73 years have passed after the terrible days of the Leningrad blockade. A place 12 km from the town of Nevskaya Dubrovka - the famous Nevsky Piglet - even today you can’t visit without a shudder in the heart. The village, known since the end of the 15th century as Dubrova on the Neva, was widely known after the tragic events of World War II.
Little-known facts about Nevskaya Dubrovka
Dubrovka is an urban-type settlement of the Vsevolzhsky District (Leningrad Region) since 1927, the local administrative center. A marina is located on the shore.
The first mention of Dubrov on the Neva of the Orekhovsky district was discovered around 1500, and in the XVII century the village was already mapped. In those years, there were very few Dubrovans: about 80 souls of the male and female population.
Already at the end of the XIX century, the number of Dubrovka grew so that they began to call it a county town and divided into two parts: Upper and Lower. This area was in the possession of N.A. Mordvinova. At the beginning of the 20th century, the village received the name Nevskaya Dubrovka to show the significant role of the river in the life of this place. A sawmill was opened here, paper was made, and a zemstvo school was opened.
During the years of Soviet rule, Nevskaya Dubrovka became an urban-type settlement and reaches its peak number - more than 9,500 people.
Before the Great Patriotic War, two microdistricts were already marked on the map: Nevskaya Dubrovka and New Village.
The role of Nevsky Dubrovka in the Leningrad blockade
During the war years, two hospitals were located on this long-suffering place: an evacuation and mobile field, as well as an evacuation receiver.
Enemy troops in September 1941 almost closed the occupation ring around Leningrad. There was only one small area on the left bank of the Neva opposite Dubrovka, which later became known as the Nevsky Piglet. A lot of blood was shed for this place of the only crossing, but on September 20 the bridgehead was ours. Until January 1943, until the land pass was taken, the Nevsky Piglet remained a tiny strip of land, with which there were great hopes for the release of 3 million unfortunate residents of the besieged Leningrad.
You can indicate the number of deaths in numerical terms or write "very, very much", but this will not convey the horrors of the battles and blood shed by our ancestors. It will not convey what was happening in the besieged Leningrad: crumbs of bread worth its weight in gold, the corpses of adults and children on the streets of the city, cases of cannibalism ... The role of Nevskaya Dubrovka and Nevsky piglet is fully understood only by the few remaining who participated in the battles or survived the blockade .
Sights of the village
The main attractions of this area are connected with the Great Patriotic War. When you get to Nevskaya Dubrovka, you can see the memorial of a fraternal military burial. People come here not only on Victory Day, but also on any other days to pay tribute and bow to the valiant defenders of our Motherland who fell here. The memorial is maintained in good condition, wreaths and flowers are laid on famous and nameless graves.
In the center of the village, on the territory of the recently planted park in honor of the 330th Rifle Regiment, stands the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Recovery of the Dead." Visitors to this shrine speak of an extraordinary sense of calm and purity of mind. The 19th century icon donated by V.V. Putin, who came to consecrate the temple in 2010.
There is also the State Museum "Nevsky Piglet" in Dubrovka with unique exhibits dedicated to the siege of Leningrad.
Two years ago, another war memorial was opened in the village - a monument to the Heroes of Metrostroy, in memory of people who were building a ferry for tanks on the Neva River with the aim of breaking through to the "spot".
How to get tourists to Nevskaya Dubrovka?
The easiest way to get to the village is by rail. From St. Petersburg to Nevskaya Dubrovka only 43 km, numerous electric trains follow to the station of the same name. The fastest train number 6904 departs from the Finnish station, but the time difference between it and others is insignificant (only 2-4 minutes).
How to get to Nevskaya Dubrovka by bus? Very simple, the transport runs quite a lot. For example, from the metro station "Ladozhskaya" to the village there is a regular shuttle bus No. 453 according to the schedule from 8-55 to 21-50. The duration of the trip is approximately 1.5 hours, the ticket cost is about 150 rubles. By car, the travel time will be slightly less - about an hour.
Nevskaya Dubrovka: yesterday, today, tomorrow
Before the war, there were many parks and squares with fountains and statues of lions in the village. During the war, everything was destroyed, and the little that was revived in the postwar years fell into disrepair in the 90s. XX century.
Now the territory of the village is being intensely landscaped, due attention is paid to the reconstruction of memorial sites and memorials. New cottages are being built, the population is gradually growing. This year, a decision was made to recreate fountains and sculptures. Orders for new sculptures of lions have already been made , part of the engineering services is ready.
The plans also include work to create a new pier and embankment. Many tourists come here on the river, and a decent walking route has not yet been laid. It is assumed that it will be divided into historical and military-patriotic sections, as well as places for recreation. The reconstructed Kin-Sorrow estate will also enter the new route.