Пам'ятник Леніну, Former statue and monument in Poltava, Ukraine
Pam'yatnyk Leninu was a large bronze statue of Vladimir Lenin set on a tall black granite pedestal in central Poltava, Ukraine. It stood in an open square that bore his name, surrounded by a small park with trees and benches.
The statue was erected in 1960 during the Soviet era and stood for over 50 years as a fixture of the city center. In February 2014, during the Maidan uprising, it was pulled down by volunteers from the city.
After the statue was toppled, the site became a memorial to the Heavenly Hundred, those who died during the Maidan protests of 2014. People bring flowers and light candles there, making it a place of active remembrance rather than an empty pedestal.
The site of the former statue is in central Poltava and easy to reach on foot from most parts of the city center. It sits close to other historic spots in the area, so it fits naturally into a broader walk around the city.
After it was brought down, the bronze figure was cut apart with an angle grinder to prevent any possibility of it being put back up. Part of the metal was planned to be melted down for church bells, while another portion was set aside to be kept as a historical object.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
