Here, looming over the Moskva River, stands a figure of immense proportions. It is the Peter the Great Statue.
This monument commemorates 300 years of the Russian Navy. Peter the Great established this navy. The statue has sparked debate since its construction in 1997. It is a creation of the Georgian designer Zurab Tsereteli.
The Peter the Great Statue soars 98 meters high. That is 322 feet. It stands at the western confluence of the Moskva River and the Vodootvodny Canal.
Controversy has surrounded this statue. In 2008, Virtual Tourist called it one of the world’s ugliest buildings. Foreign Policy magazine agreed in 2010. They put it on their list of the world’s ugliest statues.
Even Lonely Planet weighed in. They noted Muscovites questioned the tribute to Peter the Great. After all, he loathed Moscow. He even moved the capital to St. Petersburg.
This statue weighs around 1000 tons. It incorporates 600 tons of stainless steel, bronze and copper.
Zurab Tsereteli was a friend of Moscow’s former Mayor Yury Luzhkov. Luzhkov gave Tsereteli many commissions. These included the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. He also designed the Manege Square ensemble.
After Luzhkov left office in 2010, Moscow wanted to get rid of the Peter the Great Statue. They offered it to St. Petersburg. But St. Petersburg refused. Other cities like Arkhangelsk offered to take it.
Some say the statue was originally designed for Christopher Columbus. It was intended to celebrate the 500th anniversary of his first voyage in 1992. But no American buyer emerged. So it was repurposed with a Russian theme. Tsereteli denies this story.
Tsereteli did create a Columbus statue called Birth of the New World. Puerto Rico erected it in 2016 after US cities rejected it. He also made a smaller sculpture called Birth of a New Man. It was placed in Seville.
Despite the controversy, the Peter the Great Statue remains a striking sight. Its sheer size is impressive. It’s worth a look if you are visiting Gorky Park. Judge for yourself whether it is beautiful or ugly. The Peter the Great Statue continues to fascinate and provoke discussion. It stands as a testament to ambition and artistic vision. Whether loved or hated, it certainly leaves a lasting impression.