Gagarin's Summer House

This is may be the simplest and the most charming monument of the Baikonur city. The Gagarin's Summer House (or Гагаринская беседка) sits on the Syr Daria bank. It is enclosed in a little park together with an hotel for VIPs. The whole area is under military control and an authorisation is needed to visit it.
Once you got it, you will first meet with the watcher and his dog (Foo) at the gate.
Then, just follow the dog which is so enthusiastic and proud to take the lead in order to show visitors a place it knows by heart...

The Gagarin's summer house is an open wooden structure, slightly elevated, painted in light blue and white, organized along a long North/South corridor gallery.

There are two bowed observatory platforms, one at each extremity.

Despite the kiosk-like appearance, the purpose here is not to shelter a wind music ensemble "al fresco", but rather to offer a gorgeous panorama on the Syr Daria river and, beyond it, on the Kazakh steppe.

credits: Richard
Outside, a central staircase permits to get down almost to the river.

Did something special happened here?
Yes. On the 10th of April 1961 an ad hoc commission met at this place and decided who, from Titov or Gagarin , would fly the 1st manned mission in mankind history 48 hours later...

credits: Richard
History is gone but nowadays stays a delicate piece of architecture which contrasts so much with the traditional massive constructions from the "Soviet era".
To find the way back, don't worry, just follow Foo trough the little park,

You will retrieve the way to the gate.
When I told the master that his dog reminded me the wolf of "Peter and the Wolf", the Prokofiev's musical tale, he just laughed loudly. As long as I have forgotten his name, I decided then to call him "Dedushka'' (grand father).

Dedushka is one of the most sympathetic person I met in Baikonur. After the short conversation we had, he invited me to come back at spring when the trees and flowers of the garden provides more colours.
I am glad to share this invitation with other CS-2 colleagues if we are still there.

Despite all these explanations, I still don't have a clue why this place is called "Gagarin's summer house"...