Monument to Taras Shevchenko, Bronze memorial statue in central Baku, Azerbaijan
The Monument to Taras Shevchenko is a 3.5 meter tall bronze statue depicting the 19th-century Ukrainian poet and artist. It sits in a central location in Baku and displays a figurative representation with inscribed text.
The idea came from a group led by Ukrainian sculptor Igor Grechanik, who showed Shevchenko as a young man writing Kobzar. The square was rebuilt to designs by Goncha Manafova and chief architect Akif Abdullaev, and philanthropist Sergei Bondarchuk funded the monument and its delivery. It was unveiled on 30 June 2008 with Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Viktor Yushchenko present.
The statue honors a significant Ukrainian poet and artist whose works shaped Ukrainian culture and identity. It stands as a symbol of the connection between Ukraine and Azerbaijan in a public space.
The monument is located at a visible spot in downtown Baku and is easy to reach on foot. Its central position makes it a natural gathering point during a city walk.
Seen from behind, the bronze figure merges into a willow tree with roots, a form the sculptor chose to stand for Ukraine and for Shevchenko's origins. The statue shows him young, as he looked when the first edition of Kobzar appeared at 26, holding the book out to passers-by.
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