A huge granite monument stands on top of Bunardzhik Hill. It consists of a 10.5 m tall statue depicting a Soviet soldier and a 6 m plinth with a commemorative plaque. You can get to the monument through one of several paths. It offers a panoramic view of the entire city.
The monument was built in 1954-1957 by a team of several architects, sculptors and stonemasons. It was to commemorate the liberation of the city by the Soviet Army during the Second World War. The prototype for the statue was the Soviet soldier Alexei Skurlatov. The name of the monument refers to his name, as well as to the song “Alyosha”, devoted to the monument and which was the official anthem of the city until 1989.
Since 1989, several fruitless attempts have been made to remove the monument. He also fell victim to vandalism several times.
