PLACE ALA-TOO

It's the heart of the city, always bustling with activity, especially since the fountains and lights were refurbished just before the 2009 presidential elections. In the center of the square, until 1999 and since 1948, stood a statue of Lenin, which was moved behind the museum, to the "old square", where you can still see it, and replaced by a statue representing freedom for the Kyrgyz people, soberly named the "Freedom Monument". To the north of the square you'll find the Historical Museum, while the east and west sides are lined with arcades under which you'll find a number of restaurants and stands selling succulent cheese samsas, Bishkek's specialty. To the south, staircases lead up to the monumental architectural ensemble, inspired by Soviet credo. The Historical Museum, originally named the Lenin Museum, is an integral part of the square's design, as is the Presidential Palace, nicknamed the "White House", a little further west. White marble dominates the whole complex. In front of the historical museum, the flag of Kyrgyzstan is permanently guarded by a guard of honor, whose changeover inevitably attracts a crowd of locals and tourists amused by the soldiers' marching step: you have to raise your toes to eye level with every step! Ala-Too Square is where all the major national events are celebrated, and where the people gather for every special occasion.