Our Lady, The Republic
Our Lady, The Republic (Soravian: Леді Республіки; Ledi Respubliky, lit. "The Republic's Lady") is a 77 m (252 ft) tall statue overlooking the city of Velike Vishnavaya, in Kriklivets Province in eastern Soravia. The statue was commissioned in 1866 by Eduard Olsov, the country's first President as an homage to republican ideals, and cost around 1.5 million zolota to build, around €170 million today. It was designed and sculpted by Vedmedi-born sculptor Giuli Okropiridze, and took around five years to build. While officially dedicated to the republic itself, the monument has come to unilaterally represent those who have fought for Soravia, especially around the time of the Great War. The statue attracts many visitors worldwide, and is a designated national park and historical site within the city.
Construction
The statue began construction sometime in 1866, and was finished and inaugurated by Olsov himself on August 20, 1871. It was considered one of the great architectural feats of the 19th century and became a symbol for republican groups across the world. The statue itself measures 75.2 metres tall, around 245 feet, standing on a 2.1 m (7 ft) pedestal. Originally, the pedestal was going to display the names and locations of those who had died fighting for the Seven Province Union in the First Soravian Civil War, accompanied with a separately designed mural of the five leaders of the Union - Olsov, Danya Sergeyev, Altynbay Kalimullin, Aldar Borogshon and Jani Salo, but the idea was dropped due to a lack of available records for those who served and died. The sword itself is over 100 ft in length and weights 15 tonnes. The entire monument weights over 8000 tons, and is supported by 156 large metal cables, and one smaller metal cable, symbolising the 1,561 days of the civil war.