The mausoleum where Lenin's embalmed body has been on display for the last 75 years has closed so doctors can do scheduled preservation work on the Soviet leader's remains. The mausoleum, the centerpiece of Moscow's Red Square, will be closed until April 5. Lenin, who led the 1917 Bolshevik revolution and founded the Soviet Union, died of a massive stroke in 1924 at the age of 53. Soon after, his body was put on display on Red Square and has remained there ever since. The mausoleum closes annually around this time, usually for up to two months, for extensive work on the body.
Technicians also perform minor work as needed throughout the year.
Lenin's embalmers, hailed during the Soviet Union for their pioneering preservation work, keep their trade a closely guarded secret, though they have sold their services to other Communist governments like China, North Korea and Vietnam. It is known that the scientists will drape Lenin's face in ointment to keep the skin from decomposing. Tiny tissue samples will be taken for research, the body will be soaked in solution, and Lenin's coat and tie will be changed. The key, however, is a secret liquid that will be pumped into the body to maintain its physical appearance and prevent tissue decay. Lenin's body isn't as revered as it was in Soviet times, when a visit to the mausoleum was considered a must for school children and elderly Communists alike.