Where is the monument to books?

For many centuries now the book has been perceived by people as a rich source of knowledge, experience, wisdom. This is a kind of bridge that connects different cultures and generations. As a gratitude and demonstration of the recognition of the importance of books in the life of man today we can see numerous "literary" monuments-books in many countries of the world. Each carries a certain history and philosophy. Let's get acquainted with the most interesting of them.

IN USA

In the United States, you can find many monuments dedicated to books. Thus, in the city of Coshocton, in front of the public library in 2004, a thematic monument was erected. The author of it is the sculptor Allan Cottril. Visually the monument is a pile of hundreds of volumes, on top of which sits, thinking about something, a boy with an open book. Each monumental folio has a name, and a copy in the hands of the boy is left without it. This is done specifically so that every visitor to the library can present his favorite book.

An unusual monument to books is in front of the University Library of Nebraska-Lincoln. The statue is made in the form of a bicycle, on which 17 books are stacked. This monument was called "Balancing Books". On the rim of both wheels are written the names of writers and philosophers (Socrates, Charles Dickens, Marcel Proust, Luis Lamoure). Among them there is the name of modern writer Daniela Steel. This monument demonstrates the richness of world culture and gives students an incentive to spiritual development.

American scientist Amelia Weinberg, in 1982, bequeathed all her works and personal books to the public library of the city of Cincinnati (Ohio). Eight years later, the sculptor Michael Fresca decided to perpetuate this noble act in the original monument. It is a pair of stacks of thick books. They are made of burnt clay and stylized under the skin. The fountain revives the composition. It also carries the symbolic meaning of the inexhaustible flow of knowledge that mankind needs for life.

In Germany

Twenty-meter monument to the books of outstanding German philosophers and writers rises in Bebel Square in Berlin. It was installed in 2006 in front of the famous University of Humboldt. Its weight reaches 35 tons. 17 books, stacked in a pile, are designated by the names of the authors: Hegel, Goethe, Schiller, Marx, the Brothers Grimm, Lessing and others. The monument was created in honor of Johann Gutenberg - the inventor of modern book printing.

And nearby, all on the same square, there is another monument, called "Drowning Library". Missing books here are, rather, a symbol of memory, not letting forget about the brutal burning of more than 12,000 great works in May 1933 by fascist students. The monument is an empty bookshelf, leaving the ground, into the void.

In Great Britain

Unusual in its design is a grotesque monument in London. His composition is a huge book, crushing the head of a man, and a tree growing from a book. Such an unusual monument was named "Despite history". The author of it is the sculptor Bill Woodrow.

In Spain

An unusually "lively", realistic monument in the form of a book is located in Barcelona. It was installed in 1994, the author of it - Joan Bross. A feature of the monument is the use of non-traditional materials and original composition and forms. The monument is a half-opened book, placed in a huge bowl. It seems that the pages are swaying in the wind.

In Poland

In 2008, in Leska, on the ancient square, a book fair was held. It was then that the city administration opened the first monument to the book in Poland. Bronze alloy depicts a heavy volume, decorated with the state emblem. According to the idea of the sculptor Andrzej Pytynski, a large book symbolizes the weight of a printed word. Tom keep his hands up. This composition also indicates the enlightenment, development and spiritual heights that books carry.

In Israel

A majestic monument to books and writing is in Haifa. The opening date is 2007, and the composition is a huge three-meter book made of bronze. From it, in a literal sense, various symbols and letters "fall out". This author emphasizes that the monument symbolizes the continuous development of book printing, writing. The monument is located in a picturesque park and is available for review to all residents and tourists of the city.

In Turkmenistan

Monuments dedicated to books carry a different symbolism. The father of the Turkmen nation is Saparmurat Niyazov. Perhaps every Turkmen citizen can quote his book "Ruhnama" ("Spirit Book") today. And it is no coincidence that a giant monument in the form of a sacred book has been installed in the main city of the country in the park of Independence. Its height is from a two-story house. Every evening "Ruhnama" opens, and on the first page with the help of the projector a documentary film about the formation of the Turkmen nation is demonstrated.

