The Sword of Victory is a triptych of monumental Soviet monuments. At the foot of the monument
I first saw “Motherland” in seventh grade. This was my first trip to, we got to the city by boat from Astrakhan and stayed there for just a day. We had sightseeing tour around Volgograd with visits to its most iconic places, and the “Motherland” became the most strong impression day. That year, work was underway to repair and ensure the safety of the statue, and a small ladder was hanging from its ear. But it was a day off, and no work was being done, and the guide said that especially impressionable people even get dizzy when they watch the restoration work - tiny people are moving around the huge statue. It's no joke, such a scale!
Every time I came to Volgograd, I always bought carnations, went to Mamayev Kurgan to lay them in the Hall of Military Glory and be sure to go up to the “Motherland” statue. This was a certain tradition for me. Even when I moved to Volgograd for a year, I worked there and passed by twice a day Mamayev Kurgan, this statue still impressed me.
And now I will try to tell you everything I know about her.
Story
The Battle of Stalingrad is considered one of the bloodiest battles in human history. The Third Reich, the Kingdom and the Kingdom, and Finnish volunteers fought against the USSR in this battle, which resulted in a hard-fought victory for the USSR.
This is what Stalingrad looked like from the air in 1942. Photo of the Luftwaffe bombing of residential areas of the city.
Military victories are never easy, and the victory at Stalingrad was especially difficult for our country. The amount of irrecoverable losses on our part only is more than a million Human. But it was precisely this victory that meant a radical change in the course of the Great Patriotic War- failure of the Axis offensive on the Eastern Front, removal of the threat of the Wehrmacht capturing the Lower Volga region and the Caucasus. With this victory began the counteroffensive of the Red Army and a long the hard way by May 9, 1945.
Flag over the liberated city, late January 1943. More than 35 thousand participants in the Battle of Stalingrad are buried on the Mamayev Kurgan, on top of which the statue “The Motherland Calls!” is located. Of the 200 days of battle, 135 were spent fighting for this height. From here the Volga was clearly visible, and in war conditions this was strategically important. The most fierce battles took place for the significant height, and it changed hands more than once. Even in winter, when the war began in Stalingrad severe frosts and it was snowing, the ground on Mamayev Kurgan remained black from the explosion of bombs and shells, for one square meter here there were up to one and a half thousand fragments and bullets. The ground was completely strewn with a pile of metal, and in the spring of 1943 the grass never sprouted here.
The guides say that that spring not a single tree in Stalingrad turned green. Only one tree had sticky green leaves swollen. This poplar still stands on the Alley of Heroes, as a natural monument to that battle - “this poplar carried its life through the great battle.”
Another monument to this battle was erected on Mamayev Kurgan after the end of the war.
Architect
Soviet sculptor-monumentalist Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich created and worked in the style socialist realism, and most of his works are dedicated to the period of the Great Patriotic War. He knew about the war firsthand. In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, he volunteered to go to the front as an ordinary soldier-machine gunner; by the end of 1942 he had risen to the rank of captain, and in the same year he was seriously shell-shocked in the battles near Leningrad. The war seriously influenced his work and, having previously taken part in the construction of civilian objects, he becomes a war artist and turns all his attention to the historical military events of the past, finally developing as a sculptor.
Soviet sculptor-monumentalist Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich He worked a lot on monuments and busts, but world fame he received works in the historical and symbolic genre dedicated to the period of the Great Patriotic War: the monument “Warrior-Liberator” in Berlin, the monument “Union of Fronts” in Pyatimorsk, the allegorical statue “Let’s Beat Swords into Plowshares” in New York and Moscow and his most famous work - “The Motherland is calling!” in Volgograd.
