Canada/Alberta: Vegreville – Vegreville Pysanka

The Vegreville Pysanka is a famous Ukrainian-style Easter egg (pysanka) in the town of Vegreville in central Alberta. It serves as a vivid symbol of Ukrainian heritage in the region. The Vegreville Pysanka is a massive, intricately decorated egg measuring 9 m (31 feet) long and 7 m (23 feet) wide, and weighing 2,300 kg (5,000 lb). The egg was built in 1974 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and to celebrate the Ukrainian culture that is prominent in Alberta. The monument stands as a tribute to the contributions of Ukrainian immigrants in building and shaping the culture of Alberta. The egg is composed of over 2,000 aluminum triangles that are arranged in a geometric pattern and is one of the first computer-modeled structures of its kind.