Places near me Random place
All Estonia Tallinn The "Russalka" Memorial

The "Russalka" Memorial

The first monument in Estonia that was made by an Estonian sculptor.

Tallinn, Estonia

Added By
katielou106
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The "Russalka" Memorial   katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The large "Russalka" Memorial is a bronze monument that was designed and sculpted by Amandus Adamson. 

The sculpture on the shore at Kadriorg was erected in 1902, when Tallinn was still a part of the Russian Empire. The sculpture commemorates the 9th-anniversary Russian warship "Russalka," meaning "Mermaid," which sank en route to Finland in 1893. A storm hit as the ship traveled from Tallinn across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki, and the sinking took the lives of all 177 crewmen who were on board.

The monument is topped with a figure of an angel holding an Orthodox cross and facing out to sea in what is thought to be the direction of the shipwreck. The angel figure stands atop a granite pillar. The front base of the pillar is shaped like the bow of a large boat.

The pillar is decorated with various relief panels designed to show the sinking of the "Russalka" and other plaques commemorating those who lost their lives.

The area surrounding the monument is paved with granite in a pattern depicting a compass rose.

Related Tags

Statues History & Culture Monuments

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Published

January 5, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Places

  • The Juneteenth Monument at Ashton Villa.

    Galveston, Texas

    Juneteenth Monument at Ashton Villa

    The statue, located at a mansion-turned-emancipation museum, honors Galveston’s history as the birthplace of Juneteenth.

    Sponsored by Visit Galveston
  • Newsboy statue in Great Barrington, MA

    Great Barrington, Massachusetts

    Newsboy Statue

    Dedicated in 1895, this is the world's first tribute to the hardworking newspaper delivery boy.

  • The Great Warrior

    Skopje, North Macedonia

    The Statues of Skopje

    These abundant, over-the-top monuments are so widely scattered that they define the entire compact capital cityscape, often leading to jokes about whether there are more statues than residents.

  • Top of Jug Bridge Monument.

    Frederick, Maryland

    Jug Bridge Monument

    Rumors persist that a bottle of whiskey is sealed within this Demijohn-shaped adornment.

  • The statue of Righetto on the Janiculum.

    Rome, Italy

    'The Brave Righetto'

    Among the busts of heroes of the Roman Republic of 1849, there is also a statue of a boy and his dog.

  • Bob Marley Monument

    Banatski Sokolac, Serbia

    Bob Marley Monument

    The first European statue dedicated to the legendary musician.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads

Become a Member