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Monument to Salavat Yulaev

Monument to Salavat Yulaev is a monument to the Bashkir national hero Salawat Yulayev, located in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan in European Russia. Created by Soslanbek Tavasiev, it was unveiled on 17 November 1967 and became a hallmark of the city and a symbol of the republic, appearing in the coat of arms of Bashkortostan. The sculpture shows Salawat at the moment he leads the army to help Pugachev to Orenburg in 1774. Weighing 40 tons and standing 9.8 meters high, it is notable for resting on only three support points. The monument was dismantled for restoration in 2025 and is planned to be reinstalled in 2027.

The Salavat Yulaev Monument stands on a grassy mound above a wet walkway, with visitors holding umbrellas on a rainy day.
The Salavat Yulaev Monument rises above the park as visitors pass by on a rainy day.
October 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
A paved park path leads toward the Salavat Yulaev Monument on a grassy mound, lined with trees and street lamps under an overcast sky.
A tree-lined path in Ufa leads toward the Salavat Yulaev Monument on a distant mound.
October 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Commemorative coin with the Monument to Salavat Yulaev in relief, surrounded by cultural symbols and industrial silhouettes.
A commemorative coin depicting the Monument to Salavat Yulaev with decorative cultural motifs in the background.
2019 © · Public domain
Postage stamp with the Salavat Yulaev horseman silhouette overlooking the city skyline, marked Ufa and Russia 2015.
A blue-and-white postage stamp featuring the Salavat Yulaev horseman silhouette above Ufa\'s skyline.
July 2015 © Stamp issuing authority - MARKA Publishing & Trading Centre. Printer - Association GOZNAK of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation · Public domain
Silver-toned star emblem with a central medallion showing the Salavat Yulaev horseman motif.
A silver-toned star emblem featuring the Salavat Yulaev horseman motif in the center.
December 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleMonument to Salavat Yulaev
Typeequestrian monument

Iconography and meaning

Depicted subjectSalavat Yulaev, the Bashkir national hero
DepictionSalavat Yulaev riding a horse with a raised hand, interpreted as calling people to join Pugachev's campaign to Orenburg in 1774

Historical context

Conception contextTavasiev first heard about Salavat Yulaev in July 1941 while evacuated from Moscow to Bashkiria during the German invasion of the Soviet Union
InspirationAt a local market, he heard an emotional speech saying the country needed heroes like Salavat

Creator

SculptorSoslanbek Dafaevich Tavasiev
Sculptor's roleSoviet sculptor-monumentalist; People's Artist of North Ossetia; artist of North Ossetia and Bashkortostan

Discovery and provenance

Work periodTavasiev worked on the monument for about 20 years after World War II; the plaster model was completed by 1963
ModelLife-size plaster model
Model locationInstalled in the foyer of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre in Ufa; later described as having been in a deserted church in Akhtyrka during work
Model approvalDiscussed by specialists in Moscow and officially approved by the board of the USSR Ministry of Culture
Casting locationLeningrad plant 'Monumentsculpture' (Monument-Sculpture)
Casting timeone and a half months
Planning of siteThe very center of Ufa was initially proposed, but Tavasiev insisted on the high cliff above the Belaya River near the city center

Physical characteristics

Support points3
Total height with pedestal14 m
Weight40 tons
Height9.8 m

Materials

Statue materialbronzed cast iron
Structural supportsteel frame
Pedestal materialreinforced concrete clad with granite slabs

Technique

Internal constructionThe steel frame runs through the supporting legs, the hollow body of the horse, and the rider figure, and is anchored in the reinforced-concrete pedestal

Appearance

CompositionAn equestrian statue of a horseman on a mountain
AccessoriesWhip in the right hand; saber on the left side
SettingThe area around the monument is paved with colored slabs, landscaped, and surrounded by an openwork metal railing

Location and ownership

LocationHigh bank of the Belaya River, near the city center of Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia
Location detailOn the edge of a cliff above the Belaya River

History and restoration

Unveiled17 November 1967
RestorationDismantled in October 2025 for restoration in a specialized workshop in Ufa; work was announced in June 2025 due to damage to the bronzed cladding, wear of the internal frame, cracks, and the need to repair the granite pedestal; planned phases run from September 2025 through September 2027, with reinstallation expected in October 2027
AwardUSSR State Prize (1970) awarded to Soslanbek Dafaevich Tavasiev for the monument

Significance

SignificanceOne of the main symbols of Ufa; a calling card and national treasure of Bashkortostan; the largest equestrian monument in Russia
Heraldic useThe monument is depicted on the coat of arms of Bashkortostan