Monument to the Creator of Esperanto

In the cozy and small courtyard of Odessa, on the famous Deribasovskaya Street, there is a bust of Lazar Ludvik Zamenhof - the creator of the international language Esperanto. Why in Odessa? It is believed that among the first thousand who began to learn and speak this language were Odessans. In addition, a circle of Esperantists constantly worked in the city.

Like most of Odessa, this monument is covered with legends. Local residents claim that the creator of the artificial language lived in this yard, according to another version - the creator after an unpaid bill had to come up with a "legend" about his father Zamenhof and place his creation opposite his own apartment.

In fact, the monument was erected in 1959 by Nikolai Vasilyevich Blazhkov, a sculpture and leader of the Esperanto circle in Odessa. On the occasion of the arrival of the delegation of Esperantists from the twin city of Varna, one copy of the bust of Lazar Ludvik Zamenhof was presented, and the creator installed the second bust in his yard. He actually lived on Deribasovskaya.

Nowadays, after restoration works in 2008, the monument has become an integral part of the historical and cultural heritage of the city. Like Esperanto, it brings together extraordinary people capable of expanding language boundaries. According to experts, Esperanto is spoken in different parts of the world from 2 to 20 million people, and in Odessa - about 1000 people.