Charles de Gaulle Square appeared in the capital in 1990 at the Cosmos Hotel.
The semicircular building of the giant hotel, the wide thoroughfare of Prospekt Mira, the main entrance to the territory of VDNKh - these large and significant objects surrounding a small area in front of the hotel entrance divert the attention of tourists from a well-groomed public garden in which a monument to the President of France from 1959-1969 is erected.
Area Description
Charles de Gaulle Square in Moscow is a small square, divided between Prospect Mira and the semicircle of the Cosmos Hotel. Its main decoration is a fountain, consisting of three stages of the cascade. In the evening, dynamic jet illumination is turned on. The fountain complex has been operating since the opening of the monument to Charles de Gaulle in the square in 2005. Prior to this, the territory was decorated with a single-jet small fountain.
The square is decorated with extensive lawns, on which varietal trees and ornamental shrubs are planted. From spring to late autumn, the area is decorated with flower beds and flower beds.
In addition to the mentioned monument, the sculptural composition “Mir” and a granite slab with a brief description of the object are installed on the square. For the rest of passers-by, a long semicircular bench is arranged here, repeating the contour of the hotel building.
Charles de Gaulle Square is not perceived by others as an independent territorial unit, rather, it sees part of the Prospect Mira. Therefore, even people passing or passing by do not suspect the existence of such a sight in the city.
History of the square
The Cosmos Hotel was built for the 1980 Moscow Olympics by French builders. The nameless space between the building and the avenue was put in order at the end of the work, but it was not awarded the status of the square. In 1987, the territory was further improved by updating the planting and installing the sculpture "Mir".
On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the French politician and public figure, the Moscow Council decided to perpetuate his memory in Moscow. In 1990, a small square was named after him. In 2005, a monument was erected on Charles de Gaulle Square and a fountain complex was opened. Recently, the square was surrounded by a wrought-iron fence, reinforcing the similarity of the territory with a small and cozy park. In general, the layout of the area has not changed much since the opening of the hotel.
Sculptural composition "World"
The author of the sculpture is the Greek master Stavros Georgopoulos, who made such a gift to the city. The sculptor noted that the figurine of the 5th century BC inspired him to create a female figure. era stored in the archaeological museum of Athens.
Unusual for Muscovites, the style of ancient Greek sculpture, called the bark, depicts a girl in national Greek clothing - a tunic. According to the rules of the genre, her pose is static, the expression on her face is pacified, a slight smile on her lips. Objects related to the gods to whom they are dedicated are usually put into the hands of the core. In the sculpture of Georgopoulos, such objects are an olive branch and a dove - symbols of the world.
Monument to the President of France
The idea of erecting a monument to the leader of France on Charles de Gaulle Square at VDNKh appeared in 2002. The work on the project was entrusted to Zurab Tsereteli, who prepared three options. One of them was accepted for work.
The President of France, dressed in a military dress uniform, stands on a high pedestal and looks in front of him. His pose is strict, his hands are down at the seams, a portrait resemblance to the original is noted. The General’s chest is adorned with the Lorraine Cross, a symbol of the Resistance movement. An inscription in two languages is made on a cylindrical pedestal. During the discussion of the draft monument, the media reported that the total height of the structure would not exceed six meters, the result was three times higher.
On May 9, 2005, the current presidents of Russia and France, as well as Russian and French veterans, attended the unveiling of the monument on Charles de Gaulle Square.