If there’s something Ukrainians born in the U.S.S.R. pride themselves on more than their mosaics, it’s their cosmonauts. So I wasn’t so shocked during a visit to Konstantinovka to find the sides of bloc apartments along aptly named Cosmonaut Blvd. adorned with mosaic images of Soviet cosmonauts, including the renowned Yury Gagarin – the first human in space.
The buildings, built sometime during the 1960s, have seen better days. Many of the tiles surrounding the mosaic images have fallen off, leaving the building with a sort of scarred look. But the mosaics themselves remain mostly intact, if a bit faded.
After nearly two years here, I’m afraid a lot of the novelty I felt upon my arrival has worn off. Few things surprise me anymore. I’ve slipped into a life of routine similar to the life I had back in Portland. I think this would happen if you stayed anywhere long enough. But when I come across things like these images, remnants of a strange past – in this case, a Soviet past – that sleeping part of my mind that was once awed by everything around him is awakened.
“I live in the former Soviet Union,” I thought to myself when I saw the mosaics. “Wild.”
We demanded rename our streets, but our government does not hear us… They like USSR
Yes, Alex. I remember our conversation while in Donetsk about the names of the city’s streets. And while I understand you and many others wanting those streets named after controversial Soviet “heros” to be changed, I don’t see a problem with “Cosmonaut Blvd.” remaining in place. What exactly do you have against it?
Chris, I found this article posted April 12, 2011:
San Diego Air & Space Museum release –
The San Diego Air & Space Museum Celebrates 50 Years of Spaceflight by Revealing Unique and Rare Footage of 1st Person in Space
50 years after Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight into space, the San Diego Air & Space Museum is playing a pivotal role in reuniting two pieces of unique footage of Yuri Gagarin long thought lost and separated forever by using its brand new hi-def digitizer. The 16mm film footage shows Yuri Gagarin arriving at Ringway Airport (now Manchester Airport) in Manchester, England on 12th July, 1961, and being greeted there by the president of the foundry workers’ union who had invited him. Gagarin was himself a former foundryman. It was Gagarin’s first visit outside of the Soviet bloc, and at the time he was still the only human to have orbited the earth.
By the way, Yuri Gagarin is, of course, a big part of the human space travel story and is a featured exhibit at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
As usual, I’m thoroughly enjoying your photos of murals and mosaics. Thanks again & keep it up! Dad
For the record, your old dad was born in ’61.