Sculpture “The Motherland is Calling!” is the compositional center architectural ensemble“To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad”, represents a 52-meter figure of a woman, rapidly walking forward and calling her sons behind her. In his right hand is a sword 33 m long (weight 14 tons). The height of the sculpture is 85 meters. The monument stands on a 16-meter foundation. The height of the Main Monument speaks of its scale and uniqueness. Its total weight is 8 thousand tons. The main monument - a modern interpretation of the image of the ancient Nike - the goddess of victory - calls on her sons and daughters to repel the enemy and continue the further offensive.
Great importance was attached to the construction of the memorial. There were no restrictions on funds or building materials. The best creative forces were involved in creating the monument. The main sculptor and project manager was Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich, who ten years earlier had already created a monument-ensemble to the soldiers of the Soviet Army in Treptower Park in Berlin and the sculpture “Let’s Beat Swords into Plowshares,” which still adorns the square in front of the UN building in New York. Vuchetich was assisted by the architects Belopolsky and Demin, and the sculptors Matrosov, Novikov and Tyurenkov. Upon completion of construction, they were all awarded the Lenin Prize, and Vuchetich was also awarded the Golden Star of the Hero of Socialist Labor. The head of the engineering group working on the construction of the memorial was N.V. Nikitin is the future creator of the Ostankino tower. The main military consultant of the project was Marshal V.I. Chuikov is the commander of the army that defended Mamayev Kurgan, whose reward was the right to be buried here, next to the dead soldiers: along the serpentine, in the hill, the remains of 34,505 soldiers - defenders of Stalingrad, as well as 35 granite tombstones of Heroes of the Soviet Union, participants in the battle of Stalingrad 
Construction of the monument "Motherland" was started in May 1959 and completed on October 15, 1967. The sculpture at the time of its creation was the tallest sculpture in the world. Restoration work on the Main monument of the monument-ensemble was carried out twice: in 1972 and 1986. It is also believed that the statue was modeled after the Marseillaise figure on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and that the pose of the statue was inspired by the statue of the Nike of Samothrace. Indeed, there are some similarities. In the first photo there is Marseillaise, and next to Nika of Samothrace 
And in this photo the Motherland 
The sculpture is made from prestressed concrete blocks - 5,500 tons of concrete and 2,400 tons of metal structures (excluding the base on which it stands). Total height of the monument “ The Motherland is calling” - 85 meters. It is installed on a concrete foundation 16 meters deep. The height of the female figure is 52 meters (weight - more than 8 thousand tons). 
The statue stands on a slab only 2 meters high, which rests on the main foundation. This foundation is 16 meters high, but it is almost invisible - most of it is hidden underground. The statue stands freely on the slab, like a chess piece on a board. The thickness of the reinforced concrete walls of the sculpture is only 25-30 centimeters. Inside, the rigidity of the frame is supported by ninety-nine metal cables that are constantly in tension 
The sword is 33 meters long and weighs 14 tons. The sword was originally made of stainless steel covered with titanium sheets. In the strong wind the sword swayed and the sheets rattled. Therefore, in 1972, the blade was replaced with another one - consisting entirely of fluorinated steel. And the wind problems were eliminated with the help of blinds at the top of the sword. There are very few similar sculptures in the world, for example, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the “Motherland” in Kyiv, the monument to Peter I in Moscow. For comparison, the height of the Statue of Liberty from its pedestal is 46 meters. 
The most complex calculations of the stability of this structure were carried out by Dr. technical sciences N.V. Nikitin is the author of calculating the stability of the Ostankino TV tower. At night, the statue is illuminated by spotlights. “The horizontal displacement of the upper part of the 85-meter monument is currently 211 millimeters or 75% of what was allowed by calculations. Deviations have been going on since 1966. If from 1966 to 1970 the deviation was 102 millimeters, then from 1970 to 1986 – 60 millimeters, until 1999 – 33 millimeters, from 2000-2008 – 16 millimeters,” said the director of the State Historical and Memorial Museum-Reserve. Battle of Stalingrad" Alexander Velichkin. 
