The memorial “Heroic Defenders of Leningrad” evokes feelings of pride and respect for soldiers, defenders, liberators, and victors in the Great War. Entering from the south to the northern capital along Pulkovsky or Moskovsky shosse, city guests meet one of the main attractions of Russia - Victory Square of St. Petersburg.
Historical reference
The main southern entrance to the city until 1962 was called the Middle Slingshot. In the 18-19 centuries, the second outpost on the way to Moscow was located here. The road to a semicircular area behind a metal fence was blocked by special barriers - slingshots. Hence the outposts got their name - Slingshots. A column at a fork in the road indicated directions to Warsaw, Tsarskoye Selo, Peterhof and Moscow.
In 1945, the Soviet victorious soldiers passed through the wooden triumphal arch of Victory built at the southern entrance. And since 1962, the area of the Middle Slingshot was renamed Victory Square.
In 1754, next to the outpost, the architect Rastrelli built a track palace for the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. When creating the memorial composition on Victory Square, he did not fit into the architectural ensemble and it was decided to move the palace to a new place. After measuring the structure and preserving the decorative elements, in 1971 the palace was dismantled. But the building of the traveling Srednerogatsky palace has not been restored to this day.
The architectural ensemble of the square
The creation of a unique ensemble of Victory Square in St. Petersburg was led by architect S.B. Speransky. The composition faces the defense of Leningrad and is located on the border of the battle line. In the park adjacent to the square of the Hero City, there were bunkers of machine-gun and artillery units defending the city on blockade days.
The architectural ensemble of the square includes:
- The memorial complex “To the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad”, framed by a symbolic open ring, personifying the breakthrough of the Leningrad blockade. The central obelisk of the composition of 60 monuments is the sculpture of the Winners, located at the foot of the 48-meter granite pillar. The two figures of the worker and soldier are a symbol of the unity of the front and rear in the liberation struggle. To the left and to the right of the obelisk are figures representing the participants in the defense. The grand opening of the memorial took place in 1975 on the day of the 30th anniversary of the Great Victory over fascism.
- Residential complex. In the early years of the 70s, at the entrance to Moskovsky Prospect, 22-story monolithic tower houses were erected, united by a single project with 9-story avenue.
- Hotel "Pulkovskaya". In 1981, it was erected on the western side of Victory Square in St. Petersburg.
- RNII "Electronstandard". After 2 years from the east, a similar hotel building of the institute was built. Strict and laconic facades of the hotel and research institutes are the backdrop for the monument to the defenders of the besieged Leningrad.
- Department store "Moscow".
Monument to the soldiers of the defenders
The memorial dedicated to the heroism of the defenders of Leningrad includes an external architectural and sculptural composition, a museum and an internal composition.
On the huge podium of the external composition, there is a stele with a worker and a soldier at the foot and sculptures on pedestals, with figures of sailors and pilots, snipers, casters, trenches - all heroically fighting for Leningrad.
The memorial hall is located underground and is illuminated by nine hundred lamps - the blockade of Leningrad lasted exactly 900 days. The main exhibits of the museum are mosaic panels “Victory” and “Blockade”, telling about the life of the city during the days of occupation and about the breakthrough of the siege. The names of the citizens who did not survive the blockade and the soldiers who died in the battles for Leningrad are listed in the Memorial Book of the Museum of Victory Square in St. Petersburg. On the walls of the Memorial Hall are written the names of 652 participants in defensive battles, awarded the star of a Hero of the Soviet Union. Part of the museum is reserved for the exposition of military pilots.
Inside the torn ring behind the stela on the lower platform is the sculptural composition “Blockade”. Eternally burning torches symbolize the ever-fading memory of the heroic past.
The creation of the
memorial complex was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the victory over fascism. So that the monument was opened on time, more than 60,000 Soviet citizens voluntarily took part in its construction. The bulk of the funds for the erection of the monument was collected by the inhabitants of the Soviet Union.
For the creation of the memorial, architects Speransky S. B. and Kamensky V. A. and sculptor Anikushin M. K. in 1978 after the opening of the museum were awarded the Lenin Prize.
Location of Victory Square
One of the important sights of St. Petersburg is located far from the city center. However, out of the 5 million tourists and guests of the northern capital who visit St. Petersburg every year, almost everyone finds time to honor the memory of those killed in defensive battles. Victory Square is located in the Moscow district of the city and Pulkovskoe and Moskovskoye Shosse, Galstyan, Ordzhonikidze and Krasnoputilovskaya and Moskovsky Avenue converge near it. From the metro station Moskovskaya to Victory Square about 500 meters.
Memorial today
Traditionally, on Victory Day, veterans and participants of World War II meet on Victory Square. In the days of the breakthrough of the encirclement and the lifting of the blockade, the memorial is closed to visitors due to government delegations visiting the square.
Victory Square of
St. Petersburg is today a favorite place for walks of citizens and guests of the city.