Monument "Sword and sickle", Krylos

The Sword and Plowshare monument is visible from afar to anyone traveling on the highway between Halych and Ivano-Frankivsk. It is installed in a special place - here, in the Prokaliyiv Sad tract, the first line of defensive ramparts ran in princely times. In addition, the Sword and Plowshare monument is adjacent to another very valuable historical and cultural site: not far from here, archaeologists have found the foundations of the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, next to which there was once a famous monastery. So, if you are traveling by car, you should stop here to take pictures of the picturesque surroundings and the Sword and Plow, and to examine its details. Or, crossing the street, visit the Museum of Architecture and Life of Prykarpattia (or ethnographic skansen). The land here is special, and there are many interesting places around.

The construction of the monument-symbol "Sword and Plowshare" began in 1985, and two years later it was inaugurated. This artwork was born for a long time because they could not determine the best place to install it. One of the authors recalled that they were implementing the idea in the cold late fall, so they even had to heat the concrete to keep it from freezing.

The authors of the monument are architect Volodymyr Lukomskyi and sculptor Petro Sopilnyk. The architect chose this particular location for the monument (originally it was supposed to be installed near the Assumption Cathedral in Krylos), designed a high mound with spiral paths, a pedestal, and the proportions of the memorial. This was Volodymyr Lukomskyi's last project, and he died shortly afterward. In the book "Halych Gate" by Stepan Pushyk, you can learn a lot about the construction of this symbolic sign and the history of Halych in general.

The giant sword is a symbol of the local warriors, a special class of boyars-knights. A sword stuck in the ground means an end to wars. This is a big dream of the Galicians, who have seen many bloody confrontations in the history of the region and have taken up arms themselves to defend their land from enemies. A ralo (or plow) is a tool used by Galician peasants.

"Sword and Ralo" is a symbol of the unity of ancient Rus cities, whose names are engraved along the sword. The rally depicts mythological characters, warriors, plowmen, and a chronicler. The Sword and Ralo monument is a place where Galicians meet distinguished guests, and where veche and festive events take place. Artists often depict it in their works.

You can get to the monument symbolizing the Sword and the Ralo by taking the H09 highway; it stands at the entrance to the village of Krylos from Halych, opposite the Museum of Ethnography.