The sculpture “The Motherland Calls” is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest sculpture-statue in the world at that time. Its height is 52 meters, arm length - 20 and sword length - 33 meters. The total height of the sculpture is 85 meters. The weight of the sculpture is 8 thousand tons, and the sword - 14 tons (for comparison: the Statue of Liberty in New York is 46 meters high; the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro is 38 meters). On this moment The statue ranks 11th on the list of tallest statues in the world. The Motherland is in danger of collapse due to groundwater. Experts say that if the tilt of the statue increases by another 300 mm, it could collapse due to any, even the most insignificant reason 
70-year-old pensioner Valentina Ivanovna Izotova lives in Volgograd, with whom the sculpture “The Motherland Calls” was sculpted 40 years ago. Valentina Ivanovna is a modest person. For more than 40 years she was silent about the fact that as a model she posed for sculptors who sculpted perhaps the most famous sculpture in Russia - the Motherland. She was silent because in Soviet times, talking about the profession of a model was, to put it mildly, indecent, especially for a married woman raising two daughters. Now Valya Izotova is already a grandmother and willingly talks about that distant episode in her youth, which has now become perhaps the most significant event of her entire life. 
In those distant 60s, Valentina was 26 years old. She worked as a waitress in the prestigious, by Soviet standards, Volgograd restaurant. This establishment was visited by all the eminent guests of the city on the Volga, and our heroine saw with her own eyes Fidel Castro, the Emperor of Ethiopia, and the Swiss ministers. Naturally, only a girl with a real Soviet appearance could serve such people during lunch. You probably already guessed what this means. Stern face, purposeful look, athletic figure. It is no coincidence that one day a frequent guest of Volgograd, the young sculptor Lev Maistrenko, approached Valentina to talk. He conspiratorially told his young interlocutor about the sculpture that he and his comrades were to make for the sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich, already famous in those days. Maistrenko walked around the bush for a long time, showering the waitress with compliments, and then invited her to pose. The fact is that the Moscow model, who arrived in the provinces directly from the capital, did not attract the attention of local sculptors. She was too arrogant and cutesy. And her face didn’t resemble “Mother.”
“I thought about it for a long time,” recalls Izotova, “the times were strict then, and my husband forbade it. But then my husband relented, and I gave the guys my consent. Who didn’t go on various adventures in their youth?
The adventure turned into serious work that lasted two years. Valentina’s candidacy for the role of the Motherland was approved by Vuchetich himself. Having listened to the arguments of his colleagues in favor of a simple Volgograd waitress, he nodded his head affirmatively, and it began. Posing turned out to be a very difficult task. Standing for several hours a day with my arms outstretched and my left leg pointed forward was tiring. According to the sculptors, a sword was supposed to be in the right hand, but in order not to tire Valentina too much, they put a long stick in her palm. At the same time, she had to give her face an inspired expression calling for exploits.
The guys insisted: “Valya, you must call people to follow you. You are the Motherland!” And I called, for which I was paid 3 rubles per hour. Imagine what it's like to stand for hours with your mouth open.
There was one piquant moment during work. The sculptors insisted that Valentina, as befits a model, pose naked, but Izotova resisted. Suddenly my husband will come in. At first we agreed on a two-piece swimsuit. True, then the top part of the swimsuit had to be removed. The breasts should look natural. By the way, the model was not wearing any tunic. It was only later that Vuchetich himself threw a flowing robe over Rodina. Our heroine saw the finished monument a few days after its official opening. It was interesting to look at myself from the outside: my face, arms, legs - everything was original, only made of stone and my height was 52 meters. More than 40 years have passed since then. Valentina Izotova is alive and well and is proud that a monument was erected to her during her lifetime. For a long life. 
The sculpture “The Motherland Calls,” created by E.V. Vuchetich, has the amazing property of a psychological impact on everyone who sees it. How the author managed to achieve this, one can only guess. Sharp criticisms of his creation: it is both exaggeratedly monumental and openly similar to the Marseillaise that adorns the Parisian Arc de Triomphe - do not explain its phenomenon at all. We must not forget that for the sculptor, who survived the most terrible war in the history of mankind, this monument, like the entire memorial, is first of all a tribute to the memory of the fallen, and then a reminder to the living, who, in his conviction, so they can never forget anything 
The sculpture Motherland, together with Mamayev Kurgan, is a finalist in the “Seven Wonders of Russia” competition
Articles in this place:
Volgograd, May 8 - AiF-Volgograd. Phidias, Praxiteles, Rodin - the whole world knows these names. Thanks to the skilled turtle, the name of the sculptor Donatello is well known. But our history also had its own sculptors who received universal recognition. So, in Volgograd, for example, there are works by Vera Mukhina (on the dome of the Planetarium) and Evgeny Vuchetich (Mamaev Kurgan and the statue of Lenin (until 1960 - Stalin) on the Fadeev embankment).
