Architectural monuments of Karaganda.

“We seldom realize, for example that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society.” 

Alan Watts.

The Great Silk Road and Karaganda.

Monument Miner's Glory a majestic symbol of city of Karaganda. A monument have opened in 1974. Figures of miners are cast in bronze. In movement of figures pride of the working person, it дерзновение is expressed. «Miner's glory» - a monument of friendship of people of the USSR.
In its creation учствовали representatives of many nationalities. This monument has visited Moscow and Leningrad, stones for its pedestal processed in Alma-Ata. This monument was erected in 1974, in honor of 2 million tons of coal production in Karaganda.
The monument is located in front of the main entrance to the Central Park of Culture and Recreation, on the contrary is the Place of Culture of the miners. Space was specially chosen for installation of the monument.
Soviet and Party leadership had decided to consult with noble miners including the legendary miner Tusup Kuzembaev. Coal miners remembered and told about the Palace of miners, where they receive Stars of the Hero of Socialist Labor.
Central Park was defeated, near the monument to Stalin, and then past the vacant lot, on which for further this monument was gone. As a result, it was decided to install the monument on this memorable place for miners.
Union competition was announced for the design of the monument in 1969. There were 11 candidates to win the contest, including sculptors from Minsk, Sverdlovsk and Alma-Ata. As a result, the sculptor A.Bilyk and architect A.Malkov won the project.
The particular project had been taken as the basis and implemented with some minor adaptations. A.Bilyk worked on the sculpture during the whole year in the studio of famous sculptor Merkulov in Moscow. Then, a few years left on the various negotiation, preparation, casting and installation of the monument.
The "Miner's Glory" monument finally took place on the square in Karaganda only in 1974, since that time it has become the unofficial symbol of the city. The image of the monument was often printed in the headlines, cards and envelopes.
Sculpture of the "Miner's glory" monument weighs 20 tons, for production spent 30 tons of bronze considering layouts and costs. Bronze figures of miners eventually covered with metal noble patina. The pedestal was made of concrete and lined with polished granite blocks.
The description of the monument in the album "Artists Karaganda": "Two miners - Russian and Kazakh –raised over head coal seam with a strong and vigorous movement. In action of figures were expressed workers’ pride and their boldness. Also, the "Miner's glory" - a monument of Friendship of People of the USSR."
Indeed, other nationalities and regions of the USSR helped on creation of the monument. Despite the creation of final form, the monument had been in Moscow and Leningrad, and stones for pedestal were treated in Alma-Ata.
Two miners on the monument - a collective image - nobody posed to master. However, he did not go down into the mines, but he was aware of miners’ hard work. Later the master recalled himself; the idea of the monument was born after impressions to artist's work about mining.
Bilyk communicated with miners at 31 mine, and made drafts. When he was down into the lava, says, "Seemed that the whole earth falls to me". The timber-men’ work impressed him. They do everything in order not to make the roof fell on their head.
Anyway, miners etched in his memory how they keep a single layer over themselves. This is a strong upward movement, which symbolically expressed in sculpture. A.Bilyk is proud that miners like the monument. None of the other monuments on this subject could not overshadow the greatness of "Miner's Glory" for many years.

Authority:
«The guidebook on Karaganda areas », the edition of department on tourism and sports Karaganda of area. http://culturemap.kz

Photos
 Alexander Petrov.