Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Russians name without prompting only Lake Baykal as the main symbol of Russia. This natural place is also holds the first rank in Russia-10 preliminary final list.

MOSCOW, October 3, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning the following questions: what cultural sites and natural places in Russia they treat as the main symbols of Russia; what sites among those presented in Russia-10 contest Russians regard as symbols of their country.

Two-thirds of Russian could name cultural and natural symbols of Russia without prompting (68%).  The first place is taken by Lake Baykal (20%), followed by Kremlin on the second place (no precision which one) (17%).  The Top 10 landmarks involve Mamayev Kurgan (12%), Peterhof (11%) and Moscow Kremlin (10%). They are followed by the Motherland calls Monument (7%), Red Square (5%), Kizhi and Christ the Savior Church (4%, for each), as well as Bronze horseman, Trinity Lavra of St.Sergius, St.Basil`s Cathedral in Moscow and Russian churches and cathedrals in general (3%, for each).

When asked about the most important symbols of Russia with prompting referring to the participants of the Russia-10 contest, most of respondents mention ten sites which are included in the preliminary final list (dated October 1). Thus, 58% of respondents favor Lake Baykal; 48% vote for Peterhof; 46% choose Mamayev Kurgan and the Motherland calls Monument. Top five involves Trinity Lavra of St.Sergius (28%), Kizhi (25%), and these sites are listed in the preliminary top ten. They are followed by the Valley of Geisers (19%), Kolomna Kremlin and Rostov Kremlin (16%, for each), Astrakhan and Nizhny Novgorod kremlins (14%, for each).

Other answers are as follows: Ascension Cathedral, Monument to Catherine II in St.Petersburg (11%, for each), Amur Pillars, Kungurskaya Cave, Kul-Sharif Mosque, Solovetsky Islands (10%, for each), Cable-Stayed Bridge in Vladivostok, Pskov Kremlin (9%, for each),  Virgin Mary Museum reserve, Tyatya volcano (8%, for each), Curonian Spit (7%), Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque Heart of Chechnya, Tomsk Pisanitsa Museum reserve, Tobolsk Kremlin (6% for each),  Dolmatovsky Monastery, Naryn-Kala Fortress (5%, for each), Vovnushki, Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni (4%, for each), Cartouches in Tot`ma and Legend Sculpture Park  (3%, for each).

The VCIOM opinion polls were conducted on September 21-22, 2013. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

What natural places, architectural/cultural sites do you treat as symbols of Russia?

 (open-ended question)

Those who named something

68

Those who think that such sites do not exist

0

Hard to tell

32


What natural places, architectural/cultural sites do you treat as symbols of Russia?

(open-ended question, not more than five answers,  % of relevant answers)

Lake Baykal

20

Kremlin (no precision)

17

Mamayev Kurgan

12

Peterhof

11

Moscow Kremlin

10

Motherland calls Monument

7

Red Square

5

Kizhi

4

Christ the Savior Church

4

Bronze Horseman

3

Trinity Lavra of St.Sergius  

3

St.Basil`s Cathedral in Moscow

3

Churches, cathedrals (no precision)

3

Amur Pillars

2

Kolomna Kremlin

2

Rostov Kremlin

2

Lenin`s Mausoleum

2

Hermitage

2

Saint Petersburg and its sightseeing  (in general)

2

Petropavlovsk Fortress

2

Art masterpieces, cultural treasures  (in general)

2

Kazan Kremlin, Kul-Sharif Mosque

2

Solovetsky Islands

2

Altay

1

Astrakhan Kremlin

1

Bolshoi Theatre

1

Cable-Stayed Bridge, Vladivostok

1

Water reservoirs (in general)

1

Volga river

1

Volcanos

1

Valley of Geysers

1

Winter Palace

1

Golden Ring cities

1

St. Isaac`s Cathedral in St. Petersburg

1

Kazan Cathedral (no precision)

1

Kamchatka

1

Kapova Cave (Shulgan-Tash)  

1

Novgorod Kremlin

1

Pskov Kremlin

1

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

1

Kungurskaya Cave

1

Lavra (no precision)

1

Moscow

1

Black Sea

1

Church of the Savior on Blood, Saint Petersburg

1

St. Basil`s Cathedral, Moscow

1

Minin and Pozharsky Monument in Moscow  

1

Peter I Monument (no precision)  

1

Naryn-kala

1

Petrodvorets

1

Natural places  (in general)

1

Shikhan

1

Khabarovsk Bridge

1

Tretyakov Gallery

1

Reserves (no precision)

1

Drawbridges in St.Petersburg

1

Catherine II Monument (no precision)

1

Lenin monument (no precision)  

1

Monuments (in general)

1

Other objects

1


The Russia-10 contest final is currently taking place in Russia. The countrywide vote will select top ten cultural and natural sites regarded as symbols of Russia. Which symbol would you vote for?

Name five sites, please. (closed-ended question, not more than 5 answers)

Lake Baykal

58

Peterhof

48

Mamayev Kurgan & The Motherland Calls

46

Trinity Lavra of St.Sergius 

28

Kizhi

25

Valley of geysers

19

Kolomna Kremlin

16

Rostov Kremlin

16

Astrakhan Kremlin

14

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

14

Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk

11

Catherine II monument, Ekaterininskaya Square

11

Amur Pillars

10

Kungurskaya Cave

10

Kul Sharif Mosque

10

Solovetsky Islands

10

Cable-Stayed Bridge in Vladivostok

9

Pskov Kremlin (Krom)

9

Bogoroditsky (Virgin Mary) Museum Reserve

8

Tyatya volcano

8

Curonian Spit

7

Akhmad Kadyrov Mosque in Chechnya

6

Tomsk Pisanytsa Museum Reserve

6

Tobolsk Kremlin

6

Dolmatovsky Monastery

5

Naryn-Kala Fortress

5

Vovnushki

4

Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni

4

Cartouches from Tot`ma

3

Sculpture Parc “Legend”

3

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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