Ivan Susanin Monument, Memorial statue in Kostroma, Russia
The Ivan Susanin Monument is a stone statue in the waterfront area of Kostroma that depicts a standing figure on a cylindrical base. The sculpture faces toward the river and sits prominently where many visitors naturally pass through.
An earlier monument to this figure was built in 1851, but it was destroyed in 1934 during the Soviet era. The version standing today was rebuilt in 1967 with a redesigned form that shifted the focus of how the subject was portrayed.
The monument honors a peasant who, according to local legend, led invading troops into forests to protect a future ruler from danger. This story transformed him into a figure of national importance, and his memory remains part of how Russians understand their past.
The monument sits on the riverbank in central Kostroma and is easily reached on foot from most parts of town. The area is flat and accessible, with plenty of surrounding streets to explore.
The monument from the 1960s was intentionally designed to avoid religious and royal symbols, focusing instead only on the figure itself. This artistic choice marked a clear break from how the earlier version had presented the subject.
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