Ho Chi Minh Monument, Moscow

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The Ho Chi Minh Monument in Moscow is a statue and pedestal located in Akademichesky District, next to an entrance of Akademicheskaya metro station. It honors Ho Chi Minh, the North Vietnamese president and founder of the Workers’ Party of Vietnam. The monument was opened on May 18, 1990, just before Ho Chi Minh’s 100th birthday.

The statue is made of bronze on a stone pedestal. The statue itself is 7.9 metres tall, with the pedestal bringing the total height to 12.5 metres. It weighs about 15 tonnes. A giant disc with Ho Chi Minh’s embossed portrait is featured, and below the disc is a Vietnamese man rising from one knee. Behind the disc are images of tropical flowers and two curved bamboo stalks. Below the monument is the quotation: “Nothing is more precious than independence, liberty.”

Designers
- Sculptor: Vladimir Tsigal
- Architect: Roman Grigoryevich Kananin
- Tsigal visited Vietnam in 1985 to study Ho Chi Minh for the project

Symbolism and cost
- The round disc is meant to represent the sun of Vietnam, symbolizing a bright future.
- The curved bamboo reflects resilience and strength.
- The project cost about 1 million rubles.

History and reception
- Ho Chi Minh Square was opened in 1969. In 1985, Soviet authorities decided to create a monument there, despite Ho Chi Minh’s own wishes against monuments.
- The project caused controversy among locals over trees removal, the environment, and the high cost. In 1990, students protested, arguing Ho Chi Minh asked to be honored with trees, not statues.
- The monument opened on May 18, 1990. After the Soviet Union collapsed, some suggested demolishing it or moving it to the Vietnamese Embassy, but it stayed in place.
- Locals gave it nicknames such as the “flying saucer” because of its shape, and the “rouble” for its resemblance to the Lenin commemorative coin.
- It is a gathering place for people from the Vietnamese community in Russia and is often used for weddings. Vietnamese officials also visit to lay wreaths.