The monument to Catherine II in Odessa was demolished under the cover of night: how the monument to the founders of the city ceased to exist

Passion all around Monument to the Founders of Odessa, which lasted several monthscan be considered completed. Tonight it was demolished, and in order to "not get up twice", the monument to the commander also left his place Alexander Suvorov.

A noose was thrown on Catherine II

Preparing for dismantling of the monument to Catherine II on the square of the same name in Odessa began in the morning on December 28rd. Как Reported publication "Dumskaya", in the morning traffic on the square was blocked, and public utilities began to dismantle the recently erected sarcophagus around the monument. There were a lot of guards on the spot.

Directly dismantling began after midnight. Apparently, the city authorities assumed that the opponents of the demolition of the monument could stage protests, but their fears were not justified.

The sign was removed from the pedestal, also dismantled sculptures of two favorites of Catherine. By the light of lanterns, workers knocked down the elements of the monument with a crowbar.

Simultaneously with the dismantling of the monument to the Founders of Odessa, in the urban village of Kotovsky, a monument to the commander was also demolished Alexander Suvorov.

Now both monuments will be moved to the Odessa National Art Museum for storage.

“We have started communication with the mayor's office. Accommodation options are yet to be developed. We can’t say anything yet, but we are not talking about the transfer of the entire ensemble. We are talking about the acceptance for temporary storage of elements of sculptural compositions", says acting museum director Alexander Kovalchuk.

On words employees of the institution, some parts of the monuments will be placed in the courtyard, and something will be kept in the funds, something at the main entrance, in the front courtyard.

Destroyed, destroyed and finally destroyed

Recall that on November 30, the executive committee of the Odessa City Council decided to dismantle and transfer the monument to Catherine II. However, as then wrote The media should not expect the imminent demolition of the monument, since the movement of the sculptural composition associated with a number of bureaucratic issues.

Moreover, the problem, as it turned out, was not in the sculpture of Catherine itself, which, according to officials, has no cultural and historical value, since it was cast in 2007, but in the figures of favorites, which are part of the State Museum Fund of Ukraine. In other words, in order to move the monument to Catherine II, first of all, it was necessary to resolve the issue of moving the other four figures of cultural value.

But, apparently, in this case, bureaucratic obstacles were overcome much earlier than expected. And when Odessans woke up this morning, they saw not a monument to the founders of the city, but the flag of Ukraine.

Recall that while the inhabitants of Odessa and the city authorities were deciding the fate of the monument, it was poured over with paint several times, and on the monument to Catherine put on a red cap of the executioner, and a rope loop was inserted into the hand.

Mayor of the city Gennady TrukhanovWhich previously opposed the demolition of the monument, after the attacks on the monument proposed to create a special park "imperial and Soviet past", where it would be possible to bring all the monuments dismantled in the city.

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