Lenin and October Revolution Monument in the Kaluga Square – Moscow

Lenin and October Revolution

Lenin and October Revolution

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Lenin and October Revolution Monument in the Kaluga Square – Moscow

The Monument to Lenin on Kaluga Square (Russian: Памятник Ленину на Калужской площади) was established in 1985 in Moscow in the centre of Kaluga Square (then October Square). The authors of the monument are the sculptors L. E. Kerbel, V. A. Fedorov and the architects G. V. Makarevich and B. A. Samsonov. It is the largest monument to Lenin in Moscow.

Lenin and October Revolution - 03

Lenin and October Revolution – 03

The bronze sculpture of V. I. Lenin was made at the Leningrad factory ‘Monument sculpture’. It is an original copy of the monument to Lenin in Birobidzhan, established in 1978. A stone monolithic pedestal column weighing 360 tons, after the initial treatment, was delivered in place by a trailer that had 128 wheels. The monument was inaugurated on 5 November 1985 by the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Mikhail Gorbachev.

The height of the monument is 22 m. At the top of the cylindrical column of red polished granite is a full length bronze statue of V. I. Lenin. He is facing forward, his gaze to the distance. Lenin’s overcoat is unbuttoned, one lower edge is thrown back by the wind, his right hand is in the jacket’s pocket.

Lenin and October Revolution - 02

Lenin and October Revolution – 02

At the base of the pedestal is a multi-figure composition, which includes revolutionary soldiers, workers and sailors of various nationalities. Above them is a woman on the background of a fluttering flag embodying the Revolution. Behind the pedestal is the figure of a woman with two children, personifying the rear of the revolution. The elder boy in his hand has revolutionary newspapers.

Text above from (a slightly edited page on) Wikipedia.

Lenin and October Revolution - 01

Lenin and October Revolution – 01

What to look for in the monument;

  • the three leading figures are, from left to right, a peasant soldier, an armed Petrograd worker, a sailor;
  • the peasant soldier wears a knotted red ribbon over his left chest – the red arm band was the normal sign of a Bolshevik but this is difficult to represent on a bronze statue. Whether the red ribbon was an alternative ‘badge’ I’m not sure;
  • the female representation of Revolution, that is located above the revolutionary workers and peasants and below Lenin. She has her right arm raised forward and upward – indicating the advance of the revolution – and her left arm stretched behind her I a pose that invites others to join the march to the future. Her flowing scarf is a representation of the Red Flag, the workers’ revolutionary standard;
  • the leading sailor (note the striped t-shirt under his jacket) also has his left arm stretched behind him, also encouraging those (unseen) behind to come and join the revolution, he’s also looking in their direction. He, and the female sailor on the other side of the group, were probably from the Cruiser Aurora;
  • the older workers/peasants indicating that the revolution is not just a matter for the young, their dress suggesting that they are possibly from other nations in the old Russian Empire and stressing the All-Russia aspect of the October Revolution;
  • the engraving at the back of the red marble plinth which notes the sculptors and architects as well as the date of the monuments unveiling;
  • the young mother, holding a very young child in crook of her right arm and her left hand on the shoulder of an older boy, representing for the new and youthful Socialist Republic that was being created following the attack on the Winter Palace;
  • the young boy newspaper seller next to the young woman. He has copies of the newspaper Izvestia (which had been founded in February 1917 and which, at the time, was the mouthpiece of the Petrograd Soviet) folded over his right forearm and more copies in a satchel hanging from his left shoulder. The headline also indicates information about one of the first decrees of the Soviet Government, possibly that on Peace and an end to the imperialist war;
  • another young boy who, from his looks and dress, comes from one of the many northern nationalities;
  • the male peasant (again from one of the nationalities – note his turban type headdress) holding a copy of the Decree on Land – which nationalised all the land in the country;
  • what looks like a female sailor (note the anchor on her belt buckle) who is armed with a pistol and wears a red neckerchief – but I have no information about women in the navy in pre-Revolutionary times;
  • and surmounting all a full length statue of VI Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik Party (which became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union). He has an open overcoat over his suit, the right lower edge of which is being blown back by the wind. He is standing with his right hand in his suit jacket pocket and his cap is scrunched in his left hand. He’s looking ahead, in a contemplative pose, perhaps wondering what to do next and how to overcome the inevitable problems.

Not exactly sure what Lenin might have been looking at when the statue was installed in 1985 but now he looks down a long avenue towards the Moscva River – across which is the area know as ‘Moscow City’, an area of densely packed, ugly, modern high rise glass and steel buildings.

'Moscow City'

‘Moscow City’

However, if Vladimir Ilyich looked slightly to his left he would be looking at the main entrance to the Okysbrskaya Metro station.

