Monuments of Nizhny Novgorod are one of its main attractions. The names of many outstanding people in the field of art, literature, military affairs, and science are associated with the city. And every eminent city dweller has a monument or at least a memorial plaque. The war years are reflected in the monuments to the technical means that were produced at the factories of the former Gorky.
The oldest and main street of the city is Bolshaya Pokrovskaya. Its main part is a pedestrian, a kind of original Nizhny Novgorod Arbat. On its territory there are a number of sculptures depicting urban inhabitants of the 19th century. Recently, they have become a kind of symbols of Nizhny Novgorod. You can meet everyone here - a respectable postman, an obliging doorman, a street musician, a photographer with a dog, and other characters.
Historical and modern monuments of Nizhny Novgorod
List of the most popular monuments and sculptures in the city.
Monument to Minin and Pozharsky
It was erected in 2005 on the National Unity Square. This is a slightly smaller copy of the famous monument on Red Square. Author - Z. Tsereteli. Bronze figures of the leaders of the people's militia are installed on a granite pedestal. Pozharsky leans on a shield and a sword, and Minin points to Moscow, urging to gather the people and liberate the capital from the Polish invaders. The bas-reliefs on the pedestal depict pictures of sacrifice of ordinary people and battle scenes.
Monument to Valery Chkalov
The opening took place in 1940, 2 years after the death of the pilot, a native of Nizhny Novgorod. The imposing bronze figure of Chkalov in a flight suit rises on the Verkhnevolzhskaya embankment, near the walls of the Kremlin. The pedestal marks the routes of historical flights of the crew under the command of Chkalov. The author of the monument was a friend of the pilot, sculptor I. Mendelevich. An observation deck is equipped near the monument; a multistage Chkalovskaya staircase leads down to the river.
"Gorky residents - to the front"
This is a memorial created in 1975 along the Kremlin walls, near the Dmitrievskaya tower. The main part of it is occupied by an exhibition of weapons and military equipment, which were produced during the war years at the factories of the city. There are cannons, mortars, tanks, "Katyushas", cars, fighters, fragments of a submarine, etc. There is a granite memorial sign at the entrance. Also, the memorial includes a high granite stele with a statue of St. George the Victorious.
"Eternal flame"
The opening of the monument to the fallen soldiers of Nizhny Novgorod was timed to the celebration of the Great Victory in 1965. Built on the territory of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. In the heart of the memorial complex, on a gray granite pedestal, the Eternal Flame is lit. A T-34 tank and two granite steles are installed nearby. One of them depicts soldiers and lists of local residents who died at the front - Heroes of the Soviet Union. Gilded commemorative wreaths are installed next to the other.
Monument to Maxim Gorky
A 7-meter high bronze sculpture of the writer, a native of Nizhny Novgorod, rises in the park on the square of the same name. The opening took place in 1952. The author of the project was Vera Mukhina, a famous sculptor in the USSR. The monument was cast in Leningrad. Gorky is standing on a 4-meter pedestal in full growth, in a raincoat fluttering in the wind, his hands behind his back and gazing intently into the distance. There are several other monuments to the famous writer in the city.
Monument to Peter I
Installed on the city embankment, in front of the Kremlin's Conception Tower. The author is sculptor Alexey Shchitov. The opening took place in 2014. The figure of Peter is made of bronze, its height is 3.7 meters, the height of the pedestal is 3 meters. The Russian emperor stands proudly with his leg outstretched and gazing at the Volga. In his hand is a decree dated 1714 on the creation of the Nizhny Novgorod province. The words from this decree are carved on a tablet at the foot of the sculpture.
Monument to Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich and Saint Simon of Suzdal
The majestic monument to the founders of Nizhny Novgorod rises at the walls of the most ancient temple in the region - the Archangel Michael Cathedral. It was installed here in 2008, when the 500th anniversary of the Kremlin was celebrated. The monument is made of bronze, its height together with the pedestal is 7.5 meters. As conceived by the authors, the two figures symbolize the secular and spiritual life principle. They meet visitors to the Kremlin and invite them to the temple, where the unity of body and soul is found.
"Merry goat"
A funny animal appeared in 2005 at the corner of Bolshaya Pokrovskaya and Piskunov streets. The festival of theatrical skits, which is held in the city from year to year, is called the "Merry Goat". And also a historical fact is associated with this character. When a deer appeared on the city's coat of arms in 1781, the provincial government wanted to isolate itself and create its own coat of arms. It also depicted a deer, only in its appearance it looked more like a dancing goat.
