Whose Motherland is higher: Volgograd vs Kyiv. The most interesting facts about the sculpture “The Motherland is Calling!” Symbol of the Statue of Liberty and Motherland

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 the Ural Mountains, raised to defend the fatherland at Stalingrad and lowered after the surrender of the fascist command in the German capital.

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 the 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 was chosen for the construction of 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 ordinary people took part in it; 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. During this time, a large amount of building material was used, resulting in the walls of the pedestal being 0.3 m thick. The foundation, completely dug into the ground at the base, was deepened by 15 m. for which a pit of more than 8 m was dug.

Total spent:

1. Concrete – 5500 tons.
2. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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:

1. Girls who posed for him, but had no idea for what purpose: A. A. Peshkova; V. Izotova; E. Grebneva.
2. Disco athlete Nina Dumbadze, with whom he sculpted the figure.
3. The figure of the Marseillaise painted on Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
4. Antique statue Nika 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 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).

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:

1. The story is about the elevator, restaurant and observation deck that were in operation many years ago, which were mentioned earlier.
2. The myth is that after the monument was opened, one of the members of the selection committee got lost inside it. Despite great amount 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 erected at the end of the 19th 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, it is located in the city of Usiku. 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:

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 the People's Republic of China, 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 Calls!” - 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 the complex Buddhist monasteries in the Bamiyan Valley in central Afghanistan, 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.

Its height is 182 meters.

In India, on the island of Sadhu Bet in the state of Gujarat, the tallest statue in the world - the Statue of Unity.

Its height is 182 m and it is higher than the statue of Christ in Brazil (38 m), the Statue of Liberty in the USA (93 m) and the Motherland in Kyiv (102 m).

Read also:

The sculpture was installed in honor of one of the creators of the modern Indian state, Vallabhbhai Patel. After India gained independence in 1947, he served as the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. Patel is also the author of the Indian Constitution and has made great efforts to keep India within its borders and prevent the country from breaking up into smaller states.

For his services to India, Vallabhai Patel was given the honorary nickname Sardar, which means chief or leader in many Indian languages.

Read also:

The Vallabhbhai Patel sculpture consists of a 40-meter pedestal and a 142-meter statue. At a level of 153 meters there is an observation deck that can simultaneously accommodate up to 200 people. The cost of constructing the statue is $430 million.

Video From Rio with love. The statue of Christ the Savior was painted in Ukrainian colors

Statue of Christ the Savior - in Ukrainian colors. In Rio de Janeiro, a famous sculpture glowed yellow and blue. In colors Ukrainian flag Brazilians highlighted it especially for the Independence Day of our state. They have been doing this for 5 years in a row. Moreover, they say, the Ukrainian diaspora has a double holiday these days. After all, they also celebrate the Day of the Ukrainian Community.

You can safely call it art the highest level literally and figuratively. Since ancient times, statues have been a way for people to show their devotion to religion or to commemorate a significant historical figure. Obviously, the bigger the statue, the greater its grandeur, so here are the top 10 tallest statues in the world. Perhaps you have already visited the places listed below and the sculptures made an indelible impression on you, please share your experience.

For example, I was, of course, in Moscow and saw the Monument to Peter the Great, and also in New York I took pictures with the Statue of Liberty; I have plans to visit Rio de Janeiro and climb to the Statue of Christ the Redeemer.

10. Christ the Redeemer Statue With with outstretched arms located on the top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, it is a symbol of the city and Brazil as a whole. The height of one of the most famous statues in the world is 38 m.

9. Monument-sculpture "Motherland", is located in Kyiv on the banks of the Dnieper, rises 62 m into the sky and is 102 meters tall including the pedestal.

8. Statue “The Motherland Calls!”, standing in Russian city Volgograd, dedicated to the “Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad”. The total height of the monument is 85 m. The statue is an image of the Motherland calling its sons to fight the enemy.

7. Statue of Liberty(illuminating the world) – perhaps the most famous sculpture in the world, often called the symbol of the USA. The copper statue is located on Liberty Island in New York, its height is 93 m including the base.

6. Sculptural Monument to Peter I in Moscow. The monument is 98 m high, made of bronze and stainless steel, installed on artificial island at the confluence of the Moskva River and the Obvodny Canal. The monument was designed by Georgian architect Zurab Tsereteli and it is unofficially believed that the sculpture was originally dedicated to Christopher Columbus, but after being rejected by the American government, it was sold to Russia as a representation of Peter the Great.

5. Buddha statue - Sendai Dai Kannon located in the Japanese city of Sendai. It is the sixth tallest statue in the world at 100m and has an elevator for tourists to climb to the top of the statue and enjoy the breathtaking view.

4. Sculptures first two emperors China Ian And Juan, are located in Zhengzhou city in China. The height of the sculptures is 106 m, which is the fifth tallest statue in the world.

3. Statue of the goddess Guanyin in Sanya 108 m high is located on Hainan Island in China. The statue has three faces, one facing the Chinese mainland and the other two facing the South China Sea, blessing China.

2. Bronze Buddha statue Ushiku Daibutsu installed in Japan in the city of Ushiku. Its height, together with the platform and pedestal in the shape of a lotus flower, is 120 m. Tourists who want to admire the surroundings can take the elevator to the observation deck at an altitude of 85 meters.

is the largest statue in the world made of copper. Located in Henan Province in China. Its height is 128 m, including the pedestal, but if we also take into account the hill on which the statue is located, the height will be 208 m.

