OSH SOVIET MURALS, buildings AND MOSAICS
Soviet Mosaics, Murals and Buildings in Osh
The best way to explore Osh is by foot when you can stop to admire the small details. Osh has preserved a lot of its Soviet heritage in the form of mosaics and murals. The Soviet construction boom in Osh occurred between 1970s and 1980s and therefore most of the Soviet works of art in Osh are from this period. Most of the Mosaics of Osh are little bit hidden away from the most obvious walking paths but still easily reached by walking in few hours or by utilizing the cheap taxis to cover the largest gaps. There are also some very nicely preserved Soviet buildings in Osh worth mentioning. Below you will find a list of the most worthy Osh Soviet heritage.
Horsepower
One of the most visible mosaics of Osh is the one called horsepower which is at the entrance of the Osh Agrarian Economic Institute building just next to the city’s main square and the enormous statue of Lenin.
Peace
Fabric
Olympic Misha
The themes of the mosaics in general seem to have taken ideas at least partly from the ongoing or coming events. This is the case clearly with the Soviet Olympic mascot called Mishka from the 1980. The current surroundings of the small bear are rather interesting in its dilapidated Soviet style housing block are with the Russian style small garages and dumpsters.
Aeroflot
Mosaics were designed as decoration, but there were also unique advertising mosaics like today’s advertising banners. One of the houses in Osh still has an advertisement for Aeroflot with the old phone numbers for booking the flights.
Drama
Osh drama theater bulding is a good example of Soviet theater architecture with blue tiled mosaics on both sides of it.
Glory to Work
Glory to work is also well visible on one of the most busy central crossings of Osh.
Soviet Buildings in Osh
Osh State University
Osh school
Statue of Kurmanzhan Datka in front of Soviet House
Kurmanjan Datka has a large statue in the corner of Masalyev and Razakov streets. She is highly revered especially in Southern Kyrgyzstan due to her wisdom and the status as the Queen of the Southern Kyrgyzstan.
Osh main square and the city administration
Osh main square is rather ascetic with the large empty asphalt area between the administration building and the park next to it. There are also more Soviet views behind the city administration building added with some Kyrgyz monuments.
Osh Lenin statue
The main Square of Osh still has the country’s largest Lenin with no hurry to move anywhere. It is the second largest Lenin of Central Asia after the one in Khujand.
Osh history museum
Osh history museum might not look like much from the outside but the inside is pure Soviet with the enormous amounts of white marble and large exhibition halls and chandeliers.
Other sights & destinations in Osh
Page updated 20.4.2021
