[ Monumental Sculpture ]
Monument to Grand Duke Gediminas in Lida
Sculptors Sergei Oganov and Olga Nechay, 2019
Key Facts
- Location
- Lida, Belarus
- Materials
- Bronze, granite
- Height
- 19.7 ft
- Weight of the bronze sculpture
- 3.3 US tons
- Sculptors
- Sergei Oganov, Olga Nechay
- Architect
- Sergei Boglasov
The monument to Grand Duke Gediminas in Lida was created by sculptors Sergei Oganov and Olga Nechay and was installed near Lida Castle in 2019. The monument is dedicated to the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, whose name is associated with the founding of Lida and the construction of Lida Castle in the 14th century.
The Image of Gediminas
Gediminas is depicted on horseback, wearing armor and holding a sword. The sculptors deliberately avoided a battle scene, presenting him primarily as a ruler and the founder of Lida. The castle remains behind the prince, while the figure itself faces the city.
A long cloak envelops part of the horse’s figure and descends to the pedestal, unifying the composition into a single silhouette. In the artists’ conception, the cloak is also associated with the image of the land the ruler gathers and protects.
“There is a logic to this: the castle remains behind Gediminas. The prince himself is presented primarily as a city builder.”
Work on the Monument
During the creation of the monument, the artists consulted with historians and archaeologists. Particular attention was paid to the armor, weapons, horse harnesses, and the prince’s headgear.
The work went through a series of sketches and intermediate models. After the composition was approved, a full-scale model was created, from which the monument was cast in bronze.
The monument to Gediminas became one of Sergei Oganov’s largest monumental works and part of the historical setting of Lida Castle.