Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
about 1 month ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
about 1 month ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
about 1 month ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
about 1 month ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Russia Moscow Monument to Yuri Gagarin

Monument to Yuri Gagarin

This massive monument honors the first human in space.

Moscow, Russia

Added By
Joe G
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The monument.   Gennady Grachev/cc by 2.0
The monument.   Gennady Grachev/cc by 2.0
Gagarina Square.   Joe G / Atlas Obscura User
Gagarin sculpture.   Joe G / Atlas Obscura User
Vostok replica.   Joe G / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Among the various monuments in Russia to its space program and cosmonauts, one of the most striking is composed of titanium and looms over a city square. The sculpture is that of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.

The massive statue towers 141 feet (43 meters) above Gagarina Square on the long, wide boulevard of Leninsky Prospekt. At the base of the statue is a replica of Gagarin's Vostok re-entry capsule, complete with an inscription commemorating his flight on April 12, 1961. The striated column that culminates in his powerful figure, surveying the earth and the cosmos, was crafted to resemble rocket exhaust. The statue itself was crafted from 238 different cast segments. 

After his successful orbit around the earth, Gagarin became an international celebrity, as it was still the height of the Space Race. He received numerous accolades for his journey and was awarded the title, "Hero of the Soviet Union." At the time, it was the highest honor one could receive in the country.

The monument to Yuri Gagarin was unveiled in June 1980 for the Moscow Olympics—the same Olympics that were boycotted by the United States and other countries due to Russia's involvement in Afghanistan. What makes this sculpture so striking is that it towers amid a plethora of stores, bustling traffic, and people routinely going through their daily lives, as the statue represents humankind's ability to escape the mundane and explore the universe. 

Related Tags

Statues Monuments Space Exploration Space Columns Cosmonauts Soviet History

Community Contributors

Added By

Joe G

Edited By

ahvenas, Kerry Wolfe

  • ahvenas
  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

January 23, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Monument to Yuri Gagarin
Leninsky Prospekt
Moscow, 119334
Russia
55.708273, 37.582509
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The 'Golden Brains'

Moscow, Russia

miles away

Novodevichy Cemetery

Moscow, Russia

miles away

Fallen Monument Park

Moscow, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Moscow

Moscow

Russia

Places 47
Stories 7

Nearby Places

The 'Golden Brains'

Moscow, Russia

miles away

Novodevichy Cemetery

Moscow, Russia

miles away

Fallen Monument Park

Moscow, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Moscow

Moscow

Russia

Places 47
Stories 7

Related Places

  • Pereiaslav, Ukraine

    Museum of Space Exploration

    A century-old church is now a space museum with a treasure trove of Soviet space items.

  • Captain Janeway Monument

    Bloomington, Indiana

    Captain Janeway Statue

    It's a unique monument honoring a great character who inspired a generation of young women to be more and pursue their dreams.

  • Hanoi, Vietnam

    Statue of Lenin

    A gift from the Soviet Union in the 1980s, this is the only statue of the Soviet dictator in Southeast Asia.

  • Walter Hohmann Monument

    Hardheim, Germany

    Walter Hohmann Monument

    A scale rocket of an Ariane 5 rocket serves as a monument to a pioneer of space science.

  • Grissom Rocket Monument.

    Mitchell, Indiana

    Virgil I. Gus Grissom Rocket Monument

    This memorial to the Mercury Seven astronaut stands at the site of his former elementary school.

  • The rocket replica.

    Concord, New Hampshire

    Redstone Rocket Replica

    The 92-foot-tall structure is based on the aircraft that carried the first Americans into space.

  • The Warsaw Uprising Monument.

    Warsaw, Poland

    Warsaw Uprising Monument

    A tribute to the Polish insurgents who fought in the failed attempt to end their city's Nazi occupation.

  • Lenin greets visitors in front of the Central Pavilion

    Moscow, Russia

    Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy

    This newly renovated Soviet-era outdoor exhibition center is bigger than the principality of Monaco.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.