Europe's Controversial Soviet Theme Park Draws Global Visitors

What Happened Grūtas Park, located near Druskininkai about 130 kilometers southwest of Vilnius, Lithuania, presents visitors with a jarring juxtaposition of Soviet-era monuments and modern attractions. The park houses 86 statues by 46 different sculptors, featuring Communist leaders and activists in themed sections including the “Totalitarian Sphere” with sculptures of Stalin, Lenin, and Karl Marx. The bizarre atmosphere is created by the park’s recreation of Soviet Gulag prison camp features—wooden paths, guard towers, barbed-wire fences, and loudspeakers playing recorded orders in Russian—alongside a children’s playground, zoo animals, and tourist amenities.