The Motherland monument is a 102-meter tall statue located in Kiev, Ukraine that was constructed between the 1970s-1980s. It depicts a female figure holding a sword and shield and stands on a pedestal overlooking the Dnieper River. The metal frame of the monument was assembled with steel from Zaporizhia using giant cranes and welders. It weighs 450 tons in total and its stability has been tested to withstand earthquakes and strong storms. It has become a symbolic landmark and national symbol of Ukraine since its opening in 1981.

1. Homeland
mother
(Батьківщина-Мати)
From 8-A. Kiev. Ukraine.

2. The motherland іs a monumental sculpture in Kiev, located on
the high right bank of the Dnieper in the territory of the
National Museum of Ukrainian History in the Second World
War. Opened in 1981.

3. Designing
The first project "Motherland" was
developed by the sculptor Yevgeny
Vuchetich back in the 1970s, but the
construction began much later. When in
1974 Yevgeny Vuchetich died, the project
was taken by Ukrainian sculptor Vasily
Borodai. The Ukrainian architect changed
the sculpture project and began building
it.
Initially, it was assumed that a 90-meter
bronze gilded female figure would be
raised on the pedestal. At the foot of the
statue from the 30-meter high was to
flow to the Dnieper waterfall, on both
sides of which the warriors crossed the
river.

4. Construction
The metal frame is made of steel smelted in Zaporozhye.
The sculpture was assembled by a 100-meter crane,
which was made specifically for this purpose. Later, this
crane was disassembled. Stainless steel, separate block-
sections weighing 25-30 tons, the sculpture was welded
at the Kiev plant. Paris Commune taking into account
recommendations of the Institute of Electric Welding
Paton The sculptures were carried overnight so as not to
attract people's attention.

5. Welders of the monument was paid 50 rubles a day (a large sum at
that time), but the payment was compatible with work, because the
welders burned their eyes from such an amount of tireless work.
Engineers also received an ordinary salary, but were also pleased
with the fact that they build one of the "miracles" of Kiev. During
the installation on the sculpture was imposed 30 km of welds.
Judging by the geodesic instrumental measurements held every
year, the monument "Fatherland-Mother" should stand for more
than 150 years.

6. According to calculations, the statue can withstand
even an earthquake with up to 9 points. To test the
stability of the sculpture, a 10-meter copy was tested
for strength in Moscow, the largest in the turbine of
the USSR. By to the proximity of the Great Bell
Tower of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (height 96.5 m) the
height of the monument has decreased, and the
monument has grown to a height of 102 m (the
original height should be 108 m), but because the bell
tower is located on a hill above the level Homeland
mother Sea is 12 meters from the Great Lavra bell
tower. The opening of the monument was scheduled
for May 9, 1980, but it was noticed only a year later.

7. Using
On May 9, 1981, a loud opening of the monument
took place, Leonid Brezhnev himself arrived at the
opening of the 100-meter Homeland mother
became the new symbol of Kiev. In 1987, a strong
storm struck Kiev, but the statue remained
unchanged. In the summer of 2002, it was allowed
to take tourists in the areas of 36 meters and 92
meters. However, after the young man collided
with the upper platform in April 2003 and had an
accident, access to tourists was limited. In 2009,
the restoration of the building began.

8. Characteristic
The total height of the monument with the pedestal is 102 meters. The height of the
sculptures "Fatherland" (from the pedestal to the tip of the sword) - 62 meters. In one hand,
the statue holds a 16-meter sword weighing 9 tons, while in the other one - a shield from 13
to 8 meters with an emblem of the USSR (weighing 13 tons). The entire building is fully
welded and weighs 450 tons.

9. The frame itself begins at a depth of 17.8
meters (from the entrance to the
museum). To this depth there is a concrete
well with a diameter of 34 meters. On the
shield "Homeland mother" is an
observation deck. In the middle of the
sculpture there are two elevators: one of
the elevators rises nine stops to the "head"
of the Homeland mother, which has a well
and technical conditions. You can climb
into a "hand" with a shield, and in another
- with a sword. There are also installation
sites. At the highest point of the sword
there is a special device for suppressing
the fluctuations of the wind load.

10. National Museum of the History of Ukraine
in the Second World War
The National Museum of the History
of Ukraine in the Second World War
(Ukrainian: Музей історії України у
Другій світовій війні) is a memorial
complex the German-Soviet War
located in the southern outskirts of
the Pechersk district of Kiev, the
capital of Ukraine, on the picturesque
hills on the right-bank of the Dnieper
River.

11. Museum in honor of World War II

12. Photo gallery

14. View from Homeland Mother

15. There were Yehor, Dennis and
Andrew working on this
presentation. For this we special
went special to do some photos. I
want to thank my friend Dennis,
who agreed to this trip and work
on this presentation .
Thank you for attention!