In Volgograd there is another iconic work of the master - a monument to Lenin at the entrance to the Volga-Don Canal. But initially a gigantic monument to Stalin was built on this site. Vuchetich worked on the project with full responsibility: the monument was completed in as soon as possible, and the best native copper was used to cast the figure. But the monument to the “leader of the peoples” was destined to stand for only a few years - in 1956, de-Stalinization began and... the monument was demolished. And Vuchetich was invited to work on the Volga-Don again, but this time on the Lenin monument, which still stands to this day in the Krasnoarmeysky district of Volgograd. There is a story going around in the city that the head of the Stalin monument was simply “cut off” and Lenin’s head was “attached” in its place. This is, of course, not true. Vuchetich, like any creator, was irritated by the barbaric attitude towards his past work, so he suggested making do with a bust of Lenin. But after a series of long persuasion he agreed to erect a monument in full height using the same technology (lightweight reinforced concrete) that was used to build the Motherland. So the monument to Lenin became the largest (27 meters sculpture and 30 meters pedestal) monument in the world erected to a real person. This monument is worth a look just for its scale.
By the way, after the completion of the sculpture “The Motherland is Calling!” In Stalingrad, Vuchetich began work on a similar monument in Kyiv. But I didn’t have time to finish it. “Motherland” in Kyiv was headed by another architect and significantly changed the original version proposed by Vuchetich. And the sculpture “Motherland” still rises on the Dnieper slopes and is clearly visible from different points in Kyiv.
Description
Sculpture “The Motherland Calls!” at the same time it is the compositional center of the monument to the "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" on Mamayev Kurgan and... the central part of the triptych - "Rear to the Front", "The Motherland Calls!" and "Warrior Liberator". According to the authors, the meaning of the monumental structure is this: the sword, forged in the rear in the Urals, was raised by the Motherland in Stalingrad and lowered after the Victory in Berlin. A grandiose task in its conception! Vuchetich, as a master, had a hand in only two parts of this triptych; the monument “Rear to Front” was completed after his death.
Incredibly, a competition for the construction of a monument in Stalingrad was announced even before the end of the war. They shared their vision of the monument famous architects, And ordinary soldiers. Work even came from abroad. Only the future creator of the monument did not take part in the competition. They say that Stalin personally discussed this sculpture with him, choosing and approving his candidacy from many others. After approval, Vuchetich abandoned the original composition of the monument - it was assumed that the soldier would extend his sword to the Motherland. But could a soldier give his sword to someone if the war was not over yet?
But construction of the monument began after Stalin’s death in 1959. For a greater immersion in history, I advise you to try to imagine a city destroyed by war, almost razed to the ground, where one of the most bloody battles in the history of mankind, a city where quite recently passed largest battle World War II, the city that Winston Churchill proposed to leave as is after the war:
“It would be nice to leave the terrible ruins of this legendary city untouched, and build a new one nearby, modern city. The ruins of Stalingrad, like the ruins of Carthage, would forever remain a unique monument to human resilience and suffering. They would attract pilgrims from all over the earth and serve as a warning to future generations."
And now this city begins to be raised from the ruins, and in this city they begin to raise this monument, incredible in its strength and power, as a sign of memory of the events of the war and the memory of the immortal feat of our people. When I see “Motherland,” I simply cannot help but think about the events of those years.
The multi-meter figure of a woman with her face distorted in a scream steps forward, clutching a sword in her raised hand. Such an allegory of the image of the Motherland, calling its sons to battle with the enemy. In 1968, Andrei Sakharov shared his memories of his meeting with Vuchetich. While Vuchetich was working on the project, his superiors asked him why the statue was screaming. The answer was simple:
- And she screams - for the Motherland... your mother!
By the way, the expression “Motherland” itself has been known in Russian since the 19th century. In Nekrasov’s poem “Sasha” there are the following lines:
“I will not awaken the guilty shadows sleeping in the graves with my enmity.
Motherland! I have humbled my soul // Loving son came back to you."
But this image became widespread during the Great Patriotic War, and its origin was precisely in the context Soviet image obliged to the poster “The Motherland is Calling!” According to the author of this poster, artist Irakli Toidze, he drew the first sketches for this poster... from his wife. On June 22, 1941, his wife ran into his workshop shouting: “War!” The artist was amazed by this news, but was even more amazed by the expression on his wife’s face and immediately took up his pencil.
