Sakharov in Moscow. The authors of the composition – Moscow sculptors Daniel Mitlyanskiy and Galina Shilina, architect Grigory Saevitch.

Alfa-Bank, “Right Forces Union” political party and Andrey Sakharov Foundation organized and sponsored the creation and the installation of the monument.

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Berlin wall

"Kurskaya" metro station
on the map

One of the unusual twin monuments – Memorial to Liberty – was erected in the beginning of 1990-ties in German and Russian capitals simultaneously.

In Moscow, near the Public center named after A.Sakharov, and in Berlin city center two fragments of the demolished Berlin wall, which seem to be torn through by the flying butterflies, symbolizing the idea of freedom - are erected by sculptors Grigoriev and Mitlyansky.

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Vladimir Vysotskiy

"Chekhovskaya" metro station
on the map

“Never will be my monument there – in the park, near Petrovskiye gates” – sang Vladimir Vysotskiy. The prophecy did not come true.

Exactly near the Petrovskiye gates on the 25th of June 1995 - the day of the quindeccenial of Vysotskiy’s death, the monument by the sculptor Guennadiy Raspopov was established. Like anticipated by Vysotskiy, the monument inauguration “was hugely overcrowded”...

The poet’s figure of 2 meters 40 centimeters high is molded of bronze on December 1994 in compliance with the original, made by the sculptor in Vysotskiy’s lifetime, in 1979.

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Mobile Lenin

"Komsomol'skaya" metro station
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This amazing monument is situated in Moscow. Hardly anybody knows about it. It is not even mentioned in the register of the Moscow Monuments Conservation committee.

According to the idea of the locomotive and carriage workshops workers of the 5th section of the Oktyabrskaya rail way, the platform with the monument of the ever-living Ilyitch should have been tugged by the rail car through the Russian railways.

Passing near another substation, not yet refined with a stationary monument, the wheeled Ilyitch could run upon his axis with the help of the pivotal mechanism, which would have been driven by one of the best workers of the locomotive and carriage workshops workers of the 5th section of the Oktyabrskaya rail way. This, perhaps, the most nimble monument of Lenin, nowadays stays in front of the railway workshops in Moscow.

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Clowns

"Tsvetnoy bul'var" metro station
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On the 14th of June 2002 Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov opened a new fountain in front of the Yuri Nikulin circus on Tsvetnoy Avenue. The basin of the fountain is covered by a gracious bronze grating, through which water flows run. In its center there is a clown on a one-wheel bicycle hurrying up to the performance, caught up by the rain. From his umbrella water flows fall. In his raised hand there is a suitcase, from which another clown, who was expected to appear only at the performance, falls out. How vexing!

In the other parts of the composition there are also expressive bronze figures of clowns – one of them saddled another, third faded for a while before a somersault, fourth observes the tricks of his colleagues with curiosity. Copper suitcase, hat, cane and clown’s clog, thrown to the arena, represent traditional attributes of clown skills. The author of the composition is Zurab Tsereteli.

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Yuriy Nikulin

"Tsvetnoy bul'var" metro station
on the map

On the 3rd of September 2000 a monument to Yuri Nikulin was installed in Moscow. The sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov molded from bronze a famous cabriolet from "Kavkazskaya plennitza" movie in a slightly reduced scale. Near its right door Yuri Nikulin stands in his short-length clown jacket and in a boater. The weight of the sculpture exceeds 3,5 tons. The car was molded in Minsk and the Nikulin's figure, which is more complicated - in Italy.

The idea of the monument in its present form did not appear at once. At the beginning there were other variants. More circus-style - with trapezes - and more lamentable - going-away Nikulin and a half-mast curtain. But finally the present one – uniting the cinema and the circus – was chosen.

Firstly the monument was envisaged to be installed on the road – the bronze car should have been parked at the lane near the circus. But Moscow State Traffic Safety Inspectorate did not give the permission. So, the monument had to be placed on the sideway near the entry to the circus building on Tsvetnoy avenue, where Yuriy Nikulin have been working for 50 years – first, as a clown, then, as a director.

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Make way to Ducklings

"Sportivnaya" metro station
on the map

It is the name of the fairy-tale by Robert McCloskey, which several generations of Americans were nursed by. The ducks’ family search for a comfortable and secure place, where they would be able to swim and to regale upon peanuts, given to them by good people. Courteous policemen even block the road traffic in order to give the way to the ducklings, fatefully following each other after their mother. In Boston there is a monument to those fairy-tale birds.

In the beginning of the1990ties the author copy of this monument was placed in one of the most picturesque places of Moscow – in the park near the Novodevitchiy convent. The ducklings became a somewhat symbol of a happy childhood and of good relationships between the USA and the USSR. It was Raissa Gorbatcheva who came ahead with the initiative to install the monument to ducklings. She saw them in Boston and melted. But the ducklings became victims of the unrestrained ambition for a fast enrichment, which was the symbol of those times. One of the ducklings was stolen at the first onset. Two more disappeared with the mother-duck at the beginning of the year 2000.

Nancy Schon, the sculptor, struggled for a long time for the reconstruction of the bronze birds. Finally, the new figures of Lack, Mack, Quack and their mother were made. Many mothers and fathers, grandmas and grandpas with their kids came to the second inauguration of the monument. The minister of culture of Russia Mikhail Shvydkoy, USSR ex-president Mikhail Gorbatchev and guests from the United States were present.

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Karandash and Klyaksa

"Frunzenskaya" metro station
on the map

The bronze sculpture «Karandash and Klyaksa» is installed near the House of the Russian Circus Artists Union in Moscow, where the famous clown Mikhail Rumyantsev had been living and working for a long time.

Karandash was a cheerful clown. But Mikhail Rumyantsev was also an outstanding Muscovite. He loved the city where he had been living and working for so many years. And the city loved Karandash. It was said, that when Karandash performed in Moscow, everything was OK. The monument of Karandash by Vyacheslav Dolgov was installed in June 2006 also in the Byelorussian town of Gomel, at the square near the local circus.

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Compassion

"Mendeleevskaya" metro station
on the map

On the last day of the Dog’s year, 17th of February 2007, at 12:00 in the upper entrance hall of the “Mendeleevskaya” metro station the inauguration of the world first monument dedicated to the human attitude towards homeless animals – “Compassion”.

The choice of the installation place is intentional. Within a stone’s throw, behind the glass doors, in the underground passage near the entry to the “Mendeleevskaya” metro station the dog Malchik (Boy), patronized by the metro workers, was killed in public with a kitchen knife. In total 5 pages of Izvestia newspaper were dedicated to the investigation of this crime. (The articles by Irina Ozernaya: “Maltchik was killed” - 14.01.02., 19.01.02; "Right for atrocity" - 16.02.02.; "Maltchik is back to the metro" - 08.07.02.; "Who cares about the dog stricken with a knife!" - 19.02.03, etc.).

