Мамаев курган сочинение на английском

The Motherland Calls

Motherland Calls Statue — Motherland Calls is the centre for constructing the monument-collections «Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad» at Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia. It was designed by sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich and architect Nikolai Nikitin, and announced the world’s tallest statue in 1967.

Stalingrad Memorial — Just a mound under the statue in Russia «The Motherland Calls» whose reward was to be 34,505 soldiers buried right here — the defenders of Stalingrad. On the top of the hill at the foot of Mother Motherland is a winding path along which the 35 granite tombstones heroes of the Soviet Union, members of the Stalingrad Battle. The foot of the mound to its tip serpentine consists of precisely 200 granite steps height of 15 cm. Around the monument, there is always a lot of rumours and gossip. Perhaps the most pressing issue was the mystery of the prototype of the world-famous sculpture Yevgeny Vuchetich. Some believe that Vuchetich sculpted the body figure to discus thrower  Nina Dumbadze, and a face from his wife, Vera. The prototype of the prominent figures of Mamayev Kurgan was Valentina Izotova — waitress (Rodina Mat Zovyot) of city restaurant «Volgograd,» she was 26 years old.

The Motherland Calls Statue

The Motherland Monument — During the design of the sculpture «The Motherland Calls,» Volgograd statue constantly had to make changes to the construction plan. Little know that initially, The Motherland statue had to look differently: the original draft suggested the existence of 2 figures (and a kneeling woman soldier). In his hand, Motherland had not held a sword and a red banner. Not found it necessary to Vucetich and sumptuously decorated pedestal of the mother and the stairs, so initially in the project, were replaced path, like a ribbon that encircled the Russian Motherland.

Statue with Sword — Dimensions sculptures have also been changed — The original 36 meters «grown-up» to 52 meters. And finally, the construction began in May 1959. The opening of the Volgograd monument occurred on the 15th of October 1967. Its height — 52 meters, the length of her arms outstretched, ups — 20 meters, the size of the sword — 33 meters. Overall height sculptures — 85 meters. Weight monument without foundations — about 8000 tons.

Image Credit IREX

The Motherland Calls Statues — In a sharp, swift rush, a woman stood on the mound. With sword in hand, she encourages her son to defend the Fatherland. Her right foot slightly back, torso and head vigorously deployed to the left. Face stern and resolute. Frown, wide open screaming mouth, fanned by wind gusts short hair, strong hands, body shape fitting long dress, fanned by wind gusts ends handkerchief — all this creates a feeling of strength, expression and irresistible striving froward. 

Monument of Russia — In the background of the sky, it is like a bird soaring in the sky. Mother Motherland sculpture looks excellent on all sides of the year: In the summer, when the mound is covered with a continuous grass carpet, and a winter evening — bright, lit by the rays of searchlights. Majestic stature, speaking on the background of dark blue sky as if it grows out of the mound, merging it with the snow cover.

From the foot of Mother Motherland, extensive views of all the elements of the ensemble, the city, the Vogoa, Zavolzhe. Motherland is visible within the Mamaev Kugan — It dominates the whole town, and it is visible from ten kilometers. 

«To Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad» 

The Motherland Calls | Map

The Motherland Calls | Mamaev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia — Video

Today, more than two million visitors from all over the world come here to remember those who fought and lost their lives. A 72-year-old grandmother was the model for Russia’s most famous Soviet war memorial, Rodina Mat (Motherland Mother). For nearly forty years, she kept silent about her part in its artistic creation.

Другие языки

Drenched in history, Volgograd is the city whose cultural significance rivals that of any other in Russia. The vast hill looming over the city is one of the premier reasons for this, standing witness to the many trials and tribulations its residents went through down the ages. Mamaev Kurgan by name, today the hill hosts a modern memorial complex dedicated to people who fell victim to the Battle of Stalingrad. It is considered one of the seven wonders of Russia and is in many ways the beating heart of her people.

