"Make way for ducklings", Novodevichy Park

Let's take a walk through several attractive Moscow spots, where animal monuments can be found. 

Make Way for Ducklings
It is the name of the fairy-tale, written by Robert McCloskey in 1941. The book tells the story about two ducks who decided to live near the central park of Boston. Once the policeman even blocks the road traffic so that the mother duck and her ducklings can easily get to the park. 
The book had a big success and Boston's authorities decided to install a monumet to the birds. In 1991 Barbara Bush presented a copy of this sculpture to Raisa Gorbacheva, a wife of Mickhail Gorbachev. The monument was placed in the Novodevichy Park near “Sportivnaya” metro station. The ducklings became a symbol of friendship between children from USA and USSR.

Compassion
The monument “Compassion” was inaugurated on 17th February 2007, in the hall of “Mendeleevskaya” metro station. The sculpture of a dog, quietly lying on the pedestal, is dedicated to the humane treatment of homeless animals.
The sad story is connected with the sculpture – a homeless dog “Malchik” (“Boy”), protected by passengers and metro workers, was killed with a kitchen knife in the underpass near the station. It was stabbed by a photo model Yuliana Romanova and the incident caused public outcry. After that a group of Russian artists supported the initiative to create a monument as a symbol of the respect to all living creatures. The bronze stray dog has finally found its shelter and has become popular all over the world.

The Cat with a Sausage
This funny sculpture is dedicated to the cat from popular Russian cartoon about Parrot Kesha. This lazy and fat cat always loved to eat. The monument is located on the territory of the housing estate near “Proletarskaya” metro station. The exact address: 8, Talalikhina street. 

The Elk
Not far from “Krylatskoe” metro station you can found one more animal - a cute elk, who was a little tired and decided to have a rest on the stones under the warm summer sun. 
This monument was erected in memory of elks, that lived in this area earlier.
How to get there: from “Krylatskoe” station follow Osenny Boulevard to the north. Reach the crossing (with Krylatskie Holmy street) and turn to the right. You will see the monument near the building 49.

The Rabbit with a Watch
The sculpture to the White Rabbit, a character from “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” will appear if you decide to take a walk from “Semenovskaya” metro station (54, Scherbakovskaya street). 
Although this rabbit is not white, but like in the beginning of the fairy tale he is in a hurry with a watch in his hand.

The Bee
A monument to a bee appeared in Kuzminki Park during the IV Ecological festival. It is located on the territory of the Beekeeping Museum. In the time when the Golitsyns owned Vlakhernskoe-Kuzminki estate, there was an apiary here. In 2005 beekeepers decided to monumentalize the work of a bee. 

Pigeons and Hedgehogs
The area around “Kuznetsky most” station is worth a visit. Here you can discover two great things. The first one is a monument to pigeons, placed near the entrance hall of the station, in the Central House of Artists yard. The second thing is not a monument, but a part of the shop's décor. There is a store called by its address “Kuznetsky most, 20” (the former place of Valentino boutique) with a glassed alcove outside. Look into it and you will see a family of hedgehogs, sitting around the table in a silent converstion. 

The Dog Layka
It was unveiled on the 11th of April 2008 at Petrovsko-Razumovskaya alley, near “Dinamo” stadium. Layka was a first living creature sent to space in 1957. Unfortunately the dog didn't come back and died of overheating inside the spacecraft. 
The two-meter bronze sculpture was placed near the Institue of military medicine, where the experiment had been held. It represents a rocket transforming into a palm, on which Layka stands.

The Rhino
This cute rhino can be found in a picturesque garden in front of the white house, where animals have been treated for many years - there is a vet clinic, founded in the last century. As it always was situated not far from famous Moscow circus, artists brought their pets here and outstanding actors like Yuri Nikulin could be noticed inside.
The address: 11/1, Tsvetnoy Boulevard.

Image courtesy: www.elf.ru, www.mosday.ru, www.progulyaemsya.ru, www.club-vitara.ru, www.monument.fatal.ru, Livejournal.

Natalia Semicheva.

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