The forged figures park (historical information)

In 2001 in the course of the regular blacksmiths festival the Forged Figures Park was established in the public garden of the City executive committee of Donetsk. The project was initiated by Victor Burduk, chief director of Ukrainian Gefest blacksmiths enterprise and master of decorative and applied arts and under the aegis of the Donetsk City Council. Developing from year to year, the park has become one of the most famous places of interest in the capital city of Donetsk region. Moreover, it is unique in the whole world!

The first exhibit of this outdoor blacksmiths art museum is a bunch of forged roses. This flower is a symbol of the miners’ capital, a symbol of the Donetsk Roses festival as well as of the Forged Figures Park blacksmiths art festivals taking place in August – September…

The first exhibit of this outdoor blacksmiths art museum is a bunch of forged roses. This flower is a symbol of the miners’ capital, a symbol of the Donetsk Roses festival as well as of the Forged Figures Park blacksmiths art festivals taking place in August – September.

• 2001 – The first ten sculptures as well as the forged rose were installed in the park.
• 2002 – With 19 sculptures being added there were 30 of them in the park.
• 2003 – The Tree of Life pavilion was placed in the park. This sculpture was awarded with the diploma at the Millennium 2000 world fair in Hannover. The Dragon Pavilion was set next to it.
• 2004 – The Sweethearts Pavilion appeared in the park. It was created by the joint efforts of Donetsk blacksmiths enterprises. The pavilion is decorated with bunches of flowers forged and presented by blacksmiths from all parts of Ukraine. The 6th Donetsk blacksmiths art festival became All-Ukrainian one. In the course of this festival it was decided to establish the Union of masters of blacksmiths art in Ukraine.
• 2005 – The creation of The Zodiac Signs Alley by joint efforts of blacksmiths from Donetsk, Ivano-Frankovsk and Aleksandria of Kirovohrad region. Seven of twelve sculptures are made by the blacksmiths of the Ukrainian Gefest blacksmiths enterprise. The first Ukrainian blacksmiths all-round events championship was hold. Yevgeniy Yermak (Gefest, Donetsk) became the winner.
• 2006 – The opening of the Fairy Tales Alley. There are 12 forged works in the alley. They were presented to Donbass capital by masters of blacksmiths art from 7 regions of Ukraine. All of them are the result of the creative interpretation of the folk tales plots. Yevgeniy Yermak (Gefest, Donetsk) got his second award at the Ukrainian blacksmiths all-round events championship.
• 2007 – It was the first time when the 9th international Forged Figures Park blacksmiths art festival took place at the last weekend of September. 150 masters from 10 countries participated in it. The main project of the festival was the opening of the Arch Alley. There were 10 five-meter-wide forged arches and 16 author’s benches installed in the Alley. Forged in course of the festival works decorated the eleventh arch, that was the Arch of Friendship. Anton Mikhalev (The Live Metal Studio, Simferopol) became the new champion of the Ukrainian championship.There are 93 sculptures in the Forged Figures Park now.