The resonance, provoked by those publications, was huge. A group of national artists – E.Kamburova, E.Bystritskaya, O.Ostroumova, V.Gaft, Y.Yakovlev, L.Kasatkina, L.Polischuk, M.Levitin, and S.Kolosov addressed to the head of the metropolitan Dmitry Gaev with a petition to support the idea of creation of the monument “Compassion”, symbolizing the respect to all living and the protest versus the atrocity towards the homeless animals. The idea was approved by Gaev and after the bronze design and the architectural project of the “Compassion” were presented to him, he having highly appreciated the artistic level of the sculpture said in the interview to Izvestia, that the function of this dog exceeds that of the animal defense, because it will influence healthily people consciousness and is indispensable for children. Especially in our times, which are over flown by atrocities.

The monument creators: Alexander Tsigal, sculptor, Serguey Tsigal, painter, Andrey Nalitch, architect.

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Tsereteli sculptures
at Gruzinskaya square

"Krasnopresnenskaya" metro station
on the map

Several dozens of works by the famous sculptor Zurab Tsereteli are installed at Gruzinskaya square, along the front of one of his Moscow workshops at 17, Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Street. There is a monument to Peter the Great, to Ekaterina II, to Joseph Brodsky and to Vladimir Vysotskiy and to many others.
 

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Burganov sculptures
at Sivtsev Vrazhek lane

"Kropotkinskaya" metro station
on the map

Moscow State museum "Burganov House" in Bolshoy Afanas’evskiy lane continues to realize its long-term project "Museum in the open air”. The territory of Arbat lanes, ïðèëåãàþùèõ to the museum, has been long ago covered by the regularly refreshed series of sculptural objects, whose aim is to decorate Moscow äâîðèêè, poor in artistic impressions.

Address of the state museum "Burganov House" – 15, building 9, Bolshoi Afanasievskiy lane.

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In the end of 1980ties part of sculptures were installed near "Kon'kovo" metro station.

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Burganov sculptures
at Lavrushinskiy lane

"Tret'yakovskaya" metro station
on the map

The “Burganov House congratulates Tretiakov gallery” exhibition of works of A.N. Burganov in Lavrushinskiy lane.
The exhibition was open on the 29th of August 2006 in the open air in front of the Engineer Pavilion of Tretiakov Gallery in Lavrushinskiy lane. Monumental sculptures by Alexander Burganov were installed at the pedestrian zone in front of the gallery’s building.

Alexander Burganov loved to introduce his sculptures into the urban space - firstly, as monuments – in Moscow his monuments to Pushkin and Goncharova, to Elena Gnesina as well as the fountain “Turandot” (at Arbat street) were installed – and secondly, as temporary exhibitions in the open air – Burganov exhibited his works at the squares of Moscow, Brussels, Aachen.

At present the sculptures are not exhibited at Lavrushinskiy lane.

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Elena Gnesina

"Arbatskaya" metro station
on the map

The inauguration of the monument to Elena Fabianovna Gnesina coincided with the 130th anniversary of the outstanding Russian enlightener and pianist, as well as with the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the music school by Elena Fabianovna.

The monument was installed on the 22nd of September 2004 in front of the Russian Music Academy named after the Gnesins Concert Hall, located at 30/36, Povarskaya Street.

The monument is created by the sculptor, national artist of Russia, A.N. Burganov. According to the author’s idea, the famous pianist as “a young lady” is sitting near the piano, whose cover transforms into the bird’s wings.

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Tree of Life

"Vystavochnaya" metro station
on the map

7-meters high installation – the monument “Tree of Life”, opened in Moscow, at the pavilion of “Bagration” bridge, - is the pinnacle of oeuvre for its author Ernst Neizvestny, according to his own confession.

The idea to create the composition "Tree of Life", symbolizing the triumph of life and of human spirit, was conceived by the sculptor some half-a-century ago. Since that the idea changed its composition many times, but the tree’s head always looked like the human heart. Under the branches of a giant plant made of bronze and of granite there are the portraits of hundreds of the most important historical personalities (starting from Adam, Eve and Buddha till Yuri Gagarin). The trunk and the head, braided with the Moebius band, create mystic and religious symbols – not only of the world main religions, but also of minor island tribes’ beliefs.

By thoroughly studying the sculpture one can gripe its symbolism in the whole, explains the sculpture’s creator, but confesses that it is more important for him that people could feel its essence by their hearts.

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Fridtjof Nansen

"Smolenskaya" metro station
on the map

The Moscow city Soviet administration intended to install the monument to Fridtjof Nansen as far back as in 1931. The decision had not been being realized for 70 years. But the Muscovites continued to remember the outstanding Norwegian. On the 18th of September 2002 at Bolshoi Levshinskiy lane, in front of the Moscow city committee of the Red Cross, the monument to Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) was inaugurated.

His name was widely cited by newspapers, when he first crossed Greenland on skis and when he drifted in the Arctic Ocean aboard “Fram”. At those times the polar explorers heated the imagination as later on the spacemen did. Afterwards he worked as a High Commissioner for prisoners of war of the League of Nations.

In 1922 Nansen was awarded with Nobel Peace Prize, he helped to starving people of Povolzhie. In 1925-1929 he became the head of the commission for Armenian refugees’ repatriation to Soviet Armenia
.
The author of the monument is the sculptor Vladimir Tsigal. The monument was donated to the capital by the public organizations “Society of the friends of Norway” and “Armenian Union of Russia”.

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Russian-Georgian friendship

"Belorusskaya" metro station
on the map

The monument is rather unusual: a huge column ending with a wreath is composed of hardly discernable letters of Russian and Georgian alphabets, which form the words “Peace”, “Labor”, “Unity”, and “Fraternity”. The column is placed on a broad plate plinth with rolls, on one of which there are the words from the Georgian Treaty, according to which Georgia became part of the Russian empire, while on the other rolls there are citations from different writings of different authors, dedicated to the friendship between Russia and Georgia.

This exotic construction of the sculptor Z.Tsereteli, nicknamed by people as “shashlyk skewer”, was inaugurated in 1983, the year of the 200th anniversary of the conclusion of the Georgian treaty. The monument is installed at Tishinskaya square, at the place of the historical settlement of Georgians in Moscow.

The monument "Friendship forever" or "Language tree" is the first installation of Tsereteli, set up in Moscow.
 
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Moebius Band

"Frunzenskaya" metro station
on the map

In Moscow, on Komsomolskiy Avenue near the “Horizon” cinema a monument to Moebius band is installed. It is not the first monument of such kind, but there are some peculiarities characteristic to the Moscow monument only. If one studies thoroughly the monument, he or she will start to see parts of a naked woman body.

The Moebius band is a topological object - a line drawn starting from the seam down the middle will meet back at the seam but at the "other side". If continued the line will meet the starting point and will be double the length of the original strip. The band was conceived by the German mathematician and astronomer August Ferdinand Möebius, professor of Leipzig University, while he was observing the chambermaid, who put incidentally her scarf on the neck irregularly.

