The embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin lies in a mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square next to the red brick walls of the Kremlin complex. A decision was recently taken by the Russian Duma (Parliament) that the mausoleum will close at some (near) future date and the body will be buried. The reason for all this is that the embalming process can not maintain the body forever and already signs of skin decay are evident. On reading up a little since his return to Qatar, MB has discovered that skin repairs have already been carried out in recent years. Only on account of Lenin’s body and the extensive efforts to preserve it in more recent times and to understand the particular science to the maximum, has made Russian scientists the foremost world experts in this particular field.

MB visited the mausoleum on Sunday morning last. Photography is forbidden and burly security guards/soldiers are aplenty to ensure that everybody behaves themselves in every way. One descends a set of marble stairs at the entrance down to the lower mausoleum level where the temperature is cooled to help preserve the body. Lenin himself looks very well and at peace with the world. If MB didn’t know better, he would have assumed that Vladimir was merely in a restful sleep.

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The red-brick wall of the Kremlin, with the mausoleum extreme left of photo (appearing under the clock tower)

Two shots of the mausoleum front facade

The area behind the mausoleum has many plaques and monuments dedicated to Russian historical heroes and characters. It was noticeable that the monument dedicated to Stalin had more flowers on it than any of the others. He is still a hero to members of the Communist Party, the second largest party in the country after Putin’s ‘United Russia’, despite his past deeds.