6a Pravdy St., Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191119
The residents of houses 2, 4, 6, and 8 on Pravda Street are lucky. They live not only in the most beautiful city in Russia but also in the magical Emerald City. Every day they immerse themselves in a fairy tale and walk along a yellow brick road. Entering the magical courtyard, you find yourself on the yellow brick path that the fairy tale characters Toto and Ellie followed on their way to the Great Goodwin. The yellow path will lead you to the Emerald City, cordoned off by guards, whose gates are protected by Faramant.
Originally, the project planned to install nine figures — characters from the beloved fairy tale. Unfortunately, the fairy tale island quickly took on a rather unsightly appearance, and the characters were covered in paint, scribbled on with markers, and vandalized. Vandals broke off the paw of the Cowardly Lion, and now he is no longer next to his friends — the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. The sculpture was taken away for restoration. The fairy and several guards have also disappeared. The residents of the courtyard and concerned citizens hope for their speedy return. But, unfortunately, the district administration cannot find funds to restore the figures.
The wall of the building is decorated with a bas-relief of Willina, the kind sorceress, inviting you to visit the fairy-tale land. Along the way, you will meet the heroes of the beloved fairy tale, whose figures are located in one of the courtyards — the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow. Peeking into the “scary courtyard,” you will see the antagonists: the evil witch Bastinda, the man-eater, and the flying monkeys.
The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion are three-dimensional figures. You can walk around them. The other characters are made as bas-reliefs.
All the characters in the composition are forged from iron, and only the Scarecrow is made of copper in an electroplating bath. Thanks to the manufacturing method and the artist’s skill, this character turned out to be the most charming. However, the Tin Woodman can turn his head.
Goodwin is a special creation. If you visit the magical courtyard in winter, you won’t see him — he is made in the form of a flower bed and, like a true wizard, changes his appearance every spring.
In the next courtyard are the scary characters of the fairy tale: the witch Bastinda, the man-eater, and the saber-toothed tigers. The man-eater is hiding around the corner, sticking out his tongue — either teasing or wanting to have you for lunch. But there’s no need to fear Bastinda — she has already been defeated and is melting, turning into a lake. Here you definitely need to look around and up. On one of the eaves, two Flying Monkeys have perched — the others can be seen on the walls of the houses.
The yellow road will lead you to the very Emerald City — a children's playground surrounded by a metal fence. The gates are guarded by Faramant. The guards blend organically into the benches and the City’s fence.
“Emeralds” are scattered all over the courtyards — on grilles and fences.
Like all new monuments, the courtyard’s heroes are beginning to accumulate legends and omens. For example, locals claim that if you touch the niche under the heart of the Tin Woodman, you can meet your true love. And children make wishes to the Great and Terrible Goodwin.
Sources:
https://opeterburge.ru/interesnye-mesta/izumrudnyj-gorod-v-sankt-peterburge.html
https://kudago.com/spb/place/izumrudnyj-gorod/
https://www.spb-guide.ru/izumrudnyj-gorod.htm
https://forum-spb.name/interesnye-mesta-peterburga/49-izumrudnyi-gorod-v-sankt-peterburge.html