We are the envy of all the bourgeoisie...
By the way, Vuchetich is the author of two statues of the Motherland. The central figure of the memorial on Mamayev Kurgan is perhaps the pinnacle (in all senses) of the famous sculptor’s work. Here the gigantism of Vuchetich’s thinking was fully demonstrated.
“What did we want to tell people with this monument on the site of bloody battles and immortal exploits? - he said after the completion of the architectural ensemble. - We sought to convey, first of all, the indestructible moral spirit of Soviet soldiers, their selfless devotion to the Motherland. The monument to the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad is a monument to the greatest historical event. 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.”
However, the size of the complex is determined not only by the author’s vision, but also by Khrushchev’s direct instructions: the Motherland should be higher American Statue Freedom. Higher means higher. Business...
Sisters in arms
After the death of Evgeniy Vuchetich, the construction of the second Motherland was completed: in Kyiv. The statue itself is smaller than the Volgograd one, but it stands on a 40-meter pedestal, inside of which there is a museum. Therefore, the colossus can be seen from afar.
Initially, they planned to cover the figure with gold leaf, but then this idea was abandoned. In general, Vuchetich’s project underwent some changes, since after his death the Kiev master Vasily Borodai, who had his own vision, took up the matter.
The metal statue was built using a crane specially made for this construction site. They did not have time to dismantle that crane before the commissioning of the facility and simply cut it with an autogenous gun. And the ends go into the water. In the literal sense: the metal frame was drowned in the Dnieper so as not to be an eyesore to the party authorities.
Sometimes residents of Volgograd and Kiev argue about whose Motherland is better. Residents of other cities in Russia and Ukraine are being drawn into the controversy. From sculpture they break into politics. But both buildings have their admirers. In addition, both “mothers” have the same father: Evgeniy Vuchetich. And he did not design his statues in order to pit nations against each other. After all, the Motherland at that time was one for everyone. And both “daughters” of Vuchetich, it seems, look at each other calmly and affably. They know better from above...
The statue of the Motherland Monument, located in Volgograd, is recognized as the tallest in Europe and Russia. The element of the compositional center is the second part of the triptych, which includes such elements as: Magnitogorsk “Rear Front” and Berlin “Liberator Warrior”.
The overall picture involves a sword made in Ural mountains, raised to defend the fatherland at Stalingrad and lowered after the surrender of the fascist command in the capital of Germany.
The monument is located on Mamayev Kurgan almost in the center of Volgograd. It is located not far from the banks of the Volga and river station. Facing the northeast implies an appeal to the fatherland with a call to fight the hated enemy, who is trying to destroy everything in its path.
The hill that became the location of the monument, according to legend, is the burial place of the temnik of the Golden Horde, Mamai. This is confirmed by numerous archaeological finds made before the war.
Daily fighting here continued from September 1942 to January 1943. In total, about 34,000 soldiers died here. That is why this place and was chosen to erect the sculpture.
The author's idea of the monument “The Motherland Calls” in Volgograd
The idea to immortalize the place that became a turning point during the Second World War appeared to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief even before its end. Already at the end of 1944, a competition was announced to determine the appearance of the monument.
Not only Soviet architects and simple people, variations came from foreign countries: Morocco and China. Options depicting Stalin and a pyramid of melted down tanks acting as the base were rejected. As a result, the version by sculptor Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich, called “Motherland,” was chosen.
History of the construction of the monument “The Motherland Calls”
The Motherland statue in Volgograd, the height of which allowed it to be included in the Guinness Book of Records, was built by almost the entire Soviet Union. As an example, we can cite the memoirs of a worker at one of the Ural metallurgical plants.” “Having learned that our metal would be used to make the frame of the monument, although this would require working in 2 shifts, we unanimously agreed.”