The famous poster from the Great Patriotic War, created by artist Irakli Toidze at the end of June 1941. That poster became legendary, but the image of the mother became more legendary. Later it was embodied in sculptures that are installed today in different cities and countries. The most famous of them is located in Volgograd.
Versions about who served as the prototype for the sculpture for Vuchetich vary. There is an opinion that there are certain similarities between the sculpture and the figure of the Marseillaise on Arc de Triomphe in Paris, or even with the ancient Greek marble statue of the Nike of Samothrace. IN different years women showed up and said that it was they who posed for the sculptor’s great plan. Therefore, it would be more accurate to say that the “portrait” was collective. The prototype of the figure was the famous discus thrower Nina Dumbadze, and the sculptor sculpted the face from a portrait his own wife.
And in terms of the intensity of her emotions, she also reminds me of famous photograph during the Great Patriotic War.
"Combat", 1942. Photographer Max Alpert. The total height of the statue is 85 meters, weight is more than 8 thousand tons. For comparison: the height of the Statue of Liberty without a pedestal is 46 meters, and the height of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil is 38 meters, and in comparison with the height of a person, the figure of the “Motherland” is increased 30 times. For a long time“Motherland” was considered the tallest statue in the world, but then it was surpassed in this list by religious sculptures and statues installed in Asia. However, it still remains the tallest monument in Russia and Europe.
Construction
Most The foundation on which the statue is installed is hidden underground. The “Motherland” was cast layer by layer, the construction of the statue required a stable pouring of concrete on schedule, and to ensure this, trucks delivering concrete were marked with special signs that gave them priority right of passage, just like emergency vehicles - they could even pass to red.
This is how the construction of the statue “The Motherland Calls!” went on. The sculpture is hollow inside, and the rigidity of the frame is supported by tensioned metal cables. The project was calculated with pinpoint precision. True, a small miscalculation was made with the sword that the statue clutches in its hand. The design had such a property as “windage” and swayed during the wind, causing excess mechanical stress at the attachment point. Therefore, the sword was soon replaced with a new one, with small holes in its upper part, which significantly reduced its mobility in windy weather.
The average person, who is far from all architectural and engineering affairs, is struck by the scale of the tower to the most banal questions: “And how was it built? This is simply incredible!” It simply takes my breath away when I stand at the very base of the statue and look at it, throwing my head back, from bottom to top.
Experienced engineer Nikolai Nikitin, who worked in a team with Vuchetich, had previously designed the main building of Moscow State University and the Ostankino TV tower. When calculating the design of this statue, he even included a “margin for displacement.” But, according to experts, the statue continues to be rejected, and this issue has already been raised several times at the state level. There are refutations to these fears, which, however, should not interfere with monitoring the condition of the statue in the most careful manner.
Symbol
Construction of the statue was completed in 1967. I can’t even imagine what happened in the first years after its opening. Young veterans walked there in an endless stream, participants in the Battle of Stalingrad laid flowers in memory of their fallen comrades, surviving residents of the destroyed but unbroken city came here to look at this place with different eyes, people came here specially from other cities and countries, brought excursions and school groups... They still come. But when I showed the photographs taken on Mamayev Kurgan on Victory Day to my grandmother, she told me that in those years it was like this here every day. I'm sure that's how it was.
Six times I came to Moscow specifically on May 9 to watch the Parade on the Square of Fallen Soldiers, climb Mamayev Kurgan and sit in the evening near the Volga on the Embankment. I remember the years when many more veterans could be met in the crowd going to the top of the mound, they were given flowers and children were photographed with them. I also remember the year when the action “ Immortal Regiment" Every year there are more and more participants in this action. Thus, history, which has become a personal part of every family in our country, cannot remain only on the pages of textbooks. Memory, live.
I can’t imagine without Mamayev Kurgan, without this statue. “Motherland” is on both the flag and the coat of arms of the Volgograd region. But this is not only a symbol of the entire city, it is a symbol of that history that we should not forget about.
