A monument to the Romanian soldiers and officers who died in Stalingrad was erected in Volgograd. A memorial monument with the inscription: “In memory of the Romanian prisoners of war of the Second World War who died in Russia” was opened in the Krasnoarmeysky district by a delegation from Romania together with officials of the Volgograd administration and administration Volgograd region. The installation of the monument is connected with Romania’s initiative to perpetuate the memory of its soldiers and officers who died in the Battle of Stalingrad, V1.ru was told in the administration of the Volgograd region. - Between Russia and Romania back in 1995, agreements were concluded to ensure the safety and order of maintenance of Russian military graves abroad and foreign military graves in Russian Federation, - the administration reported. - As part of these agreements, in 1996, at the request of the War Memorials association, the Volgograd administration provided a plot of land in the village of Sacco and Vanzetti in the Krasnoarmeysky district for indefinite use. It was transferred for the arrangement of the cemetery for foreign prisoners of war of the 1st department of the 108th Beketovsky camp. In 2005, an agreement was concluded between the governments of Russia and Romania that military personnel, including those captured, and people killed or died during the First and Second World Wars and in the post-war period, buried on the territory of the two countries, have the right to a worthy place of rest, the creation and maintenance of which must be properly ensured. On this basis, the Romanian side and “War Memorials” expressed a desire to erect a memorial sign in the period from May 10 to 15 of this year. Representative of the association of international military memorial cooperation “War Memorials” Sergei Chikhirev told V1.ru that the installation of a memorial stone in the Krasnoarmeysky district is due to the fact that the remains of 35 Romanian prisoners of war rest on the territory of the cemetery. - The initiative for the installation belongs to the Romanian consulate and authorities, as well as organizations involved in the care of war graves. It is difficult to single out just one. It was more of a general idea. The monument was prepared in advance and brought to Volgograd,” explained Sergei Chikhirev. - From Romania, the ambassador and his family, the consul from Rostov-on-Don, and embassy workers were present at the opening of the monument. There are about 10 people in total. Representatives from Volgograd were represented by employees of the international relations committee of the regional administration and the deputy head of the Krasnoarmeysky district. Everyone met at the cemetery, and the Romanians thanked the Volgograd authorities for the opportunity to install the monument and constructive cooperation. The whole event took 20-30 minutes. The ambassador mentioned in his speech that there are about 300 graves and monuments to Soviet soldiers on the territory of Romania. They guarantee to take care of them. Then the Romanians went to Astrakhan to unveil a small monument. In the near future, they plan to open a prefabricated cemetery in the city of Apsheronsk, Krasnodar Territory. There they are going to perpetuate the memory of not only soldiers and prisoners of war, but also civilians who lived in the south of Russia. In Romania, there is a special program that allocates funds for the installation of such monuments. According to a representative of War Memorials, the opening of the monument at the combined Hungarian-German-Romanian cemetery is explained primarily by pragmatic reasons. - Mostly Germans are buried in the cemetery in the villages of Sacco and Vanzetti. There are about 120 of them and 35 Romanians. There are fewer Hungarians there. The installation of the monument there is due to the fact that it is easier to care for the graves and the monument. The opening of the monument will help preserve the memory of prisoners and soldiers, so that contemporaries can see who is buried in this particular place. If Romanian soldiers lie here, then it is logical to indicate this with a memorial sign. Nothing more. The reason is simple - 35 Romanian prisoners of war are buried here. Therefore, the inscription on the stone speaks about this. Another monument has stood for many years in the old cemetery in the city of Uryupinsk, Volgograd Region, where there was a hospital for prisoners of war during the war. “War Memorials” have long been engaged in the Volgograd region in the search, exhumation and establishment of the fate of foreign soldiers who fought at Stalingrad. - For recent years It was possible to discover and rebury the remains of more than 1,000 Romanian soldiers,” said Sergei Chikhirev. - They are buried at the Memorial Cemetery in Rossoshki. Two monuments have been erected to Romanians in Russia and one prefabricated cemetery has been opened in Rossoshki. There are about 300 monuments and two prefabricated cemeteries to Hungarian soldiers and prisoners of war on Russian territory. Our state takes care of them. As part of a parity partnership, the same Germans and Romanians maintain the proper burial of Soviet soldiers in their countries. Our organization provides funding and finds people who take care of foreign graves. The opening of the monument in the village of Sacco and Vanzetti was carried out
Volgograd – large city on the Volga with a rich history. Stalingrad withstood the fascist pressure during fierce battles. The city was practically destroyed, but the Soviet army turned the tide of the war. This event affected the monuments of Volgograd. Most of them are dedicated to the Second World War: the Motherland, Mother's Sorrow, other sculptural compositions of Mamayev Kurgan, a monument in honor of the civilians of Stalingrad, a composition dedicated to Michael Panikakhe. There are also modern monuments: the bunny Agnia Barto, a sculpture of the first conductor. Among the pre-war monuments, the monument to V. S. Kholzunov has been preserved.