There is something unmistakably profound about this place. Is it the thousands that lie dead at every strata of its 102 meters height? Or maybe the hollow hum pervading the air while taking the 200 stairs to the top? Whatever it is, visiting Mamaev Hill is an experience you won’t forget anytime soon.

Must-watch: Mamaev Kurgan, Volgograd City & Stalingrad Panorama Museum Video.
Video by Extreme.tv & Kultura State TV channel

Not a Step Back!

But first, let’s brush up on some history.

Historically, this cap-shaped hill has been significant to all people who lived here. Russians, for their part, defended it with all their might during the Stalingrad battle. They had to because ‘to retreat further means to waste ourselves, and our Motherland’ – as Stalin pointed out in the order No 227. During majority of the battle, defending Mamaev Kurgan meant the difference between victory and defeat.

Consequently, the hillock venued some of the fiercest shelling and killing in the battle. It is recorded that its soil remained black long after the battle was over; no snow or grass could lend their respective colors for all the blood and metal that was ingrained in it. Mamaev Kurgan was the only way for Germans to reach the Volga, and Nazis poured their forces to get hold of it. Today, built in almost 2 decades, the hill is turned into the largest WWII memorial complex anywhere in the world. It offers a mention and a resting place for the unfortunate thousands who fought, defended, and died heroes here.

Climbing the ‘Height 102’

The ‘Height 102’, as the war maps named the hillock, is the highest point in Volgograd decorated by the stupendous Motherland Calls! statue. To get there, to experience the full magnetism of this fascinating place, we ought to take the fated 200 stairs, one for each day that that the battle was fought.

Bur before we set our foot to the first of the 200, we are greeted by the Memory of Generations stone composition. It depicts people, young and old, walking in reverence and paying their respects for the victims. Head bowed in reverence and held high in pride, let’s take a walk with them.

Check out this great Mamaev Kurgan Interactive Map to plan your visit there. It is available in English too (click the language switcher at the bottom). Adobe flashplayer will be required to take this Mamaev Kurgan online tour.

Stand to Death!

Walking along more than 200m-long Alley of Poplar Trees, the distant view of the Motherland Calls! opens up to our first stop – Standing to Death Square. The focal point here is the statue is the middle, showing a soldier fearless in the face of danger. He’s dynamic, caught mid-action as he’s about to plunge a grenade into the heart of his enemies.

History buffs might recognize the soldier as Vasily Chuikov, one of the foremost protagonists of the Stalingrad battle and later designers of the memorial. He stands in the middle of a 35m round pool, his back facing the hill top, defying the odds with his strength and courage.‘Only Forward’

Continuing our ascension, we ought to pass though the Hot Gates of Mamaev Kurgan – the Ruined Walls monument. It is a stair passage framed by massive, 17,5m high stone walls on both sides. The walls depict fragments of war, figures affected by and slogans people chanted in defiance of it. Various Inscriptions and audible war songs portray the sentiment of the people during the first half of the 1940s.

‘The Iron Wind’

The walled passage leads to our most significant stop before we reach the top of the hill. Square of Heroes is marked by a huge pond in the middle and the banner-like wall to one side.

The other side is columned by 6 statues each standing 6 meters tall. The figures come in pairs and are emblematic of the archetypal war situations – a wounded soldier carrying on with his comrade, a nurse helping a soldier up, or another one picking up a banner from his fallen comrade. Gazing back at the wall and reading its larger-than-life inscription, 3 words in particular stand out; the words read: ‘are they mortal?’ Only one answer to that.

From the square leading to our next destination we see a grand wall showcasing the Soviet victory. Here, sealed by its stony safety is a capsule, due to be opened at the WWII victory centenary. It contains a letter for future generations, and we’ll find out its content on May 9, 2045.

You can visit Mamaev Kurgan as part of our Volgograd Day Tour, but for now, we extend our hand in an attempt to give you a snippet of this fascinating place.