Sculpture “The Motherland Calls”The monument “The Motherland Calls” is the compositional center of the ensemble “Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad”; it is made in the form of a statue of a woman-mother who steps forward with a raised sword, calling on her sons to fight the enemy. The impression of the sculpture is enhanced by the hair tousled in the wind, the sharp contours of the figure, the bright emotionality of the face and strong hands women. Wide open eyes and mouth create an atmosphere of anxiety and tension. The fact that the monument does not stand on a high pedestal, but only two meters above the ground, makes it even more realistic.
At the foot of the monument “The Motherland Calls” there is the top of Mamayev Kurgan - Sorrow Square. From here, from the very center of Volgograd, a breathtaking view of the entire memorial complex, city blocks, the wide Volga valley and Trans-Volga region.
The author's idea of the monument
The initiator of the creation majestic monument became the famous Soviet sculptor-monumentalist Evgeniy Viktorovich Vutechich. He took part in the Great Patriotic War, was shell-shocked in battle and fully understood the severity of the trials the people endured.
E. V. Vutechich is considered one of the founders of the monumental style, which later received the name “Stalinist classicism.” The works he created are distinguished by gigantism, the use of modernist traditions and the pathos of the plots.
Before the creation of the “Motherland Calls” memorial in Volgograd, Vutechich led a large-scale art project in Berlin's Treptower Park. In collaboration with architects and engineers, he created a monument ensemble dedicated to the soldiers of the Red Army, the center of which was the expressive bronze figure of the Liberator Warrior.
The sculptor began work on the banks of the Volga, having extensive experience in artistic and technical solutions. On open spaces Mamayev Kurgan, he proposed creating a group of several large-scale sculptures that would be clearly visible from different sides. The figure of the Motherland, according to the author, was supposed to symbolize the call of the Fatherland to its citizens - to protect native land from enemies.
There are several versions of who exactly Vutečić chose as the prototype for his sculpture of the Motherland. Someone claims that his wife Vera posed for Vutechich. Others say that the face on the monument bears a portrait resemblance to the famous discus thrower in the USSR and multiple record holder Nina Yakovlevna Dumbadze. Volgograd residents themselves are convinced that the sculptor’s heroine was the waitress of the Volgograd restaurant, Valentina Izotova.
The constructed monument “The Motherland Calls” was recognized as an outstanding example monumental art and made the name of the sculptor widely known not only in the country, but also abroad. In 1970, the team of authors who worked on the monument was awarded the Lenin Prize.
History of the construction of the monument “The Motherland Calls”
The construction of the memorial ensemble on Mamayev Kurgan began in 1959, when Volgograd itself had not yet been completely restored from ruins. In those years, during excavation work, unexploded shells and mines were found, and therefore sappers were on constant duty near the working excavator.
In addition to E. V. Vutechich, several other sculptors worked on the monument “The Motherland Calls”. The team of architects was headed by Yakov Borisovich Belopolsky, and the engineering issues for the construction of the memorial were handled by a well-known construction specialist in the country, architect Nikolai Vasilyevich Nikitin. He was entrusted with the task of developing the design of the foundation and supporting frames of the huge monument.
In addition to construction work, the war memorial project included the “sounding” of all sculptural compositions, including the monument “The Motherland Calls”. This work was entrusted to announcer Yuri Borisovich Levitan, sound engineer Alexander Ivanovich Geraskin and director Viktor Kadievich Magataev. The role of consultant on military issues was performed by the Marshal Soviet Union Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov, whose troops managed to defend the city on the Volga during the Great Patriotic War.
Initially, the sculptors created a small half-meter version of the monument. It was made in a workshop located in the basement of the Volgograd Minsk store. Then work on the monument continued at the Gazoapparat plant. There, based on the manufactured model, a five-meter version of the monument was built.
In the original design, there were supposed to be two figures at the monument - a woman-mother and a kneeling soldier. It was also assumed that the woman would hold an unfurled banner in her hand. They planned to decorate the pedestal lavishly.