Thanks to this band a lot of different inventions were produced and many diverse books and fantastic stories were written.

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Russian-German friendship

"Ulitsa 1905 goda" metro station
on the map

"Eternal friendship" – it is the name of the composition by the sculptor Dmitry Ryabichev and his son Alexander. The sculpture was installed on the 16th June 1989 in sign of the friendship between the Krasnopresnenskiy district of Moscow and the Bavarian region of Denkendorf.

Trans-Siberian railroad

"Komsomol'skaya" metro station
on the map

On the 9th of July 2001 at the Yaroslavskiy railroad station in Moscow the ceremony of the farewell to the jubilee train Moscow-Vladivostok-Moscow took place. The event coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Transsiberian railroad.

As it is known, in Vladivostok on the railway platform there is a stela crowned by a double-headed eagle. "The great Transsiberian railroad ends up here. Distance to Moscow - 9288 kilometers" it is written on its pedestal. But where does the road starts? The fact is that the Trans-Siberian railroad, 100 years ago officially inaugurated in Miass, has long ago overcome the limits of Urals and Siberia. 20 minutes before the train’s departure at the platform of Yaroslavskiy railway station between the third and the fourth tracks with the blessing of Pitirim, metropolitan Volokolamskiy and Yurievskiy, accompanied by the soft bell ringing, the column of “zero kilometer” was solemnly inaugurated. The ribbon was snipped and the monument was opened by the living legends of the railroad industrial sector, ex-machinists, Heroes of the Socialist Labor, Elena Tchukhnyuk and Anatoly Frolov...

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Five komsomols

"Belorusskaya" metro station
on the map

In the center of Miusskaya square there is a monument – sculpture ensemble – to the outstanding Soviet writer, laureate of the Lenin Komsomol premium, Alexander Fadeev (1901-1956).

In the center of the square, in front of the Pioneers’ Palace of Frunzenskiy district of Moscow – there is a big square ground made of granite. There is a sculpture composition on it – a bronze figure of the writer with a book in his hand, on the pedestal made of grey granite.
The writer is depicted surrounded by his characters. To the left of the central composition there are two mounted figures of the heroes of the Civil war.

In the sculpture group on the right there are 5 Komsomols, members of the clandestine organization “Young guards”, which combated the enemy during the Great Civil war.

The inauguration of the monument to A.A. Fadeev (sculptor V.A.Fedorov, architects Ì.Å.Konstantinov, V.N.Fursov) took place on the 25th of January 1973.

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Biggest stool

"Taganskaya" metro station
on the map

On the 3rd of April 2007 in the former manor of Arshenevskiy brothers at Taganskaya Street in Moscow the furniture museum was opened. In front of the manor there is a 3 meters high monument to the stool. The name of the sculpture is simple and stylish: “Monument to the first stool of the Russian soil”. It is worth to notice that the stool was known in Russia since the IXth century.

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Seasonal worker

"Krasnye vorota" metro station
on the map

At the square of Krasniye vorota there is a high, important monument to Lermontov. It is clearly seen from the Garden Ring road and, thus, is known by many Muscovites. Nearby there is a small and unnoticeable monument to seasonal worker. But it is far more pleasant and cozy, than official Lermontov. The monument was installed upon the proposal of the Moscow Communal services direction in 1929. His author is the sculptor Ivan Dmitrievitch Shadr.

The place for the monument was chosen intentionally – in the beginning of 1920ties the labor registry office, where seasonal workers looked for job, was located there.

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Peeing dog, etc...

"Kurskaya" metro station
on the map

Vices

"Tret'yakovskaya" metro station
on the map

Sculpture composition «Children – victims of adults’ vices», Moscow, Bolotnaya square

The composition was inaugurated on the City Day – on the 2nd of September 2001. It consists of 15 figures: two blindfolded kids playing in blind Tom are depicted surrounded by a whole host of 3 meters high allegoric monsters – creepy human figures with animal and fish heads. As the sculptor explained, it is the exact way to depict vices according to the existing tradition.
The author – sculptor Mikhail Mikhaylovitch Shemyakin is a world wide known artist. The composition was conceived by the author as an allegory of the fight against the World Evil.

Addressing himself to the future spectators, M.Shemyakin wrote: "The sculpture composition "Children – victims of adults’ vices" was conceived and being realized by me as a symbol and an appeal to the fight for the salvation of today’s and future generations. For many years it was said and pathetically exclaimed: "Children are our future! » But the enumeration of crimes committed by the society against children will fill in big volumes. As an artist, by this oeuvre, I appeal to look around, to hear and to see all the woes and the horrors, which children undergo in our days. And while it is not too late it is necessary for the clearheaded and honest people to take thought. Don’t be indifferent, struggle, make everything possible in order to save the future of Russia".

The sculpture composition «Children – victims of adults’ vices» is the gift of Mikhail Shemyakin to Moscow city. The project of the installation of the sculpture composition was realized by the architects Vyacheslav Bukhaev and Andrey Efimov.

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Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

"Smolenskaya" metro station
on the map

The sculpture by Andrey Orlov is located near the building of the United Kingdom embassy at Smolenskaya embankment. On the 27th of April 2007, at the state reception in honor of the monument’s inauguration the United Kingdom ambassador in Russia Anthony Brenton and the National artist of Russia Vassiliy Livanov, who acted as Sherlock Holmes in TV series, were present, RIA Novosti informs.

New sculptural composition – the world’s only monument, where the master of deduction method Sherlock Holmes and his true and devoted friend and assistant doctor Watson appear on public together.

"The composition of the monument was determined from the very beginning – it should be a city sculpture of minor scale, with a bench – so as a man could seat on the bench and contact with the characters of Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson" – the author of the monument Andrey Orlov said.

2007 is the year of the 120th anniversary of the advent of the story by Conan Doyle about the adventures of the great detective “Etude in purple tones”.
Vassiliy Livanov decorated with the order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for the best incarnation of the character of the legendary Sherlock Holmes took part in the creation of the monument.

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Osip Mandelstam

"Kitay-gorod" metro station
on the map

The monument to the poet Osip Mandelstam was inaugurated on the 28th November 2008 at the square in Moscow city center, not far from the communal apartment, where the poet stayed and his brother Alexander lived. The bronze sculpture represents the head of the poet, placed on four basaltic cubes. The monument is engraved with the lines by Mandelstam: "For the fulminating valiance of centuries to come...»

The authors of the monument are sculptors Dmitry Shakhovskoy and Elena Muntz as well as the architect Alexander Brodskiy. Their project of the monument won the contest in 2007. There are monuments to Osip Mandelstam in Vladivostok and in Voronezh. So, the Moscow monument to the poet is the third in Russia.