Monument-ensemble "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad"
Better known as Mamayev Kurgan. This is a symbol of Volgograd, a tribute to the memory of the Battle of Stalingrad and the tens of thousands of soldiers killed while defending the city. The complex was founded from 1959 to 1967. The author of the project is Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich. Since 2014, the memorial has been included in the list of candidates world heritage UNESCO. There are large compositions on Mamayev Kurgan. The basis of the complex is the statue of the Motherland. Other sculptures are also known: “Mother’s Sorrow”, “Stand to Death”, ruin walls and high relief memory of generations. The bodies of 35 thousand soldiers rest on the mound in mass and individual graves.
Motherland
This sculpture is the compositional basis of Mamayev Kurgan. Tourist pilgrimage center. It stands at the top point of the historical complex. The figure of the Motherland can be seen from almost every part of the city. The authors of the project are sculptor Vuchetich and engineer Nikitin. The height of the statue is 85 meters, without a pedestal it is the tallest sculpture in the world. The height including the pedestal is 87 meters. The sculpture is made of stressed reinforced concrete. 5,500 tons of concrete and 2,400 tons of iron structures were used in the manufacture. The statue represents a woman holding a sword in her raised hands. Symbolizes the Motherland, calling its sons into battle.
Sculpture "Mother's Sorrow"
The monument is located on Mamayev Kurgan, on the Square of Sorrow. A bowed female mother figure holds her dying son in her arms. The eleven-meter sculpture is made of reinforced concrete. According to the author's plan, the figures of mother and son are not completely carved. This creates a feeling of monolithicity and aching melancholy. Next to the monument is the Lake of Tears swimming pool. It symbolizes the pain of mothers and wives who lost their loved ones in battle.
Sculpture “Stand to the Death”
This is one of the main monuments located on Mamayev Kurgan. It stands in the center of a round pool, rising out of the water like a rock. The warrior-liberator, 16.2 meters tall, holds a grenade in one hand and a machine gun in the other. The man is not completely carved, only upper part bodies. The facial features resemble the commander of the 62nd Army V.I. Chuikov. The sculpture is positioned so that its back covers the Motherland standing in the distance.
High relief “Memory of Generations”
This is the central element of the Entrance Square of Mamayev Kurgan. The multi-figure bas-relief represents a stone wall. The figures of men, women and children are carved on it. They all carry wreaths of flowers and flags at half-staff. In this way, people pay tribute to the memory of the soldiers who died in the Battle of Stalingrad. The high relief symbolizes the memory of descendants; they will never forget about the feat.
Ruin walls
This is a sculptural composition leading up the stairs. Located next to the "Stand to the Death" square. The length of the memorial wall is 46 meters, height 18 meters. The ruins represent a heroic chronicle Battle of Stalingrad. Figures of soldiers, banners, and battles are carved into the wall. Walking up the stairs, you inevitably find yourself back in time during the Second World War. Because the place is voiced by information bureau reports and songs of the war years.
Monument to Mikhail Panikakha
The sculpture was unveiled in 1975. The authors were sculptor Kharitonov and architect Belousov. The monument is dedicated to Mikhail Panikakha, the hero of the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1942, he sacrificed his life and jumped on a tank with a Molotov cocktail. The six-meter monument depicts Mikhail Panikakha in a jump. The sculpture is made of copper and stands on a reinforced concrete pedestal.
Gerhardt's Mill
This is a monument to the terrible Battle of Stalingrad. Gerhardt's mill is located not far from Pavlov's house and from the embankment. This is a building left over from the Second World War. It was not deliberately demolished or restored; it symbolizes the memory of the bloody events of the battles for Stalingrad. It is a box of a once full-fledged building, the walls of which are riddled with bullets, the windows are broken, and there is no roof at all. The steam mill building itself was built in 1907 – 1908.
