Opposite the Red Building of the university, among the greenery of the park that bears the same name, rises the monument to Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko — one of the first in Kyiv. It was unveiled in 1939, on the 125th anniversary of the poet’s birth.
The sculpture was created by the renowned Ukrainian artist Matvii Manizer, and the architectural design was developed by Yevhen Levinson. They succeeded in combining grandeur and simplicity, portraying Shevchenko as a thinker, a fighter, and a man who looks directly into the future of his people.
The figure of the Kobzar faces the university — and this is no coincidence. It was here, as part of the Archaeographic Commission, that he once worked, and it was here that his ideas of freedom, dignity, and enlightenment took shape.
During Soviet times, this monument became a place of quiet resistance. Students, intellectuals, and patriots gathered here on Shevchenko’s birthday, the anniversary of his death, and the day of the reburial of his remains. They laid flowers, recited poetry — even when it was forbidden.
Today, the monument in Shevchenko Park is more than just part of the urban landscape. It is a symbol of the Ukrainian spirit, a reminder of the power of the word, and of the fact that true culture always stands guard over freedom.