Monument in Yevpatoriya celebrates Yuri Gagarin’s historic spaceflight
A giant inflatable cosmonaut has taken centre stage in the Crimean city of Yevpatoriya as Russia prepares to mark Cosmonautics Day on April 12. This national celebration honours the first human spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin in 1961, a moment that forever changed the course of history.
The eye-catching figure stands several metres tall in the city square, kneeling with a metallic sphere in its hands. Its helmet, decorated with cosmic imagery, glows at night, adding to the installation’s futuristic appeal. The giant cosmonaut has quickly become a popular attraction, drawing curious residents, tourists, and photographers.
Preparing for the celebration
City workers completed the installation on April 9, securing it with concrete blocks and cables. Since then, crowds have gathered daily to admire the scene, with many families using it as a backdrop for photos.
The giant inflatable cosmonaut serves as more than decoration—it embodies Russia’s deep connection to space exploration. The timing is significant, with Cosmonautics Day offering an annual moment to reflect on the legacy of Yuri Gagarin’s Vostok 1 mission, which made him the first human to orbit the Earth.
Yevpatoriya’s space legacy
Yevpatoriya holds a special place in Soviet and Russian space history. The Black Sea port city once hosted a major deep space communication centre, linking it to key missions during the Soviet era.
Today, the city embraces this history with pride, using events like Cosmonautics Day to engage the public with science and innovation. The inflatable cosmonaut is just one part of a broader celebration across the country, but its unique presence in Yevpatoriya has captured wide attention.
Looking back—and ahead
Cosmonautics Day is not just about remembering the past. It also sparks interest in space science and future exploration. This year’s installation symbolises both the pride in past achievements and the hope of new journeys into space.
With April 12 just around the corner, the giant cosmonaut continues to light up Yevpatoriya’s square and the imaginations of those who visit. It stands as a powerful tribute to a mission that began more than sixty years ago and continues to inspire.
with inputs from Reuters