The example presented is not unique. At the stage of pouring the figure, any downtime could cause the concrete to set and the formation of a micro-gap between the layers. To prevent this, cars delivering material were marked with special tapes, allowing them to pass through “red” traffic lights.
Construction of the monument began in the summer of 1959. It lasted 8 years and ended in the fall of 1967. For this, a large number of building material, resulting in the walls of the pedestal being 0.3 m thick. The foundation, completely dug into the ground at the base, is deepened by 15 m, for which a pit of more than 8 m was dug.
Total spent:
- Concrete – 5500 tons.
- Metal structures and fittings - 2,500 tons.
The main persons supervising the construction were the sculptor E.V. Vuchetich and the engineer N.V. Nikitin, under whose leadership many other specialists worked in various directions.
For example:
- Musical accompaniment and scoring of each sculptural composition of the ensemble on Mamayev Kurgan - announcer A. I. Levitan, sound engineer A. I. Geraskin, director V. K. Magatoev.
- Consultant on military issues, Marshal of the USSR, who took a direct part in the defense of Stalingrad - V.I. Chuikov.
Prototype of the statue
The statue of the Motherland in Volgograd, the height of which was an absolute record for that time, partially resembles the face of the sculptor’s wife.
There is an opinion that the author’s inspirations were other people and ancient figures:
- Girls who posed for him, but had no idea for what purpose: A. A. Peshkova; V. Izotova; E. Grebneva.
- Disco athlete Nina Dumbadze, with whom he sculpted the figure.
- The figure of the Marseillaise painted on Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
- Antique statue of Nike of Samothrace.
No one will know whose image Evgeniy Viktorovich actually took as a prototype. The author died at the age of 65, 7 years after the discovery of his sculpture.
Elimination of design defects
Concerns about the stability of the structure arose even at the construction stage. 2 years before completion, the inspection commission from the State Construction Committee recommended that the management strengthen the soil for fear of “sliding” to the river bank. As a result, major additional reinforcement and concreting was carried out at the very base of the statue.
A year after opening, another problem appeared. The statue's sword, made of stainless steel and covered with titanium sheets, was made with errors in calculations. The wide blade caused excessive tension, resulting in swaying. Over the winter, the metal became deformed and began to make a sharp creaking sound.
The decision was made only in 1972.
The sword was replaced with a new one, cast at the local metallurgical plant "Red October". Now it was made of steel. The windage was reduced by adding holes in the top. The next survey in 1986 revealed a number of further deviations from the specified parameters. Based on the recommendations received, work was carried out to strengthen the frame and façade.
A key mistake during construction was made through no fault of the architect or workers. “Motherland” was built at a difficult time for the country. Many cities have not yet been restored from ruins, so all funds were directed to construction, and not to the development of new innovative technologies to improve the quality of concrete.
The result was periodic weathering and minor cracking of the structure under ultraviolet radiation and strong steppe winds. Therefore, every year it undergoes minor decorative repairs.
Technical characteristics of the monument
The base for the statue is a 2-meter pedestal resting on a solid foundation. The hill on which it is located was formed artificially. Initially, the hill was located on the site where the church stands.
The soil for the embankment was transported by truck for 1 month. According to approximate data, more than 150 tons of earth were delivered. The weight of the resulting statue structure is 8,000 tons of reinforced concrete.
The internal cavity is hollow; there are 119 metal cables located here, each of which is designed to hold a load of 60 tons. The purpose of the tension is to hold and stiffen the entire structure. Pretension control is carried out using sensors located at the ends of the stretch marks. Some of them are not whole, but are joined on intermediate floors, strengthening the concrete structure.
The most complex structure is located at chest level of the monument. The mentioned steel cables distribute the loads of the structure, absorbing the tension of the weight of the monument’s arms. It should be noted that the “Motherland” does not have any adhesion to the foundation, so it is supported like a chess piece, under its own weight.
Contrary to numerous speculations about the once existing elevator and restaurant for VIPs and an observation deck located in the head and sword, there is nothing like that here. You can climb to the upper part only by stairs, 52 m high, with 203 steps. Most of the premises are small rooms with an area of 3*3 m.
