St. Petersburg is beautiful in every way.However, not only the king's palaces, magnificent monuments, museums and other attractions, he draws on his street tourists.No less interesting and cemeteries.Not even Alexander Nevsky Lavra, not Novodevichy Cemetery, where they found their final resting place, many famous people.There Petersburg another mournful place of which many have heard.It Piskarevsky.Churchyard, who impresses visitors with an abundance of ancient and modern monuments of the rich and florid epitaphs.The necropolis, which consists almost entirely of long hills mass graves where buried a huge number of those who died in the terrible days of the siege of Leningrad.The names of many of them are still unknown, and perpetuate the memory of their only modest monuments - granite slabs, which knocked out the year burial.And instead of an epitaph - the hammer and sickle for citizens died of starvation, but the star - for the soldiers-defenders.
to remember and know ...
Piskarevsky - it is nothing like the blockade necropolis.Mournful monument has become for all people in the world something of a symbol of courage, resilience and incredible fortitude of those who defended Leningrad, and those who worked in it the last effort in the name of victory, freezing and starving.St. Petersburg.Piskarevsky.It's - synonymous with the blockade, death, hunger, honor and glory.And only here at Piskarevsky can literally skin feel the horror of those terrible nine hundred days, when death every second, grinning wickedly, could pick anyone, regardless of age, gender and location.And realize how much misery and unhappiness brought the second world, and not only the blockade, but also around the world.
history
I must say that today the school students receive not entirely correct information regarding this necropolis.According to the materials of the textbook, Piskarevskoe memorial cemetery - is a big mass grave for those killed during the siege and war.Time disposal - since nineteen forty-one of nine hundred and forty-five tysyacha.
But a little bit wrong.Leningrad, and before the war was a huge metropolis.Sought in the city of Petra nonresident no less than in the capital itself.In the late thirties, numbering no less - over three million inhabitants.People get married, have children and die too.And because in the thirty-seventh, due to a shortage of places in the city graveyard, the executive committee of the city has decided to open a new cemetery.The choice fell on Piskarevka - northern outskirts of Leningrad.Thirty hectares of land have started to prepare for new burials and graves first appeared here in the thirty-ninth.And in the fortieth Piskarevskoe cemetery became the burial place of those killed in the Finnish War.Even today you can find these individual graves in the north-western part of the graveyard.
and so was ...
But who could have imagined then that a terrible day comes when urgently need to dig a trench, no, not even to dig, and peck through the frozen ground to bury once ten thousand and forty-three person.It thus became the twentieth day of February, forty-two.And I must say, the dead still "lucky."Because sometimes in the vast snow-covered field, which today is known as the all Piskarevskoe Memorial Cemetery, three or even four days were stacked in piles of dead.And the number of times "off scale" for twenty or twenty-five thousand.Terrible day, terrible time.Sometimes, such that together with the wait for their turn to bury the dead, and had their own gravediggers - the people died in the cemetery.But somebody had to do this job and ...
For what?
How could it happen that a modest, almost rustic cemetery yesterday, today - a monument of world importance?Why is this the rural graveyard was prepared for such a terrible fate?And for some reason, hearing the words Piskarevskoe Memorial Cemetery, I want to kneel.The reason for that - a terrible war.And those who started it.Moreover, the fate of Leningrad was sealed for twenty-ninth of September forty-one.'Actor' destinies - "great" Führer - adopted a directive on this day, according to which the city was supposed to just wipe.It's simple - the blockade, the constant shelling, the massive bombing.The Nazis, you know, felt that they are not interested in the existence of a city like St. Petersburg.Values it to them absolutely no no idea.But what else could be expected from these villains ... Yes, and who are interested in their value ...
How many died ...
history of the siege of Leningrad - this is not what she said about her Soviet propaganda.Yes, it's selfless courage, it's a fight to the enemy, it's boundless love for their city and their country.But above all it is - horror, death, famine, which sometimes pushing and terrible crimes.And for someone desperate these years were a time of recovery, someone was able to cash in on the vast human misery, while others lost everything you can - family, children, health.And some - and life.The latter was 641,803 man.Of these, 420,000 have found their final resting place in mass graves Piskarevsky.And many were buried without papers.In addition, in this graveyard peace and staunch defenders of the city.Those - 70 000.
