Yuri Gagarin Monument

Not far from the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, in Barskoon, a large stone adorns the landscape. At second glance, a familiar face can be recognized: The stone shows the first man in space - Yuri Gagarin, complete with helmet and in color.

According to claims, the astronaut spent here one of his first vacations after his historic flight into space. As a result, a monument was erected in honor of the prominent visit. However, the actual background is disputed and there is also a theory that Gagarin landed in this very place with his capsule from space. The actual place of his landing is supposed to be in Smelovka in Russia. It is also uncertain whether the present monument is the original. Rumor has it that the first version was destroyed and smeared after the fall of the Soviet Union, after which a new, identical monument was built.

If you would also like to spend your vacation like a real astronaut, you should take a look at our unique Kyrgyzstan trip throw!