Polina Osipenko Square in Orenburg

A small square on Soviet Street in the city of Orenburg, located near the clock tower, is named after Polina Osipenko, a pilot who received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Before the revolution, this place was the building of the military Peter and Paul Church. After the arrival of Soviet power in Orenburg, the church was destroyed, in its place for a long time there was a wasteland, and then a square with a fountain was broken.

It should be noted that Orenburg residents practically do not know the official name of the square. The older generation calls the square "frogs" - until the early seventies of the last century there was a fountain decorated with six sculptural images of these animals. And the youth dubbed this place “Pedal”. The origin of the nickname is associated with the paired monument to Pushkin and Dal installed in the center of the square. This monument by Orenburg sculptor Nadezhda Gavrilovna Petina was erected in 1998 in memory of the meeting in Orenburg of two great Russian writers. In everyday speech, the names of the writers were shortened, and the square received its slightly rude nickname.

Polina Osipenko Square is one of the landmarks of the city center and a popular meeting place for city residents.