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Two versts from Moscow

"Ploschad' Il'icha" metro station
on the map

In 1783 the Kamer-Volzhskiy earthworks – the frontier of those times - laid here. From Rogozhskaya frontier post axle a mile stone remained. In the old days 3 roads came out of the Rogozhskaya frontier post: the famous Vladimirka (nowadays – Shosse Entuziastov), coming through Rogozhki village (nowadays - Noginsk) to Vladimir; Nosovikha, coming through Perovo and Nosovikha to Pavlovskiy Posad and Kolomenka – through Lyubertsy and Bronnitsy to Kolomna and further to Ryazan.

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Serguey Obraztsov

"Tsvetnoy bul'var" metro station
on the map

The sculpture was created in 2001 – for the 100th anniversary of Sergey Obraztsov.
A porcelain figurine depicting the young, 40 years old Master with one of his most beloved heroines – Carmen puppet - was taken as a basis for the sculpture creation. This work by the famous sculptor Ilya Slonim, created at the beginning of 1950ties was very much liked by Obraztsov himself. The bronze monument created by the national artist of Russia, academician Alexander Belashov, was inaugurated on the 1st of June 2006.

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Benches of Sciences

"Turgenevskaya" metro station
on the map

Bronze "Benches of sciences" are installed around the monument to the outstanding Russian scientist and inventor, academician Vladimir Shukhov. Two of them are in the form of split logs with vices, hammers and other carpenter tools laying on them. Another is in the form of a construction made of wheels and gearings.

The genius of Shukhov manifested itself in many field. Among the workings of the great engineer there are the domes of GUM, TSUM, General Post Office, Kazanskiy and Kievskiy railway stations, Shabolovskaya (Shukhovskaya) tower in Moscow. The tower that became history as the emblem of the Soviet television and radio broadcasting was constructed in 1922. At this time it was the country’s highest with the high of 148,3 meters. At present Shukhov tower is declared to be the monument of the national industrial architecture and engineering thought and is under state’s umbrella.

The monument to Vladimir Shukhov was installed on the 2nd of December 2008 at Turgenevskaya square, not far from the place where the scientist’s workshop was located.

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The honor to open the monument fell out to the inventor’s greatchildren. By the way, it was the grandson of Shukhov – also Vladimir – who posed for the monument. The sculptor Salavat Scherbakov has been working upon the monument for 5 years. The basis of the monument is the stylization of the most famous engineer’s creation – the chiseled tower at Shabolovka. Also, at the monument’s pedestal the sculptor Scherbakov placed the bas-reliefs, dedicated to the other Shukhov’s projects – GUM and Kievskiy railroad station, the constructor’s projects realized for the oil industry – at the monument’s basis there are tankers, oil pipelines and crackers.

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Uncle Styopa

"Prospekt Mira" metro station
on the map

In the composition by the sculptor Alexander Rozhnikov a famous cartoon story was used – when uncle Styopa takes a bird out of the traffic light. The bird does not fly away but stays sitting on his hand, aiming to say that this human is very kind and open-hearted.

The three meters high composition was molded in bronze at Khimki combine of artistic works. The first designs depicted "uncle Styopa" in a historical prewar uniform. But when the project discussion started the veteran's department of the STSI of Moscow region decided to make "uncle Styopa's" uniform modern – so as it would bridge the passed away epoch and our days.

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Lenin - pupil of high school

"Chistye prudy" metro station
on the map

The monument to the young pupil of high school Vladimir Ulyanov is installed at the square of A.M. Stopani lane (at present Ogorodnaya sloboda lane) in 1970 in front of the building of the Pioneers’ Palace. The author of the monument is Vladimir Tsigal. In 1950 he was awarded with Lenin premium for this sculpture, but the sculpture itself was installed only 20 years later.

The storm, which raged at night on the 18th of July 2007, splitted the monument to young Lenin. One of 117 trees beaten down that night fell right upon the sculpture. As a result a 2 meters high bronze monument fell from the granite pedestal and splitted in 3 parts – head, body and legs. In August 2009 the monument was restored and installed at the former place.

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Pigeons

"Kuznetskiy most" metro station
on the map

The monument to two pigeons is located near the above-ground entrance hall of “Kuznetskiy most” metro station, in the Art Workers Central House (TsDRI) yard. In front of the monument there is a slab with the emblem "TsDRI-75". If taking into account the fact that TsDRI was founded in 1930 as a club of creative intelligentsia, it is possible to come to the conclusion that the monument was installed in 2005.
 

Cat with wiener

"Proletarskaya" metro station
on the map

Water-gate valve

"Baumanskaya" metro station
on the map

The monument to the Moscow water-pipe sistem exists not only in Mytischi where its history started. MGUP “Mosvodokanal” decided to decorate the main entrance of its Moscow administration building. The big valve of three meters high produced at the beginning of the XX century best suited this role. It was painted in bronze color and decorated with a memorial plate.

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Rukavishnikov sculptures
at B. Molchanovka street

"Arbatskaya" metro station
on the map

At 10, Bolshaya Molchanovka, in the yard of the house belonging to the sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov there are the monuments to the characters of the “Master and Margarita” novel: Fagot, Begemot, Master and Margarita. There is also a 7-meters long car, driven by a rook. It was planned to install the sculptures in Moscow, at Vorobievy Gory. A nice addition to the above mentioned company is the sculpture of Alexander Sergueevitch Pushkin who takes a nap lying on the sofa.

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Tsereteli sculptures
at Petrovka street

"Chekhovskaya" metro station
on the map

The Moscow museum of the modern art opened its doors on the 15th of December 1999. The personal collection of Zurab Tsereteli formed the basis of the first collection of the museum residing at 25, Petrovka Street in the Gubin’s manor – the historical monument of the XVIII century, constructed by the Russian architect Matvey Kazakov. In the yard of the museum there are the monument to Y.M.Luzhkov in the uniform of the yard-keeper, sweeping the litter from the capital’s streets, the monument to the characters of “Mimino” movie – Mimino (Kikabidze), Rubik Khachikyan (Mkrtchyan) and Volokhov (Evgueniy Leonov), a set of monuments “Townspeople”, etc.

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It is worth to mention that in December 2006 the Culture Commission of the Moscow city Duma refused the idea to install the monument to the characters of “Mimino” movie at Tchistye ponds in Moscow, near the house in which the apartment of the movie’s director Georgiy Danelia is located. The decision was taken unanimously as the Tchistye prudy district is “already overcrowded with the monuments”.

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 North-Eastern Administrative Okrug

Yard-keeper

"VDNKh" metro station
on the map

Sculpture composition «Yard-keeper of Rostokino district»

In Rostokino district (Norhern east administrative district of Moscow) it was decided to say thanks to the people of this profession in a special way. The sculpture is installed on the hill near Rostokinskiy aqueduct, not far from Bazhov and Malakhitovaya streets crossroads. The idea of the monument creation belongs to the head of the local authorities. The idea was incarnated by the members of the Moscow Artists Union Vladimir Lepeshov and Andrey Aseryants.