Fire Eternally Lit

The entire journey is spiced by some remarkable views of the Volga River stretching into distance. But now we enter an enclosed space, a round hall with the immortal Shubert humming in the background. This is the Hall of Military Glory, the home of the eternal fire lit on a torch supported by a large hand-shaped marble. The hall resembles a shrine, a temple, with the fire safeguarded by an endless array of the 46^th Infantry Company who change their posts every hour until 8 pm. The banners you see hanging all around contain more than 7000 names of the city defenders.

The Sorrowful Mother

We leave the solemn atmosphere of the Military Hall only to arrive at Square of Sorrow. The central figure here is a large female statue surrounded by the lake of tears, weeping, weeping for her loved ones who sacrificed for the better world. She might also be weeping for the great Soviet Marshall Vasily Chuikov, whose grave adorns the garden nearby. Therefrom we are almost there, almost at the summit of Mamaev Kurgan.

The Mama

Covering some 1.5 km from hill foot to hilltop, we’re finally there. Like lost ship the North Star, we followed where she beckoned us, always keeping one eye on her mighty posture. The Motherland Calls! statue is the center piece of Mamaev Kurgan – its largest and most celebrated monument. At 85m it is the tallest figure of a woman in the world, and still the tallest one in Europe and Russia.

Crying a patriotic call in defense of the land, she extends her mighty sword towards the blue. Eternally pompous, ‘Mama’ as the locals call her is the greatest symbolic portrayal of the Russian people during the World War 2. Resolute, defiant, not unlike them, she presides over her beloved city, safeguarding it from any potential danger.

Erecting such an enormous statue is no small feat. A few structural inventions had to be pulled off in order for the statue to safely stand. These went successful though, and resulted in an impressive figure that can be seen from almost any point in the city.

The Descent

We dare you to climb down from Mamaev Hill and not be a changed person. It’s just that sort of place, where tragic historical significance finds solace in majestic sensory experience. Our Volgograd Day Tour devotes 2.5 hours to the complex, but you can spend days here and still be dazzled by the new. Still, don’t be daunted by its scope, but rather be intoxicated by its beauty. Come, the ‘Mama’ calls!

Войти через Google

или

Запомнить меня

Забыли пароль?

Fascist and Soviet soldiers were fighting tough from July 17, 1942 until February 2, 1943. They fought at the height of 102 meters (334.7 feet) at the place where the Don River flew very close to the Volga River. This is where the soldiers received the order №227 from Stalin. The main idea of it was «Not a single step back!» This is the hero-town Stalingrad, which now has the name of Volgograd. The fight for the town became the crucial one for the whole Great Patriotic War (World War II). That battle became a part of history as the greatest victory of the Soviet Army over the Fascist Germany. And the victory cost a giant sacrifice. This place is Mamaev Kurgan. Memorial complex «To Heroes of Stalingrad Battle» commemorates the great heroic deed and the numerous lives lost here.

More than one and a half million of people visit Mamaev Kurgan annually. And the place is especially crowded during the Victory Day celebrations. It is hard not to appreciate the moment and pay last respect to those who sacrificed their future for our troubles live in the present.

We only had one day to see Volgograd. That is why we went to see Mamaev Kurgan in the first place. This is where we begin our excursion. The rest of Volgograd attractions are described in the second part of the article: Attractions of Volgograd.

How to Get to Mamaev Kurgan

Lenin Avenue is the main street in Volgograd. Light rail circulates along it. The name of the rout is simple LR (or ST that corresponds to the Russian term «skorostnoy tramvay» – light rail). This rout is one of attractions in Volgograd. Its special feature is that some of the stations are situated underground – just like in subway. This very tram will take us to Mamaev Kurgan. As guidance we should mention that there are only two quarters on foot from Volgograd rail terminal to the tram station «Lenin Square».

We got off at Mamaev Kurgan station and found ourselves at the bottom of kurgan. There we began our rise towards the main memorial of the complex. High relief «Memory of Generations» is at the bottom in the entrance square. Its length is 17 meters (55.7 feet). Socles filled with ground from all the twelve hero-towns of the Soviet Union surround the high relief.

