Ala-Too Square

Ala-Too Square was laid out in 1984 for the sixtieth anniversary of the Kirghiz SSR and remains the ceremonial centre of the capital: a large open rectangle with the State History Museum on the north side, the White House government building behind, and fountains and flowerbeds along the edges. A Lenin statue stood at its centre until 2003 and was moved to the rear of the museum, where it still stands; a statue of Manas on horseback now occupies the front. The national flag flies on a tall mast guarded by soldiers who change over on the hour in a short ceremony that draws a small crowd. The square is where public life happens, from concerts and holidays to political gatherings, and in the evening families walk and children ride hired electric cars.

History

The square was built in 1984 for the 60th anniversary of the Kirghiz SSR, with a huge statue of Lenin at its centre, and it was called Lenin Square until 1991; the statue was moved in 2003 to a smaller square in the city (Wikipedia, Ala-Too Square).

What to look for

• The Manas statue - the epic hero on horseback at the centre.
• The flag guard - the hourly changing ceremony at the mast.
• The History Museum - the monumental building on the north side.
• Evening promenade - families and fountains after dark in summer.

When to go

Year round; the ceremony runs on the hour through the day. Summer evenings are the liveliest. Winter is bitterly cold and the square empties. Public holidays fill it completely.

Things to know

It is a large, hard, open space with little shade, and Soviet civic architecture is not to everyone's taste. The guard-changing ceremony is brief. As a working political space it is occasionally closed or restricted for events. Pickpocketing at crowded events is worth watching for.

Nearby

The State History Museum is on the square; Osh Bazaar lies west.

Key facts