The laying of the Friendship Monument in the capital of Bashkiria was
dedicated to the 400th anniversary of joining the Russian state - June
14, 1957. The monument, as a symbol of friendship between peoples, was
erected on a hill near the Belaya River, where in ancient times there
was a log Ufa fortress. In August 1965, the grand opening of the
majestic obelisk, towering 35 meters, took place. Sculptors worked on
the creation of the complex structure: G.P. Levitskaya and M.F. Baburin,
as well as architects G.I. Gavrilov and E.I. Kutyrev. The sculptural
ensemble consists of two symbolic steles fastened with granite hoops,
two female figures (Bashkir and Russian) sitting at the base of the
relief. In addition to dates and words glorifying the friendship of the
two peoples, there are three more reliefs on the base of the obelisk:
the central one depicting a strong handshake of Bashkir and Russian
workers, and the side images figuratively showing achievements in
science and culture. In total, more than forty figures are depicted on
the reliefs cast in bronze, symbolizing the joy of labor victories. A
granite staircase of one hundred steps leads to the foot of the
Friendship Monument from the embankment.
Today, the territory of
the main ideological monument of the Bashkir Republic is landscaped and
looks great both from the ground and from the air. At night, the
monument towering above the city, illuminated by special spotlights, can
be seen from almost every point in Ufa. The Friendship Monument is an
integral part of the beautiful Ufimskaya embankment.
Earlier, on the site of the current Friendship monument, there was a
wooden Ufa Kremlin, which burned down during one of the major fires.
Later, the Trinity Church was erected here, closed in 1930 and blown up
in June 1956.
In 1957, the 400th anniversary of the voluntary
entry of Bashkiria into the Russian kingdom was solemnly celebrated. In
the same year, on June 14, the laying of a monument took place, on the
site of which a marble slab was installed with the inscription:
"A
monument will be erected here in memory of the 400th anniversary of the
voluntary annexation of Bashkiria to the Russian state."
However,
even the design of the monument began only 4 years later, and its
opening took place only on August 7, 1965. The authors of the monument
were Moscow sculptors M.F. Baburin and G.P. Levitskaya, as well as
architects E.I. Kutyrev and G.I. Gavrilov. The sculptures themselves
were cast at the Leningrad plant "Monument-Sculpture".
The
symbols of the idea of friendship are two high vertical stelae made of
pink granite. These steles are in the form of a sword with a hilt buried
in the ground. Their height is 30 m.
At the base of the monument
are bronze sculptures of two women who sit on both sides of the stele
half-turned to each other. In the hands of the sculptures depicting
Russia and Bashkortostan, the symbols of peace are laurel wreaths. The
years "1557 - 1957" and the inscription are carved on the monument:
GLORY TO THE GREAT BROTHER FRIENDSHIP OF THE RUSSIAN AND BASHKIR
PEOPLES
In addition, the cast-iron bas-reliefs on the monument
depict the moment the Bashkir biys took Russian citizenship, the
handshake of Russian and Bashkir workers, the symbols of construction,
agriculture, industry, science and culture - about 40 figures in total.
In addition to the relief depicting the act of taking allegiance,
three more are installed on the tetrahedral base of the obelisk. The
central relief facing the city depicts the joy of labor victory. The
firm handshake of the Russian and Bashkir workers is the semantic and
compositional center of the relief. Nearby figures help to reveal the
meaning of the ongoing event, figuratively show construction,
agriculture, and industry. Close to this relief are two other bases on
the lateral sides on the themes of science and culture. The reliefs
depict about forty figures cast in bronze. This made it possible to
enrich the reliefs with a play on the ratio of the color of bronze and
blue granite. A staircase made of granite (96 steps) leads to the foot
of the monument from the Belaya River.
The construction of the
Friendship Monument is an example of a complex architectural, sculptural
and constructive solution. The originality lies in the fact that the
center of gravity of the monument is below the planning mark of the
earth, which gives the structure the necessary stability.
The
monument has a very massive foundation with a diameter of 13 and a
height of 6 meters. The prototypes of the female figures were real
women: the Russian woman was created by the sculptor Baburin from his
daughter, and the Bashkir woman from Zukhra Muratova, who posed for the
monument for 4 months.
At the opening of the monument, the
people's poet of the Bashkir ASSR Mustai Karim said: “We bequeath to our
descendants. While the mountains of the Urals stand, while the waters of
Agidel flow, while mothers breastfeed their children - to be true to the
banner of friendship and brotherhood, stained with jointly shed blood,
overshadowed by common glory.
In 2006, during the "Year of
Improvement in the Republic of Bashkortostan" and on the occasion of the
450th anniversary of Bashkortostan's entry into Russia, the Friendship
Monument was reconstructed and the surrounding area was beautified.