The three meters high monument is made of iron. One can easily recognize the yard-keeper in it: he holds the broom and wears a tablier over his clothes. The curls, ridden up out of the baseball cap, as well as the moustache are made of screws and bolts of different calibers. Despite the fact that the sculpture is the aggregative character, it has got its prototype. It is a real yard-keeper Vitaliy Kolleguin, who has been maintaining the house located at 4a Wilhelm Peek Street for 20 years. By the way, it was him, who helped the sculptors to collect the material for the sculpture – stained scrap iron.

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Water pipe

"Medvedkovo" metro station (Mytischi city)
on the map

The monument in honor of the 200th anniversary of the first Russian water pipe system was installed on the 3rd of September 2004 in Mytischi – city located near Moscow, the birthplace of the first water pipe.

The monument, installed at the crossroads of Mira and Yubileynaya streets, represents an enlarged fragment of the ancient communication. The basis of the 8 meters high composition is made of 3 metallic pipes with technical valves, interlaced as a flower.

Also, in honor of the jubilee, at the territory of the “Vodokanal” enterprise, the bust of Ekaterina II was installed. Exactly upon the order of the Russian empress the first Moscow water pipe system was constructed.

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Processed cheese

"Dmitrovskaya" metro station
on the map

The monument to “Druzhba”(“Friendship”) processed cheese

On the 1st of October 2005 on the square at Rustaveli and Ogorodniy proezd streets crossroads the Second Moscow Cheese festival took place. In addition to the already traditional for the festival variety program, cheese musical, public testing of new and traditional sorts of cheese, fair and holiday concert, one more event took place there. It was the inauguration of the monument to the legendary “Druzhba” processed cheese, which was installed on the initiative of the Moscow processed cheeses plant “Karat” near the plant’s guard desk.

The decision to install such a monument was taken a year ago, during the First Cheese Festival. A contest of projects was announced, which was later on judged by the following jury: Artur Krupenin, Andrey Bilzho, Victor Shenderovich, Nikas Safronov, and Vladimir Vishnevskiy. The father and the son Scherbakovs won the contest.

The monument is created after the fable by Ivan Krylov “Crow and fox”. Irreconcilable antagonists, the crow and the fox are sitting embraced on a snag and hold tenderly a piece of the processed cheese. According to the idea of the project authors, the monument should be the symbol of peace and consent which are very important in our uneasy epoch.

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Rods Arch

"Vladykino" metro station
on the map

The art objects created by Nikolay Polisskiy in association with the residents of the Kaluga region village of Nicolas-Lenivets have long ago formed an independent style – Nicolas-Lenivets craftship. Polisskiy cooperates with the village inhabitants in construction of the monumental objects from natural materials – hay, trees and even snow. At first they appeared in the village where the Moscow painter bought a house. But later on their geography begin to broaden – in the center of Nizhniy Novgorod a giant snow tower-ice hill was installed and in Moscow in the framework of “Art-Klyazma” festival a whole twiggen village was set up. Nowadays the objects created by Nikolay Polisskiy and his co-authors-farmers begin to appear in Moscow as well.

Not far from Lianozovo, at the beginning of Altufievskoe highway, a huge 12-meters high construction twiggen of the trunks of the wild hazel-wood, specially transported from the “Ugra” national park of Kaluzhskaya oblast, is installed. The construction represents the edges of the parallelepiped – 4 wooden columns are interconnected at the top by the lying columns. The authors call it the Likhobory Arc de Triomphe. It evokes diverse associations – from the arcs, which were constructed in times of the coronation of Russian emperors, to the arc de France – the form of Likhobory arc resembles that of the famous modernist arc-building located in the business district of Paris. Likhobory arc is an integral part of the natural landscape park in the valley of the river Likhoborka.

The constructions made by Nikolay Polisskiy and his co-authors are able to integrate the landscape – so as all those hay ziggurats or vine and branch Eiffel towers look like not the artist’s or architect’s creations, but like natural phenomena – resembling those towers or cathedrals, which can be divined in the mountains outlines or those colonnades hiding in icicles or in stalagmites. Arch near Likhoborka also seems to be the result of such a mimetism, making the nature to copy the cultural forms. But at that time the organic hazel-wood copies ascetic and even poor traits of box houses of one of the dullest dormitory Moscow districts. But having returned to the nature all that poor geometry gets an amazing harmony. One can even start to think about the local houses all transformed into green bushes and trees.

The inauguration of the park took place on the 4th of November 2005.

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Aqueduct

"VDNKh" metro station
on the map

Water pipeline of the Mytischi aqueduct of XVIII century. .

No far from the road I saw a beautiful aqueduct – N.M. Karamzin wrote in his itinerary – That is one of the monuments of Ekaterina’s charity! She liked to follow in many ways the Romans’ example, who did not grudge anything aiming to have good water in their towns, the water which is so indispensable for the health of people, more indispensable than the pharmacies! Investment into the public good is the luxury worth the great monarchs, the luxury that nurtures the patriotic love, which cannot be separated from the government. People see that they are taken care of and they love their almsgivers. Generally there is no good water in Moscow, hardly one twentieth of its inhabitants use Trekhgornaya and Preobrazhenskaya water, which is located very far. Ekaterina wanted that every poor person could find a well of clear and sane water near his house, so she ordered to bring it by pipes from the Mytischi springs…"

The plague in Moscow in 1771 made very much actual the need of the construction of an aqueduct. On the 28th July 1779 Ekaterina II ordered “to the general lieutenant Bauer to launch the water works for the good of our capital Moscow”. Same year the military engineer F.B.Bauer led all the necessary research and presented the project of Mytischi aqueduct, the year after the construction was launched. Mytischi aqueduct was a colossal construction of those times. It was finally constructed and launched only in 1804.

The construction of Rostokino aqueduct over Yauza cost one million six hundred forty eight thousands rubles. This sum was mentioned in the press and it boggled the imagination. The aqueduct was nick-named by the people “Millionth Bridge”.

But Muscovites had been making use of good water not for a long time. Brick conduits and channels began to deteriorate 10 years after the launch – they cracked and the water from Mytischi springs flew out through the splits, while the water from swamps flew in. In 1814 the director of Mytischi aqueducts informed that “the local people use the water from fountains only in case of an extreme need”. By 1830 the aqueduct was reconstructed – brick conduits were replaced by the cast-iron ones, gravity water supply was replaced by the hydraulic pump system. In order to make this system function the hydraulic power station with two steam-engines was installed in the Alekseevskoe village. The station pumped the water to the head reservoirs, placed in the Sukhareva tower. From these reservoirs the water flew through the pipes to the city fountains at Sukhareva, Lubyanskaya, Theater and Varvarskaya squares. So Moscow got really clear Mytischi water.

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Zodiac symbols

"Sviblovo" metro station
on the map

In summer 2007 in the park near "Sviblovo" metro station the sculptural ensemble “Zodiac symbols” – twelve sophisticated figures, made not from bronze or granite but from an ordinary scrap iron – was opened.

