Metal has been always loved and honoured in Alchevsk. The city grew from the village of the workers of the Donetsk and Yur’evsk metallurgical society plant (DYMS). It was found by the Ukrainian manufacturer, banker and the merchant of the first guild Aleksey Kirilovich Alchevskiy. At that time the plant was the only one metallurgical enterprise in Ukraine built on the domestic capital. Nowadays the Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works is one of the largest industrial enterprises in the south-east of Ukraine. Almost two thirds of the city citizens work there. A melting ladle is depicted on the city’s coat of arms and even the favourite football team of the city is called The Steel!

On the last Sunday of August the best masters of art blacksmithing gathered in the capital of Donbass to take part in the festival of blacksmiths art devoted to the 135th anniversary of Donetsk. Traditionally this festival was a part of the Roses of Donetsk city festive show. But in 2004 it was named the Forged Figures Park and became All-Ukrainian

On 26–27 of August 50 delegates from 12 cities of 10 regions of Ukraine came to hospitable Donetsk to participate in the remarkable show. There were blacksmiths, designers and heads of 24 large and medium-sized blacksmiths enterprises of the country. The show was organized by the Ukrainian Gefest blacksmiths enterprise and The Magazine of Metal under the aegis of the Donetsk mayor Aleksandr Lukyanchenko. The history of Donetsk blacksmiths festival dates back to 1998 when it wasn’t hold in such a big way and in such a wonderful place as the Forged Figures Park. This unique park was established in 2000. And three years later (thanks to the titanic organizational efforts of Victor Burduk and considerable financial expenditure of the Ukrainian Gefest blacksmiths enterprise) there were 32 forged sculptures in the park.

In 2001 in the course of the regular blacksmiths festival the Forged Figures Park was established in the public garden of the City executive committee of Donetsk. The project was initiated by Victor Burduk, chief director of Ukrainian Gefest blacksmiths enterprise and master of decorative and applied arts and under the aegis of the Donetsk City Council. Developing from year to year, the park has become one of the most famous places of interest in the capital city of Donetsk region. Moreover, it is unique in the whole world!
The first exhibit of this outdoor blacksmiths art museum is a bunch of forged roses. This flower is a symbol of the miners’ capital, a symbol of the Donetsk Roses festival as well as of the Forged Figures Park blacksmiths art festivals taking place in August – September...

The Arch Alley is in the very heart of Donetsk now and each visitor of Forged Figures Park can enjoy and admire it. But can you imagine what titanic joint efforts this Alley is the result of?! What human relations are behind it?
The Arch Alley is an illustration and reminding of the fact that we live in a great country, united with the team spirit of strong, honest and cheerful people – blacksmiths. 
It is also necessary to feel a wonderful atmosphere of the blacksmiths festival where it is absolutely unimportant what language you speak either Russian or Ukrainian or English; you’ve got used to think and speak! But if you touch a forged arch or bench with your hand it is quiet easy to feel that even if it is a severe frost outside they radiate warmness. It seems you touch some peculiar secret which generations of blacksmiths of the Earth and blacksmiths of Ukraine in particular have been proudly keeping through centuries… It is a secret of Unity…

This year Donetsk is to enter the Ring of European cities with Metal Works. Chairman of Donbass blacksmiths Guild Victor Burduk has told us more about it. 
I got to know about the Ring from Sergey Polubotko, the chairman of the Union of masters of blacksmiths art in Ukraine. Being a representative of our Union, he often goes abroad. He also gave me the address of the Ring headquarters. Having consulted with the Donetsk City Council and enlisted the support of the city mayor Aleksandr Lukianchenko, we sent a letter to the Ring expressing our intention to enter this organization. In reply we received its charter and a detailed list of the documents needed for the entering. It turned out that the Ring unites not blacksmiths or blacksmiths groups but cities where art forging traditions are actively developed.