No wonder Odessa is called the city of laughter because there is something to laugh at. And this applies not only to such attractions as the "Flat House", which you will not see in any city. Especially often you can see a smile on the faces of those who are familiar with the real reason for the appearance of such a house. But it turns out that in Odessa many unusual and mysterious sculptures are not always possible to admire.
Sculptures by scientists, ancient deities and animals
Many sculptures in Odessa are completely undeservedly deprived of attention. In part, Odessa residents themselves are to blame, because many such masterpieces can be found only in the courtyards or even on the roofs of houses, where there is practically no access for tourists. To see an unusual sculpture, tourists often have to break through the gates closed with the "seven castles".
And this is true because the inhabitants of Odessa do not like onlookers who stagger in their yards. But partially the blame for the fact that monuments and sculptures are overlooked can be blamed on the tourists themselves. After all, some of the sculptures are located on the roofs of buildings. And to admire them and photograph them, you just need to raise your head.
To most of the monuments, the inhabitants of Odessa themselves gave funny or funny nicknames. For example, one of them was called the Grasshopper. Meanwhile, this is a monument to Deribas. He got such an unusual name for two reasons: firstly, Deribas here has a small growth. And secondly, he has an unusually bent leg. Soon it is planned to erect a monument to Oistrakh, and already many Odessa citizens are laughing at them, calling it Oyuzhas.
Do you know how Odessa residents call the monument to Potemkin? Without a hint, you will never guess in this - it was called the “Statue of the Crocodiles”. Myths are already circulating about many monuments in Odessa, although they have not yet been built. There is a story that the comedian Durov, for some trifle, quarreled with the mayor Zeleny. To prove his innocence, he rode through the streets of Odessa on a pig. And to make it look even funnier, smeared with green paint. After this event, the townspeople decided to erect a monument to him. Unfortunately, this project has not been implemented.
Error with Lenin
In the most ordinary courtyard on Deribasovskaya No. 3, a bust was set up for the scientist Ludwig Zamenhof. Who does not know this person, recall that this is the creator of the famous Esperanto language? So, this is the only monument to such a person in the world. When the sculptor who created this bust died in 1972, the inhabitants of this courtyard began to take care of the monument. Tourists often bring tourists here. Several years ago, "Dr. Esperanto" was installed on a pedestal, and a fence was placed around the monument. Interestingly, even about 25 years ago, when there was no inscription on it, many Odessa residents considered the creator of Esperanto to be none other than Lenin.
Cupid and Psyche in cellophane
One of the oldest sculptural compositions that can be found in Odessa is Cupid and Psyche. It is installed in a square called the Palais Royal. It was created 116 years ago. From time to time, it is possible to observe how communal workers dress this sculpture in cellophane. This is not done at all to hide nudity from passers-by. This is done to protect the sculptures from obscene inscriptions.
Good Dolphin instead of Hercules
In Odessa, there are also mysterious monuments. And one of them is Dolphin, installed in the courtyard on Trade Street No. 3. This monument appeared seven years ago. But none of the locals can say for what reason he appeared here and what he means. Odessans only recall that a monument to the mighty Hercules stood on this site before. But where he disappeared is also a mystery. By the way, tourists have no access to this monument, because a code lock is installed on the doors to the courtyard. You can admire the sculpture only through the trellised fence.
Poseidon for marine inspectors
At the address Langeronovskaya, number 1 is the State Marine Inspectorate. At the end of the 20th century, a fountain appeared in the courtyard of this institution, decorated with a majestic statue of the ancient god Poseidon. The sculpture was created by the Slovenian Michael Scholtes. But only employees of this state institution can see it since the entrance to the courtyard is closed to outsiders. One may ask: why invest a lot of money in what is hidden from the eyes of passers-by?
Monument to the steam locomotive on the hotel roof
Do you know what exactly adorns the roof of the oldest hotel in Odessa? A steam locomotive is installed on the roof of the Passage, and Hermes sits on it. This is a symbol of the fact that Odessa is not only a port city but also an important railway junction. When the hotel was being built, a railway was brought to the city. And they decided to mark this event with such an unusual monument.
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