September 24, 2016. Sambo founder Vasili Oshchepkov monument. Sculptor Pyotr Chegodaev

Sambo founder Vasili Oshchepkov monument opened in Vladivostok

On Saturday, September 24, 2016, in Vladivostok opened a memorial complex to the founder of sambo in Russia Vasili Oshchepkov. The monument appeared near the sports center of CSKA (Korabelnaya Embankment, 21), where in 1914 opened the first section of judo in Russia.
At 16.30 near the memorial complex gathered about 300 people. Prior to the inauguration of the monument (the work of the local sculptor Pyotr Chegodaev), before the people spoke high guests. In particular, the assistant to the president of the Russian Federation and the chairman of the supervisory board of the Amur tiger center Konstantin Chuichenko, the governor of the Primorsky Territory Vladimir Miklushevsky, acting Mayor of Vladivostok Konstantin Loboda and General Consul of Japan Kasai Tatsuhiko.
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Arseniy, the hare. Sculptor Petrovichev. Escaped flooding hare monument in St. Petersburg. Stories behind hare monuments worldwide

Stories behind hare monuments worldwide

In fact, there are tens of monuments to this charming furry animal in the world. And this post features most famous of them. The first one – located in St. Petersburg small monument to escaped from the flood cute hare. Put on one of the piles that protect the St. John bridge against ice, it has become one of the main tourist sights. According to legend, during the flood, little bunny jumped into the boot of Tsar Peter and thus escaped. Thanks to this heroic hare, the island on which stands the Peter and Paul Fortress, called Zayachiy (Russian for “hare”). Besides, Arseniy (the name given to animal by locals) fulfills wishes. Traditionally, people throw coins onto its wooden pedestal, and if coins remain on it, dream will come true. Meanwhile, timbered foundation on which a hare sits, always attracts tourists to compete in accuracy. Noteworthy, a small, 58 cm in height, figure of bunny is the creation of sculptor Petrovichev.
St. Petersburg authorities opened monument May 7, 2003, at the same time with putting into operation after the restoration the St. John bridge. Since then, the bunny and the bridge are inextricably linked and the small sculpture is the mascot of the bridge.
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Bronze composition of a big dog and a cute mongrel puppy. 2010. Ufa, Russia. Monument to Experimental animals used for medical research

Monument to Experimental animals used for medical research

According to dental clinic managers, the monument is a tribute to the human friends who served to the medical science. Actually, the sculptural composition became an unusual way to mark the anniversary of one of the largest networks of dental clinics in Ufa, Bashkiria. The company’s management wanted to somehow perpetuate their work in bronze. According to them, sculpture of tooth would be somehow banal, so, they decided to erect a monument to a cute dog and her puppy. Why these animals? Going to the dentist is always stressful. But we don’t even ask some dogs – we put them in the dental chair and for the sake of science pull out old tooth and insert new one. “Not that dentists tortured conscience – we just wanted to pay tribute to the heroic dogs”, explained the managers. “The fact is that we have developed a unique technology for the transplantation of donor tooth. And new implants are tested on the dogs, because their immune system is well suited for these experiments”.
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Amazing Art Nouveau house bas-reliefs of fantastic animals. Moscow. Photo Janet1981

Art Nouveau house bas-reliefs of fantastic animals is one of the most interesting in the facade decoration buildings in Moscow. The locals call located on Chistoprudny Boulevard, a former apartment house of the Church of the Holy Trinity very simply – house with animals. Performed in the style of the Art Nouveau building of the early 20th century gained its fame thanks to the unique terracotta bas-reliefs. The bas-reliefs of fantastic animals, birds and plants adorn the walls of the the third and fourth floors. They look fantastic – owls and ducks, griffins, dragons, lions, chimeras, unusual plants and flowers, and some unidentified creatures. Creating the bas-reliefs the artistic team “Murava” used sketches of artist Sergei Vashkov. Vashkov was a pupil of a famous Russian painter Vasnetsov and one of the recognized masters of Moscow Art Nouveau. Besides, he was a specialist in the field of religious art. Interestingly, after the construction of the house, Sergei Vashkov settled in it.
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Frog-traveler smallest monument in the world. 2013. Tomsk. Sculptor Oleg Kislitsky

Frog-traveler smallest monument in the world
On Friday, September 27, 2013 in Tomsk appeared the world’s smallest monument – a monument to frog traveler. The bronze amphibious monument height of only 44 mm installed near the “Tomsk” hotel (Kirov, 65). The author of mini-sculpture – Oleg Kislitsky known to Tomsk citizens for his monument to slippers. According to him, he decided to create Frog-traveler monument to note merits of Tomsk travelers. The composition consists of topped with tiles land, and in the center is the stone on which sits pensively gazing at the sky frog. The Monument accompanies inscription: “Monument to the frog-traveler, the smallest monument in the world.”
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Singing Bremen town musicians monument in Krasnoyarsk, Russia

Singing Bremen town musicians monument

A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about the Bremen Town Musicians is widely popular all over the world. Children love stories of the troubadour, a dog, a cat, a rooster and a donkey who travel with music and acrobatic performances in the cities of Germany.
Since 2007, the singing sculptural composition “The Bremen Town Musicians” decorates the area next to the Palace of Culture of May 1st in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. Its author – a famous local sculptor A. Tkachuk. Cast in bronze, it depicts the characters of the famous Soviet cartoon of 1969 “The Bremen Town Musicians”. Besides, this is the first singing sculpture in the Siberian city, as three times a day a rooster crows triumphally about the presence of the cheerful Bremen Musicians here. And, to the joy of all the residents and guests of the city sounds verse of the famous song of the same cartoon, “We have arrived here for an hour …”.
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Monument to faithful cat Totti. Leningrad region, Vyborg district, Roshchino, park of Edith Södergran. Stories behind Cats monuments

Stories behind Cats monuments

They say a cat Totti could not live without his mistress, a Finnish poet Edith Irene Södergran, who lived in the village of Raivola (currently Roshchino, Leningrad region, Vyborg District). When the poet died of tuberculosis, Totti came to her grave and did not go away, did not eat or drink, and soon died. Perhaps, this devotion became the reason for the installation of the monument. Author of sculpture – Nina Terno.
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