Statue of Abai Kunanbaev in Moscow, Bronze monument on Chistoprudny Boulevard, Moscow, Russia
The Abai Kunanbayev monument on Chistoprudny Boulevard in Moscow is a dark bronze statue of the poet seated with one leg forward and his hands near his knees, or in another view with legs crossed and a small book in his lap. It rests on a broad light-grey granite pedestal inscribed "АБАЙ КУНАНБАЕВ" with the lines "КАЗАХСКИЙ ПОЭТ" and "МЫСЛИТЕЛЬ"; a carved scroll-like band runs along its lower edge, and red flowers lie on the sloping front.
The monument was unveiled in 2006 as part of efforts to strengthen ties between Russia and Kazakhstan. It was offered by the Kazakh side as a gift to the city of Moscow.
The pedestal carries the Russian inscription «Вечен творец бессмертного слова» (Eternal is the creator of the immortal word), and the composition includes two stone idols carved in the style of Polovtsian statues. In May 2012 the monument became a gathering point for Russian opposition protests under the hashtag #OccupyAbai, which renewed public attention to Abai's poetry.
The monument is easy to find on Chistoprudny Boulevard, a short walk from Chistye Prudy metro station. There are benches nearby, so visitors can stop and look at the statue without rushing.
Abay Kunanbayev translated works by Pushkin and Lermontov into Kazakh, the very poets considered national figures in Russia. This makes the monument one of the rare points in Moscow that honors a foreign writer who brought Russian literature into another language.
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