Novokuznetsk -- Monuments Et Al

One of Two Stalin Monuments in Russia Today

With my flight delayed in Novosibirsk (and at this rate, I will miss my connection in Moscow -- thanks Aeroflot), I thought I would post a couple of pictures from Novokuznetsk (which means something like "new mine" -- as it was a new mining town at the beginning of the 20th century. Fyodor Dostoevsky married his first wife Maria here in 1857. This town also was central to Stalin's rapid industrialization of Russia after he took power -- hence the monument to him here. The monument is rather fascinating as it has two sides: one side is Stalin and the other is Peter the Great. Two figures who introduced rapid and massive change to Russia. In a sense, at least at this monument to borrow from hermeneutics. Peter the Great is the "type", while Joseph Stalin is the "anti-type." Alexei Streltsov reads and explains the monuments briefly in the videos below.

Monument to Peter the Great

Novokuznetsk is a mining town. Coal and various metals are mined and processed here. The air has a unique smell due to the things burned. The sky has a look due to the smoke. I was struck by how close residences were to the industrial plants. For instance, a coal burning electric power plant would be immediately next to an apartment building (I saw this not in Novokuznetsk but in a town outside of Novokuznetsk).

A Factory or Processing Plant in Novokuznetsk

Peter the Great Video

Stalin Video

We also saw a fort in Novokuznetsk. It was a fort used to defend the city a few hundred years ago. It also was used as a hold out for the white army as they fought against the Bolsheviks. The fort was also used to detain and execute enemies of the state. Lt. General Putilov, a famous hero of the Russian Empire, was executed here for rebelling against the Bolsheviks.

A Monument Dedicated to Lt. General Putilov

Here are some more photos... this is what we did after the Reformation celebration.