Monument to the Letter O

The Monument to the Letter "O" is a wrought-metal monument in Vologda, Vologda Oblast, Russia, erected in 2012 in honor of local "okanye" — a feature of the Russian North dialect in which unstressed "o" is pronounced clearly instead of turning into an "a" sound.

It stands in a small park on Sobornaya Gorka (Cathedral Hill), next to Kremlevskaya Square and Sergeya Orlova Street, in the historic centre of the city.

History

The idea came from students of the Vologda Institute of Business, who presented it to local entrepreneurs. Art school students joined the project, and together they created about thirty sketches; the winning design was by architect Denis Pozdnyakov. Six blacksmiths built the monument over about two weeks; installation was finished on 29 June, and the official opening took place on 30 June 2012, during City Day, marking Vologda's 865th anniversary.

What It Looks Like

The letter is made of metal, standing about three metres tall with its pedestal and weighing around 300 kilograms. Its surface is decorated with traditional northern ornaments.

Traditions

The monument has become an interactive city landmark: tourists and locals pose for photos inside the letter, and newlyweds often use it for wedding pictures — love locks with couples' names appeared on it soon after it opened.