Tiny, only 11 centimeter-long, the statue of a siskin is well-known in St Petersburg and even called a lucky bird. It is one of the smallest monuments in St Petersburg of almost 5 kilos in weight, installed near the First Engineering Bridge, in 1994. The statue’s designed by the Georgian artist Rezo Gabriadze.
The location of the artwork is on the site of the former Imperial Law School, founded in 1835. The students of the School wore green and yellow uniforms that resembled siskins, so these students were called “Chizhik-Pyzhik” and “chizhik” means “siskin” in Russian. So the appearance of the statue also relates to the song saying “Chizhik-Pyzhik, where were you? Drank vodka on the Fontanka”.
The statue itself is created in honor of students, and as Gabriadze told after finishing it: “Chizhik-Pyzhik helps students to get through unhappy love affairs and get around on public transport without having tickets”.
Nowadays, the monument is well-known among residents and city guests. It is even considered to be lucky. There is a belief that if a passer-by throws a coin at the bird’s perch and it stays on top of the ledge, he or she will be gain luck and succeed it his desires. For single people having a coin stay on the perch will bring love and soon after they will find their partner. You can also try your luck and toss a coin when having a boat trip.
To believe these legends or not is definitely up to you, but St Petersburg is so full of many more stories and sights, that it’s a must-visit city in Russia. Welcome!
Information About the Excursion
Schedule
The statue is available for viewing all the time.
Public Transport
| Address | |
|---|---|
| Naberezhnaya reki Fontanki, 1 Inzhenerny most (on the opposite site) | |
| Metro / Subway | |
| Gostiny Dvor | |
| Buses | |
| Letny Sad | 2M, 2MA, 46 |
| Minibuses (marshrutka) | |
| Letny Sad | K212, K76 |
Tour
Chizhik-Pyzhik is a part of my private tours:
Also, you can customize a tour or book inside excursion.
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