Every year more than 5 million tourists come to St. Petersburg.Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad on the list of attractions that guests of the northern capital visited by the most active.The building was erected in honor of the 30th anniversary of the victory over the peoples of the USSR by the Nazis.It tells visitors about the most tragic page in the history of Leningrad - the 900-day siege of the city and its heroic breakthrough.
value monument
Leningrad - the city, which was destined to experience the horrors of the Nazi occupation.Once in the ring of the blockade, it is incredible efforts of the local population was able to hold out and not surrender to the enemy.The siege of the city lasted almost 900 days and was broken in January 1943 after the success of the operation by Soviet troops "Spark".That had to experience the simple inhabitants surrounded by fascist forces, today, few people think.Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad in Victory Square is one of the few memorable places of the city, which for many decades keeps the memories of the tragedy.
Background building
That Leningrad need to build a monument to the defenders of the city from the Nazi invaders in the Soviet Union began to talk more during the war.But for a long time to realize this idea did not succeed.Only in the 60s the city authorities failed to determine the place where the monument was to dominate the future.They became the Victory Square (before 1962 it was called Central slingshot).This choice was made not without reason, because here in the war years were the most intense battles of the city.
Leningradites actively supported the idea of erecting a memorial to the defenders of the city during the siege, and even translated into its own building cash savings.For this purpose the State Bank opened a special personal account.The amount of transfer were different.For example, the Soviet poet MA Dudin has listed the construction of a monument for the fee published in 1964, the poem "Song of Crow Mountain."Though on a memorial complex managed to collect more than 2 million Soviet rubles, its construction was delayed for a long time.On the creative competitions were presented a number of projects of the monument, but to choose the best of them worked.
Work on the erection of the monument
The need to create a memorial to the defenders of Leningrad once again talking only in the early 70s.Approaching the 30th anniversary of the Great Victory, and to this date it was planned inauguration of the monument.As a result, the project was approved by sculptor M. Anikushin and architects S. Speransky and V. Kamensky.All of them took part in the defense of the city.
Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, a photo which you can see in this article, started to be built in 1974. By the end of the summer in Victory Square was able to prepare a huge pit for the memorial and score a pile.But with the beginning of autumn the organization began to withdraw its workers involved in the construction of the monument, on the other objects.In order not to disrupt the delivery of the monument in time, his erection began to attract volunteers.From wishing to take part in the construction of facilities did not rebound.As a result, the monument was delivered on time, and May 9, 1975 held its opening are identical.
description of the main part of the complex
Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad in Victory Square consists of several parts.Its peak is 48 meters high stele made of granite and 26 bronze figures depicting the brave defenders of the northern capital (soldiers, sailors, airmen, militias, snipers and so on. D.).The sculpture is the main part of the memorial complex.It opens eyes to everyone who comes to St. Petersburg from Pulkovo highway.Also steles and figures monument includes an underground memorial hall and an inner court.This part is not less interesting than the main.
Memorial Hall Museum and the lower area
get into being underground Memorial Hall, the steps can be located within the complex.Here the visitors are presented with mosaics that tell about life in Leningrad by the Nazis surrounded the city and breaking the blockade.Memorial Hall is a museum.Its walls are 900 torches light fixtures (number of days of blockade of the northern capital).Among the exhibits of the museum include Memory Book, which included the names of citizens and soldiers who gave their lives for the liberation of Leningrad.The underground room was built 3 years after the opening of the stele.He takes visitors since 1978.Here come the tourists, schoolchildren, students, veterans and all those who are interested in the history of St. Petersburg.
Behind the stele is the lower (inner) space.Here is the composition of the sculptures called "blockade", the heroes of which are women and a Soviet soldier, support those who are perishing from hunger children.The site has the form of a broken ring, which symbolizes the liberation of Leningrad from the blockade.She established the eternal fires lighted in memory of the people killed in the city surrounded by enemies.
Procedure visiting
Museum monument to heroic defenders of Leningrad takes visitors on a daily basis.Inspect the aboveground part of the memorial is free.Visit the Memorial Hall for the majority of categories of citizens paid.Exceptions are veterans and disabled war heroes of the Soviet Union, preschool children, orphans, students, museum employees - for their admission to the museum is always free.The public holidays everyone can visit the memorial complex free.