After the war
most terrible years - forty-one, and then forty-second - behind us.In the forty-third Leningrad has not died by the thousands, and then ended the blockade, and after it and the war.Piskarevskoe cemetery was opened for individual burials until the fiftieth year.In those days, as you know, all the speeches about the total graves were considered seditious.And so, of course, mass laying of wreaths at Piskarevsky was not the most popular event.But people are not eager to carry on the graves of their loved ones and other people's flowers.They wore bread ... That which was lacking in the besieged Leningrad.That would save time in the life of each of the remaining Piskarevskoe ground.
construction of the memorial
Today every citizen of St. Petersburg knows what a Piskarevsky.How to get there?It is enough to ask such a question to any comer to immediately get an exhaustive answer.After the war, the situation was not so unequivocal.Only after Stalin's death, it was decided to build a memorial to this sad earth.The development of the project engaged the architects AV Vasilyev, EA Levinson.Officially memorial "Piskarevsky" was opened in nineteen sixtieth year.The ceremony took place on the ninth of May, the day of the fifteenth anniversary of the victory over the hated fascism.The necropolis was lit the eternal flame, and from this moment to lay flowers at Piskarevsky became an official event, which is held in accordance with all festive dates, dedicated to the events that are actually related to the war and besieged days.The main of them - a day lifting of the blockade, and, of course, Victory Day.
How does necropolis today
In the center of it is set extremely majestic monument: on a granite stele rises Motherland (granite sculpture, authored by Vladimir Isaev and Taurit RK).In her hands she holds a garland of oak leaves, braided black ribbon.From her body to the Eternal Flame runs mourning alley, which extends hundred meters.All of it is seated roses.And on either side of it are the mass graves in which lie those who fought, lived and died for defending Leningrad.
These sculptors have created and all of the images that are on the stele: Funeral wreaths on in sorrow bent human figures wielding banners lowered.At the entrance to the memorial stone standing pavilions.In them is a museum.
museum exhibition
In principle, the very Piskarevsky has the status of a museum.Daily tours are held here.As to the exposure, situated in the pavilions, there contains unique archival documents, and not only ours, but also German.There is in it, and lists of people who are buried here, although they are, of course, is far from complete.In addition, the museum exhibition includes letters blockade, their diaries, household items and many more interesting things.For those who would like to know, does not rest on whether Piskarevsky someone who died in the siege relatives or friends, especially an electronic book, which you can enter the required data and information.That is very convenient, because, although since then many years have passed and still the war reminds himself, and not all affected by it, know exactly how to go to the grave to pay homage to his untimely death relatives.
What else is there in the necropolis
Deep in it are the walls with bas-reliefs.They carved lines that dedicated their city Olga Bergholz - poet, survived all nine days of the blockade.For the relief well is a marble basin in which visitors throw a coin.Probably, in order to return again and again here to pay tribute to those who died in order to prevent fascism wipe their hometown.Painful and wonderful place Piskarevsky.How to get to it, can be found at the end.There we will give all the necessary information for tourists.But before that, I must say a few words about completely different.
What's missing from the memorial
If you listen to feedback from visitors and residents of St. Petersburg itself, it is possible to come to a disappointing conclusion.Yes, nothing is forgotten.And yes, nobody is forgotten.But today, many who come to venerate the tombs of the victims and defenders of Leningrad blockade, say that it lacks the atmosphere of peace and tranquility.And almost in one voice say that Piskarevsky need to build a temple.Yes this to pray for her, and not only their dead could it people of all faiths.Meanwhile, at Piskarevsky it is only a small chapel in the name of John the Baptist.In order to somehow overcome the spirit of despair hovering over the graves is not enough yet sculptures, monuments and fences.
Piskarevsky: how to get
How to get to the Memorial Museum?His address: St. Petersburg, Piskarevsky Avenue Unconquered, 72. From the station "Metro Courage" shuttle buses №№ 80, 123 and 128. From the metro station "Academic" walking bus route № 178. Final stop - "Piskarevsky."How to get to the memorial during the holidays?From the same station "Metro Courage" in those days special shuttle buses.
tourist info
- Memorial equipped in such a way that people with disabilities could freely available both in its territory and the museum exhibit.
- Near the cemetery is a comfortable hotel.
- Museum Pavilion is open from nine in the morning until six in the evening (daily).
- Tours of the cemetery are also held daily.In winter and autumn, with nine in the morning until six in the evening, summer and spring time of their extended until 21:00.
- sign up for a tour, you must first, calling one of the phone numbers that can be found on the official website of the memorial complex.
- On average, memorial annually visited by about half a million tourists.
- Funeral ceremonies are held four times a year.
Anniversaries (laying flowers)
- January 27 - the day of liberation from the fascist blockade.
- May 8 - in honor of the anniversary of the Victory.
- June 22 - the day the war began.
- September 8 - the day of the siege.