General view memorial during construction
However, the sculptor Vutečić later abandoned all these ideas. He did not build a staircase to the monument, but limited himself to a pedestrian path, which, like a ribbon, encircled the foot of the monument. In addition, during the production process it was decided to increase the size main sculpture military memorial from 32 to 56 meters, and then to 85 m.
During construction work, the organizers had to solve a variety of problems. The layers of concrete had to be firmly bonded to each other. To do this, it was necessary to establish a continuous supply of concrete to the construction site. To ensure that concrete trucks were not delayed on their way, they were equipped with colored tapes. Drivers were given permission to drive through red traffic lights, and traffic police officers were instructed not to slow down such cars.
In May 1965, construction inspectors from Gosstroy made recommendations to significantly strengthen the reinforced concrete structure. The fears of engineers and technologists were caused by the condition of the soil on which the “Motherland Calls” monument was erected. This was a watered layer of Maikop clays, and they gradually “slipped” towards the Volga coast. To prevent a disaster from happening, the builders did additional concreting at the base of the monument.
Construction continued for several years, mainly during the warm season. In October 1967, all work was completed and the monument was inaugurated.
The sculpture “The Motherland Calls” is part of a triptych that also includes monuments in Magnitogorsk and Berlin. The Ural monument “Rear to Front” symbolizes the sword of Victory, which workers forged for the soldiers who liberated the country from invaders. The sculpture “The Motherland Calls” raises this sword to fight the enemy. And the "Liberator Warrior" in Berlin holds his sword down as the war is finally over.
Sculpture “The Motherland Calls!” Infographics
Elimination of design defects
The first problems with the “Motherland Calls” monument were revealed the very next year after its opening. The “weak point” of the monument turned out to be the sword that the Motherland held in her hand. It was originally made from durable stainless steel sheets and lined with titanium. However, this decision turned out to be technically erroneous. The large size and weight of the sword led to its excessive windage. There was excess tension where the sword was attached to the arm. From swinging, it was slightly deformed, and the titanium sheets made an unpleasant rattling sound in the wind.
Given these problems, in 1972 the old sword was replaced with one made entirely of steel. In addition, special holes were made in the top of the sword, which eliminated excessive windage. The sword was made from metal smelted at the Volgograd metallurgical plant "Red October".
In 1986, the entire “Motherland Calls” monument was examined by specialists. According to their recommendations, the reinforced concrete structure was further strengthened. In 2013, an architect from Moscow, Vladimir Tserkovnikov, addressed the Ministry of Culture and stated that the foundation famous sculpture was initially calculated incorrectly, and therefore the monument is in danger of collapse. It is not connected to the base in any way and is supported only by its own weight.
View of the monument from the residential area
Technical characteristics of the monument
The concrete sculpture “The Motherland Calls” stands on a two-meter pedestal. The entire structure is supported by a solid foundation, buried 16 meters into the ground. The earthen hill on which the entire memorial rises was formed artificially. In order for the foundation to withstand the enormous weight of the concrete structure, about 150 tons of earth were poured here.
The statue is hollow inside. The thickness of the walls made of reinforced concrete ranges from 25 to 30 cm. The concrete shell is supported by a metal frame weighing 2.4 thousand tons and 99 strong cables that prevent the frame from bending under the pressure of 5.5 thousand tons of concrete. The metal cables are under constant tension, and their tension is recorded by special sensors.
The height of the woman’s figure, excluding the sword, is 52 meters. Total weight the monument exceeds 8 thousand tons. The steel sword is 33 m long and weighs 14 tons. The hand holding it is extended upward by 20 m. Thus, the height of the entire monument is 85 meters.
Since 1966, the “Motherland Calls” monument has slightly deviated from the main axis, but the indicators of these deviations do not exceed the calculated standards. For example, from 2000 to 2008, the horizontal displacement of the top of the monument was only 16 mm.
View of Volgograd from the top of the monument.
Interesting facts about the monument “The Motherland Calls”
- At the time of completion of construction, the Volgograd monument was taller than all the statues in the world. Today it ranks 9th among the most tall monuments planets.
