Worker and Kolkhoz Woman

Restavration symbol of the Soviet Union

The restored monument «Worker and Kolkhoz Woman», in the recent past — a symbol of the Soviet Union, will be officially opened on 5th of December, 2009, the day of the Stalin Constitution. Above the entrance to the pedestal-pavilion will be installed emblem of the USSR, at the right and left — the arms of the Union republics.

The monument «Worker and Kolkhoz Woman» was presented at the World Exhibition in Paris (International Exposition dedicated to Art and Technology in Modern Life) in 1937. At that time it was a symbol of the socialistic industrial and political success: a young man and woman personify a host of Soviet soil — the classes of workers and collective farmers. They heaved the emblem of the Soviet Union — hammer and sickle. At that year, the USSR pavilion received the Grand Prix. After the Paris exhibition, the statue by Vera Mukhina was moved to Moscow and set in VDNH (National Economy Achievement Exhibition).

By 2003, the monument came to the emergency state, and was dismantled. The details of sculpture have been set in the hangar for six years. But this year it was decided to restore a work of art. The total height of the monument is over 60 meters (24, 5 — sculpture and 37 meters — pedestal-pavilion). The elements of the sculpture were attached to a new, tailor-made stainless steel carcass. According to the restorers, the monument will last at least several hundred years. 750 tons crane was brought to Russia to lift the statue on the pedestal. Next year in the pavilion under the sculpture will be opened an exhibition complex of more than 7 thousand square meters total area.