12 of the most memorable monuments to legendary rock musicians around the world

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Rock music has given the world many names throughout the history of its existence. Of course, not all of them have become legends, but there are those that remain in the hearts of people even after decades. They still listen to their songs, record covers on them, set them as an example. We can say that this music is eternal and rock is really alive. In order to pay tribute to the memory of these musicians, to perpetuate, to express nationwide love and recognition, monuments to these outstanding people in the world of music are erected around the world.

The Beatles

The hits of the world famous British rock band from Liverpool, founded more than sixty years ago, are still listened to by millions of people. These songs have become classics, probably they will never lose their relevance. The gold line-up of the group is: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. During the entire existence of this group, thirteen studio albums have been released, which include more than two hundred songs.

The love for this rock band is endless. This is proved by numerous monuments around the world, and there are those that are dedicated not to a whole group, but to its individual leaders. Sculptures and monuments can be found in Great Britain, Germany, Holland, Scotland, Spain, France, USA and many other countries.

Naturally, the largest number of monuments dedicated to this group are in their native Liverpool. Perhaps the most popular is the sculpture where this fantastic four walks along the avenue. By the way, this sculpture was discovered not so long ago, six years ago. The sponsor was the Cavern Club, where The Beatles began their stunning career. Now this sculptural composition is one of the most popular selfie spots in the city. Also of interest are the statues that adorn the façade of a Liverpool hotel.

On the territory of the former USSR, there are also a sufficient number of monuments to this cult group. The first of which was installed in 2006 in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, near the entrance to the student fast food cafe "Liverpool". The bodies of the musicians are made of bronze painted plastic.

Since 2007, a bronze monument has also appeared in Kazakhstan, on the Kok-Tobe mountain. And in 2008, in Belarus, workers of the Gomel car company erected, perhaps, the most unusual monument to this group, which makes passers-by smile. In Russia, monuments have been erected in Yekaterinburg, Kogalym and other cities.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury (the real name of the singer is Farrukh Bulsar) is the vocalist of the cult rock band Queen. He can rightfully be considered a legend of rock music. Songs performed by Freddie are still heard to the core. Some daredevils try to cover his songs, but few succeed. His rock ballad "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was entered in the Guinness Book of Records as the best song of the millennium, is worth one thing.

The first monument to Mercury was erected in Switzerland, in the city of Montreux. Here the musician spent his last, so to speak, working years, recording his final album. This monument was erected five years after the death of the legend of rock. The sculptor did his best, so accurately reflecting the character and facial features of the vocalist. The monument was made with the money of the former members of the group and the singer's parents.

By the way, this monument was originally supposed to be installed in London, in the city where he became a star, and also lived the last years of his life. But the London authorities could not offer a decent site for this monument, allocating only a parking space in the backyard of the College of Art. Disappointed with the proposed option from the British authorities, the musicians from the group did not want to establish in such an unsightly place the memory of their legendary vocalist. Therefore, it was decided to install it in Switzerland.

In 2003, however, a sculpture of Mercury was installed in London, near the entrance to the "Dominion Theater", where the show "We Will Rock You" was constantly shown at that time. But in 2014, this performance was no longer staged, so they decided to remove the statue.

Later it became known that Roger Taylor, the drummer from the Queen group, decided to take her to his place. For the seventh year now, this huge, almost eight-meter statue has been decorating the musician's garden. She absolutely does not bother him, but on the contrary pleases the eye. He thinks that Freddie would absolutely not mind such a place and would find it rather funny.

Another bronze statue, about five meters high, was erected in 2011 in the center of Liverpool, timed to coincide with the premiere of the musical "We Will Rock You". Russia also did not ignore the work of Freddie Mercury, having installed its copy of the musician on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg, near the Rock Pub.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is an American singer and actor. Despite the fact that he was not the first performer in rock and roll, Presley managed to bring this genre to a new wave of popularity. He became truly "the king of rock and roll". There are many monuments erected in his honor, but two of them are the most original and famous all over the world.

Presley was first immortalized in 1980 in the USA, in the city of Memphis on Beale Street. Fans of Presley's talent were delighted with this monument and tried, in the truest sense of the word, to literally disassemble it into souvenirs. Either the buttons will be torn off, or the strings from the guitar, which, by the way, were real. So it was decided to make a bronze copy and install it at the Tennessee Welcome Center.

