Zolotoy Kolos Fountain, Monumental fountain at VDNKh Exhibition Centre, Moscow, Russia
Zolotoy Kolos is a monumental water feature at the VDNKh Exhibition Centre with golden wheat ears rising from a central basin. Water jets spray outward in circular patterns around the grain sculptures that form the heart of the composition.
This fountain was built in 1954 as a monument celebrating agricultural production during the Soviet era. It became one of several major water features created at the exhibition center to highlight farming and industry achievements.
The fountain's name comes from the gilded ear of wheat at its centre, a reference to grain growing. Its base is decorated with cornucopias covered in smalti, and the 66 jets emerge from nozzles set in the "grains" of the ear. The fountain has served as a stage for light and mapping shows, including Margo Trushina's "The Tomorrow That Never Was" in 2015.
The fountain stands in the centre of the upper pond at VDNKh, so it is seen from the surrounding embankment rather than approached directly. It was switched off in the 1990s, restored from summer 2017 and relaunched on 15 July 2018. The nearest metro is VDNKh.
Before the 1954 fountain was built, a full-size clay model of it was made. Two pump units of 110 kW each fed 66 jets from nozzles set in the grains, and 30 of those jets rose to 25 metres.
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