Mamaev Kurgan – Memorial Complex

We went upstairs to the walkway of Lombardy poplars. They guard both sides of the 223 meters (731.6 feet) long walkway. This is the place where we first saw the prospect of the memorial complex with its main sculptures «Fight to the Bitter End!» and «The Motherland Calls». The sculptures amaze with their scale even at the noticeable distance.

More steps took us to the «Fight to the Bitter End!» Square. A vast view opened behind our backs, we saw the poplars walkway and the Volga River as the background.

There is a pool with a monument to a warrior in the middle at the «Fight to the Bitter End!» Square. The pool symbolizes the Volga River with a hero warrior grew into its bank. Inscriptions on the memorial: «Not a single step back!», «Fight to the bitter end!» are extracts from the order #227. The defenders of Stalingrad received such a simple order. This is the plain symbolism of the sculpture and it makes one feel heart inside.

And the steps with ruins of walls on both sides take us higher and higher. These ruins are a kind of symbol of the destroyed, but unconquered Stalingrad. The left wall symbolizes swear of Stalingrad citizens: «Not a single step back!» The right wall elaborates on the attack. The ruins of walls are 46 meters (151 feet) long. They are not silent. This architectural composition is accompanied with sound. Status reports from the battlefield read by the legendary speaker Yuri Levitan, battlefield songs and bursts of machine-gun fair all together create the atmosphere of immersion into the events of the autumn in 1942 and the cold winter in 1943.

The Heroes Square on Mamaev Kurgan

The next sculptural and architectural composition is the Heroes Square. Mirrow-like surface of water symbolizes the Volga. There are six sculptures on one side of the pool which demonstrate Stalingrad defenders’ bravery. There is a wall on the other side of the poll. The wall has Vasiliy Grossmsn’s words engraved on it. The man was a writer and a military correspondent who stayed in Stalingrad from the first till the last day of Stalingrad urban battle. The words run as follows: «Iron wind was blowing into their faces and they kept on going ahead, and superstitious fear was spreading among the enemy: who were those people attacking them, were they mortal?» It was almost 30C (86F) hot outside that day, but my skin crawled with cold as soon as I had read those words.

The Hall of Military Glory on Mamaev Kurgan

Further we saw a relief of Stalingrad battle, the advance of troops, subsequent gaining of the west and the victory meeting. Here is also the lower entrance to the Hall of Military Glory. This is the place where the hourly relief of honor guards begins.

The Hall of Military Glory is a cylindrical room with a sculpture in the middle of it. The sculpture is a hand of a killed soldier who passes the eternal flame to the forthcoming generation. Honor guard outpost the eternal flame. There are twenty-four mosaic flags on the walls of the room. The flags have the names of killed soldiers engraved on them. An even rise against the wall leads to the second exit from the Hall of Glory. An oval open space is left in the middle of the dome. Thus, moving along the wall over the eternal flame one can see the main sculpture of the whole memorial – «The Motherland Calls!» Another perspective shows the sculpture «Grieving Mother» through the second exit. Composition called «Daydreams» by German composer Robert Schumann sounds endlessly in the Hall of Military Glory.

We left the Hall of Military Glory and appeared at the Grief Square. The central composition there is the «Grieving Mother» – a mother bending over body of her killed son. A little pool at the bottom of the sculpture symbolizes tears of all mothers who weep for their lost sons.

There is a little pass leading from the Hall of Military Glory towards the main sculpture. Monument to soldiers killed in battles stay along the pass.

The Motherland Calls!

We rose higher towards the main sculpture of Mamaev Kurgan – «The Motherland Calls!» Its height is 85 meters (278.9 feet) its weight is 8,000 tons (17,636,980 pounds). It is only a 16 meters long basement that can hold such a weight. The author of the sculpture as well as of the whole memorial is Yevgeny Vuchetich. The sculpture «The Motherland Calls!» is the central element of the triptych. The first sculpture is in Magnitogorsk and its name is «Home Front to the Front». In this sculpture a worker passes a sword to a soldier. Mamaev Kurgan is the place where the sword was unsheathed. The third sculpture to soldier-releasers is in Berlin and the sword is put down there.