Monument to Tank Destroyer Dogs
In 2011, a monument to demolition dogs was erected on Chekist Square in Volgograd. They were trained specifically to blow up fascist tanks. The author of the project is Nikolay Karpov. There is a figure of a dog on a granite pedestal. She looks like an East European Shepherd, but the author did not intentionally make obvious similarities. The height of the monument is 2 meters, weight is just over 200 kilograms.
Monument to civilians of Stalingrad
Stalingrad was subjected to terrible bombing during the war. On August 23, 1943, the most powerful bombardment of the city took place, when two thousand German aircraft carried out combat missions. Over 40 thousand civilians died. The monument is dedicated to these victims. It was installed on May 9, 1995. Authors: N. Pavlovskaya and V. Kalinichenko. A five hundred kilogram fascist bomb froze above the figures of women and children.
Floating monument to fallen river workers on the Volga
In 1980 it was opened in Volgograd unusual monument. It is located opposite Mamayev Kurgan, in the fairway of the Volga. A huge anchor, 15 meters high, occupies a floating platform. It is dedicated to the courage of the rivermen who transported thousands of wounded, and many sections of the Volga were often mined. Every year on the eve of Victory Day, a floating buoy takes its place on the Volga.
Monument to Konstantin Rokossovsky
In honor of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, a monument to Konstantin Rokossovsky was opened in Volgograd in 2015. The military leader hosted the Victory Parade on Red Square and participated in most military operations. The authors were sculptors Vladimir Surovtsev and his son Danila. The marshal is depicted in military uniform and riding a horse. The sculpture was made in classic style, located on a high pedestal.
Guardian Angel Statue
In 2005, the opening of the monument “Guardian Angel of Volgograd” took place. The author of the project is sculptor Sergei Shcherbakov. A bronze angel stands on a granite hemisphere. His gaze is fixed on the Volga. Hands folded in prayer. The height of the monument is just over two and a half meters. Weight – 600 kilograms. A capsule with the wishes and dreams of Volgograd residents is buried under the monument.
Monument to Alexander Nevsky
In February 2007, a monument dedicated to the Novgorod prince was inaugurated. The author of the project was sculptor Sergei Shcherbakov. Nevsky was the first to talk about the need to build fortifications on the Volga, so a monument to him was erected in the city. The monument is cast from bronze. The figure of Alexander Nevsky is made in full height. He is dressed in armor and holds a banner in right hand. The height of the monument is 7 meters including the pedestal.
Monument to Lenin
The monument to Vladimir Ilyich is located near the entrance to the Volga-Don shipping canal. Considered one of the most tall statues peace. Construction of the monument and pedestal lasted from 1969 to 1973. The authors are E. V. Vuchetich and L. M. Polyakov. Until 1962, a monument to Stalin stood on this pedestal, then it was removed. The Lenin monument is made of stressed reinforced concrete. The total height is 57 meters, of which the height of the pedestal is 30 meters.
Monument to V. S. Kholzunov
The sculpture was installed in 1940. Its authors are sculptors M. G. Belashov and E. F. Alekseeva-Belashova, architect V. E. Shalashov. The monument stands on the embankment and is included in the list of objects federal significance. One of the few surviving pre-war monuments. On a granite pedestal stands a bronze figure of Hero of the USSR Kholzunov. The total height of the monument is 8.35 meters. Viktor Stepanovich was a bomber pilot. Proven himself in Civil War in Spain.
Monument to the first governor of Tsaritsyn Zasekin
In 2009, on the Day of National Unity, a monument to the first governor of Tsaritsyn, Grigory Zasekin, was inaugurated. The voivode is considered the founder of the city. The authors of the project are V. Seryakov and S. Shcherbakov. Grigory Zasekin sits on horseback, he is dressed in a 16th century uniform. The gaze is directed into the distance, towards the Volga. The height of the monument including the pedestal is six and a half meters.
Monument to the founding fathers of the city
The monument opened in 1989, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the city of Volgograd. It symbolizes eternal memory generations. The authors of the monument: sculptors Yu. Yushin and A. Tomarov, architect O. Sadovsky. At the site where the monument was founded, the Tsaritsyn-Volgograd line once began. The monument represents two figures of an archer holding in their hands a letter with a covenant for future generations.
