"Funeral Wreaths." Grodno Authorities Asked Citizens About Arches on the Main Street. Over 1000 Comments — Almost All Against

Decorative arches on Grodno's main pedestrian street. Photo: Grodno City Executive Committee's Instagram

"They Obscure the City"

The overwhelming majority of commentators insist: the arches must be removed. The primary argument is that the arches do not fit into the historic center. People write that the structures "block the view of buildings," "destroy the street's perspective," and make the city center visually heavy, and in winter, they resemble funeral wreaths. Grodno tour guides and local bloggers, whose comments gather tens and hundreds of likes, are particularly vocal about this.

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This is how the arches look in winter. Photo: Grodno City Executive Committee's Instagram

"The arches devalue the historical significance of the street. Buildings are almost invisible," writes one commentator.

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Grodno residents insist: the main feature of Sovetskaya Street is its architecture; practically every building there bears a sign indicating "historical and cultural value." When it starts to be supplemented with metal structures adorned with flowers, this value simply gets lost.

"With the arches, all the beauty and space disappear," they share their opinion.

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In the comments, Grodno residents call the arches "visual noise" and "a cheap imitation of decoration," primarily due to the artificial flowers and plastic details.

"Let's remove them — and as quickly as possible. These dreadful arches spoil the appearance of the historic center and one of its main pedestrian streets. Grodno has always attracted tourists because it has preserved the spirit of its era. Previously, strolling along Sovetskaya Street, one could admire the beauty of the architecture. But now, the arches have undeservedly become the 'main attraction' — precisely in quotation marks. They literally consume space and transform our ancient and beautiful city into some kind of modern pastiche.

The historic street has been transformed into a playground for the game 'Ručajej' (Stream). Return their beloved city to the residents of Grodno, and to Grodno itself — its original and unique historical and architectural appearance!!!" — they urge.

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People remind that this is an already established historical space, which in itself functions as a tourist attraction: restored facades, the street's perspective, and the atmosphere of the old city.

"A city that respects itself will not decorate its historic center with plastic," they write in the comments.

Those for whom the arches do not seem like a catastrophe suggest simply relocating them. For example, to a park, a residential district, or the embankment.

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The argument is simple: they have no place in the historic center, but as an element of urban decor, they can exist elsewhere.

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Photo: Grodno City Executive Committee's Instagram

Arguments "For" Exist, But They Are Few

Comments in support of the arches also exist, but they are significantly fewer.

Among the arguments heard: the arches, they say, make the street "lively" and "cozy," add photo zones and attract tourists, and compensate for the lack of greenery in the stone center.

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Some suggest not removing the arches but refining them, for example, replacing artificial flowers with real ones, hiding communications, and making the structures more aesthetic. However, these comments receive significantly less support than the critical ones.

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