Monument to Jules Verne
It was solemnly installed in 2015 by the developer of the Jules Verne residential complex. We chose a very picturesque place for the monument - on the high bank of the Oka, near the Azimut hotel. The figure of the writer is in a basket of a balloon, in his hands is a telescope. The monument is made of plastic covered with bronze paint in life size. The height of the entire composition is about 10 meters. This is the first monument to the writer in Russia, the sixth in the world.
Monument to Evgeny Evstigneev
The renowned actor is a native of Nizhny Novgorod. The local drama school, which he graduated from, is named after him. The bronze sculpture of the artist was installed in 2006 in a public garden on Teatralnaya Square. The author depicted Evstigneev sitting on a bench, not far from the entrance to the drama theater, where his career began. Fans of their favorite actor's talent come to the monument every day; the tradition of rubbing his nose is considered a bit strange.
"Deer"
A present to the city from the Hungarian consul as a sign of long-term friendship between the Russian and Hungarian peoples. The 5-meter sculpture is made in the original style - from stainless steel plates. It was installed on the Nizhnevolzhskaya embankment, near the boat "Hero", in 2014. The author is Gabor Joke, a sculptor from Hungary. The deer is considered a traditional symbol of Nizhny Novgorod. Since the 18th century, his image has been present on the city's coat of arms.
Boat "Hero"
Installed in 1985 on the Nizhnevolzhskaya embankment. Served for 70 years in the Volga flotilla. He actively participated in the largest battles of the past century - first during the Civil War, then, in the 40s, in the battle of Stalingrad. Since 1967, the heroic ship has been cruising along the Volga as a museum of the navy. Today it is one of the main attractions of the city. The newlyweds have a tradition of tying colored ribbons on the boat.
Monument to V.I.Lenin
The 17-meter figure of the leader rises in the middle of the square of the same name. The opening of the monument took place in 1970, to the anniversary date of the birth of Ilyich. The author of the project is Y. Neroda. Nearby is a composition that symbolizes the unity of the Red Army and the working people. These are bronze figures of workers and soldiers with a flying banner. There are other monuments to the leader of the proletariat in Nizhny Novgorod, but this one is the most ambitious and beautiful.
"Hunt for pigeons"
A funny sculptural composition adorns the peaks of the facade of the theater school building on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya. Two cats are hunting for several pigeons, one of them even hung on the cornice, and a sparrow sitting on the windowsill is watching them. Bronze characters were placed here in 2005 at the initiative of the mayor of the city, who was impressed by a similar composition in Chelyabinsk.Figures of pigeons and cats were also made by Chelyabinsk craftsmen.
"Gromozeka"
A 5-meter sculpture of a fantastic hero, invented by Kir Bulychev, is installed in the courtyard of one of the residential complexes in Nizhny Novgorod. This is a gift from the developer company to all new settlers, especially families with small children. The creators of the iron alien were sculptors from St. Petersburg. In addition to Gromozeka, in the courtyards of the residential complex, you can find Skliss - a flying cow, and all the benches and swings are stylized under the space theme.
"Policeman"
The sculpture was installed in 2006 at the beginning of Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street, at the entrance to Minin and Pozharsky Square. In the 19th century, policemen were called policemen who kept order on the streets. And although this was the lowest police rank in Russia, the monument to the guardian of order emphasizes its importance for the entire city. The figure of the policeman is made of bronze, he is dressed according to his time, behind his belt is a pistol and a saber.
Monument to the heroes of the Volga military flotilla
It was installed on Markin Square for the anniversary of the October Revolution, in 1977. Dedicated to the brave hero sailors of the military flotilla, created on the Volga from civilian ships to confront the White Guards in 1918. The sculptural composition consists of three large-scale figures of sailors confidently striding shoulder to shoulder towards the enemy. The group is located on a low pedestal. Red granite steles are installed on both sides of the monument.
Monument to P.N.Nesterov
The monument to the legendary military pilot, a native of Nizhny Novgorod, was erected in 1987. The 4-meter bronze figure of Pyotr Nesterov rises on the city embankment. In 1913, in the sky over Kiev, he first performed a "loop", later named after him. A year later, during the battle, Nesterov was the first in the world aviation to carry out an air ram, which, unfortunately, turned out to be fatal for him. The street leading from the monument is named in honor of the hero.
"Shoe shiner"
This profession has practically disappeared today, but earlier it was in great demand on the streets of Russian cities. Very often the shoes were cleaned by teenage boys who settled themselves with their simple working tools in the busiest places and offered their services to wealthy gentlemen. A monument to one of these cleaners was erected in 2005 on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street. He sits with a smile, waiting for the next client, and in his hands are two brushes.
