Monument to A. V. Koltsov (Voronezh, Koltsovsky Square)

The monument to A. V. Koltsov in Koltsovsky Square is one of the oldest in Voronezh - it was installed second after the monument to Peter the Great . The initiator of the sculpture was made by the poet's sister, A. V. Andronov. She also organized a collection of donations, and the funds for the construction of the monument were collected by subscription.

The monument was designed by a sculptor from St. Petersburg of Italian origin Avgustino Triskorni based on a sketch by Voronezh artist A. A. Cui. The monument was made of white Carrara marble and made in the form of an elegant bust on a high pedestal in the tradition of classicism in the antique style. The pedestal for the monument is also a work of art - it is decorated with projections, wreaths, garlands and rosettes. The pedestal itself is made in the form of a slightly tapering prism with a figured finish. The inscription "Alexey Vasilievich Koltsov" is located on the face of the monument. After the installation of the monument, a tradition arose of planting palm trees in tubs around it.

The monument was erected in the center of Voronezh, and on October 27, 1868 its grand opening took place. The ceremony was attended by the US diplomatic representative in the Russian Empire E. Skyler, who was a fan of the poet's talent.

Soon Koltsovsky Square was broken around the monument. In 1871, a metal grid was constructed around the perimeter of the square. At the beginning of June 1876 a fountain began to work near the monument.

At the beginning, the monument was located on the central alley of the public garden (on the site of a modern roadway) and was turned in the direction of Plekhanovskaya Street . After the reconstruction of the square and the adjacent quarter, the monument was moved to a new location in the square, turning its back to Lenin Square .

In 1942, the Right Bank of Voronezh was captured by German troops. Although the monument itself was not damaged during the fighting, the Germans staged a military cemetery around it. After the liberation of Voronezh by the Soviet troops, this cemetery was liquidated, and the square was planted with new trees.

In 1960, the square was expanded, the fountain around it in 1977 was replaced by color music.

By the 200th anniversary of the poet’s birth (2009 — the year of A. V. Koltsov in the Voronezh Region), the square was renewed and the area around it was ennobled. On the monument itself, the facing marble slabs were replaced by more durable granite ^[1] .

• Monuments of Voronezh
• Literary map of the Voronezh region. Monuments to A. V. Koltsov
• Monument to A. V. Koltsov, Voronezh
• Old Voronezh. Vintage photos