We went downstairs on the left from the sculpture and approached Church of All Saints. It was completed in 2005. There is a bed of honor next to it with a sculpture of a woman soldier holding a wreath.

There is another entrance to Mamaev Kurgan even further behind the back of the Motherland. We walked a bit more and turned right to come to a memorial park.

The black marble memorizes the names of 6,480 soldiers who were buried or reburied on Mamaev Kurgan. There are many beds of honor and individual graves with the total of 35,000 people on Mamaev Kurgan.

The results of the trip to Volgograd

A visit to Mamaev Kurgan allows learning things that are impossible to learn without coming there. It arises sorrowful pride for our grandfathers and grand-grandfathers who fought for our motherland. This feeling may not even appear from a mere watching of photos, but will certainly take you in once you come here to these graves and under these poplars and birches. Walk along those ruined walls and lay flowers to the eternal flame. One shudders unconsciously when reading the names and years of life. Very young boys, somebodies husbands and sons gave their lives. So let’s appreciate what they presented to us. And there is no doubt that everyone should visit this sacred place.

Video: Mamaev Kurgan, Volgograd

Родина-Мать Зовёт

Reading & Listening

Упражнение 1, с. 114

1. Describe the statue in the picture. What do you think it represents? Listen, read and check. — Опишите статую на картинке. Как вы думаете, что она означает? Послушайте, прочитайте и проверьте.

Ответ:

The statue is of woman wearing long robes and holding a large sword high up in the air.

Статуя изображает женщину в длинных одеждах и держащую высоко в воздухе большой меч.

---

Check these words

giant [ˈdʒaɪənt] гигант, великан, исполин
concrete [ˈkɒŋkriːt] бетон
statue [ˈstætʃuː] статуя
magnificent [mæɡˈnɪfɪsənt] великолепный, прекрасный, величественный
sword [sɔːd] меч
commemorate [kəˈmeməreɪt] чтить память
victory [ˈvɪktəri] победа
invasion [ɪnˈveɪʒən] вторжение
erect [ɪˈrekt] возвести 
memorial [məˈmɔːriəl] мемориал, памятник
site [saɪt] место
honour [ˈɒnə] честь, слава, почёт
monument [ˈmɒnjʊmənt] памятник, монумент

---

The Motherland Calls 

The Motherland Calls is a giant concrete statue on the hill Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd (former Stalingrad), Russia. It is a magnificent statue of a woman holding a large sword in her right hand and commemorates Russia’s victory over the Nazi invasion during World War II. When it was erected in 1967 it was the tallesst in the world and is still one of the biggest today. It measures 85 metres from the top of the tip of the sword and weighs almost 8000 tons. The statue is part of a huge memorial site of Mamayev Kurgan, which was built to honour the millions of Russians who died for their country. It is a well-loved monument and one of the Seven Wonders of Russia.

Родина-Мать Зовёт

Родина-Мать зовёт — это гигантская бетонная статуя на холме Мамаев курган в Волгограде (бывший Сталинград), Россия. Это великолепная статуя женщины, держащей в правой руке большой меч, символизирующая победу России над нацистским вторжением во время Второй мировой войны. Когда она была возведена в 1967 году, она была самой высокой в мире и до сих пор является одной из самых больших сегодня. Она 85 метров в высоту от вершины острия меча и весит почти 8000 тонн. Статуя является частью огромного мемориального комплекса Мамаева кургана, который был построен в честь миллионов русских, погибших за свою страну. Это всеми любимый памятник и одно из Семи чудес России.

Упражнение 2, с. 114

2. Read the text again and сomplete the sentences. — Прочтите текст ещё раз и завершите предложения.

1 The Motherland Calls is located on the hill of Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia.
Родина-Мать зовёт расположена на холме Мамаева кургана в Волгограде, Россия.

