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Ala-Too Square ( ky, Ала-тоо аянты, ''Ala-Too ayantı'', ; russian: Площадь Ала-Тоо, ''Ploshchad' Ala-Too'', ) is the central square in
Webcam of Ala-Too Square
Squares in Bishkek {{Kyrgyzstan-stub
Ala-Too Square ( ky, Ала-тоо аянты, ''Ala-Too ayantı'', ; russian: Площадь Ала-Тоо, ''Ploshchad' Ala-Too'', ) is the central square in Bishkek
Bishkek ( ky, Бишкек), ), formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. The region surrounds the city, although the city itself is not part of ...
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the east. ...
.
History
The square was built in 1984 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of theKirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirghiz SSR; ky, Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы, Kyrgyz Sovettik Sotsialisttik Respublikasy, ky, Кыргыз ССР, Kyrgyz SSR, russian: Киргизск ...
, at which time a massive statue of Lenin
This article is a list of current and former known monuments of Vladimir Lenin. Many of the monuments in former Soviet republics and satellites were removed after the fall of the Soviet Union, while some of these countries retained the thousands o ...
was placed in the square's center. The square was known as Lenin Square until Kyrgyzstan gained its Independence from the USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
in 1991. The statue of Lenin was moved in 2003 to a smaller square in the city, and a new statue called ''Erkindik'' (Freedom) was installed in its place. Later in 2011 it was replaced by a statue of Manas, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence.
Protests
On March 24, 2005, the square was the site of the largest antigovernmental protest of Kyrgyzstan'sTulip Revolution
The Tulip Revolution or First Kyrgyz Revolution (russian: Тюльпановая революция; ky, Жоогазын революциясы) led to President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev's fall from power. The revolution began after parliame ...
. After several weeks of unrest throughout the country, over 15,000 people gathered early in the afternoon to protest the results of the 2005 parliamentary elections. Two people were killed and over 100 wounded when the protesters clashed with government officials. However, the protesters soon took control of the square, and stormed the White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
, forcing Askar Akayev
Askar Akayevich Akayev ( ky, Аскар Акаевич (Акай уулу) Акаев, translit=Askar Akayevich (Akay Uulu) Akayev ; ; born 10 November 1944) is a Kyrgyz politician who served as President of Kyrgyzstan from 1990 until being ov ...
, Kyrgyzstan's first president, to flee the country and later resign from office.
Events
The square serves as a place for state events and celebrations. In 2008, it was the site of a memorial ceremony for world-renownedKyrgyz Kyrgyz, Kirghiz or Kyrgyzstani may refer to:
* Someone or something related to Kyrgyzstan
*Kyrgyz people
*Kyrgyz national games
*Kyrgyz language
*Kyrgyz culture
*Kyrgyz cuisine
*Yenisei Kirghiz
*The Fuyü Gïrgïs language in Northeastern China
...
writer Chinghiz Aitmatov
Chinghiz Torekulovich Aitmatov (as transliterated from Russian; ky, Чыңгыз Төрөкулович Айтматов, translit=Chynggyz Törökulovich Aytmatov; 12 December 1928 – 10 June 2008) was a Kyrgyz author who wrote mainly in Russi ...
.
On the 70th anniversary of the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in 2015, the first Victory Day military parade
A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. The military parade is now almost entirely ceremonial, though soldiers from time immemorial up until the lat ...
on Ala-Too Square took place in the presence of Prime Minister Temir Sariyev
Temir Agrembaevich Sariyev ( ky, Темир Агрембаевич Сариев, translit=Temir Agrembayevich Sariyev, ) (born 17 June 1963) is a Kyrgyz politician who was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 2015 to 2016. He was a presidential candid ...
and Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Asanbek Alymkozhoev
Asanbek Tunguchpaevich Alymkozhoev (Kyrgyz: Асанбек Тунгучпаевич Алымкожоев; born 11 April 1956) is the former Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic. He was also the commander of the National ...
.
In September 2020, ''manaschi'' Doolot Sydykov recited the Epic of Manas
The Epic of Manas ( ky, Манас дастаны, Manas dastanı, ماناس دستانی), is a traditional epic poem dating to the 18th century but claimed by Kyrgyz tradition to be much older. Manas is said to be based on Bars Bek who was t ...
continuously for a record 14 hours and 27 minutes.
Layout
The square is crossed by Chuy Prospekt. Buildings and monuments around the square include theKyrgyz State Historical Museum
The Kyrgyz State History Museum (russian: Кыргызский государственный исторический музей; ky, Кыргыз Мамлекеттик Тарых музейи) is a museum located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The ...
.
References
External links
Webcam of Ala-Too Square
Squares in Bishkek {{Kyrgyzstan-stub