However, in the area of the head and chest there are 2 large rooms in which equipment is located that takes into account the vibration of the structure. You can only get into the head via a metal ladder installed vertically. To do this, you will have to overcome a shaft with a diameter of no more than 1.5 m. The room has an exit intended for industrial climbers. There are 2 more in the hilt of the sword.
Interesting facts about the monument “The Motherland Calls”
At the time of design, Vuchetich changed the project concept after it was approved. Initially, he proposed an option of two compositions: a warrior is kneeling in front of a woman, holding out a sword to her.
Yevgeny Viktorovich’s ideological considerations were based on the fact that a soldier cannot give up his weapons, since the war is not over yet. This is not the only deviation from the planned project.
A number of other changes were gradually introduced, which few people know about:
Excursions to Mamayev Kurgan. Prices
Mamayev Kurgan is a place where one can still feel the bitterness of loss and the joy of victory in the Great Patriotic War. Get acquainted with the main attractions and exhibitions memorial complex You can do it yourself or use the services of guides.
The review begins and ends in one place: at the foot of a staircase consisting of 200 steps, similar to the number of days that the Battle of Stalingrad lasted. As a rough guide, the table below provides information on the cost of excursion services at the Battle of Stalingrad Museum-Reserve (Mamaev Kurgan).
| Category, civil status of tourist | Cost of services, rub. |
| Groups of citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus numbering from 1 to 5 | 1,200 for a group |
| Groups foreign citizens number from 1 to 5 | 2,500 for a group |
| Citizen of the Russian Federation and Belarus | 250 |
| Students of the Russian Federation, Belarus, applicants to higher education educational institutions full-time education | 150 |
| Students of secondary educational institutions of the Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus | 100 |
| Citizens of foreign countries | 400 |
The cost of providing services is given in accordance with the order of the Battle of Stalingrad Museum-Reserve dated February 22, 2018.
Possibility of statue destruction
The “Motherland” statue in Volgograd, whose height reaches 85 m, can stand for a long time. Despite the numerous design errors mentioned earlier, there is no likelihood of destruction. With appropriate maintenance and control, one of the unique monuments recognized as a miracle of Russia will remain intact for many years.
Beginning in 1966, the statue began to deviate from its original position. However, calculated information shows that there is nothing critical in this that exceeds acceptable standards. For example, in the period from 2000 to 2008. it has shifted by 16 mm. The design features of the project assume and allow a deviation from the vertical axis of 272 mm.
One of the most unique buildings in Russia has been haunted by various legends and stories throughout its history. If some of them are real, then a number of others are simply fiction.
If we talk about facts from the present past, we can highlight the following:
Among the fairy tales, the most common are 2:
- The story is about the elevator, restaurant and observation deck that were in operation many years ago, which were mentioned earlier.
- The myth is that after the monument was opened, one of the members of the selection committee got lost inside it. Despite the huge number of small rooms, getting lost in them is problematic.
Comparison of the statue with other large monuments in the world
The statue “Motherland” in Volgograd, the height of which allows it to be included in the 10 tallest monuments depicting a full-length human figure. If we talk about Russian sculptures, only the monument to Peter I, located on the Moscow River, exceeds it.
However, if we take into account that the Volgograd exhibit is more than 50 years old, and the Moscow one is only 21 and imagine the difference in technological progress of these times, preference is given to the first. The height of a person is only 18 m, and 98 is achieved taking into account the ensemble of ship masts.
Statue of Liberty in New York
“Statue of Liberty” translated from English means “Freedom Illuminating the World.” It is located not far from New York Manhattan, on an island in the middle of the bay. The monument was built in late XIX century as a reminder of the centenary of the independence of the United States. What is noteworthy is that the construction of the statue was carried out not by the Americans, but by the French, and the element itself was presented as a gift.
The monument represents a woman dressed in a tunic covering her entire body, with the exception of her head, arms and feet. With her bare feet she stands on broken chains, representing independence. There is a 7-pointed crown on the head, a lit torch in the right raised hand, and a tablet in the left hand, reminiscent of the date of the Declaration of Independence.
Unlike the Volgograd monument, thin copper sheets were used for construction here, which were minted in wooden forms and installed on a steel base.
