Alarm Clock (Orenburg)

The Alarm Clock (Budilnik) is an art object in the centre of Orenburg, in Perovsky Park, at the corner of Tsvillinga and Postnikova streets. The two-metre clock shaped like a classic alarm clock has become one of the best-known street sculptures of the Orenburg Region and a popular spot for photos.

History

The Alarm Clock was installed on 16 August 2018, while the city was preparing to celebrate its 275th anniversary. It drew attention from residents and visitors at once: photos of the giant clock spread quickly on social media, and the sculpture became a familiar landmark on one of the central streets.

The park itself is much older. It was laid out in 1852–1855 on the site of the Caravanserai Garden on the initiative of Vasily Alekseyevich Perovsky, the military governor of Orenburg, whose name it still bears.

What to see

The main feature of the art object is the symbolism of its dial. It carries the name of the city and the year of its foundation, and the hands are stopped at 17:43. The time reads as 1743, the year Orenburg was founded, so the clock is a reminder of the regional capital's age. The alarm clock is about two metres tall.

The dial has LED lighting, so the clock is clearly visible both by day and after dark, and is noticed by pedestrians and by drivers on Tsvillinga Street.

Sculptures of Perovsky Park

The Alarm Clock is part of a small collection of street sculptures along the park's alleys. Nearby stand the "@" sign, which locals call the "internet dog", and the bronze genre sculpture "Wolf". The park also has figures from the "Baybaki" series, bronze sculptures of steppe marmots placed in various parts of Orenburg. All these art objects can be seen in one short walk.

Getting there

The Alarm Clock stands at the corner of Perovsky Park, where Tsvillinga and Postnikova streets meet, in the historic centre of Orenburg. The clock stands right by the pavement, so it can be seen from the street, and after dark the dial lighting comes on.