Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
10 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
13 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
20 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
20 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Ukraine Odessa Monument to Orange

Monument to Orange

An artful memorial to 4,000 fateful oranges.

Odessa, Ukraine

Added By
ahvenas
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
The back side of monument   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

For centuries, the Ukrainian city of Odesa has served as the region's great trading port. But legend has it that it took a fabulous bribe to pave the way. The story goes that 18th-century Odesa wanted money to build their port. Unfortunately, when the new tzar Paul I took power in 1796, he diverted the badly-needed port money elsewhere.

That left the city in limbo. As a result, town officials came up with an interesting solution. They imported 4,000 Greek oranges and sent them as an exotic gift to Paul I. Since Paul had never tasted oranges before, he was fascinated and impressed by the fruit. Paul I soon approved the money needed to construct the the port.

In 2004, the city gained a monument in honor of those fateful oranges. A giant metal orange on wheels sits on a pedestal, resembling a carriage pulled by a team of horses. Inside, Paul I stands holding an orange up to his face approvingly. The monument is topped with sculptures of several iconic and well-known buildings in Odesa. Designed by Valery Balukh and completed by the sculptor Alexander Tokarev and the architect Vladimir Glazyrin, the sculpture is a monument to a monumental bribe.

 

Related Tags

Fruit Statues

Community Contributors

Added By

ahvenas

Edited By

Oltorf the Destroyer

  • Oltorf the Destroyer

Published

December 15, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://odessa-journal.com/monument-to-orange/
  • https://en.opisanie-kartin.com/description-of-the-monument-to-orange-in-odessa/
  • http://www.odessatourism.org/en/do/landmarks/pamjatnik_apelsinu_kotoryj_spas_odessu
Monument to Orange
1b Torhova St
Zhvanetskogo Boulevard
Odessa
Ukraine
46.491332, 30.733612
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Potemkin Stairs

Odessa, Ukraine

miles away

Mother-In-Law Bridge

Odessa, Ukraine

miles away

Odesa Catacombs

Odesa, Ukraine

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Odessa

Odessa

Ukraine

Places 6

Nearby Places

Potemkin Stairs

Odessa, Ukraine

miles away

Mother-In-Law Bridge

Odessa, Ukraine

miles away

Odesa Catacombs

Odesa, Ukraine

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Odessa

Odessa

Ukraine

Places 6

Related Places

  • Berkane, Morocco

    Monument de l'Orange de Berkane (Berkane Orange Monument)

    A massive clementine marks the center of town in the citrus city of Berkane.

  • Big Apple. (Wikimedia Commons)

    Yerrinbool, Australia

    Big Apple

    Entrance to a famous orchard with nine types of apples.

  • James Brown Statue in James Brown Plaza

    Augusta, Georgia

    James Brown Plaza

    A towering tribute to the Godfather of Soul.

  • Budapest, Hungary

    Bud Spencer Statue

    The bronze creation commemorates the life and work of a beloved actor.

  • Edward’s Elephant from the side

    Kirkby, England

    Edward’s Elephant

    A giant earring-wearing, poker-waving elephant statue stands in a Viking longboat in Kirkby town center.

  • Chocolate Orange

    York, England

    Terry's Chocolate Orange Sculpture

    A unique tribute to the chocolatey past that helped shape one British city.

  • Cotonou, Benin

    Amazon Statue

    The 100-foot-tall (30-meter) bronze statue was built to recognize the world's only documented all-female army.

  • Austin, Texas

    Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue

    A tribute to a great Texas blues musician.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.