Kyivska embankment is a favorite place where Uzhgorod citizens and visitors like to rest.

History:

In order to see the Statue of Liberty one doesn’t necessarily have to go to New York. There is such a monument in Uzhgorod too. However, the Statue of Liberty in Uzhgorod is smaller. It is only 17 centimeters tall. This mini-sculpture stands on the railings of the bridge that connects two sides of the river Uzh. However, despite the small size, the locals like their Svobodka (as they fondly refer to it) not less than the New Yorkers like their own. They dress it up during various festivals (which New Yorkers for sure could never do with their monument), and it serves as a beacon for ships. Yes, a real beacon for mini regattas, which are also organized in Uzhgorod. And if you look at the sculpture at night, you would see the world’s smallest active lighthouse in the world’s smallest Statue of Liberty.

Kyivska embankment is a place that will enchant anyone. Besides beautiful sakuras, picturesque banks of the river Uzh and magnificent views of the city, the railings along the river are not less interesting. There you can find some part of the mini-sculptures gallery. And it is not just a gallery, but the real history of the city, where every exhibit tells its story. What story does the metal node on the railing tell? This is Croton node, which was created as a reminder that the next sculpture to the weightlifter Croton would be established there. In 1928 this Transcarpathian weightlifter, whose real name was Ivan Firtsak, was recognized as the strongest man in the world.

A little further there is another mini-sculpture to the Good Soldier Svejk, literary character created by the Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek. Svejk perched on the railings with his favorite knodel looking at the river. Incidentally, the railings at Kyivska embankment have not been changed since the Czechoslovak period, so the holes on the railings near Svejk are from the real machine-gun bullets. Even though Svejk sculpture is very small, the writer’s grandson came to visit its opening ceremony. So this is the story with the mini-sculptures of Uzhgorod!