Also, an entertaining monument is erected in Israel near the Elvis cafe, the owner of which is an ardent fan of Presley's creativity. This attraction is visited by almost everyone on the way to Jerusalem. Here, all the decor is dedicated to Elvis: a statue, plates, photographs, models, and so on. At the entrance to the cafe, there are two Presley sculptures. The first is metal, where the singer is depicted with a guitar on a stone pedestal, and the second is gold, where Elvis conducts. To prevent the statues from being harmed, there is a special person in the cafe to guard them.

Ronnie Dio

Ronnie Dio (real name Ronald James Padavona) is an American rock singer, musician, and songwriter. Ronnie is better known as the vocalist of such rock bands: "Rainbow", "Black Sabbath" and, of course, "Dio". The nickname "Dio", which means "God", he received for his incredibly beautiful and strong high voice.

The monument to the legendary rocker Ronnie Dio is one of the most famous monuments to rock stars. It is located in Bulgaria, in the central park of the city of Kavarna. By the way, the initiator of the installation of this masterpiece was the mayor of the city - an ardent admirer of heavy music. With his suggestion, this city has become a center for fans of rock concerts and festivals.

This two-meter monument was erected less than six months after the death of the legend. Dio on this monument seems to grow out of a stone that was raised from the bottom of the sea. The authors of the sculpture spent more than two months of painstaking work. Funding for this project came from donations from fans from Bulgaria. This love of the Bulgarians is also justified by the fact that Ronnie was one of the first rock legends to visit Kavarna. Then he repeatedly returned there with new concerts.

Bon Scott

Bon Scott is an Australian rock musician of Scottish descent, frontman of the popular rock band AC / DC. In 2004, according to a British magazine, the vocalist topped the list of "The Hundred Greatest Frontmen of All Time". The most famous monuments to this rock artist are located in Australia and Scotland.

In Australia, at the Fremantle cemetery, where Scott is buried, a bronze statue was erected, just under two meters. On this monument, the musician was portrayed in a stage pose characteristic of Bon. Funds for the monument were collected from donations from fans of the AC / DC group.

In 2016, a monument was erected in Scott's homeland, Scotland, and fans of this group's talent also raised funds for it. The bronze statue is installed in the city of Kirrimuir, where the musician spent the first years of his life. The frontman is depicted in full size, in his favorite denim vest, tight pants and with a bagpipe under his armpit, as a symbol of Scottish music.

Viktor Tsoi

Of course, one cannot ignore the cult rock musician and idol of the entire USSR - Viktor Robertovich Tsoi, the soloist of the cult group "Kino". The album "Blood Group" literally immediately after its release won the hearts of listeners. His songs were heard from any yard. Not a single apartment owner could do without these hits. The youth imitated their idol. They behaved in his manner, dressed like him, generally tried to be alike in everything.

The last couple of years of his life were full of tours both in the USSR and abroad, for example, in France, Denmark, Italy and other countries. Unfortunately, in the prime of his life and career, the singer had an accident. At the age of twenty-eight, the idol of millions died. For a long time, fans could not believe this terrible news. After his death, his fame still did not subside, and the new generation knows and loves his songs. Many artists record covers for these songs, and in karaoke practically not a single party can do without hits of the "Kino" group.

It is not surprising that in tribute to the memory of the legend of Soviet rock, monuments are erected to this day, streets are named, and graffiti is painted. In the singer's hometown, St. Petersburg, a monument was erected near the Aurora cinema. But since it was a diploma project of a Russian sculptor, not coordinated with the authorities of the cultural capital, the monument had to be removed. This sculpture was installed six years later in the Novgorod region.

In Barnaul, near the Altai Pedagogical Academy, an interesting monument to Tsoi was erected eleven years ago. It was initiated by one businessman and part-time fan of Viktor Tsoi's work. To our great regret, due to the constant postponement of the opening of the monument, the businessman did not live to see this long-awaited moment. The sculpture is a stele, where Tsoi is depicted up to his waist, holding his favorite guitar, and next to him is a half of the sun - a symbol known to all fans of the cult rock group "Kino".

Perhaps the most original monument was erected in 2017 in Kazakhstan (the city of Karaganda), in the park named after Viktor Tsoi. The architect took as a basis the cover of the popular album "A Star Called The Sun". The monument is made of metal in the form of a stencil, representing an eclipse of the sun, inside which the face of Viktor Tsoi is carved.