For many centuries, the book has been perceived by people as a rich source of knowledge, experience, wisdom. This is a kind of bridge connecting different cultures and generations. As a thank you and demonstration of the recognition of the importance of books in human life today, we can see numerous "literary" monuments and books in many countries of the world. Each carries a certain history and philosophy. Get to know the most interesting of them.
IN THE USA
In the United States there are many monuments dedicated to books. So, in the city of Koshokton, a thematic monument was erected in front of the public library in 2004. Its author is the sculptor Allan Cottril. Visually, the monument is a stack of hundreds of volumes, on top of which a boy with an open book sits, thinking about something. Each monumental tome has a name, and a copy in the hands of a boy is left without it. This is done specifically so that every visitor to the library can present their favorite book.
An unusual monument to books is located in front of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln University Library. The statue is made in the form of a bicycle, on which 17 books are stacked. This monument is called "Balancing books." The names of writers and philosophers (Socrates, Charles Dickens, Marcel Proust, Luis Lamour) are written on the rim of both wheels. Among them is the name of the modern writer Daniela Steele. This monument demonstrates the richness of world culture and gives students an incentive for spiritual development.
Back in 1982, the American scientist Amelia Weinberg bequeathed all her works and personal books to the public library of the city of Cincinnati (Ohio). Eight years later, the sculptor Michael Fresca decided to perpetuate this noble act in the original monument. It is a pair of stacks of thick books. They are made of fired clay and stylized under the skin. Revives the composition of the fountain. It also carries the symbolic meaning of the inexhaustible stream of knowledge that humanity needs for life.
In Germany
A twenty-meter monument to the books of prominent German philosophers and writers rises in Bebel Square in Berlin. It was installed in 2006 in front of the famous Humboldt University. Its weight reaches 35 tons. 17 books stacked in a pile are designated by the names of the authors: Hegel, Goethe, Schiller, Marx, the Brothers Grimm, Lessing and others. The monument was created in honor of Johannes Gutenberg - the inventor of modern printing.
And nearby, all in the same square, there is another monument, called the “Drowned Library”. The missing books here are, rather, a symbol of memory, not letting forget about the brutal burning of more than 12 thousand great works in May 1933 by fascist students. The monument is an empty bookshelf, going underground, into the void.
In Great Britain
Unusual in design is the grotesque monument in London. His composition is made up of a huge book that crushed a person’s head, and a tree growing from a book. Such an unusual monument was called “Despite the History”. Its author is the sculptor Bill Woodrow.
In Spain
An unusually “lively”, realistic monument in the form of a book is located in Barcelona. It was installed in 1994, its author is Joan Brossa. The feature of the monument is the use of unconventional materials and the original composition and forms. The monument is a half-open book, placed in a huge bowl. It seems that the pages are swaying in the wind.
In Poland
In 2008, a book fair was held in Leska, on the ancient square. It was then that the city administration opened the first monument to the book in Poland. The bronze alloy depicts a heavy volume decorated with the national emblem. As conceived by the sculptor Andrzej Pitinski, a large book symbolizes the weight of the printed word. Hands are held up by Tom. This composition also testifies to the enlightenment, development, and spiritual height that books carry.
In Israel
A majestic monument to books and writing is erected in Haifa. Its opening date is 2007, and the composition is a huge three-meter book made of bronze. Various symbols and letters literally “fall out” of it. By this, the author emphasizes that the monument symbolizes the continuous development of printing and writing. The monument is located in a picturesque park and is available for viewing to all residents and tourists of the city.
In Turkmenistan
Monuments dedicated to books carry different symbols. The father of the Turkmen nation is Saparmurat Niyazov. His book “Ruhnama” (“Book of the Spirit”), perhaps, today can be quoted by every resident of Turkmenistan. And it is no coincidence that in the main city of the country in the Independence Park, a giant monument was erected in the form of a holy book. Its height is from a two-story house. Each evening, the Ruhnama opens and a documentary film on the formation of the Turkmen nation is shown on the first page using a projector.
In the UAE
And here is another masterpiece of monumentalism, bearing national significance. One of the most conservative in terms of religion is the emirate of Sharjah. In his capital, a magnificent monument of seven meters in height was erected on Culture Square. It is a holy book of the Quran with open pages. Religious symbolism is supported by a flickering gold Arabic script, and a nearby mosque. The monument book is set on a high pedestal. For the dark, provided original lighting, which visually increases the size of the monument.
In China
China has always been famous for its unbreakable traditions and a non-standard view of the world. The monument to books is one of the deepest symbolism phenomena that a tourist can meet here. Of particular interest is the huge granite volume. Chinese characters and numbers are visible on its cover, and a human face emerges from them. The meaning of the composition is quite simple: if the baby appears from the womb of the mother, then the person as a person is formed thanks to books.
Another monument dedicated to the power of knowledge also arouses the curiosity of tourists. His composition is a swing-balancer, on one side sits an adult well-fed man with one book in his hands, on the other a fragile girl with a small stack of books. As conceived by the author, the girl outweighs the man. Thus, the main idea of ​​the monument is read: the significance of a person lies in the amount of knowledge, and not in physical weight.
In Russia
Monuments to books in Russia occupy, perhaps, a special place, since they are presented in a rich variety, and each of them has its own history. So, original compositions can be found in Taganrog, Murmansk, Krasnoyarsk, Angarsk, Stavropol, Kogalym. Some are distinguished by their touch and grace, others majestically remind us of the geniuses of Russian literature of past centuries.
Under the classic name “Book is the source of knowledge” a thematic monument is presented in Omsk, at the entrance to the bookstore on the street. Lenin. The originality of the composition lies in the method of its creation from metal using electric blow welding. The monument is made in the form of an open book. On its pages fabulous characters and letters are depicted. Its author is Alexander Kapralov. Unfortunately, the true intention of the artist remained unknown. But for tourists visiting the city, this composition gives unlimited freedom for imagination and “thinking out”.
The most popular and impressive, according to tourists, is a monument to a book in St. Petersburg. It is located on the University Embankment (St. Petersburg State University) and is a huge open book (3.6 * 2.4 * 0.9). The monument is made of granite, on its pages you can read the famous lines from the Pushkin poem "The Bronze Horseman". The monument was opened in 2002, its creation is dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the city. The authors were the artist E. Soloviev, architect O. Romanov and art critic A. Raskin.
Another Petersburg monument dedicated to books has an unusual history. It is associated with the name of Konstantin Grot, the founder of the Guardianship for the Blind. The composition is a girl sitting on a pedestal. Her gaze is fixed on the sky, and her right hand seems to slide on the page of an open book. A closer look reveals that on the blind girl’s lap is the publication of K. Ushinsky's Children's World.
Quite modest in size and composition, you can find a thematic monument in Khimki. It was installed in 2010, during the first Moscow Culture Forum. The bronze monument depicts an open book on a pedestal. On one page you can see the profile of the Russian poet A.S. Pushkin, on the other - the lines of his poem: "I remember a wonderful moment ...". The book is set as if floating in the air, and a stone pedestal is decorated with a feather and a lyre. Its very form resembles a soft sign.
Monument Buildings
Monuments to books in the world are increasingly distinguished by originality and non-standard forms, colors and materials. The peak of such monuments today can be called buildings in the form of books. Here, the sculpture is closely intertwined with urban architecture. Representatives of this type of monuments can be found in Kansas City (USA), Moscow, Tyumen, Novosibirsk, Grozny, Ashgabat, Paris, etc. As a rule, the facades of public libraries, press and creative centers, educational and financial institutions are decorated in this style.