Monument to Peter and Fevronia
Monuments dedicated to married couple Saints are located in many cities of Russia. Volgograd was no exception. The composition was opened in 2001. The author was the sculptor Konstantin Chernyavsky. Peter and Fevronia stand on a low pedestal, in their hands they hold a dove - a symbol of love and peace. Eight rules for creating a strong and friendly family are carved next to the monument.
Monument "Cossack Glory"
Known as a monument to the Russian Cossacks. It was opened in 2010, on National Unity Day. Author: Vladimir Seryakov. The monument was placed next to the ancient Church of John the Baptist, where Stepan Razin was baptized. The monument represents a brave Cossack who is sitting on a horse, preparing for a military campaign. He is accompanied by a Cossack woman with an icon in her hands. The sculptural composition is cast from bronze. Height – 2.85 meters, width – 1.3 meters.
Monument to Zheglov and Sharapov
In 2015, a sculptural composition in an urban style dedicated to criminal investigation was unveiled. Gleb Zheglov and Vladimir Sharapov stand in front of the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Both figures are cast in bronze and copied in the likeness of the characters from the film “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed.” The sculptures stand leaning on street lamp. The monument became the first such monument in Russia.
Monument to the first district conductor
The monument dedicated to the conductor was erected in 2015. There are tram rails next to the figure. The man is dressed in a uniform from the early twentieth century. The monument was created from old photographs. This collective image many conductors who worked in the first tram depot of Volgograd in the twentieth century.
Monument to a motorist
This modern statue is dedicated to the motorist. It was opened in 2012 at the request of the Arkont automobile company. Author – Sergey Shcherbakov. Taken as a motorist main character"The Golden Calf" Adam Kozlewicz. He sits on one wheel, the steering wheel is in his hands, and his foot is on the gas pedal. It is considered the only monument to a motorist in Russia.
Monument to the first teacher
In 2010, on Teacher's Day, a monument to the first teacher was unveiled. The author of the project is sculptor Anatoly Pakhota. The teacher holds a school magazine and a pointer in her hands. Next to her stands a boy dressed in a Soviet uniform, holding a briefcase behind his back. “Tags” are laid out on the asphalt in front of the teacher and student. The monument is cast from bronze, the height of the composition is one and a half meters.
Monument to the bunny Agnia Barto
A sculpture of a bunny from the famous children's poem by Agnia Barto stands in the city garden. The author of the sculptural composition is architect Alexey Antyufeev. A bunny in a children's overalls and a short-sleeved shirt sits on a pile of books with children's poems by Agnia Barto. Not far from the statue there is a carved bench on which, according to the poem, a bunny was forgotten.
When we talk about the monuments of Volgograd, first of all, of course, we remember the Mamayev Kurgan. This is true holy place for all Russians. After all, it was here, back in 1943, that terrible bloody battles took place that changed the entire course of the Great Patriotic War. The battle for Volgograd (in the war years - Stalingrad) was destined to become one of the most significant and most difficult pages in the history of the war. It lasted 200 long days, 135 of them on Mamayev Kurgan.
In memory of those terrible and heroic events, a huge, impressive in its scale, was erected on this site. memorial complex, dedicated to the heroes who died in the Battle of Stalingrad.
Monument-ensemble "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad"
This majestic memorial ensemble, the construction of which began under the leadership famous architect E.V. Vuchetich back in the 50s of the last century, today it is the largest military monument in the world and at the same time the largest mass grave in the world in which Russian soldiers are buried. According to historians, more than 35 thousand people who died during the Battle of Stalingrad are buried here. Many of them were reburied here after the war.
In 2008, the Mamayev Kurgan itself and the memorial ensemble erected on it were recognized as one of the wonders of Russia. Undoubtedly, the sculptural compositions located here are worthy of a separate description.
High relief “Memory of Generations”
Thus, on the Entrance Square there is a high relief “Memory of Generations”. This multi-figure sculpture stone wall depicts a funeral procession in honor of fallen heroes. There is also a memorial stele in honor of the 12 hero cities.
