Pomník Jurije Gagarina, Bronze memorial at Karlovy Vary International Airport, Czech Republic
The monument to Yuri Gagarin is a bronze statue at Karlovy Vary Airport depicting the cosmonaut in an upright pose with his right hand raised. The work stands approximately 3 meters tall and was created by sculptor Antonin Kuchar.
The memorial was created in 1974 by sculptor Antonin Kuchar and initially stood at the entrance to the Vridlo Colonnade. In 1992 it was relocated to its current location at the airport.
The memorial shows Yuri Gagarin in a silver spacesuit, symbolizing the achievements of early space exploration that captured the world's imagination. For visitors, it stands as a connection to a moment when space travel seemed like humanity's shared dream, regardless of borders.
The memorial is located within the airport grounds and is easiest to reach by public transportation from the city center. Plan to arrive with enough time to view the statue without rush, especially during quieter hours at the airport.
The statue was so large that during creation, Kuchar had to break through his studio ceiling to cast it in bronze. This unusual challenge reveals just how ambitious the artwork truly was.
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