Mother Motherland
340-foot statue built to honour the Heroes of the Soviet UnionStanding proudly over the Kiev skyline is the 340-foot tall Mother Motherland statue. Originally intended to be even taller, the sword of the statue was cut because it was higher than the cross of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a renowned Orthodox Christian Monastery.
Held in the statue's left hand is a shield with the State Emblem of the Soviet Union. For a small fee, you can go up to the heigh of the shield for a breathtaking view of the Kiev skyline. Below the towering statue in its base is a Memorial hall that displays the names of 11,600 soldiers and over 200 workers on the home-front, honored during the war with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
To complete the full Soviet Experience, the Motherland statue is surrounded by Soviet-era sculptures and painted tanks, and the path leading to the statue is graced with a gloomy soundtrack of Soviet music.
Read more about Mother Motherland on Atlas Obscura...
Category: Strange Statues
Location: Kiev, Ukraine
Edited by: Dampo, atimian