Sculptural composition “Stand to the death”
The next sculptural composition that opens to our gaze is called “Stand to the death.” It was with this motto that Soviet soldiers marched to decisive battle. The monument is located on the square of the same name, in the center of a round pool and is a symbol of the most difficult stages of the battle. The central figure of the composition is a sculpture carved from a huge monolithic block of a Soviet warrior, a warrior-hero who stood up for defense hometown.
Ruin walls
A granite staircase goes up from the “Fight to the Death” square, and along it there are the so-called “Ruin Walls”. This unusual memorial, 46 meters long and 18 meters high, is a kind of heroic chronicle of the Battle of Stalingrad. Particularly impressive is the soundtrack of this place with information bureau reports and songs of the war years.
And after the Ruin Walls we see the Square of Heroes.
Sculptures "Heroes Square"
On the “Heroes Square”, in the center of which there is a rectangular pool, we see six sculptural compositions heroes of Stalingrad, each of which is a symbol of courage and heroism.
"Hall of Military Glory"
Behind the “Heroes Square” is the “Hall of Military Glory”, in the center of which stands a 5-meter sculpture in the form of a hand holding a torch with fire. And around it are high pylons with images of soldiers of all branches of the Soviet troops.
Sculpture "Mother's Sorrow"
The next sculpture of the memorial complex is the sculpture of the mother, located on the “Sorrow Square”. It contains all the pain of mothers who lost their sons in the war.
Monument “The Motherland Calls!”
And finally, the central sculpture of the entire composition, which rises in the center of Mamayev Kurgan and is a symbol of the entire memorial complex, is the sculpture “The Motherland Calls!”
Truly an impressive monument that symbolizes the call of the Motherland to her sons and is one of the largest in the world. Its total height is 85 meters, and this reinforced concrete sculpture weighs 8 thousand tons.
A visit to this place makes an indelible impression and gives hope that the feat of the Volgograd residents will forever remain in the memory of descendants.
Dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War and other monuments of Volgograd.
Monument to Mikhail Panikakha
Thus, in the Krasnooktyabrsky district of Volgograd in May 1975, a monument was erected to the hero of the Battle of Stalingrad, Mikhail Panikakha, Hero of the Soviet Union, who, having sacrificed own life, stopped the Nazi advance and helped the 193rd Division defend its positions. Brave Ukrainian soldier Mikhail Panikakha rushed at the tank with a bottle of flammable mixture. This tragic moment is captured in the monument erected in his honor in Volgograd.
Monument "Cossack Glory" in Volgograd
Volgograd residents also remember the glorious past of their predecessors - the Cossacks, who contributed to the defense of Russia and the preservation of its unity. This is confirmed by the opening of the monument to the Cossacks “Cossack Glory” in Volgograd’s Victory Park.
This sculptural composition consists of the figure of a Cossack sitting on a horse and a beautiful Cossack woman accompanying him with an icon in her hands.
Volgograd monument to Alexander Nevsky
In Volgograd there is also a monument to such a famous figure in Russian history as Alexander Nevsky. According to historians, he was one of the first to speak about the need to build a guard fortress on the Volga, which Tsaritsyn became - today's Volgograd. The seven-meter monument to Alexander Nevsky, created by sculptor Sergei Shcherbakov, was inaugurated in February 2007 on the “Fallen Fighters Square”.
Monument-ensemble to the defenders of Stalingrad
The Nazi army concentrated about a million soldiers near Stalingrad, trying to break through to the Volga and capture an important industrial and strategic region of the country. For about two months there were battles on the outskirts of the city, and in September they broke out in the streets. One of the letters from the city’s defenders said: “Fighting today at Stalingrad, we understand that we are fighting not only for the city of Stalingrad. At Stalingrad we are defending our Motherland, defending everything that is dear to us, without which we cannot live...”
The famous Pavlov House became a symbol of the courage of the defenders of Stalingrad, in which a group of soldiers held the line for 58 days, repelling enemy attacks.
The phrase of one of the defenders of Stalingrad, sniper V.G. Zaitsev, became a catchphrase: “There is no land for us beyond the Volga!”
In the battles on the Volga Soviet Army withstood such an onslaught of the enemy that no other army in the world had to experience.
Mamayev Kurgan rises 102 meters above Stalingrad. For more than four months (September 1942 - January 1943) there were bloody battles for this height. Many times the top of the mound changed hands. Many times this height was taken by selfless Soviet soldiers, but after a day or two the Nazis concentrated superior forces of infantry, tanks, aviation, and artillery and again captured the peak. Only on January 26, 1943, all the surroundings of Mamayev Kurgan, all the adjacent heights were cleared of the enemy.
