Ijik, Bronze sculpture in Central Square, Russia

Ijik is a bronze sculpture standing in Central Square in Izhevsk, the capital of the Udmurt Republic in Russia. The figure stands outdoors in an open setting, accessible from all sides, so visitors can walk around and view it from any angle.

The idea for the Ijik figure came from the project "250 Good Deeds for the 250th Anniversary of Izhevsk", proposed by the children's movement "Yunost" of the Oktyabrsky district, with Nikolai Khaliullin as coordinator. Residents donated several thousand old keys, 180 kg of metal in all, and the sculpture was cast at the Izhmash steel foundry. It was unveiled on 4 November 2010 on Central Square. A second Ijik, placed in Internatsionalny Lane in 2010, was moved onto the plant's grounds in 2014.

Ijik is not a mythological figure but the mascot of Izhevsk, a boy in the knee-length coat and top hat of local arms-makers, with a rowan branch on the hat. The idea came from the children's movement Yunost of Oktyabrsky district within the project "250 good deeds for Izhevsk's 250th anniversary"; Nikolay Khaliullin coordinated it. Residents donated several thousand old keys, 180 kg of metal, to cast it.

Ijik stands on Central Square, the city's main open space, so it is reached on foot from the surrounding streets and public transport stops. The bronze figure is 1.5 m tall on its stone base, with a plaque at the lower left and a QR-code sign on a black pole to the right. The square is open and level, and the sculpture can be walked around from all sides.

The bronze was cast at the Izhstal steelworks from several thousand old keys collected from residents in hospitals, shopping centres, schools and kindergartens; the metal weighed 180 kg, and the city's utilities supplied the rest. The finished figure weighs 800 kg at a height of 1.5 m. A second Ijik stood in Internatsionalny Lane by IzhMash from 2010 until it was moved onto the factory grounds in 2014.