Peter The Ugly?
The Peter the Great statue is a gigantic homage to Russian history in every way possible. First of all, the statue is 98 meters tall, making it the fifth tallest statue in the world. Also, it is a gigantic homage to Russian history because Peter the Great is considered to be one of, if not the most, important figures in Russian history.
However, there comes a strange twist to the monument that reflects Moscow's identity crisis. It was Peter the Great who moved the capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg centuries ago, yet the city still chose to recognize him in such a tremendous way. The paradox in honoring the person who stripped your title as capital is perplexing but so is Moscow as a city. Though it was not the capital once again until after the Bolshevik Revolution, Moscow remained at the forefront of Russian culture and importance. It is just strange that Moscow installed an enourmous monument for someone who did not value Moscow as highly as an undeveloped land that would later be St. Petersburg.
The people of current day Moscow share the same confusion. People in Moscow view it as "disgusting" and "repulsive". The new mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyani, now has to decide whether or not the statue is to remain up or not.
Rosenberg, Steve. "Moscow Gripped by 'ugly Statue' Row." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Moscow, Russia |. “The Legend of the Monument of Peter the Great Russia”(n.d.): n. pag. Goethe Institue. Web.