Oktyabrskaya entrance

Oktyabrskaya entrance

Sculptors;

L. E. Kerbel and V. A. Fedorov

Architects;

G. V. Makarevich and B. A. Samsonov.

Location;

In Kaluga Square (formerly October Square), at the junction of Lenin Prospekt and Krymsky Val, opposite the main entrance to Oktyabrskaya Metro station

GPS;

55.729466°N

37.613176°E

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Frederick Engels statue – Moscow

Frederick Engels

Frederick Engels

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Frederick Engels statue – Moscow

The Monument to Friedrich Engels (Russian: Памятник Фридриху Энгельсу) was installed in 1976 in Moscow near the metro station Kropotkinskaya. The authors of the monument are sculptor I. I. Kozlovsky, architects A. A. Zavarzin and A. A. Usachev. The monument has the status of an identified cultural heritage site.

According to the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR, it was decided to erect a monument to Friedrich Engels, the German philosopher and one of the founders of Marxism, in the small square formed where Ostozhenka and Prechistenka streets met.

On November 2, 1976, on the eve of the 59th anniversary of the October Revolution, the monument was opened with a large crowd of people. The first Secretary of the CPSU MGK (Moscow Party Committee) V. V. Grishin, the Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail V. Zimyanin, the Chairman of the Moscow City Council V. F. Promyslov, the Deputy Minister of Culture of the USSR V. V. Voronkov, the Ambassador of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) to the USSR G. Ott and other officials.

VV Grishin cut the scarlet ribbon, after which a coverlet fell from the monument and the hymn of the Soviet Union sounded. At the meeting, the director of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Academician A. G. Egorov, Hero of Socialist Labour P. A. Novozhilov and a student of Moscow State University, T. Yu. Zuikova.

The bronze sculpture of Friedrich Engels is 6m high, installed on a cubic monolith-pedestal made of red granite. The monument stands in the centre of the round in terms of a platform paved with stone slabs and framed by a low granite fence, supplemented by semicircular benches. From the area of Prechistenskie Gates to the monument there is a semicircular set of steps.

Friedrich Engels is shown in full length with his arms crossed on his chest. The sculptor sought to convey the image of Engels in the 1870s, when he, together with Karl Marx, led the international working-class movement.

The monument and the playground around it completely absorbed the park, as a result of which the latter is not marked on the maps of Moscow and does not have its own name.

Text above from Wikipedia.

Related – other statues of revolutionaries in Moscow

Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

Karl Marx

Ernst Thaelmann

Ho Chi Minh monument

VI Lenin

More references to Frederick Engels;

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels Collected Works

Frederick Engels – pamphlets, books and commentaries

Frederick Engels in Manchester

Sculptor;

I. I. Kozlovsky

Architects;

A. A. Zavarzin and A. A. Usachev

Location;

In a small square where Prechistenka and Ostozhenka Streets meet, just across the road of the entrance to the Kropotkinskaya Metro station.

GPS;

55.74441º N

37.60172º E

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Ho Chi Minh monument – Moscow

Ho Chi Minh Monument

Ho Chi Minh Monument

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Ho Chi Minh monument – Moscow

The Ho Chi Minh monument (Russian: памятник Хо Ши Мину) is a monument located in Akademichesky District, Moscow. It memorializes North Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh, who was the chairman and founder of the Workers’ Party of Vietnam. The monument was inaugurated on May 18, 1990, on the eve of Ho Chi Minh’s 100th birthday.

The monument is made of bronze and stone, with a portrait of Ho Chi Minh embossed on a giant disc. Below the disc is a sculpture of a Vietnamese man rising from his knees.[1] Behind the disc are images of tropical flowers and two curved bamboos. Below the monument is a quotation from Ho Chi Minh ‘Нет ничего дороже независимости, свободы (‘Nothing is more precious than independence, liberty’).

The creators of the monument are the sculptor Vladimir Tsigal and architect Roman Grigoryevich Kananin. Tsigal visited Vietnam in 1985 to research Ho Chi Minh for his project. According to him, the round disc is ‘the image of Vietnam’s sun, representing the dream for a bright future for Vietnam’, and he used the image of the two curved bamboos ‘stemming from the understanding of the emblematic Vietnamese plant: the bamboo can be curved, but it’s difficult to break, similar to the will and strength of Vietnam.’

The entire project costed about 1 million ₽.

Ho Chi Minh Square was inaugurated in 1969, after the death of Ho Chi Minh. In 1985, the Central Committee and Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union decided to create a monument at the square.

For former Soviet advisors who served during the Vietnam War, the monument serves as the annual meeting location on the occasion of Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, at 10 a.m.

The monument is often visited by members of the Vietnamese community in Russia, who use it as a public gathering place, as well as a wedding venue. Functionaries from Vietnam also often visit the monument and place wreaths of flowers.

Text above from Wikipedia.

Appearing out of place, at least to me, is a much more recent board which ‘celebrates’ the commercial links between the Russian Federation and Vietnam.

Related – other statues of revolutionaries in Moscow

Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

Karl Marx

Ernst Thaelmann

Frederick Engels

VI Lenin

Some of the writings of Uncle Ho;

Solemn pledge of 30 million Vietnamese – 1965

Selected Writings (1920-1969)

Ho Chi Minh – Prison Diary

Location;

In the small square at the entrance to the Akademicheskaya Metro station, Line 6, the orange one.

GPS;

55°41′16.7″N

37°34′29.3″E

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