- Compared to the average height of a person, the sculpture of the Motherland is increased 30 times.
- The famous monument is depicted on the flag and coat of arms of the Volgograd region.
- Many legends have developed around the monument. One of them talks about a worker who disappeared inside the monument. This happened while he was installing a steel structure. The missing person was never found.
- Recently, 200 meters from the monument, a Orthodox church All Saints. It appeared exactly in the place where the monument itself was originally supposed to stand.
How to get there
You can get to the foot of Mamayev Kurgan, where the monument “The Motherland Calls” is erected, by buses, trolleybuses and minibus taxis. City trains and Metrotram, Volgograd's high-speed tram, also make stops here. Entrance to the memorial site is free.
: I had a truly unique opportunity to look at Mamayev Kurgan and Volgograd through the eyes of the Motherland itself.
Not every visitor to the memorial can get inside and climb to the very top. But I came to Volgograd specifically for this. It’s not so much the views that are fascinating, but the very fact that you can visit such a place, crawl through the entire interior great woman. A dream that seemed impossible came true.
First, I’ll show you what our Motherland is made of, what it’s like inside, and then we’ll look out of the hatch on the top of our head together.
1. In the non-front part of the sculpture there is a small door. From it the engineer took out an extension ladder, and we small company of four people went to the most secret and desirable room of the memorial.
2. Technical data of the sculpture.
The sculpture is made of prestressed concrete - 5,500 tons of concrete and 2,400 tons of metal structures (excluding the base on which it stands).
The total height of the monument is 85-87 meters. It is installed on a concrete foundation 16 meters deep. Height female figure- 52 meters (weight - over 8000 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 is only 25-30 centimeters.
Inside, the entire statue consists of individual chamber cells, like rooms in a building. The rigidity of the frame is maintained by ninety-nine metal cables that are constantly under tension.
I will show you all this now!
3. This photo shows the compartment in which the fire extinguisher is located and the tension cables. I use similar cables to tighten the Ostankino tower.
4. Cables pull the arms to the body, and the body is stretched vertically.
5. Fastening of vertical cables.
6. Fastening cables right hand with a sword.
7. Special sensors monitor the tension of the cables.
8. There are many different sensors inside. This one appears to be installed on a crack.
9. And this design monitors vibrations.
10. Laz in the right hand.
11. You can’t go anywhere without safety instructions. The images reminded me of life safety lessons at school, which we didn’t take particularly seriously, but I still know how to bandage my head (-:
12. A rare chance to stand in the throat of a monument.
13. Welcome to the head, says Elder Fura, security department engineer Viktor Grigorievich.
14. On some Russian Railways forum I was lucky enough to get excellent photographs of the period of construction of the monument.
15. The sword, 33 meters long and weighing 14 tons, was originally a steel frame covered with titanium sheets. The high windage of the sword caused it to sway strongly in the wind - excessive mechanical stress led to deformation of the structure, and an unpleasant grinding sound of metal sheets appeared. In 1972, the sword blade was replaced with a frameless one, made entirely of steel. Shorter, 28 meters, with holes to reduce windage and dampers to dampen vibrations from wind loads.
16. Ready! The prototype of the sculpture was Valentina Izotova (according to other sources, Anastasia Antonovna Peshkova, a graduate of the Barnaul Pedagogical School in 1953).
17. Viktor Grigorievich opens the hatch at the very top of his head and allows us to enjoy the view and take photographs.
18. First, let's look around. View of the Volga and the entire memorial.
19. Volgograd stretches along the river for almost a hundred kilometers. On the right there is a view of the central part of the city.
20. On the left is the Volgograd metallurgical plant "Red October".
21. Behind - military memorial cemetery, and a little closer you can see the water tanks.
Previously they were used as purification systems drinking water in the city water supply system. These tanks are eyewitnesses of the most harsh days war. In 1942-1943 they were turned into giant dugouts. During the battles for Mamayev Kurgan, the Nazis served as real bunkers: mined, with concentration large quantity equipment, weapons. It was the fiercest knot of resistance.