Pipes, balloons, “Minsk” refrigerator compressors, bolts, screws and an ancient BMW suspension – this is not the garbage, but the most precious material for the sculptor Andrey Aseryants. In search of the cherished iron scraps he roams for hours at the city’s dumps and yards. He does not need straight and accurate lists of metal. Otherwise he will have to curve them. While a stained iron clod, truncated pipe and other “out of standard” items are the indispensable material.

From the same garbage one year ago he made the monument to the Moscow yard-keeper – grubby, negligent man, about 50 years old, in leaky boots and in a baseball cap put on in a crooked way.

It was decided to install the sculpture ensemble at a small square, through which gloomy inhabitants of Sviblovo quarters go to the metro every day in order to get to their jobs. The authorities are sure that having seen the stained characters everyone will smile.

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Student

"Novoslobodskaya" metro station
on the map

An unusual sculpture decorates the entry of the Moscow State University of Communication lines (MIIT). The bronze figure of a young man was installed here in honor of the 110th students’ enrolment. It symbolizes the respect for the meticulous labor of students.

The bronze student represents the student of the Emperor Engineering School of the end of the XIX century, which then became the only Moscow University of railroad workers. A thoughtful expression of the young man’s face, a book and a pince-nez lying on it characterize the young man as an assiduous toiler.

The decision to perpetuate the student’s figure in bronze was taken by the university authorities not hazardously. The fact is that during the Revolution and during the World Wars the studies in University continued and on the first of September 2005 the 110th students’ enrolment took place there. By the way, the present students were very grateful to receive this gift. It seems that the monument becomes cultic – some student traditions are already associated with it. In order to get an excellent mark at exams young people jump over the pulled bronze student’s legs, clean his shoes with handkerchiefs or simply touch his book.

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Moscow-Petushki

"Novoslobodskaya" metro station
on the map

On the 11th of May 2000 it was the 10th anniversary of death of Venedict Erofeev, the author of the famous poem “Moscow-Petushki”. On this date in Moscow, at the square of Struggle the monument to the characters of the poem was inaugurated.

The ceremony began when the satirist writer Igor Irtenev distributed nuts and ice-cream to children, like the poem character Venichka Erofeev did. As Irtenev thinks, “Moscow-Petushki” will always remain one of the best examples of the Russian literature of the end of the XX century.

The authors of the bronze monument which depicts Venichka and his girlfriend – red-headed girl with a “fanny-reaching” braid – are the sculptors Serguey Mantserev and Valery Kuznetsov. They had been worked on the sculpture for almost 2 years. The park at the square of Struggle was chosen intentionally for the installation of the monument – here Venichka drank “a glass of the coriander vodka” on his way from Kalyaevskaya Street to the railway station. By the way, earlier the characters of the sculpture composition were temporarily separately installed at the Kursky railway station and at the Petushki station.

The legends on the pedestals say: "One should not trust the opinion of a man who has not yet cooled his coppers” and “The jasmine never fades and the birds never stop to sing in Petushki”.

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Nicholas II

"Medvedkovo" metro station (Tayninskoe village)
on the map

On the 20th of August 2000 in the village Tayninskoe near Moscow, at the place of the tsar’s traveling palace, the monument to the emperor Nicholas II was inaugurated. The author of the monument Vyacheslav Klykov coincided the ceremony with the day of canonization of the tsar’s family.

The first monument was installed on the 26th of May 1996 on the day of the 100th anniversary of Nicholas II coronation. On the 1st of April 1997 it was exploded by the members of the RVS revolutionary organization. In November 1998 the monument was reconstructed in gypsum in Podolsk. But in winter of the same year it was exploded again.

According to the words of Viacheslav Klykov, the third monument was reconstructed at his own expense and on minor donations of his friends. The forged copper figure of the autocrat in ermine gown represents him at the moment of the highest triumph – at his enthronement.

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Solar System

"VDNKh" metro station
on the map

In September 2008 on the eve of the City Day in Moscow the Spacemen alley was opened after reconstruction in Moscow. In its center there is the model of the Solar system, where one can literally walk through the space and touch the planets by one’s hands. The planets of the monument are fixed in the position in which they were on the 12th of April 1961.

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It is worth to mention that the monument’s authors included in the monument Pluto as well – despite the fact, that 2 years before the monument’s inauguration, on the 24th of August 2006, the International Astronomical Union deprived Pluto of the “planet” title. Pluto was re-qualified as dwarf planet and started to be considered as a part of the Kuiper belt, along with such dwarf planets as Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Sedna, etc.

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Beskudnikovskaya
railway branch

"Otradnoe" metro station
on the map

The Beskudnikovskaya railway branch (Beskudnikovo-Losinoostrovskaya branch) is the railway road which existed in 1900—1987 and united Yaroslavskoe and Savelovskoe directions of the Moscow railway. It passed through the present territory of the northern districts of Moscow (Beskudnikovo, Otradnoe, and Sviblovo). In 1940ties the passenger traffic was open on the branch, in total 6 passenger platforms operated. The branch was closed in 1987, when the construction of the northern radius of Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya metro line was launched. At the site of the tracks multistory houses were built and at their crossroads “Otradnoe” metro station was installed.

The remained catenary support at Decabristov Street became a part of the monument constructed in 2005. The monument’s composition consists of the basis console lamp, wheel pair on a small fragment of the assembled rails and sleepers and a child locomotive. Upon the monument’s construction the real location of the rail way was not taken into account, that is why the rails lay athwart the real direction of the rail way. But the locomotive is turned to the right direction – to the site of Otradnoe platform.

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VGIK students

"Botanicheskiy sad" metro station
on the map

The sculpture composition, dedicated to the three famous VGIK students – to Guennadiy Shpalikov, Vassiliy Shukshin and Andrey Tarkovskiy – was installed on the 1st of September 2009 on the steps at the entry to the famous talent foundry of the national cinematograph. The monument inauguration coincided with the 90th anniversary of the VGIK foundation. The figures are made by the sculptor Alexey Blagovestov in full length.

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Graffiti at Izumrudnaya street

"Babushkinskaya" metro station
on the map

The campaign «Color Moscow» was organized in September 2007 by the real-estate agency “MIAN” for the 12th anniversary of the company. Russian and Holland painters took part in it.

First of all, scaffoldings were erected and the painters painted the contours with color repellents and later on filled them with paints.

In order to obtain the best results such big graffiti are painted from a special machine with a boatswain’s chair, because the scaffoldings do not always permit to step away and to see the picture in its whole. In order to respect the proportions two methods can be applied. First: to paint the sketch, to divide it into squares and, adjusting to the scale, to apply the squares upon the wall. Second – less labor-consuming method: with a help of a powerful projector to project the sketch onto the wall at long range and to outline the contours.

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 Eastern Administrative Okrug

Bobruysk yard

"Sokol'niki" metro station
on the map

Starting from 2006 Bobruysk town and the Moscow district of Sokolniki are twin towns. In June 2007, on the day of the 620th anniversary of Bobruysk in Byelorussia a Sokolniki yard was opened. In response Bobruysk donated a small corner of itself, which is located in the yard of houses 6 and 8 at Gastello Street, to Moscow.