2 The Motherland Calls is made of concrete. 
Родина-Мать зовёт сделана из бетона.

3 The statue shows a woman holding a large sword in her right hand.
Статуя изображает женщину, держащую в правой руке большой меч.

4 The statue is 85 metres tall.
Высота статуи составляет 85 метров.

5 The Russians built Mamayev Kurgan to honour the millions of Russians who died for their country. 
Русские построили Мамаев курган в честь миллионов русских, погибших за свою страну.

Speaking & Writing

Упражнение 3, с. 114

3. Tell your partner three things you remember from the text.  — Расскажите своему однокласснику три вещи, которые вы запомнили из текста.

1 The Motherland Calls is a giant concrete statue.
Родина-Мать зовёт — это гигантская бетонная статуя.

2 It commemorates Russia’s victory over the Nazi invasion during World War II.
Она посвящена победе России над нацистским вторжением во время Второй мировой войны.

3 It weighs almost 8000 tons.
Она весит почти 8000 тонн.

Упражнение 4, с. 114

4. Think! Imagine you are standing in front of the statue. How does it make you feel? Tell your partner. — Подумай! Представьте, что вы стоите перед статуей. Как вы себя чувствуете? Расскажи своему однокласснику.

Упражнение 5, с. 114

5. Use the Internet to collect information about another statue in your country. What does it look like? What does it represent? Write a paragraph about it. Present it to the class. — Используйте Интернет для сбора информации о другой статуе в вашей стране. На что она похожа? Что она собой представляет? Напишите об этом абзац. Представьте классу.

The Bronze Horseman is a magnificent statue built to honour the founder of St Petersburg, Peter the Great. The statue stands on Senatskai Square and it faces the Neva River. The statue is Peter the Great on a horse. The pedestal that the statue stands on is made of a single piece of red granite which looks like a cliff. From the top of this ‘cliff’, Peter is leading Russia forward while his horse steps on a snake, which represents Peter’s enemies.

Медный всадник — величественная статуя, воздвигнутая в честь основателя Санкт-Петербурга Петра Великого. Статуя стоит на Сенатской площади и обращена к Неве. Статуя Петра Великого на коне. Пьедестал, на котором стоит статуя, сделан из цельного куска красного гранита, похожего на утёс. С вершины этой «скалы» Пётр ведёт Россию вперёд, а его конь наступает на змею, которая символизирует врагов Петра.

← Предыдущее     Следующее →

ГДЗ по английскому языку. Starlight. Звёздный английский. Учебник. 6 класс. Баранова К.М., Дули Д., Копылова В.В.

Рабочая тетрадь. Starlight. 6 класс. Workbook.

Английский язык. 6 класс

Mamaev Kurgan was originally a Tatar burial mound (‘kurgan’), although historians consider it is unlikely that it is the burial place of the Mongol-Tatar military commander Mamaev, even though legends and theories often claim the contrary. During the Second World War, the hill was marked on maps as ‘Height 102.0’ and became known as the Main Height of Russia. It was viciously fought over due to the strategic position it held and changed hands many times, its capture by Soviet forces on 2 February 1943 finally ended the Battle of Stalingrad. Upon the end of the battle, Mamaev Kurgan had been ploughed up by bombs and its soil mixed with shrapnel and corpses. It is impossible to know the exact figure but according to estimates, at least 34,000 soldiers are buried there. Now it is the location of the Mamaev Kurgan Historical-Memorial Complex to Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad and is certainly Volgograd’s main sight and probably even one of the most impressive sights in Russia.

The main focus of the complex is undoubtedly the Mother-Russia Calls Statue at the summit of the hill. The statue depicts an emotional Mother-Russia shouting and stepping forward whilst wielding a giant sword. The spectacular monument is of course the centre piece of the memorial complex, but there are many other monuments on the way through the complex worth seeing.