But how many of their comrades were buried by Soviet soldiers in the sacred land of Mamayev Kurgan, densely strewn with fragments from mines, bombs, and shells: for every square meter there were from 500 to 1250...
Immortal images of the defenders of Stalingrad are resurrected in the monumental Victory Monument erected on Mamayev Kurgan. The authors of the ensemble are a creative team led by the People's Artist of the USSR, sculptor E. Vuchetich and architect J. Belopolsky.
Opened in 1967, the monument includes a whole complex of architectural and sculptural structures. This is what he wrote on the days of the opening of the monument, in October 1967, folk artist USSR sculptor Evgeniy Vuchetich: “...In the Stalingrad epic, the nobility of soul and wonderful qualities of the Soviet people were revealed with extraordinary force. Here life triumphed over death, and those who passed away did not disappear into oblivion - they seemed to remain in the ranks, and the example of their feat called others to the feat.
The heroism of the Stalingraders is the heroism not only of individuals, but, above all, mass heroism generated by the great goal of the struggle. Here everything personal was not only lost, leveled - no, not at all, but given away in the name of the common. All the thoughts and actions of people merged together, every second everyone recognized themselves as an inextricable part of a huge fighting team. Here all the warriors knew that the fate of each of them depended on the success of the actions home country, the fate of all humanity...
All the years, while the artistic image was maturing in the mind, the project was being developed and the ensemble was being built, all of us, sculptors and artists, architects and builders, people of many professions, are mine dear friends who worked on the creation of the monument on Mamayev Kurgan, carried in their hearts the memory of the heroes of the great battle...
The monument to the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad is a monument to the greatest historical event. This is a monument to a mass of heroes. And therefore we were looking for large-scale, especially monumental solutions and forms that, in our opinion, would allow us to most fully convey the scope of mass heroism. After all, it is absolutely clear that the concept of heroism of a people is disproportionately broader than the concept of heroism of an individual. Therefore, such content could not be embodied in the usual type of monuments representing a single- or multi-figure composition on a pedestal. It is the monument-ensemble, like highest form monumental art, opened the way to revealing the meaning and significance of the Battle of Stalingrad, with a lot of planning, diversified embodiment of specific artistic images V various types sculpture, in its synthesis with architecture and nature.
This is how the composition “Fight to the Death” was born, in which we sought to give a generalized image of the hero of Stalingrad. This is how the image of a ruined wall arose, where we wanted, as if through the haze of time, to show the episodes of the battle emerging in memory, the oath of the Soviet soldiers and the offensive of our troops. This is how the content of the six two-figure compositions on the Heroes' Square or the heavily incised drawings, dedicated to the struggle and triumph of the Stalingraders, were decided on the retaining wall at the end of this square.
The lofty goals of the struggle led our warriors to great deeds. Every day heroes died, and every day gave examples of new self-sacrifice. The warriors who became related in battle fell asleep in eternal sleep in mass graves. They are still nearby, just as they were in battle. Their names shine on the purple mosaic banners at half-mast in the hall Military glory on the Square of Sorrow.
The theme of inconsolable maternal grief was to be embodied in a 12-meter allegorical sculptural composition at the other end of the square.
The warriors laid down their heads in the name of the triumph of life, in the name of victory over the forces of evil, violence and death. This was the meaning of self-sacrifice and exploits. This constitutes the main content of the monument, which we tried to embody in the main monument crowning the mound - “The Motherland is Calling!”
The monument-ensemble begins with an introductory composition - a high relief at the foot of Mamayev Kurgan - “Memory of Generations”.
The steps of a wide staircase lead visitors to an alley of pyramidal poplars. The sculptural compositions of the monument-ensemble open before your eyes. According to the author's intention, all this prepares the viewer to comprehend main topic monument.
The composition “Fight to the Death” reflects the most difficult period of the Battle of the Volga. As if from the greatest Russian river, a warrior-hero rises and stands in defense of his hometown. Lips’ courageous and strong-willed face was touched by a contemptuous smile. There is determination in the eyes, unquenchable hatred for the enemy, a thirst for victory that stronger than death. A warrior-hero is a deeply emotional, generalized image Soviet people.