Acquainted with technical characteristics The Statue of Liberty can be found in the table below:
Statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro
The Brazilian statue is classified as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Its height is 38 m, but due to the fact that it is located on the very high point, periodically it becomes a so-called lightning rod. About 4 - 5 times a year it is struck by lightning.
The founding date of the monument is equivalent to the centenary of Brazil's independence.
Work on it began in 1922, and 9 years later the construction was completed. The uniqueness of the work performed lies in the fact that for a number of reasons it was not possible to carry it out on site. As a result, frame production took place in France. For this, reinforced concrete and soapstone were used.
You can see the general technical characteristics of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro in the table:
Buddha statue in Japan
In Japanese it is called Ushiku Daibutsu, which means Big Buddha, and it is located in the city of Ushiku. It is the third largest statue in the world and the largest made of bronze. It rises above the ground to a height of 120 m, of which the platform size is only 20 m.
By her appearance, she shows that she is transmitting the teachings to followers heading along the right path of enlightenment. The right arm is raised, the left is lowered along the body. The palms are turned towards the observers. The index and thumb of each of them are connected at the tips, the rest are straight.
The technical characteristics of the monument are given in the table:
Motherland in Ukraine
The monument was opened in 1981. It was the first steel monument of this size built on the territory of the Soviet Union. The work on the appearance of the statue was carried out by E. V. Vuchetich, who created the “Motherland” on Mamayev Kurgan. The sudden death of the sculptor did not stop the work. His work was continued by Vasily Borodai and a number of other specialists who worked under Evgeniy Viktorovich.
The statue on the banks of the Dnieper is depicted as a woman holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, symbolizing the defense of the Fatherland. The structure is hollow, inside it there are 2 elevators designed for the movement of maintenance and repair personnel. In the early 2000s, tourists were allowed to climb to the top of the statue, where it was equipped Observation deck.
However, in 2003, there was a case of a visitor falling, as a result of which entry inside was limited. Regular inspections of the technical condition suggest that the safety margin of the Motherland monument is more than 150 years old.
You can see the technical characteristics of the statue in the table:
The statue “Motherland” emphasizes the high moral spirit of the Russian people, the creator of the great historical event that refracted the course of the Great Patriotic War. The battles for Volgograd (Stalingrad) revealed a soldier’s unrequited love for his homeland, regardless of nationality and civil status.
Article format: Lozinsky Oleg
Video about the statue Motherland
The history of the creation of the Motherland statue in Volgograd:
The Great Patriotic War will apparently never be forgotten. The Victory was too hard for us. In every city there are either squares or parks and squares where monuments are erected to its heroes.
Woman with a sword
An entire ensemble was created on the famous Mamayev Kurgan (Volgograd). It is dedicated to those who won the Ideological and compositional center of this large structure- a sculpture that is known all over the world. It's called "The Motherland Calls!" True, not everyone is aware that it itself is not independent, but part of a triptych, but at least central.
The second part of the complex is the composition “Rear to Front”. It was completed and stands in Magnitogorsk. A worker is shown presenting a sword to a warrior. And they forged it just in the Urals. And the whole ensemble is completed by the well-known monument - “Warrior-Liberator”. Location: Berlin.
The tallest
Many are interested in the height of the “Motherland” statue in Volgograd. We answer: 85 meters, and the woman’s height is 52 m. The weight of the structure is 8000 tons. The length of the sword is 3300 cm. And it weighs no less than 14,000 kg! These are the “passport” parameters of this unique work.
In the year of completion of construction, the sculpture turned out to be the largest in the world. She was even included in the Guinness Book of Records. Compare: the Statue of Liberty rises 46 meters from the pedestal, and the height of Christ (the Redeemer) is only 38. Today, given the height of the “Motherland,” experts have given it 11th place on the list
It was a long time ago
The construction of such a memorial was given extreme importance. Everything was taken into account. And also what is the height of the “Motherland” statue. There were no restrictions either in money or in the most modern building materials. The best creators were invited. The main one here was Evgeniy Vuchetich - People's Artist of the USSR, participant in the Great Patriotic War. He has already made a wonderful army (ten years ago), which adorns Berlin's Treptower Park. Also his work is “Let us beat swords into ploughshares.” The sculpture is displayed in front of the UN building in New York.
