Odessa is a multifaceted city. It is not only a major seaport, but also the most beautiful city in terms of architecture, included in the UNESCO heritage, not only a place famous as the birthplace of original humor, but a hero-city. Odessa was awarded this title for the bravery shown by Odessa residents during the Great Patriotic War. One of the monuments to the heroism of the city’s residents is the Monument to the Unknown Sailor, a memorial erected in Central Park named after T. Shevchenko.
Not only Hollywood has its Walk of Fame — Odessa also has its Walk of Fame in the Central Park, but it is dedicated not to artists, but to brave soldiers who laid down their lives to defend the city from fascist invaders. Here in mass and single graves are buried the heroes of the Odessa defense: Rear Admiral G. Zhukov, pilots V. Topolsky and M. Astashkin, as well as ship captains, border guards, submariners and marines. It is this Walk of Fame that leads to the monument to the Unknown Sailor. From afar, one can see the majestic stele rising above the seascape.
The memorial to the Unknown Sailor was inaugurated on May 9, 1960, it was created by architects G.V. Topuz and P.V. Tomilin, sculptor M.I. Naruzetsky. This memorial is a tribute to the memory of the soldiers and sailors of the Seaside Army and the Black Sea Fleet who died heroically during the defense of Odessa in 1941.
Above the sea cliff rises the 21-meter stele of bronze, cast iron and granite crowning the memorial, on which is engraved the inscription «To the Unknown Sailor» and the date — 1960. The eternal flame burns at the base of the obelisk, carefully bordered with a bronze wreath, and at the foot of the plate there are bronze caps and a machine gun. The whole composition creates a feeling of pride, respect and reverence for the people who gave the most precious thing they had — their lives — for the benefit of their fatherland.
The «Monument to the Unknown Sailor» memorial is one of the most beautiful monuments in the post-Soviet space, glorifying the bravery of soldiers, it has rightfully received the title of an important landmark of Odessa. Together with R. Rozhdestvensky’s poems, it inspired the composer I. Aseev to write «Requiem to the Memory of the Unknown Sailor,» a piece of music played on the Walk of Fame. And it inspires residents and guests of the city, causing a sense of pride for our country, which fought against the enemy, a sense of respect for our glorious ancestors and a sense of unity of our great nations. That is why everyone who comes to Odessa on vacation, strives to see the Walk of Fame and the majestic Monument to the Unknown Sailor.