Behind the composition “Fight to the Death” there are two destroyed city walls, as if converging in perspective.
Wall-ruins - a stone book, a heroic chronicle. "Every house is a fortress." This and many other inscriptions tell a moving story of the struggle for life. Soldiers used a shell fragment, a bayonet, or a piece of metal to leave their autographs between battles.
The theme of the soldier's oath and loyalty to it runs through all the images of the left wall. The warrior stood at his full heroic height on Stalingrad soil, covering the city with himself. A huge wound in his chest. But how much strength, how much anger, contempt for death, call for revenge in this face! He fought steadfastly to the end. Despite the dramatic content, the sculpture glorifies the life-affirming beauty of the feat. At the end of the left wall there is a symbolic image. From the stone, as if from the depths of time, ranks of fighters emerge. Their faces are motionless.
The right wall - the second part of the stone book - tells about the heroic struggle on the streets of the city. It begins with the image of a soldier, formidable and decisive, who proudly says: “I am from the 62nd!” - and rushes into battle. Dozens of inscriptions made in different handwritings different people. They were not invented by the author, they were transferred from the walls of the destroyed city, from documents of those years.
“A machine gun on your neck, 10 grenades at hand, courage in your heart - act!” - wrote the commander of the famous 62nd Army V.I. Chuikov in the instructions for assault groups.
On the next terrace is the Heroes' Square. Six sculptural compositions depict the exploits of warriors: soldiers and commanders, female fighters, brave sailors. The last, sixth, symbolic: two Soviet soldiers break the swastika and kill the snake. This is a symbol of the victory of the Soviet people over fascism.
On a retaining wall with an area of about a thousand square meters- a relief depicting the advance of Soviet troops near Stalingrad, the capture of the Nazis, and the meeting of the victors.
The entrance to the Hall of Military Glory is sternly and strictly decorated. The hanging ceilings and gray concrete slabs resemble a dugout. But here sharp turn- and before your eyes is a magnificent hall sparkling with gold. It has the shape of a cylinder. Its internal dimensions are: height 13.5 meters, diameter 41 meters. Against a background of golden smalt, red banners hang along the entire perimeter of the wall; they are also made of smalt. The names of soldiers who died in the Battle of Stalingrad are inscribed on the mosaic banners. The list of the dead fills the hall from top to bottom. Above the banners there is a wide ribbon and on it the inscription: “Yes, we were mere mortals, and few of us survived, but we all fulfilled our patriotic duty to the end before the sacred Mother Motherland!” In the center of the ceiling, decorated with images of orders, there is an opening with a diameter of eleven meters.
In the square there is a bowed figure of a woman-mother. Before burying her dead son, she hugged him and plunged into boundless grief. The warrior's face is covered with a banner. The composition is made in concrete, but the sculptor seems to transform it into an elastic and almost transparent material, through which the outlines of the dead soldier’s face seem to shine through.
Above the Square of Sorrow rises a mound - the holy of holies of the monument - mass graves defenders of the city. The graves, decorated with tombstones, are located on both sides of the serpentine path leading from the square to the main monument. The entire ensemble is crowned by a sculpture of the Motherland. Raising her sword high, she calls for a fight: victory on the Volga is not yet a final victory over fascism; there were years of war ahead. The Motherland called upon the soldiers to expel the fascist invaders from Soviet soil and liberate the peoples of Europe from the Hitlerite yoke. The monument, like the entire monument-ensemble, is made of concrete. The material itself emphasizes the harsh nature of the struggle and feat of the Soviet people.
The Motherland Monument is visible from all parts of the city, both from a ship sailing along the Volga and from the window of a passing train. From the top of the mound a wide panorama of the revived flourishing hero city opens.
Representatives of foreign countries who came here after great battle, believed that it was impossible to revive the city. Former Ambassador USA in the Soviet Union Davis, seeing the ruins of streets and factory buildings, said: “This city is dead, and you will not restore it. What died, died. I don’t know that anyone has risen from the dead.” Western diplomats advised surrounding the ruins with wire and leaving them as a huge historical museum.
But soviet people decided otherwise. Through their efforts, the hero city was revived. It became the largest industrial and cultural center and the port of the five seas.
