Bust of Vladimir Lenin, sculpture park of former Communist-era sculptures, Grutas Park, Grutas, Lithuania

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Grūtas Park

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With Soviet-era statues of Lenin, Stalin and prominent Lithuanian members of the Communist Party that once dominated Lithuanian towns lining the forest trails, Grūtas Park pays black-humoured homage to a dark period of history. Watchtowers pipe marching songs and a train with cattle car is a sobering reminder of mass deportations. There are three exhibition buildings in the park, displaying socialist-realist art, newspapers and USSR maps.

It's 8km east of Druskininkai; take bus 2 via Viečiūnai (two to five daily).

Grūtas Park's surreal mix of setting and subject matter satirises the era neatly. The park was the idea of Viliumas Malinauskas, a former collective farm head who made a fortune canning mushrooms then won the loan of hated objects like statues from the Ministry of Culture.

This open-air sculpture gallery, featuring heroic statues of Soviet partisans and Communist League of Youth Members, makes for great photo ops, and there's a big playground for kids.

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