A 1971 Soviet postcard depicting the monument to V. I. Lenin in Lviv against the background of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.
What is shown on the postcard
The postcard shows a close-up of the bronze monument to V. I. Lenin, mounted on a tall pedestal of red granite. The front of the pedestal features the inscription in Ukrainian “В. І. ЛЕНІН” and a bronze bas-relief of the USSR coat of arms. At the base of the monument, there is a flowerbed with blooming red cannas and laid flowers. In the background on the right, the facade and sculptures of the Lviv Opera House are visible, while a residential building on the avenue is seen on the left.
Historical note
The monument to Vladimir Lenin in Lviv was unveiled on January 20, 1952, on the city’s central avenue (then Lenin Avenue, now Svobody Avenue). The sculpture was designed by the prominent Soviet sculptor Sergey Merkurov, with architectural layout designed by V. Sharapov and S. Yakovlev. The monument served as the primary ideological landmark of the city during the Soviet era.
Present day
In September 1990, by decision of the Lviv City Council, the Lenin monument was dismantled, becoming one of the first to be removed in Ukraine. Today, the central alley of Svobody Avenue in front of the Opera House is free of monuments and serves as a pedestrian plaza used for public events.
Location (map)
Address: Svobody Avenue, Lviv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 49.844100, 24.026200
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Historical location of the V. I. Lenin monument in front of the Lviv Opera House on Svobody Avenue..
Questions and answers
- Where exactly was this monument located in Lviv? The monument was located on the central avenue of the city (now Svobody Avenue) directly in front of the Lviv Opera House.
- Who designed this monument? The sculpture was created by the well-known Soviet sculptor Sergey Merkurov, and the architects were V. Sharapov and S. Yakovlev.
- What is currently located at the site of the monument? The monument was dismantled in September 1990. Today, the site is an open square in front of the Opera House, functioning as part of the pedestrian zone on Svobody Avenue.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Lviv from 1971.
