Ulan-Ude’s main square is entirely dominated by the world’s largest Lenin head (where are all the others with which it competes?), which some maintain looks comically cross-eyed. The 7.7m-high bronze bonce was installed in 1970 to celebrate Lenin’s 100th birthday. Oddly, UU’s bird population never seems to streak Lenin’s bald scalp with their offerings – out of respect for the great man’s achievements, bark diehard communists (but perhaps due to the barely visible antibird spikes, groan the rest).