The head of the engineering group was Nikolai Nikitin, a professor of architecture, as well as a doctor of technical sciences. In the 50s he designed the buildings of Moscow State University. In the future he will be assigned to work on Ostankino Tower. Now calculations of particular complexity were needed. Because this monument is super tall. The “Motherland” in Volgograd must be impeccable.
Vasily Chuikov, the marshal, took over the consultation from a military point of view. At the front he was nicknamed “assault commander.” It was he who commanded the 62nd Army, which did not surrender Mamaev Kurgan to the enemy. During the defense of Stalingrad, Chuikov came up with special assault groups. They suddenly broke into houses, passing through underground communications. The Germans could not even understand where this blow came from.
After the war, the marshal was rewarded for his work on the monument in an original way: he was allowed (at his request) to be buried on Mamayev Kurgan, next to those 34,505 soldiers who died defending Stalingrad. In 1982, their commander himself was buried near the “Motherland”.
The architectural and engineering group created the figure of a woman (the height of the “Motherland” statue, as we have already said, is 85 meters), who takes an impetuous, energetic step forward. In her hand is a sword raised against the invaders. the country is calling its people to fight the enemy.
Prototype of the statue
And who, I wonder, posed for the sculptor then? The candidate, Valentina Izotova, was found by chance. Now she is a pensioner, a resident of Volgograd. And then she was 26 years old. And she worked as a waitress in one restaurant. There she was seen by Vuchetich’s assistant, also the sculptor L. Maistrenko. He liked Izotova’s stern, serious face, her athletic figure, and her purposeful look. The candidacy was approved.
This work took Valentina Ivanovna two years. Be that as it may, the creative process is a complex matter. Especially considering how incredible the height of the sculpture is. “Motherland” in Volgograd really turned out to be outstanding. People come from everywhere to look at it and pay tribute to the defenders of the country. At night, the light of powerful spotlights falls on the monument (the height of the “Motherland” is truly amazing) and the impression is very strong.
Interesting fact. When we decided to develop the design of the flag and the region, we decided to take the silhouette as a basis. There were no other opinions. And on the postage stamp of the GDR, issued in 1983, there is the same image.
Not an easy job
When you visit this place, you understand the full significance of those battles. For more than four months (more precisely, 140 days), there were bloody, brutal battles for just one point - height No. 102. And every piece of this land is still dangerous. Although more than 70 years have passed since there are no more shots or volleys here, people still find shells on the hill today that did not explode then. That is why this territory was chosen to perpetuate the feat of people.
Construction of the unusual monument (the height of the “Motherland” is very large) began in 1959, in the spring. Completed in the fall of 1967. That is, the work went on for more than eight years. First, laying the concrete foundation. A base box was placed on top. The builders intended to cover the pedestal with stones. But an order came from Secretary General Khrushchev, and 150 thousand tons of earth were poured on top in order to further strengthen the foundation. Therefore, today the top of the mound is imported.
Under the sculpture (the height of the “Motherland” is amazing) lies a thick (one and a half meters) slab and another base of 16 meters.
Smaller layout
When it was the turn of the woman’s figure, they cast it right here on the hill. How could it be otherwise, if the height of the “Motherland” statue in Volgograd is extremely large! But a scaled-down (exactly ten times) model stood nearby. And so, gradually, looking at the stencil, they poured tier after tier. This is how the “woman” was collected. Cars with cargo arrived here around the clock. Everything was done very efficiently. The concrete, for example, was taken exactly the same as that allocated for the Volga hydroelectric power station. And the fillers for it were also chosen most carefully.
But now the whole figure is ready. Then they grabbed their heads. True, they cast it separately. And they lifted me up by helicopter. There was no other way to do it. The height of the “Motherland” did not allow it.
I had to work a lot with the sword. At first it was made of stainless steel, sheathed with durable pieces (made of titanium). However, it swayed and rattled loudly in the wind. That is why in 1972 this weapon was removed and another steel structure was installed.
Restoration
Restoration activities were carried out in 1972 and 1986. Five years ago we were engaged in ensuring his safety. After all, the height of the “Motherland” monument in Volgograd is, to say the least, decent. She's huge! And over time, everything changes, ages, weakens. And this is even despite the fact that the thickness of the reinforced concrete walls of the monument is 25-30 cm. Inside, it is assembled from large individual cells. The frame, while rigid in itself, is still supported by 119 cables made of durable metal. And they constantly experience powerful tension.
