Monument Tchizhik-Pyzhik

This monument with a funny name refers to an interesting story: On number 6 of the embankment of Fontanka River, between 1836 and 1918, was located the Imperial School of Jurisprudence. Its students used to wear jackets which buttonholes and yellow siding materials that could remind of canaries (Tchizhik in Russian). With their hats they reminded of young stags (Pyzhik in Russian). That is how their nickname was born ”Tchizhi-Pyzhik”. From their habit of drinking on the embankment came a famous little song that can be translated as such: ”Tchizhik-Pyzhik where have you been? On Fontanka drinking vodka, one glass, two glasses. My head is spinning”. To honor the memory of the students, near the first bridge of the engineers, the monument Tchizhik-Pyzhik was erected in 1994. It depicts an 11 cm-high canary weighing 5 kilos. Located below on the embankment, the tradition wants that one throws a coin as they make a wish. If the coin stays on the pedestal and does not fall in the water then the wish should come true. Another tradition has appeared: the grooms must lower a glass of vodka with a rope and hit the statue with it without breaking the glass.

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