40-yr-old tribute to Lenin spotted on Google Earth!

London, Sep 7: A mammoth tribute cut out of thousands of trees, which honours Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, has been spotted on Google Earth. According to EnglishRussia, the blog which spotted the image, the colossal message was created by Russian woodcutters in 1970 to mark the 100 year anniversary of the Communist leader's birth.

Cut into a forest in a remote region of Siberia, the message says 'Lenin is 100' in Russian. With each letter standing at the height of 80 metres, the message stretches for 600 metres, reports the Telegraph. But, surprisingly, the message maintains its coherent shape even after 38 years of its creation. In fact, one can easily locate it on Google Maps and Earth, the Internet giant's satellite mapping services. Although, the blog says the reasons for the large-scale topiary are still unclear, it speculates that the message may have been intended as a tongue-in-cheek message of national pride to be picked up by American spy satellites.

Another clue of the message's origins can be linked to the fact that the first ever Earth Day, a celebration to raise awareness of environmental issues, was held on Lenin's birthday April 22 in 1970.

The gigantic tribute was cut into a forest close to the town of Zverinogolovskoye in the south west of Siberia, near the border with Kazakhstan.

Lenin was the main leader of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, and headed the Soviet state until his death in 1924.

ANI