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Mamayev Kurgan is a hill on the right bank of the Volga, located almost in the center of Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), and, at the same time, it is main height Russia, sacred place for Russian people. It was here – on “Height 102” (as the mound was designated on military maps) – that during the Great Patriotic War, during the Battle of Stalingrad, fierce battles took place; Soviet soldiers fought to the death. Rising above the central part of the city, it was an important link in common system defense of the Stalingrad Front, since it allowed whoever controlled the top of the mound to control almost the entire city, Trans-Volga region and crossings across the Volga.
Since then, Mamayev Kurgan has become known to the whole world as the scene of some of the most fierce battles of the Second World War, and where its radical turn took place. It is here that today the monument-ensemble “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” is located - the largest and most majestic memorial complex dedicated to the victory of the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War.
The battles for this height lasted 135 days out of 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad; the slopes of the mound were plowed with bombs, shells, and mines. And after the end of the fighting, the dead from all over the city began to be buried here - about 34.5 thousand people. At the same time, the idea arose of constructing a monument in the city, in memory of the great battle and the defenders of the Motherland who died here.
An all-Union competition for the design of the monument was announced immediately after the war, and all sorts of options were submitted. But by Stalin’s decision, E. Vuchetich was appointed the author of the future memorial, who by that time had already created a memorial in Berlin. A team of sculptors, architects, and engineers worked on the project under his leadership. By the way, the engineering group was led by Doctor of Technical Sciences N. Nikitin, the author of the calculations for the Ostankino TV tower. It was he who performed the most complex calculations of the stability of the structure of the monument “The Motherland is Calling!” And the main military consultant of the project was Marshal Soviet Union V. Chuikov, commander of the 62nd Army holding Height 102 during the war.
In January 1958, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to begin construction of the monument, and in May 1959, construction work began, which was carried out intensively. Despite this, the scale and complexity of the composition of the planned ensemble required several years for its implementation. Large excavations were carried out, and it was here that reinforced concrete was used for the first time in the practice of constructing monuments.
The grand opening of the cultural and historical monument-ensemble “Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” on Mamayev Kurgan took place on October 15, 1967.
This complex on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd is unique today engineering structure and an architectural and sculptural ensemble united general plan, a general idea. Its total area is 26 hectares, and the length of the entire complex from the foot to the top of the hill is 1.5 km. Compositionally, it consists of architectural and spatial links, as if strung on a single axis. Following in one direction, one level gives way to another, and as it rises, more and more new elements of the composition are revealed.
The main elements of the monument-ensemble are the introductory high-relief composition “Memory of Generations”, the Alley of Pyramid Poplars, the Square of “Those Who Stood to Death”, the ruin walls, the Square of Heroes, the retaining wall-relief, the Hall of Military Glory, the Square of Sorrow with the monument “Grieving Mother” , the monument “The Motherland Calls!”, a military memorial cemetery, a memorial arboretum at the foot of the mound, the Church of All Saints.
The main figure and compositional center of the entire ensemble is the monument “The Motherland Calls!”, which is located on a huge mound about 14 meters high, in which the remains of 34,505 soldiers - defenders of Stalingrad are buried. 200 granite steps lead from the foot of the mound to its top - the number of days of the Battle of Stalingrad. The sculpture itself “The Motherland is Calling!” amazes with its size and shape. It represents a 52-meter figure of a woman (she towers above the city and is visible for tens of kilometers), in her right hand is a sword 33 m long (weight 14 tons). The monument is made of reinforced concrete (5500 tons of concrete and 2400 tons of metal structures), and it was cast once, without allowing the concrete to harden so that there were no seams. Inside there are 99 steel ropes holding the structure together, a room for monitoring the condition of the ropes and a staircase. The statue stands on a slab 2 meters high (which lies on the main foundation), but is not connected to the foundation in any way, but is held by gravity.
In 2008, the monument-ensemble, after merging with the Panorama Museum "Battle of Stalingrad", was included in the list of federal monuments and became known as the State Historical and Memorial Museum-Reserve "Battle of Stalingrad". In the same year, he became one of the wonders of our country, winning the final of the “7 Wonders of Russia” competition.
Today, the historical and memorial complex “Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” is the most visited monument in Russia - every year about three million people from Russia and other countries visit Mamayev Kurgan to see the unique creation of Soviet masters and honor the blessed memory heroic defenders Stalingrad.