The yard begins with a tinseled arc with the date of Bobruysk foundation written on it and with a decorative fencing with painted beavers – symbols of the town. Near the entry the host of the yard – the beaver – stands. By passing through a small alley one could get to the children playground with a sand box, sidestep swings, benches and a small tower of Bobruysk.

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 Southern Administrative Okrug

Bombardments victims

"Shabolovskaya" metro station
on the map

The square at Khavskaya Street remembers the war very well. At autumn 1941 ground bomb shelters were dug up there. And once a missile that did not manage to reach the strategically important objects (Shukhov’s tower and Boll-and-roller factory) straddled the dug outs. Many people died, but no funeral was organized as no remains were found. In 1960 at the crater’s place a square was laid out. The district’s residents consider it as a monument to all the Muscovites died from the bombings.

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 South-Western Administrative Okrug

Natalia Sats

"Universitet" metro station
on the map

The monument is installed in front of the Children Theater named after this woman-stage-manager, at the year of her 100th anniversary. The author of the monument is the sculptor Alexander Belashov. Natalia’s figure is accompanied by two children figures, as it is for them that she put on her best spectacles on the scene.

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Soarings in Yasenevo

"Yasenevo" metro station
on the map

Highest point of Moscow

"Teply stan" metro station
on the map

The highest point of Moscow - 255,2 meters – is located in the center of Teplostanskaya height. The geodetic sign and the tower near the “Teplyi Stan” metro station attest to it. Not far from it, at the separatory lawn of Novoyasenevskiy Avenue there is a big boulder. It is also considered to be a symbolic sign of the city’s highest point.

It is worth to mention that the lowest point of Moscow is located near the Besedinskiy bridge, where the Moscow River comes away from the city, and corresponds to the river’s cable – 114,2 meters above sea level. From that point the river flows to the suburban space of Mescherskaya plain. So, the vertical drop in Moscow is about 140 meters.

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Pillbox near
Kaluzhskoe high-road

"Kaluzhskaya" metro station
on the map

Not far from “Kaluzhskaya” metro station, near the house number 27 at Obrutcheva Street an old permanent fire position (DOT), which was built during the Great Patriotic war for the Kaluzhskoe high road cover, was preserved. Machinegun, assembly, ferroconcrete DOT with embrasure NPS-3, was constructed in 1941 and restored as a memorial in 1980. At the frontal wall of the DOT there is a tablet – “This defense line of Moscow city was supported from September 1941 till February 1942 by the Moscow workers 5th division’s 7th regiment decorated with the order of Alexander Nevsky. Glory to the capital defenders – to the militia man”.

The defensive battles near Moscow run from the 30th of September till the 3rd of December and ended with the counteroffensive by the Soviet troops on the 5th-6th of December. The German troops did not reach the DOT on Kaluzhskaya high road. On the German air photo of 1942 DOT and other defensive constructions near Kaluzhskoe high road can be seen.

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 Western Administrative Okrug

Baron Munchausen

"Molodezhnaya" metro station
on the map

On the 28th of August 2004 at Yartsevskaya Street near “Molodezhnaya” metro station the monument to the famous baron-dreamer appeared. The author of the monument is the sculptor Andrey Orlov. The fantastic episode, when baron Munchausen gets away from the swamp together with his horse, was chosen by the artist as a basis for the monument creation.

The sculpture is life-sized. The allegoric phrase from the film about the baron is graved on the monument: “You stipulate that a human can pull himself out of a swamp by his own? Certainly! Moreover, I am convinced that every human should do that from time to time!”

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Hodja Nasreddin

"Molodezhnaya" metro station
on the map

On the 1st of April 2006 a monument to Hodja Nasreddin appeared near the monument to baron Munchausen’s. The hero of oriental legends, poet and wag arrived together with his loyal donkey to Moscow from the remote past in order to remind to the people that intellect and headpiece, laugh and wise word can help over in the most difficult situation, - the monument’s creator, sculptor Alexander Orlov, said.

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DOTSENT

"Kievskaya" metro station
on the map

At summer 2001, during the Moscow International film festival, the Alley of movie heroes was founded not far from “Mosfilm”. The first exhibit was the hand of Nikita Mikhalkov – MIFF president: the filmmaker left his hand’s imprint for the centuries to come.

Also at the alley the monument to Evgueniy Leonov was installed. The actor was represented as Dotsent from “Bounty hunters” movie. Later the son of Evgueniy Pavlovich told that at the beginning he was scared by such an entourage, but as the role existed, why can’t the monument be represented in such a form.
 

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Elk

"Krylatskoe" metro station
on the map

Abduction of Europa

"Kievskaya" metro station
on the map

On the 15th of September 2002 at the square of Kievsky railway station the monument “Abduction of Europa” by the avant-gardist sculptor Olivier Strebel was installed.

In Greek mythology Europa was the daughter of the Phoenician emperor Agenor. The ancient Phenicia was located at the eastern coast of Mediterranean, where the present Lebanon state is situated. According to the Greek myth beautiful Europa was kidnapped by Zeus, “the father of gods and people”, head of the gods’ family, residing at Olympus. Cunning Zeus turned into a huge bull and credulous Europa got onto his back. On his back she reached the island of Crete, where she married Zeus and give birth to his three sons, who became ancestors of the ancient Greek dynasties.
In the interlacement of the metallic pipes by Olivier Strebel one can divine the figure of a huge bull with 18 meters swing horns, immersed in a granite cup of 26 meters diameter with a dynamically lit fountain. This creation by the Belgian sculptor was donated to the Moscow government by the city of Brussels, the capital of Belgium and of the European Union.

Among the metallic pipes there is no Europa girl. But Olivier Stebel, as the specialists consider, curved the stainless steel pipes so adroitly that they seem to be imprinted with a certain feminine beauty and charm. On the granite pedestal it is written that this gift was donated “in the name of the reinforcement of friendship and unity among the European states”. Since that, the square in front of the Kievsky railway station is referred to as the Square of Europe.

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Brief-case with bath besom

"Yugo-zapadnaya" metro station
on the map

On the 29th of December 2007 in Moscow a new place of interest, dedicated to the film by Eldar Ryazanov “The irony of fate or hope, you enjoyed your bath”. The inauguration of the memorial plates took place at 125 and 113, Vernandsky avenue – houses that “played the part” of the Third Stroiteley street. As Ryazanov explains, these are two absolutely identical houses – the only difference between the Leningrad house and the Moscow house is the scene from the window: from one of them the church can be seen while from the other not.
The plates are made in form of cases with bath besoms coming out of them and legends informing that in this house “The irony of fate” was shoot. On one of the plates it is written “Zhenya Lukashin lived here” while on the other it is written “Nadya Sheveleva lived here”.

