Prince Olgerd Monument

The monument to Grand Duke Olgerd in Vitebsk was unveiled on June 27, 2014, during the celebration of the 1040th anniversary of the city of Vitebsk. The monumental work of art is installed on the Market Square in front of the Resurrection Church.

Prince Olgerd (circa 1296 - 24 May 1377) was Grand Duke of Lithuania, Vitebsk and Krev, son of Prince Gedimin and brother of Prince Keistut. During the reign of Olgerd (1345-1377), the borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania greatly expanded. Prince Olgerd of Lithuania was married twice. His first wife Maria of Vitebsk was the only heiress and daughter of the last appanage Prince of Vitebsk, Yaroslav Vasilievich. After her father's death the Vitebsk principality became part of the GDL. The second spouse of Olgerd was called Ulyana. She was the daughter of the grand duke of Tver Alexander Mikhailovich. Grand Duke Olgerd repeatedly and very successfully waged war with crusaders, with the Golden Horde, he defeated the Tatar army (the battle of the Blue Waters), as a result of which the land of Kiev, Volyn and Podolia was annexed to the GDL. Prince Olgerd repeatedly fought with the Moscow state and twice attacked Moscow, but unsuccessfully, which soon led to a peace treaty between the two great powers.

The monument to Grand Duke Olgerd in Vitebsk is the work of Minsk sculptor Sergei Bondarenko, a student of the notorious Zair Azgur. The sculptural composition was casted at the enterprise "Tekhnolit" in Polotsk. The monument with the image of a majestic rider on the horse is made of bronze and has a metal power frame inside. The monument weighs 3.2 tons, sculpture height is 3.6 m, pedestal height is 2.8 m. The bronze rider on a horse in martial armour looks majestic and graceful. The right arm of Olgerd is stretched forward, fingers are gathered in a gesture, and on the wrist sits a falcon - a symbol of princely power, honor and dignity. The proud bird is ready to flap its wings and fly off as quickly as possible to carry out its great lord's commission.