I sincerely hope that those who do not need this article, especially those under 30, are in the majority. I hope, but I don't really believe it. But even if this is the case, I still publish it for this minority. There is no such thing as too much patriotism.

So, here we go:

If you ask the average resident of any country a question about the tallest statues in the world, he will most likely remember Buddha statues carved from rocks, the Statue of Liberty in New York, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio - well, the one from the TV series; Perhaps someone will remember the Colossus of Rhodes - it was probably huge, why not remember... And, perhaps, that’s all. In Russia, the older generation will still remember Mamayev Kurgan, but probably not everyone will remember the Kyiv Motherland, at least in the context of the largest in the world. Where is ours from theirs, from the West (with aspiration). Look, Christ the Redeemer was recognized as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World in 2007, the Statue of Liberty is among the finalists for this honorary title, but ours are not even close there. The Kremlin has just made it to the finalists of the candidates.

Statue of Liberty. NY. Who hasn’t dreamed of visiting Liberty Island or at least boarding that famous free ferry and sailing right next to Liberty Island an endless number of times. Yes, dreams...

We know everything about her. That its full name is “Freedom Illuminating the World”, we know when and who created it, when and where a separate hand with a torch was displayed, by what date the entire statue was donated and by whom. We even know that we are 10 years late with it. Without exaggeration, the Statue of Liberty can be called the most famous statue in the world, and our man is no exception here. He knows more about this overseas beauty than about his relatives.

How huge - look at the people at the base of the statue - they are practically invisible unless you look closely. She stands on torn shackles, holding a torch and a tablet with the date July 4, 1776. Visitors walk 356 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty or 192 steps to the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize the earthly gems and heavenly rays illuminating the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents (the Western geographical tradition counts exactly seven continents). She is not just a symbol of the United States, she is a symbol of the World. But, in my opinion, today it is a symbol of the ending world order, and a monument to the grave of freedom, which, in fact, never existed.

But let's get back to the facts. So.

Most of our compatriots don’t even think that our statues will be more massive than Western ones. Moreover, after such propaganda pictures that are circulating in the hundreds on the internet, we don’t even think about doubting this.

What a huge hugging statue of Christ the Redeemer. And in the last picture, the Statue of Liberty looks even larger than the statue of the Kyiv Motherland, which even here is 9 meters higher.

Is this so? In the next photo we will see the real size of the Statue of Liberty in New York in comparison with the figure in Volgograd and that very hugging statue in Rio, we see that if this Christ could hug anyone, it would certainly not be our girls. With its size, it could only hug the Lenin monuments fleeing from Ukraine.

And in the next photo we will see the real sizes of the statues without pedestals. Except for the New Wonder of the World - the statue of Christ the Redeemer, which, apparently, had to be left on a pedestal so that it would not be the smallest in the photo. After all, even with the pedestal it is only 38 meters high. Vladimir Ilyich’s facial expressions in this photograph are, of course, hard to see, but it seems to me that he is grinning.

Now someone, of course, will say that our statues still do not reach the huge Buddhist ones. It’s difficult to argue here, because the numbers speak for themselves. But, with your permission, I will allow myself to argue with the level of complexity of constructing these sculptures. So, the sculpture Motherland Calls is the ONLY DYNAMIC statue of this size in the WORLD! ! ! I emphasize - the only one!!!

The statue, the work of sculptor Vuchetich and engineer Nikitin, is made of 5,500 tons of concrete and 2,400 tons of metal structures. The height of the monument is 86 meters, the height of the sculpture itself is 53 meters. Moreover, the thickness of the walls of the sculpture is no more than 30 centimeters. The sword in the hand of the Motherland weighs 14 tons and has a length of 33 meters. They say that a car can easily fit in the palm of the statue. In 2008, the statue of the Motherland on Mamayev Kurgan was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Russia.

In 1972, restorers replaced the sword in the statue’s hand with a lighter one made of stainless steel. They also made holes in it to reduce the wind pressure. The old sword was made of titanium and rattled in the wind. In the mid-sixties, when the monument was opened, it was the tallest monument on the planet. The Statue of Liberty has never been anything “most” except perhaps the most recognizable in the world.

On this moment The statue is one of the ten 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; at that time she worked as a waitress in the Volgograd restaurant. 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.

“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.

So, the height of the female figure of the Motherland Calling sculpture! 52 m, the height of the Statue of Liberty is 46 m and this is before the torch. That is, the figure itself is no more than 40 meters.

And one last thing. Purpose.

The Statue of Liberty is known throughout the world and many, as I already wrote, dream of seeing it in reality. Seeing the minimum, people feel a certain emptiness - that’s all? Is this the “great statue”? and, at most, they feel disappointed. There is no soul there. Perhaps Americans feel an influx of patriotism under or V this statue, but our man, absolutely certainly, does not feel anything like that.

And the diametrically opposite can be said about our Native statue. It has the opposite effect. The Calling Motherland has the amazing property of a psychological impact on everyone who sees it. There are so many feelings that no one can ignore them. After the first meeting with the appearance of their Motherland, people continue to be impressed for a long time. How the author managed to achieve this, one can only guess.

I think it's in our blood. Shall we check?

No matter how much you play the song Khasbulat Udaloy (US anthem), the impact of the Freedom Monument on a person does not increase.

But, I’ll quietly play you ours, patriotic in small letters, and in your heads, everyone who is a true patriot in their spirit will now boom!!!

wake up, huge country

stand up for mortal combat. . .