Berdyansk differs from its thousands of competitors — resorts stretching along the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Azov seas — in two ways. The city has a reputation as a «children’s» resort, enticing parents really shallow at the shore, and therefore very warm sea. This is one. And secondly, this settlement surprises, amazes and delights its guests with the abundance of monuments. No, there are no monumental Peter the Great from Tseriteli, frozen lions and plaster «girls with oars». Monuments Berdyansk — this is a special conversation. There are no such monuments in any other city in Europe.
If the European city, which has at least one non-standard construction, already pretends to be a tourist center, then what to do to a small settlement of the Azov region, which has monuments to Toad and Sanitary technician, Bull-feeder and Boy-fisherman, mosquito-caller and Colorado beetle.
The last figure is a joke on the occupying Berdyansk vacationers during the summer season. That is why the monument to Ostap Bender and Shura Balaganov in this city looks «as cast», that is quite harmonious.
The heroes of Ilf and Petrov sit on chairs «with bent legs», known to us from «The Twelve Chairs». The magnificent Ostap leans back like a young lion and listens attentively to what Shura Balaganov is telling him. Lieutenant Schmidt’s son is turned toward the Great Combinator. He is so excitedly sharing with his «milk brother» the information about Koreiko that the beer in the glass on his knee has already warmed up and the foam has subsided. The author of the monument depicted the day Shura and Ostap met — the moment of the beginning of the novel «The Golden Calf».
The figures of the legendary swindlers are made in life-size, so there is an illusion that now the son of a Turkish-soldier will get up, stretch and go to collect dirt on the underground millionaire. But while he is sitting, every tourist can sit next to him on the free third chair. The bronze Ostap and Shura do not charge a fee for the opportunity to be photographed next to them. The monument was installed by the city authorities in 2002 and has already been nicknamed «the third chair» because of one unfortunate beer mug standing on Balaganov’s right knee.
This Berdyansk attraction is set a few steps away from the real, serious monument to P. P. Schmidt, the 1905 revolutionary commander. Arriving on vacation in Priazove, you’ll be amazed by the wave of positive energy exuded in this city by the monuments, locals, sea and sand.