Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

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 Estonia Tallinn The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn

The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn

This stoic bronze soldier stands as a symbol of Russian sacrifice or Soviet oppression, or maybe both.

Tallinn, Estonia

Added By
Seb Cuevas
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn   rebelhistorian / Atlas Obscura User
The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn   rebelhistorian / Atlas Obscura User
The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn   rebelhistorian / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A controversial monument to the fallen of World War II. A symbol of liberation. A symbol of oppression. The controversial Soldier of Tallinn has been many things to many different people. 

The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, nicknamed "Aljoscha" by the city's Russian-speaking population, is a 6.5 foot tall monument dedicated to the memory of the soldiers of the Red Army who died in World War II. Now located in the Defense Forces Cemetery of Tallinn, it was unveiled in 1947, three years after Soviet forces reoccupied Estonia. While it was meant as a monument to brave Soviet soldiers, the statue became a divisive symbol of Soviet power in the country.

Estonia, one of the 15 republics forming the Soviet Union until officially regaining independence in 1991, proved a thorn in Moscow's side, with informal armed resistance against Soviet rule lasting well into the 1950s and peaceful protests, a common occurrence in the late 1980s. It was in the three Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) that political opposition movements challenging Moscow were first established in the Soviet Union.

The monument once stood in central Tallinn but was moved to its current location in 2007. This was staunchly opposed by the country's large Russian-speaking minority, with heavy riots taking place on April 26 and April 27. The existence of two conflicting cultures of remembrance in Estonia make the monument controversial. To the Russians of Estonia, the Red Army liberated a Soviet republic from the Nazis; to Estonians, the Red Army reoccupied and annexed a sovereign country again into the Soviet Union as they had already done in 1940, one year before the Nazi invasion.

The haunting stare of the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn exudes solemnity, but the statue embodies the conflicts regarding memory in much of the former Western periphery of the Soviet Union.

Related Tags

Statues Military History Politics Military

Know Before You Go

From the city center: Take bus 17A to Juhkentali and get off at the station by the same name.

Community Contributors

Added By

rebelhistorian

Edited By

Cruzamundos

  • Cruzamundos

Published

September 22, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Soldier_of_Tallinn
The Bronze Soldier of Tallinn
Tallinn, 10132
Estonia
59.421768, 24.765504

Nearby Places

KGB Museum

Tallinn, Estonia

miles away

'Lucky Chimney Sweeper'

Tallinn, Estonia

miles away

Kissing Hill

Tallinn, Estonia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tallinn

Tallinn

Estonia

Places 34

Nearby Places

KGB Museum

Tallinn, Estonia

miles away

'Lucky Chimney Sweeper'

Tallinn, Estonia

miles away

Kissing Hill

Tallinn, Estonia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tallinn

Tallinn

Estonia

Places 34

Related Places

  • Just Nuisance statue.

    Cape Town, South Africa

    Just Nuisance Statue

    A memorial to the only dog ever officially enlisted in the Royal Navy.

  • Wellington Monument (Statue of Achilles).

    London, England

    Wellington Monument

    This once-controversial and slightly confusing statue of Achilles was built out of captured cannons.

  • Tunnel from Officer’s House.

    Zossen, Germany

    Wünsdorf Officer's House

    A statue of Vladimir Illyich Lenin guards this abandoned building in the "Forbidden City."

  • Siachen Glacier.

    India / Pakistan

    Siachen Glacier

    This disputed mass of ice is home to the highest battleground on Earth.

  • Concrete debris found in the woods of Popes Head Park.

    Fairfax, Virginia

    Fairfax Nike Missile Site

    A lone historical marker off the highway and scattered debris are all that remain of this Cold War-era missile site.

  • Museo Girón.

    Playa Girón, Cuba

    Museo Girón

    A small museum in the Bay of Pigs gives the Cuban perspective on the famously failed U.S. invasion.

  • “Father of the Nation” of Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

    Los Angeles, California

    José de San Martín Bust

    A forgotten tribute to a South American hero hidden in a cluster of traffic islands.

  • Angels around

    Paris, France

    Napoleon's Angels

    Twelve grave-faced marble angels guard the emperor's tomb at Les Invalides.

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.