Ivan Franko Monument (81 Nezalezhnosti St.)
The monument to the famous Ukrainian writer, poet, scientist and philosopher Ivan Franko (1856-1916) is installed in the Nezalezhnosti Street in the center of Ivano-Frankivsk near Regional Music and Drama Theater.
The creators of the memorial complex are sculptors Nikolay Posikira and Leonid Yaremchuk.
The sculptors tried to make a strong accent on the face, chest and arms of the sculpture, which together with the dynamic figure symbolize the poet and philosopher who being in motion deepen into his thoughts. Behind the back of the sculpture, there are two elements which look like fire flashes and at the same time serve as the background for a monument, that fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape of the square.
In Ivano-Frankivsk, in the days of USSR, the bust of Ivan Franko was mounted in 28 Ivan Franko Street. In 1978, the monument in the Opryshyvtsi village was restored (1956, sculptor A. Bolyk).
In the city bearing the name of Kamenyar, the question about the construction of a more honorable monument arose with an intention to memorize an outstanding poet. The question was finally resolved in the already independent Ukraine and the new monument was constructed on the big square in the central part of the city. It should be noted, that at this place, in the early 1960s the Soviet authorities erected the monument to Ulyanov-Lenin, but on October 9, 1990, it was demolished. As the largest square of the city was vacant and the architectural ensemble lost its central axis, a variety of suggestions were made to fill this space. Along with the proposals for the construction of a magnificent fountain, or a monument to Shevchenko, the authorities and the public reached a mutual decision to perpetuate the famous Ukrainian writer and educator Ivan Yakovych Franko in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Thus, on August 26, 1995, there was an important event in the history of the city – the grand opening of the monument to Ivan Franko on Independence Street.
In 2001, the reconstruction works of the monument were carried out (V. Kamenschyk).
Today, the monument to Franko is not only a place for honoring Kamenyar in his anniversaries but also a platform for people’s meetings, carrying out various actions, in addition, the square near the monument is a place where various concerts are held.