I promised that I would talk about Russia, and in particular about my hometown - Volgograd (In the past - Stalingrad). And so, today a theme awaits us, the main symbol of the city. Arriving in Volgograd for tourist purposes, you will certainly be offered to visit this iconic, epoch-making place. We are talking about the memorial in memory of the "Great Patriotic War" (the period of the Second World War) - Mamayev Kurgan. And, the main object of Mamaev Kurgan is the statue "Motherland Calls". (tactical and technical characteristics at the end of the article).
Perhaps I'll start with the Motherland Calls monument. This is simply a colossal object, perhaps the largest in Russia (made of reinforced concrete). Once upon a time, the technology of the statue was unique. After all, most of the large statues of the past are hollow inside and are made of thin copper sheets. But, the statue "Motherland Calls" was made of reinforced concrete. To create it, they used the latest engineering solutions and concrete mixtures.
The impression she makes is overwhelming. I remember when I first saw her as a teenager, I was incredibly amazed. It was a state of inability to comprehend the colossal dimensions seen. And even today, when I'm used to seeing her, she delights me. The monument makes exactly the same impression on the majority of foreigners. As well as the memorial itself.
Having once visited this historical place, people periodically return there during their new visits to Volgorad. Of course, in our days, in the world, there are already statues made of monolithic reinforced concrete, superior to "Motherland", it should not be written off. Indeed, in fact, there are not so many statues of colossal size in the whole world. And if you come to visit this city, you should visit this site. Moreover, the government began investing in the improvement of the complex and adjacent parks.
The author of the project of the monument was Evgeny Viktorovich Vuchetich (years of his life: 1908-1974). E. Vuchetich, was already famous for his monument in Berlin. And, it was personally approved by J.V. Stalin. Under the leadership of Vuchetich, a team of the best engineers, builders and sculptors worked. The engineering group was led by Doctor of Technical Sciences - Nikolai Vasilievich Nikitin (years of life: 1907-1973). It is worth clarifying that Nikitin also carried out calculations for the construction of the Moscow Ostankino TV Tower (I will write about it later).
The decision to build the Motherland Calls monument was made in January 1958. But do not be surprised by the statement above about the appointment of Vuchetich, personally by Stalin (Stalin died in 1953). Stalin planned the construction of the complex. But it was only in 1958 that they decided to start construction.
And already in May 1959, the construction of this monument began. Like everything else in the USSR, the construction of "Motherland" was carried out at a very fast pace. The government spared no effort and money, because it was a memorial of the city, where the turning point of the entire Second World War took place. When the Wehrmacht troops lost their power and began to retreat, suffering defeat after defeat. There will also be an article about this. and the construction was completed on October 15, 1967.
And now about the characteristics of the monument and its surroundings:
The duration of the erection of the monument was 8 years. The height of the statue, including the sword, is 85 meters. The height of the body of the statue is 52 meters. Plus, the statue stands on a pedestal, 2 meters high. And the height of the hill on the top of which it is installed is 1.5 kilometers. The mass of the statue is 8 thousand tons. The weight of the sword is 14 tons. Inside, the statue is hollow, consisting of cells-chambers ("rooms"). The thickness of the walls of the statue is 25-30 centimeters. The rigidity of the frame is supported by 117 tensioned steel cables (a similar principle is also applied in the Ostankino TV Tower).
I hope the article will fit on Facebook. Continuation, already about the entire complex "Mamaev Kurgan", will follow later. More photos will be on Instagram. My address is there @world_of_dsb
#Russia #USSR #TheSecondWorldWar #Volgograd #Stalingrad #worldofDSB #Russianblogger #BlogaboutRussia #Mamaevkurgan #TheMotherlandCallsMonument