Large crowds gathered at Lenin’s Mausoleum in Red Square today as the memorial prepares to close for extensive restoration work scheduled to last until 2027. The mausoleum is open to the public five days a week, specifically Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The upcoming restoration is necessitated by the building’s limited functional condition. A recent historical and cultural assessment revealed issues such as detachment of facing slabs, bio-damage from poor ventilation, movement of frame structures, and peeling paint on external walls. The restoration contract has been awarded to GC “EKS,” a major construction company with experience restoring historical sites like the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Visitors had to pass through metal detectors installed near the Nikolskaya Tower before entering. Queues at the Mausoleum are not unusual, but they are expected to become more frequent as the closure approaches.

Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party faction in the State Duma, was also present on Red Square but was headed to a book festival instead of the Mausoleum.