The Motherland Calls the plinth. The plinth measures another , and is installed on a concrete foundation with a depth of . The figure measures , and the sword . The monument weighs over . The statue contains 5,500 tonnes of concrete and 2,400 tons of metal structures, the sword itself weighs 14 tons. The rigidity of the frame is supported by 99 metal cables constantly in tension. Two hundred steps, symbolizing the 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad, lead from the bottom of the hill to the monument. The statue appears on both the current flag and coat of arms of
The Sun Shines over Our Motherland The Sun Shines over Our Motherland The Sun Shines over Our Motherland «Над Родиной нашей солнце сияет» (Op.90) is a Russian-language cantata written in 1952 by Dimitri Shostakovich on a libretto by Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky. Originally titled "Cantata About the Party", it was commissioned to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the October Revolution. In it, the sun is a metaphor for the achievement of the Soviet people under the leadership of the Communist Party. It begins with a lyrical section for boys' chorus and woodwind, followed by a more energetic section for the men's voices. The finale is a triumphant hymn,