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Articles
Sculpture "The Motherland" stands on the Dnepr slopes and is visible from distant points of the Ukrainian capital. Height of sculpture "Motherland" from the pedestal to the tip of the sword is 62 m, total height with pedestal - 102 m. In one hand, it had 16 - meter long sword that weighs 9 tons, in other - the shield by 8 meters with the emblem of the USSR (13 tons). This all-welded construction weighs 450 tons. It is located at the foot of the museum. For the first time in the USSR sculpture of this size was made on the Kiev factory of the Paris Commune with the recommendations of the Institute of Electric Welding named after E.O Paton, welding with stainless steel single block sections, weighing 25-30 tons. Although the error of statue was smelted in Zaporizhya, it is made of stainless steel sheets, each measuring 50 by 50 centimetres and a thickness of 1.5 millimetres. Author of idea the "Motherland" was a famous soviet sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich. According to his idea the statue should have been covered with gold leaf, and at its base with a 30 - meter height was flowing into the Dnieper River Falls, on both sides of which the soldiers crossed the river. However Vucetich died before he could realize his vision. Therefore, the creation of the monument was charged under the leadership team of sculptors from resident of Kiev Vasily Beard, resulting initial project Vucetic was significantly remade. The staff of the Kiev Research Institute, involved in the design of complex, began studying international practices, in particular, interested in the experience of reconstruction of the statue of Liberty in New York. However, Ukrainian capital had to decide the larger challenge - Kiev statue in size was much more impressive. Sculpture collected a hundred-meter crane, which acknowledgment version was made in a special blast furnace in the Donbass, and unofficial ordered from the Japanese company "KATO". It was agreed not to stigmatize a separate item details company” as logo.
There were some offers to make the monument less warlike, for example, instead of a sword in her hand to give the woman a cup of eternal fire. But in the end they did so as outlined Vucetic: shield, in one hand, sword in another.
According to popular legend, during the construction of the monument the Metropolitan of Kiev called the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Vladimir Shcherbitsky and reported that he had a vision, the essence of which was to ensure that it was impossible to raise the mac-war symbol of the cross-over (Lavra Bell Tower, which is located next door) - a symbol of humility, because then inevitably broke out bloody wars. Allegedly after, it was decided to cut the sword by 12 meters.
"Motherland" was opened in 1981 to the Victory Day. General Secretary of the CPSU Leonid Brezhnev was present at the opening. In the summer of 2002, a rise of tourists, allowed on the site were a mark of 36 meters and 92 meters. However, once in April 2003, a young man fell from the top landing and crashed, the tourist access was limited. To monitor the technical condition authorities set a strict regime of geodetic surveys. According to calculations, the statue can withstand even an earthquake measuring 9 points. At the highest point of the sword it is a special device for damping vibrations of wind loading. For the movement of people and the maintenance of sculpture in the middle there are two lifts, inclined and vertical (moves on skating rinks under the corner of 75 degrees). According to forecasts, the figure should stand over 150 years. At present, annual geodetic survey monument tools that show the absence of deviations relative dynamic equilibrium. The memorial complex covers an area of over 10 hectares. It includes: the Museum of the monument "Motherland", the main square with alley of hero-cities and sculptures, "Crossing the Dnieper" and "Transfer of weapons," gallery of heroes front and rear, with a bronze high relief compositions bowl "Fire of Glory", an exhibition military equipment and weapons, a separate building, which deployed a permanent exhibition "The Tragedy and Valor of Afghanistan," "On the foreign wars," open to the tourists Li-2 and Mi-24V.
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