22. The trestle part of the dancing bridge.
24. Plant pipes.
25. Village "Tir".
26. Rotor Stadium.
27. Planetarium dome.
33. The excursion was conducted by your Dasha. By the way, it wasn’t very windy at the top that day, although I was preparing for it to blow away.
The Motherland Monument is a gorgeous monument located in the city of Volgograd. The monument represents a woman with a sword raised in the air, encouraging everyone to rise up against the enemy. The monument is an interpretation famous image the ancient goddess of victory Nike. The statue is also the center of the ensemble “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad”. ( 11 photos)
1. All the best architects of that time were involved in the construction of such a grandiose monument, because the statue had to meet stringent requirements and, first of all, had to become dear to millions of people. The chief design engineer was Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich, who at that time already had considerable experience in the construction of the country’s assets, albeit of lesser importance. The second creator of the statue was N.V. Nikitin, who later became the creator of the famous.
2. Upon completion of construction, both were awarded Lenin Prize, and the main creator Vuchetich was awarded gold star Hero of Socialist Labor. Construction of the monument began in May 1959 and lasted 8 years until 1967. Grand opening took place on October 15, 1967. At the time of completion of construction, the monument was the tallest in the world. The height of the monument is 87 meters, and the height of the woman is 52 meters. The sculpture is created from pre-stressed reinforced concrete (at that time it was widely used, but not in vain).
3. The entire sculpture stands on only a two-meter slab, which in turn rests on a relatively small foundation 16 meters deep. The statue stands like a piece on a chessboard, and does not wobble; we must pay tribute to the engineers of that time, after all, they knew how to build for centuries. The thickness of the reinforced concrete walls of the statue is only 25-30 centimeters, and inside the monument consists of small windows, and the rigidity of the tower is supported by constantly tense iron ropes. The structure of the sculpture can be compared to the structure of bones in birds.
4. The total weight of the structure is 7,900 tons. Monument to the Motherland has become real business card Volgograd. The monument is surrounded by an artificially created Walk of Fame; specifically, 200 granite steps lead to the monument along the walk, which is exactly how long the Battle of Stalingrad lasted. In this photo you see that the statue was made with an open mouth. When Vuchetich was asked why the monument’s mouth was open, because it was not beautiful, he said the following in response: “And she screams - for the Motherland... your mother! ".
5. The statue rises above the city and symbolizes it both day and night; at night the Motherland is illuminated. IN dark time days, the Motherland can be seen for tens of kilometers around. Since 2008, the Motherland monument has become one of the seven wonders of Russia.
6. On at the moment In the list of the tallest buildings in the world, the Motherland takes an honorable 11th place. During its existence, the statue has become an integral part of Volgograd residents, and the inhabitants of Russia in general. But unfortunately, you and I are in danger of losing such a grandiose monument.
7. The fact is that because of groundwater under the statue, the Motherland is gradually tilting, examinations were carried out and scientists came to the conclusion that if the tilt of the statue increases by at least another 3 cm, the tower will inevitably collapse.
8. You will be interested to know that when developing the flag and coat of arms of the Volgograd region, the silhouette of the Motherland monument became the basis of the image.
9. For a long time it remained a mystery from which woman the sketch was taken to create such a monument. Now in Volgograd there lives an 83-year-old woman who once, back in 1958, posed for the great architect. Valentina Ivanovna Izotova never liked to dwell on this topic, and her profession is “model” in Soviet years to put it mildly, she was not held in high esteem.
10. Our heroine was working as a waitress when the sculptor Lev Maistrenko approached her and offered to pose, since Valentina Ivanovna was raising two daughters, of course she always needed money, so she agreed. And besides, the girl was rewarded by nature with a good “Soviet” appearance. Valentina Ivanovna was then 26 years old, now she not only regrets the act of her youth, but even, on the contrary, is proud that her figure has become so famous.
