Pay homage to Russia’s brave cosmonauts at this staggering monument, which commemorates the nation’s space race exploits.
The Monument to the Conquerors of Space rises up over Moscow’s cityscape in awe-inspiring fashion. Recalling the technological battle between Russia and the U.S. that saw the two nations competing to outdo one another, this monument reflects on an exciting period in Russia’s modern history. Marvel at the impressive sculpture and the technological achievements it recognizes.
The monument was built to celebrate cosmonaut Yuri Gargarin’s successful attempt to orbit the Earth in 1961, which made him the first man to go to outer space, a huge victory for the Russians. Soviet rulers were so keen to highlight their success that plans for the monument were underway 3 years before Gargarin left our planet. Inside the museum, delve further into the story of Russian space adventures.
The striking 350-foot (100-meter) sculpture of a space shuttle shoots toward the sky. The monument was created by architects A.N. Kolchin and M.O. Barsch. Try to spot the monument from afar you should be able to see it quite a distance away as it rises up above the trees and buildings that surround it. Note how the majority of the sculpture is actually made up of the rocket’s trail, which gives an impression of just how powerful these machines could be.
Cast your eyes back to the bottom of the sculpture and you will find the Cosmonautics Memorial Museum in the monument’s base. Learn more about cosmonauts and the equipment they used here. See Belka, one of the dogs sent into space by the Soviets, who has been preserved by a taxidermist. Other highlights include various space suits and the capsule in which Gargarin traveled.
Find out more about the cosmos by watching an informative film in the theater, which is shaped like a spaceship. After all the space-related exploring, satisfy your hunger at the café and pick up space-themed souvenirs at the museum shop.
To visit the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, use the nearby VDNKh metro station. The museum charges an entry fee and is open every day except Mondays.