---

Remembrance of Generations Monument

Outside the complex is the first monument — the Remembrance of Generations monument — which is a giant stone relief depicting a line of people mourning and carrying wreaths and banners in remembrance of those who fell. Next to this are the ten-metre wide steps, 200 hundred of them to represent each day of the battle. These steps leads to the Alley of Poplar Trees. From here you can enjoy great views of Mother-Russia surrounded by the beautiful poplar trees.

---

Standing to the Death Statue

Further up in the complex you reach Standing to the Death Square which is marked by the Standing to the Death Statue which depicts a perfect Soviet soldier, bare-chested, holding a machine gun and about to throw a grenade. The statue symbolised the most difficult period of the battle and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers who faced a ferocious enemy. It stand at 16.5 metres, but is of course dwarfed by Mother-Russia in the background.

---

Ruined Walls Monument

From Standing to the Death Square you pass up stairs surrounded by the Ruined Walls monument. The giant 46 metre-high walls are ruined to show the destruction of the battle. On them there are many reliefs showing stages of the battle. Stirring Soviet war songs are played on speakers as you pass between the walls to Heroes Square.

---

Heroes Square

Heroes Square is marked by a pool which represents the river Volga and water as a source of life in general. The pool is surrounded by six six-metre high statues of various soldiers and their heroic deeds. Again this part of the complex offers amazing views of Mother-Russia especially when she is reflected in the still water of the pool.

On the other side of Heroes Square is the Monumental Relief, which shows the celebration and jubilation upon the defeat of Nazi Germany. Within the wall, a time capsule has been place to be opened on 9 May 2045 — 100 years since the end of the Second World War.

---

Hall of Military Glory

From Heroes Square, you walk through a passage in the relief into the Hall of Military Glory up to the upper part of the complex. The hall is, as expected, spectacular and its walls are marked with the names of over 7,000 soldiers who fell at the Battle of Stalingrad. In the centre of the hall there is a giant hand reaching out from the ground holding a burning torch which is eternally lit. The monument is surrounded by wreathes and soldiers on guard. Soldiers who have been relieved of duty slowly goosestep their way out of the hall along the path along the edge of the walls out of the hall.

---

Mourning Square

Upon leaving the hall you reach Mourning Square and are immediately greeted with an enormous statue of a weeping mother mourning her dead son in her arms. Behind the statue stands the golden domed All-Saints Cathedral which was added to the complex in 2002.

---

Mother-Russia Calls Monument

Finally you reach the base of one of the world’s best statues which deserves to be as iconic and New York’s Statue of Liberty or Rio De Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer Statue — yet is not that well-known outside the former Soviet Union. But when Mother-Russia is towering above you, you realise how incredible and awe-inspiring the statue is. Particularly effective is the expression on Mother-Russia’s face — a demonstration of real fury as she is calling her subjects to war and the desperation of the situation which the country faced at the time.

The statue of Mother-Russia herself alone stands at 52 metres and weighs over 8,000 tonnes, if you include the 33 metre-long sword, the statue’s overall height is 85 metres. As a comparison, the Statue of Liberty in New York is 43 metres on a 47-metre pedestal and the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro is a mere 30 metres high. Add to this the 102 metres of the hill itself and you have a truly impressive monument, which is a fitting tribute to the heroes who suffered and lost their lives in this awful battle.

The statue was unveiled in 1967 and is the work of sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich and structural engineer Nikolai Nikitin. It is said that the sculptor was partly inspired by the Winged Victory of Samothrace and there is certainly some similarity between the statues. During the construction 5,500 tonnes of concrete and 2,400 tonnes of metal structures were used. There is even an urban myth that one of the workers got lost inside the statue during its construction, never to be found again.

The statue represents part of a trilogy of statues by sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich. The first is the ‘Homefront to the Motherland’ statue in Magnitogorsk and depicts worker constructing a huge sword, the Volgograd statue represents the second in the series as Mother-Russia has lifted the sword calling Russians to war and the third and final statue is the Soldier-Liberator in Berlin’s Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park, who has finally lowered the sword upon defeating the enemy.

---