Unusual Statues and Monuments in St Petersburg
Unusual Statues and Monuments in St Petersburg
When you think of statues and monuments in St Petersburg, the grand Медный всадник (The Bronze Horseman) may spring to mind… But in recent years local artists have contributed some more unusual statues and monuments to the cities architectural landscape.
Take left right off Невский проспект ‘Nevsky prospect’ onto Малая Садовая ‘Malaya Sadovaya’ and you will find the monument to the Saint Petersburg Photographer. Accompanied by his dog and in twentieth century dress, complete with a bowler hat and umbrella, The Photographer stands outside the building where Karl Bulla once had his famous studio. The statue was born of the collaboration between sculptor Boris Petrov and architect Larisa Domracheva in 2001.
Outside the Swedish Consulate is the monument to St Petersburg Policemen. This handsome man was only intended to be on guard for a few months in 1998… after proving so popular with Petersburg residents, he can still be found today on stands on Малая Конюшенная ул. ‘Malaya Konyushennaya’. The statue, work of local sculptor Albert Charkin, marks the 270th Anniversary of City Watch by Peter the Great.
Café Mu-Mu takes its name after Turgenev’s heartbreaking tale of Mumu, the treasured pet dog of Gerasim, a deaf and dumb caretaker. Gerasim’s mistress, after being kept awake one night by barking and insisted the dog be killed, Gerasim complies and drowns Mumu in the River. In 2004 a small statue of Mumu was unveiled next to the entrance to Café MuMu on ‘Площадь Тургенева’ Ploshchad Turgeneva. It marks 150 years since the story’s first publication, well known by schoolchildren to this day.
On a visit to Peter and Paul fortress, you may notice the Hare Statue crossing ‘Иоанновский мост’ Ioannovsky Bridge. The pole beneath marks the height of the devastating floods of the 18th and 19th Century. Erected in 2003 during bridge renovations, the Hare refers to the large numbers that once lived on Заячий остров ‘Zaychiy Ostrov’ (Hare island), where the Peter and Paul fortress is located.
This post was brought to you by Sabina, currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz
