The Lenin monument in Ashgabat is an example of Soviet-era architectural art. It is one of the most famous landmarks in the Turkmen capital and is part of its cultural heritage, protected by the state.
The monument’s unique feature is its appearance – a cube-shaped pedestal decorated with majolica tiles featuring patterns inspired by Turkmen carpets. The monument was referred to as a “mausoleum” and had a museum dedicated to Lenin and Soviet power in Turkmenistan.
The monument was opened on November 7, 1927, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution. The statue was created by sculptor E. Tripolskaya, architect A. Karelin, and ceramist N. Nazarov. The bronze statue depicts Lenin addressing the people with his right arm outstretched towards the east.
The pedestal’s majolica tiles were the idea of Andrey Karelin, who also developed the coat of arms for the Turkmen SSR. Karelin and Nazarov revived the production of traditional oriental majolica, with the tiles on the monument surviving the devastating Ashgabat earthquake of 1948.
The monument became a symbol of Ashgabat and was depicted on postcards, stamps, and guidebooks. It remains an interesting object of the city, demonstrating the unfading beauty of Turkmen ornaments and no longer carrying an ideological component.