Saint Petersburg is famous for its beautiful architecture and buildings. It is also a city of numerous historical and cultural places. But do you know that there is also a lot of unusual monuments and sculptures in Saint Petersburg which a lot of tourists are unaware of?
Chizhyk-Pyzhik
Chizhyk-Pyzhik is the smallest monument in Saint Petersburg (its height is just 11 cm). It was installed in 1994 on Fontanka Embankment – right down by the water.
According to a popular legend, students of the Imperial School of Jurisprudence, which in 19-20 centuries was located not far from the current place of the sculpture, wore green coats with yellow details. They were called Chizhyk-Pyzhiks for the colours of their uniforms, which reminded the feathering of a siskin (chizh in Russian). A popular Russian song about Chizhyk-Pyzhik is also devoted to the students of this school. Nowadays the bronze bird is a symbol of luck. If you make a wish and throw a coin to the pedestal, which Chizhyk-Pyzhik stands on, your dream will definitely come true!
Monument to a Hare
Monument to a Hare, also know under the name «Hare escaping from the flood», was installed in 2003 in honour of 300th anniversary of Saint Petersburg. It is located near the Ioannovsky Bridge, at the entrance to the Peter and Paul fortress at the Hare Island.
There is a legend that one hare, escaping from the flood and trying to save itself, jumped at Peter the Great’s boot when he disembarked from a boat onto the island. The island itself was a habitat to a numerous amount of hares. After that accident Peter the Great decided to name this place Hare Island.
Cats Elisey and Vasilisa
If you walk down Sadovaya street and have an attentive look at the buildings, you will see two little bronze cats sitting at the ledges of the walls. According to a legend, these sculptures were created in honour of the cat division, which rescued sieged Leningrad from the invasion of rats in 1941-1944.
Elisey can be found at the corner of Mal. Sadovaya 8, while Vasilisa is standing at the ledge of the house № 3.
Nose of Major Kovalev
Don’t be surprised when you see the sculpture of the nose at one of the Saint Petersburg’s streets. This sculpture was installed in honour of the main character of a short story «Nose» written by one of the most famous Russian authors Nikolai Gogol.
It is interesting to know that the metal nose, which weights 100 kilogrammes was once stolen and no one could find it during the whole year. Eventually it was found and moved to its usual place.
Pedestal of the Invisible Man
This unusual monument is located in front of the entrance of the mental hospital. Initially it was a pedestal for the bust of Alexander II but in 1931 it was demolished by the soviet government.
However, the pedestal was left on its place and some of the inhabitants of Saint Petersburg made a writing «Invisible Man» on it. This is exactly how the monument looks like even today.
Angel of Saint Petersburg
Many people of Saint Petersburg enjoy to spend time sitting in the parks and reading books. However, there is one reader who always sits on one of the benches of Izmailovskiy garden. This is a little bronze angel in a long coat holding an umbrella and attentively reading its book.
According to the creator, the sculpture symbolizes the old people of Saint Petersburg, who went through the war but saved their cheerfulness, purity and intelligence.
Monument to the Office Manager
In the century of technologies even sculptures have gadgets and smartphones. One of them is a bronze manager that sits and works on a laptop near «Avenue» business centre.
People say that if you give a pat on his head your day will be lucky – you can easily get a raise or a premium at work. This sculpture can even help you to find your love, you should just touch a marriage ring on manager’s finger.
