Motherland Monument

The National Museum of The History of Ukraine in the Second World War is a cultural facility that contains many different monuments of high value. However, one that is the most famous is surely a Motherland Monument.

A 102 meters statue made of stainless steel represents a true treasury for every citizen of Kyiv. Situated 62 meters above the museum’s main building, it offers a great perspective and overlooks for the visitors who come close to it. With a total weight of 560 tons, it is one of the heaviest objects of this kind in the museum. Something that characterizes this outstanding monument is its sword and shield that has the State Emblem of the Soviet Union embedded. Both of those parts of the monument are visible from far distances and easy to detect.

The first inventor of its appearance is a Soviet sculptor called Yevgeny Vulchetich who drew the statue from Ukrainian painter Nina Danylelko but later on, the design has been taken over by Halyna Kalchenko, a Ukrainian sculptor. She is also known as the daughter of Nikifor Kalchenko who is the Prime Minister of Ukraine. Eventually, it ended up in the hands of sculptor Vasyl Borodai.

Monuments’ purpose is to emphasize the accomplishments of the people during the Second World War. Thus, it is not necessary to stand out how big historical and cultural significance this monument has for Ukrainians. There are several rumors and legends circling around this statue. One of the most popular ones is related to its inventor, Yevgeny Vuchetich who came across the Lavra hills in cooperation with a shipload of Communist Party officials back in the 1970s with the purpose to build some memorial site related to war. As an author of the other two most popular Soviet statues with military connotations, he was a highly appreciable artist with a respectful background. However, after his death in 1974, the eyebrows remained the only thing that remained from the original statue. It has been reworked by Vasyl Borodai and today it has the appearance that was guided by him.

Something that can be interesting for tourists to know is that a monument has an invisible part that goes 18 meters into depth in order to maintain its stability. An earthquake that measures 9 on the Richter scale can be easily endured by the statue, according to employees at the museum. With this in mind, you can clearly see how crucial is the role of that invisible part that provides stability to the monument.

If you are in good health, you can climb to the top of the shield via a ladder in her arm. A guide from the museum will need to come with you and he will give you a safety hardness. The views from the top are incredible.

Overall, visitors are always pleased to see this magnificent piece of history as it truly gives an unforgettable impression.