Monument to Ya.M. Sverdlov
Installed in one of the city squares, at the corner of Bolshaya Pokrovskaya and Oktyabrskaya streets. Nearby is the house where Yakov Sverdlov grew up. The idea of erecting the monument arose back in 1920, shortly after the death of the revolutionary. But the issue was postponed due to lack of funds. And only in 1957 the opening of the monument took place. Thin, with disheveled hair, in a leather jacket and with a strong-willed, confident look - this is how the authors of the sculpture portrayed the legendary Bolshevik.
Monument to the announcement
A kind of monument to all street announcements and even a whole era when they were an integral part of city life. It appeared in 2003 on one of the houses in Nizhny Novgorod. The author of the project is journalist V. Klimychev. A brass plaque with tear-off tabs bearing a phone number mimics a handwritten personal announcement. If you look closely, you can even read his text, which offers an exchange of English childhood for Russian childhood.
"Photographer with a dog"
The sculptural composition appeared in 2005 on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street, right in the middle of the sidewalk. Made of cast iron. Dedicated to the outstanding Russian masters of photography of the past centuries A. Karelin and M. Dmitriev. It consists of a funny composition of the figure of a street photographer with a flash in his hand, an old camera on a tripod and a small posing dog on its hind legs. There is a photography museum nearby.
"Salt scam"
A bag of salt and two huge cast-iron galoshes with the words "Honor" and "Conscience" engraved on them. Such an original composition was installed in 2012 on Rozhdestvenskaya Street. The reason was a historical fact. In 1864, after a flood, salt was found to be missing from the warehouses. As it turned out, the head of the salt office, together with the merchants, sold 1.5 tons of reserves bypassing the treasury. The father of one of the embezzlers gave his son cast-iron shoes and ordered him to wear them once a year.
Monument to N.A.Dobrolyubov
The opening of the monument took place in 1986, and was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of the famous publicist and critic. A monument was erected on the square near the drama theater, not far from the place where Dobrolyubov was born in 1836. The seated bronze figure is located on a granite pedestal and depicts the 25-year-old writer in a moment of thoughtfulness and extreme concentration, as if in anticipation of a revolutionary storm. Authors - P. Gusev and B. Nelyubin.
Monument to Kuzma Minin
It was opened in 1989 on the famous Minin and Pozharsky square. The majestic bronze figure of a brave hero rises on a granite pedestal. The author captured Minin at the time of the call to the Russian people to rise and rise up against the Polish invaders. Previously, there was another monument in this place, erected during the war years. But in 1985 he was first sent for reconstruction, and then to the homeland of Kuzma - to the city of Balakhna.
"Nizhny Novgorod people who fell in Afghanistan and Chechnya"
Memorial complex on the banks of the Oka, in the Switzerland park. It was created on the initiative of Afghan veterans with public funds. It was opened in 2002. A tall stele, surrounded by stone candles, is crowned with the figure of a grieving angel. He supports a mortally wounded warrior in his arms. The monument is surrounded by memorial plaques with the names of 498 soldiers from Nizhny Novgorod who died during military operations in Afghanistan and Chechnya.
Monument to the Heroes and Victims of the 1905 Revolution
It was erected in 1930 on the former Ostrozhnaya Square, now - Freedom Square. The opening was timed to the next anniversary of the December uprising, brutally suppressed in 1905. The author is the Leningrad architect A. Yakovlev. The monument consists of red granite blocks, symbolizing the elements of the barricades, with the names of the fallen soldiers carved. A rectangular stele rises above them. There is a mosaic lined with a panel depicting armed men under scarlet banners.
"Postman with a bicycle"
The bronze sculpture was installed in 2006 near the Main Post Office, at the intersection of two streets - Bolshaya and Malaya Pokrovsky. Depicts a young postman in uniform, with a bag on his shoulder, next to a bicycle. At the end of the 19th century, this profession was one of the most significant in the city, since all letters, postcards, various correspondence, gifts were sent only by mail. By the way, this place used to be a Yamskaya yard - the prototype of the post office.
Escape from Hell
The obelisk with this name is dedicated to the feat of a group of 10 prisoners of war led by pilot M. Devyatayev. In 1945, they escaped in a German plane from a concentration camp on the island of Usedom in the Baltic Sea, where missile tests were being carried out. At the same time, they delivered valuable information about German rocketry. A granite slab with the carved names of the heroes is installed in the Victory Park on the embankment. There are similar slabs in other cities, where the participants of the escape were from.
Monument to the reader "From hand to hand"
The sculpture is dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the popular advertising newspaper Iz Ruk v Ruki. It looks quite natural. An intelligent man in a hat and a long raincoat modestly, even slightly casually, sat down on a bench and enthusiastically studied the advertisements in the newspaper. With his free hand, he makes a warning gesture so as not to be disturbed. The monument appeared in 2008, on the Minin and Pozharsky square. There is free space on the bench, you can sit down to read or take a picture.