In the UAE

And here is another masterpiece of monumentalism, which is of national importance. One of the most conservative in terms of religion is the emirate of Sharjah. In his capital at the square of Culture erected a majestic monument of seven meters in height. It is a sacred book of the Koran with open pages. Religious symbolism is reinforced by the glimmering Arabian ligature, and the nearby mosque. The book-monument is installed on a high pedestal. For the dark time of the day, the original lighting is provided, which visually increases the size of the monument.

In China

China has always been famous for its unbreakable traditions and unconventional view of the world. The monument to books is one of the most profound phenomena in its symbolism that a tourist can meet here. Of particular interest is the huge granite volume. On the cover of his are visible Chinese characters and figures, and from them a human face emerges. The meaning of the composition is quite simple: if a baby appears from the mother's womb, then the person as a person is formed due to books.

Curiosity of tourists is caused by another monument dedicated to the power of knowledge. His composition is a swing-balancer, on one side sits an adult plump man with one book in his hands, on the other - a fragile girl with a small pile of books. According to the author's idea, the girl outweighs the man. Thus, the main idea of the monument is read: the person's significance lies in the amount of knowledge, and not in the physical weight.

In Russia

Monuments to books in Russia occupy, perhaps, a special place, since they are represented in a rich variety, and each of them has its own history. So, original compositions can be found in Taganrog, Murmansk, Krasnoyarsk, Angarsk, Stavropol, Kogalym. Some are distinguished by touching and grace, others majestically remind us of the geniuses of Russian literature of the past centuries.

Under the classic title "The Book - the source of knowledge" is presented a thematic monument in Omsk, at the entrance to the bookstore on the street. Lenin. The originality of the composition lies in the method of its creation from metal using electric-arc welding. The monument is made in the form of an open book. On its pages are depicted fairy-tale characters and letters. Its author is Alexander Kapralov. Unfortunately, the true intent of the artist remained unknown. But for tourists visiting the city, this composition gives unlimited freedom for imagination and "thinking out".

The most popular and impressive, according to tourists, is the monument book in St. Petersburg. It is located on the University Embankment (St. Petersburg State University) and is a huge open book (3,6 * 2,4 * 0,9). The monument is made of granite, on the pages of it you can read the famous lines from Pushkin's poem "The Bronze Horseman". The monument was opened in 2002, its creation is timed to the 300th anniversary of the city. The authors were the artist E. Solovyov, the architect O. Romanov and the art critic A. Ruskin.

Another St. Petersburg monument dedicated to books has an unusual history. It is associated with the name of Constantine Groth, the founder of the "Guardianship of the Blind". The composition is a girl sitting on a pedestal. Her gaze is fixed on the sky, and her right hand slides over the page of the open book. Looking closer, you can find that on the knees of a blind girl - the publication of K. Ushinsky's "Children's World".

Quite modest in size and composition, you can find a thematic monument in Khimki. It was installed in 2010, during the first Moscow Cultural Forum. The bronze monument depicts an open book on a pedestal. On one page you can see the profile of the Russian poet A.S. Pushkin, on the other - the lines of his poem: "I remember a wonderful moment ...". The book is set as if floating in the air, and a stone pedestal decorates the pen and lyre. The very form of it resembles a soft sign.

Buildings-monuments

Monuments to books in the world are increasingly distinguished by the originality and non-standard form, color and materials. The top of such monuments today can be called buildings in the form of books. Here the sculpture is closely intertwined with urban architecture. Representatives of this kind of monuments can be found in Kansas City (USA), Moscow, Tyumen, Novosibirsk, Grozny, Ashgabat, Paris, etc. As a rule, the facades of public libraries, press and creative centers, educational and financial institutions are designed in this style.