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Spasskaya Tower

"Yugo-zapadnaya" metro station
on the map

The reduced copy of the Spasskaya tower of Moscow Kremlin locates at the children playground of the 1st Nikulino microdistrict. Formerly at the same location the air defense military bases situated and the morning formation took place nearby. Near the tower Engelman spruces were planted – the same as at the Red Square. After the paying off of the units the location was set up with the new buildings, while the tower remained as a local place of interest. The tower of 7 meters high is made with a good level of detalization. It is located in the yard of the house ¹4, building 1, and 2 at Academician Anokhin Street.

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Construction Gangs

"Universitet" metro station
on the map

On the 24th of November 2009 the monument’s inauguration in front of the MSU physical faculty marked the golden jubilee of the construction gangs’ movement. 50 years ago from that very place the first brigade of 399 physics students left for improving virgin lands of Kazakhstan. Now those pioneers made of bronze stand, joined hands, near the home faculty. At the pedestal there are the words from the song: “And again romantics go away by dusty roads wishing to salute the dawn”. The multi-figure composition was made by the famous Moscow sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov and by his apprentices.

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 North-Western Administrative Okrug

Enamored snails

"Planernaya" metro station
on the map

Kurkino district became part of Moscow in 1985. It consists of 18 microdistricts buildings, constructed upon individual projects for 42-45 thousands of inhabitants. The experimental character of the district is expressed by a relatively low built-upness. Normally, 1 hectare of Moscow soil houses 15 000 square meters of residential space. The density of the low-rise building is 5000 square meters for 1 hectare. While the microdistricts were built up the yards and near-houses territories have been developed. The 14th microdistrict is adorned by decorative boulders, module lawns and the “Two enamored snails” composition by the sculptor Philipp Rukavishnikov (son of Alexander Rukavishnikov), created in 2006.

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 Northern Administrative Okrug

Alisa Selezneva

"Rechnoy vokzal" metro station
on the map

Ecological project «Alley named after Alisa Selezneva»

On the 6th of October 2001 in Moscow in the «Friendship Park» not far from the sculpture composition «Festival flower» the alley named after Alisa Selezneva was planted. In the picturesque park location 25 young wild ashes were planted and a memorial index stone with a metallic plate “Alley named after Alisa Selezneva” was installed.

The project was realized by and at the expense of the visitors and of the administration of the site www.mielofon.ru with the support of the «World Wide Fund for Nature”, administration of «Levoberezhnyi» municipal district of the central administration district of Moscow, administration of the «Friendship Park».

The project «Alley of Alisa Selezneva» is realized in honor of Alisa Selezneva – character of the books by the writer Kir Bulychev, in honor to all the coming generations of the Earth.

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Festival flower

"Rechnoy vokzal" metro station
on the map

Landscape-memorial ensemble "Festival flower" was installed for the World Youth festival, which was organized in Moscow in 1985.

The ensemble composition – the alleys coming from the different ends of the park to the central round square – symbolizes the unification of youth of all the countries of the world. Its main elements – the 9 meters high young man’s figure located at the center of the round ground and girls releasing the pigeons. The sculpture’s pedestal is the granite podium, the form of which reminds the festival symbolics, in which 5 (by the number of world continents) bronze medallions with a figure of a flying pigeon on each of them are inserted. The ground ends up with an amphitheatre at each side. So, the "Festival flower" ensemble organized a spatial link between the park’s design and the water basins and became the composition core of the “Friendship” park at Rechnoy vokzal.

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Leo Yashin

"Dinamo" metro station
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On the 23rd of October 1999 near "Dinamo" stadium at Peter’s park the ceremony of the inauguration of the monument to Leo Yashin, which coincided with the 70th anniversary of the great goal-keeper, took place. At the square in front of the entry to the northern tribune the football veterans gathered. Many of them played at the football field together with Yashin.

The sculpture composition named "Goal keeper – the century’s legend", represents Yashin’s famous flight after the ball. Henceforth any visitor of “Dinamo” stadium will come not only at the football match, but also at the meeting with a legendary goal-keeper. The author of the monument is A.I. Rukavishnikov.

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Layka, the dog

"Dinamo" metro station
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The bronze monument to Layka, the dog, which became the first living creature to be sent to space, was installed at Petrovsko-Razumovskaya alley in Moscow near “Dinamo” stadium on the 11th of April 2008. On the 3rd of November 1957 the USSR became first in the world to put into orbit the satellite vehicle "Spoutnik-2" with a living creature – a dog - on board. A white mongrel named Layka did not come back and died of overheat several hours after the start.

The monument of 2 meters high represents a rocket transforming into a palm, on which Layka proudly stands. The monument was installed at the territory of the Military medicine institute, where the cosmic experience was prepared. The monument to Layka is life-sized.

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Saint Andrew the Apostle

"Rechnoy vokzal" metro station (Khimki city)
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On the 13th of December the encaenia of St Andrew the apostle is celebrated. In 2006 on this day in Khimki town of Moscow oblast at the 73rd kilometer of the Moscow Ring Road external side, at the section between the Oktyabrskaya rail road and the channel named after Moscow, consecration of the monument to the great martyr, constructed upon the project of Vladimir Tsyganov in association with the sculptor Andrey Smirnov, took place.

It is the third monument to Saint Andrew the Apostle. The first was installed in September 2005 on Iturup Island. The second was installed shortly after the first – at Fiolent cusp in Feodosia.

The place for the sculpture composition installation was chosen intentionally. The channel named after Moscow which flows nearby was built by the political prisoners in the 30ties. Their cage was also situated nearby. The monument was installed at the place of the bury of those deceased.

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Circular railway

"Voykovskaya" metro station
on the map

On the 2nd of August 2008 Moscow circular railway celebrated its 100th anniversary. In its honor a memorial stela was installed at Likhobory station. The stela was created by a group of authors under the direction of the honored artist of Russia, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Salavat Scherbakov.

The idea was chosen from several proposed ones. It is symbolical for Moscow as well as for railway workers. On the stylized pedestal, reminiscent of a wheel, rails and sleepers, the symbol of Moscow – Kremlin, is depicted. The Kremlin is belted by the railway with a train coming upon it. Behind the sculpture composition a cast iron enclosure is installed. The enclosure consists of 14 sections with a stylized train wheel with a relief depiction of railway station complexes of all 14 stations of Moscow circular railway in each of them. At the basis of the project of the construction there are the photos of the beginning of the previous century, but they can easily be recognized by the Muscovites: many railway houses and stations had been restored, returning to their original architectural layout. To the right of the main stela there is a bronze model of the locomotive, to the left there is a model of the diesel electric: this very rolling stock has been used for 100 years at the Smaller ring.

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The monument in Likhobory is not the first experience of the collaboration of Salavat Scherbakov with the railway workers. He was the author of the project of the monument to the first minister of lines of communication, Pavel Petrovich Melnikov, at Komsomolskaya square in Moscow as well as the project of the monument to the first constructor of the Russian rail way von Gerstner, which was installed at Vitebsky railway station in St.Petersburg.

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