A broken ring. What does it symbolize? This is the defining feature of the 60 \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u044b War memorial in Saint Petersburg. It commemorates the heroic defense of Leningrad.
Welcome to Victory Square. Here stands the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad. It marks the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War. This square is not in the city center. It is at the end of Moskovsky Prospekt. This is about 8 km from Pulkovo Airport.
The 60 \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u044b War memorial commemorates the Siege of Leningrad. It honors the victims and survivors. Sergey Speranskiy and Valentin Kamenskiy designed the monument. Mikhail Anikushin sculpted it. It was erected in 1975. This coincided with the 30th anniversary of the war’s end.
The 60 \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u044b War memorial features a 48-meter high obelisk. It also has a large circular enclosure. A subterranean Memorial Hall completes the ensemble.
Before 1962, the square was named Sredney Rogatki Ploshchad. The first plans for a war monument were announced in 1958. The city held an open competition for the design. There were 44 entries. Sergei Speransky won. He had experience in city construction design. The theme of World War II victory pervaded his art. As early as 1946, he helped restore Minsk. He also created a World War II monument there.
Speransky’s design featured a broken ring. It surrounded a high-level composition. This composition honored Leningrad’s citizens. They successfully repelled the 900-day Nazi siege. The 60 \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u044b War memorial rises from the ring’s center.
After completing apartment buildings along Moscow Prospekt, a second competition was held. This one was specifically for “The Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad.” Over 80 applicants participated. Speransky and his team prevailed. Their design was named “Eternal Flame of Our Memory.”
The plan created a gateway into the Hero City. It came from Moscow and Pulkovo Airport. This was near the point where the city’s defenses held back the Nazis. The design maintained classical strictness. It balanced its aspects with the older city. The design drew inspiration from Mars Field and Palace Square. It combined modernity with the city’s artistic traditions.
The tall obelisk will surely attract your attention. The sculptural ensemble is one of the best examples of Soviet monumental art. It is dedicated to World War II Victory.
The sobering space inside the broken ring is lit with gas torches. Engravings on the walls recognize the courage of Leningrad’s defenders. Inside, the vast underground memorial hall features an exhibition. It is devoted to the Siege. Detailed maps of Leningrad’s defenses are on display. A short documentary plays. Mosaics adorn the eastern and western walls.
Outside, sculptures represent soldiers, sailors, and civilians. They did not surrender to the Nazis. This was despite hunger, cold, and constant bombardment. M. Anikushin powerfully depicts the story of the people of Leningrad. He also depicts the soldiers on the Leningrad front.
The 60 \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u044b War memorial stands as a testament to resilience. It embodies the spirit of a city that refused to be broken.