Mamayev Kurgan

   World War II was mostly decided at the Battle of Stalingrad for the Soviets versus the Axis. It was arguably one of the bloodiest battle in human history. The battle raged on from August 1942 to February 1943. The city of Stalingrad, now known as Volgograd, is looked over by the hill known as Mamayev Kurgan. The hill was a vital part during the battle being controlled by both sides many times through out the battle, and was a key point in controlling the battle. In the end the hill was stained black from the gunfire and explosions.
    Naturally being such a historic spot a memorial was constructed on top of the hill. The memorial is a ginormous statue representing the Motherland. It is represented as a woman holding a sword that is 52 meters tall with the sword pointing 30 meters above the head. It took about 8 years to build and was constructed by Yevgeny Vuchetich. It is mostly built out of concrete and still stands today. However the statue is starting to lean due to changes in groundwater levels causing shifts in the foundation. It is considered one of the 7 Wonders of Russia.