Yuri Gagarin at Red Square in Moscow 1961 2

Description

Yuri Gagarin at Red Square in Moscow, photo; Licensed article; Original: 5740×4315; Photographer: Unknown; license required; Rights: a9 Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961, on the platform at Red Square in Moscow, a few hours after his historic spaceflight with Vostok 1.
Scene: Gagarin wears his dark uniform coat and an officer’s cap with the Soviet emblem. He waves radiantly to the cheering crowd, his face showing joy and pride.
Background: The platform of the Lenin Mausoleum.
Significance: Gagarin is celebrated as a national hero, his space mission is considered a triumph of Soviet socialism and an important success in the Cold War.
The photo captures the pinnacle of national euphoria – a moment in which Gagarin is celebrated not only as a cosmonaut but as a worldwide hero of space history.