The heaviest sword with its simply fabulously gigantic size swayed in the wind. And where it was attached to the woman’s hand, excessive tension arose. The design of the sword became deformed over time. So we worked on this problem as well.
Sliding Down
Since the height of the “Motherland” is great, and the figure stands on clay soil, which is slowly but invariably sliding towards the Volga, experts sounded the alarm. After all, the statue may collapse. It has already shifted by 214 mm. And this is almost 80 percent of what was allowed by initial calculations. But experts say the planned strength has not yet been exhausted.
This project was conceived for a deviation of 272 mm. And its base was slightly deformed. In total, the norm was only 90 mm. After the next restoration, the monument will last a long time.
1.Bronze statue of Buddha Ushiku Daibutsu, Japan.
Ushiku Daibutsu, located in Ushiku, in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan, is the tallest free-standing bronze statue in the world. Built in 1995, the total height is 120 m above the ground, including a 10 m base and a 10 m lotus platform. An elevator takes visitors to a height of 85m above the ground, where the observation deck is located.
2. Guanyang Buddhist statue, Sanya, China.
Sanya is located in the smallest province of China people's republic Hainian, on south coast countries. Yalong Wan is a local park located on the coast 7.5 km southeast of Sanya City. The main attraction of the park is the 108-meter statue of Guanyin.
This statue was completed in May 2005 and is one of the tallest in the world.
3. Yellow Chinese Emperors Huangdi and Yandi, China.
The 103-meter-tall statue is located in China and is a sculpture of two ancient Chinese emperors - Huangdi and Yandi.
4. Motherland, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Monument-sculpture of the Motherland, standing in Kyiv on the high right bank of the Dnieper. The height of the Motherland sculpture is 62 meters, the total height with the pedestal is 102 meters.
5. Monument to Peter I, Moscow, Russia
The monument to Peter I by Zurab Tsereteli was erected by order of the Moscow Government on the spit of the island of the Moscow River and the Obvodny Canal in 1997.
The total height of the monument is 98 meters.
6. Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island, New York, USA.
The world's embodiment of Liberty, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, is a colossal statue donated to the United States by France in 1886, installed on Liberty Island in New York at the mouth of the Hudson River.
7. Sculpture The Motherland Calls, Volgograd, Russia.
Sculpture “The Motherland is Calling!” — the compositional center of the monument-ensemble “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd. The work of sculptor E. V. Vuchetich and engineer N. V. Nikitin. Built in 1967, height 84 meters.
8. Maitreya Buddha Statue in Leshan, Leshan, China.
The statue is located east of the city of Leshan in Sichuan province, at the intersection of three rivers. Construction took place over 90 years. The height of the statue is 71 m, the height of the head is almost 15 m, the shoulder span is almost 30 m, the length of the finger is 8 m, the length of the toe is 1.6 m, the length of the nose is 5.5 m. It is recognized as a monument World Heritage UNESCO.
9. Bamiyan Buddha statues, Afghanistan.
Two giant Buddha statues (Buddha of Bamyan) - 55 and 37 meters, part of a complex of Buddhist monasteries in the Bamiyan Valley in central Afghanistan, are located 230 km north of Kabul. The statues were barbarically destroyed, despite protests from the world community and other Islamic countries, in 2001 by the Taliban, who believed that they were pagan idols and should be destroyed. Japan, Switzerland and UNESCO, among others, have expressed support for the restoration of the statues.
10. Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Christ the Redeemer Statue - a huge Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ, 32m high and weighing 1000 tons, is located on the top of the 710m Corcovado mountain overlooking the city.
A powerful symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Without a doubt, the obelisk of Bayonet, Brest, Belarus deserves our attention.
The bayonet - obelisk (all-welded metal structure, lined with titanium; height 100 m, weight 620 tons) is part of the Brest Fortress - Hero memorial complex.
What monument should be installed on the grave? Antik CJSC will help resolve the issue. The plant offers a huge catalog of gabbro products - monuments and gravestones. Come in and make your choice.