In a decisive impulse, a woman stands on the mound with a sword in her hands. Her unusually expressive, strong-willed face and turned torso, hair blowing in the wind create a feeling of significant strength. The ends of the scarf blown by the wind make her look like a bird. In a silent cry, she calls on the sons of her country to follow her, to go into battle and fight the enemy to the death, to stand to the end. She is the Motherland - the most extraordinary and majestic sculpture of Mamayev Kurgan.
Being part of the ensemble “to the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” in Volgograd, the sculpture “Motherland Calls” deservedly occupies a place in it central place thanks to its impressive dimensions - 85 meters, and no less significant weight - 8 tons. The sword in her hand has a size of 33 meters, but the weight exceeds the mass of the sculpture and is 14 tons, which involuntarily suggests the thought: did the author want to show that no matter how hard it is, you still need to strive for victory.
An artificial fourteen-meter embankment was created especially for this monument, which became the most high point in the outskirts of the city. The remains of soldiers who died in the battle for Stalingrad were buried in this hill. A serpentine path leads to the monument, along which there are 35 tombstones of distinguished soldiers. The walls of the monument, 25-30 cm thick, are firmly fastened inside with rigid cables. What is noteworthy is that the figure itself is not attached to the foundation; it simply stands on a two-meter slab.
An interesting fact is that the monument to the Motherland could look completely different. Anyone who sent their own drawing or sketch could become the creator of the monument. The selection was carried out very carefully and took ten years.
The author of the monument was E.V. Vuchetich, who earned unquestionable authority by making portraits of almost everyone Soviet military leaders, starting with Zhukov. At that time, he had already built such monuments as “The Victorious Warrior,” located in Treptower Park in Berlin, and “Let’s Beat Swords into Plowshares,” which found its place in New York. Each of these works touches on the theme of the sword.
Project of the monument “The Motherland is Calling!” During construction it underwent enormous changes. From the original idea in the form of a woman with a banner and a fighter who bowed his knee in front of her, it turned into the image of the “Motherland” that we can see today. The idea of building a ceremonial pedestal on which the sculpture would stand also changed. But the most significant change was the increase in size - from 36 meters, the figure increased in height to 85 meters.
Let's Beat Swords into Plowshares, New York All these working sketches have been preserved, and we can view them in the author’s house-museum. This house was a workshop for Vuchetich, it was also his dacha, located in the Timiryazevsky district of Moscow.
Changes took place even after the monument was opened and has been attracting visitors for several years. They touched upon remaking the sword. The sword swung violently in the sculpture's hand. As it turned out, he was flat against the wind. The solution to this problem was holes made in the sword. Later, the sword blade itself was made of lighter steel.
50 powerful spotlights were made so that we could view the statue both during the day and at night. The workers worked beyond the norm, realizing that they were doing an important job. By the opening of the monument on October 15, 1967, each spotlight took its place next to the monument.
The prototype of the monument to the main Mother of the USSR was a resident of Volgograd, Valentina Izotova. With her appearance, she was more suitable for the image of the Motherland than the Moscow model who came to pose.
For two years she posed for the sculptor. The work for her turned out to be very serious and difficult, because it is not easy to stand with your arms outstretched for hours, in one of which there was a stick as a supposed sword.
All her life, Valentina was proud of the fact that she became the image for such a great monument.
At the time of completion of construction, the statue “The Motherland Calls!” turned out to be the highest in the world, which is reflected in the Guinness Book of Records. Today it has moved up to 11th place in the list of the tallest monuments.
The statue deviates from its original position every year, which in 1986 became the basis for significant strengthening of the structure. In 2010, the cracks that had formed over such a long period were eliminated, and the angle of permissible inclination of the statue was adjusted.
Thousands of Russians and foreigners come from year to year to Mamayev Kurgan to bow, express their gratitude, and honor the memory of those who fell in Battle of Stalingrad Soviet soldiers. And every day our “Motherland” greets guests - a symbol of the will and fearlessness of all those who fought against Nazi Germany!
Inna Antonova
Anastasia Savinykh
