The 48-meter obelisk represents the victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War.
The bronze figures surrounding the base include a worker with a rifle, a female sniper, and a naval infantryman.
The interior Memorial Hall features an 'Eternal Flame' installation shaped like a broken ring, symbolizing the breaking of the blockade.
Construction of the monument was funded by public donations from Soviet citizens.
The complex is positioned at the exact historical boundary of the Leningrad front line.
The subterranean hall contains a digital archive of names of those who perished during the blockade.
The bronze sculpture 'The Blockade' depicts a mother and child, focusing on the civilian experience of the siege.
The Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad is a monumental complex located on Victory Square, commemorating the 900-day Siege of Leningrad during World War II. The centerpiece is a 48-meter high granite obelisk flanked by a collection of 26 bronze statues depicting soldiers, sailors, and workers. Below the square lies the Memorial Hall, a subterranean gallery containing mosaic panels and artifacts from the siege period. The architecture employs a brutalist design language, utilizing extensive granite and concrete to create a sense of scale and permanence. The memorial serves as a branch of the State Museum of the History of Saint Petersburg. It marks the historical southern entrance to the city where frontline defensive positions were located in 1941. The complex remains a significant site for annual commemorative ceremonies regarding the lifting of the blockade. The design was the collaborative work of architects Sergey Speransky and Valentin Kamensky with sculptor Mikhail Anikushin.
The wide-angle view from the perimeter of the square capturing the entire obelisk alongside the primary sculptural groups.
Visit the subterranean Memorial Hall first to understand the historical context before viewing the external statues.
The area is highly exposed to wind due to its location on a large open square; dress in layers regardless of the season.
Plan to walk around the entire perimeter of the obelisk to view the different sculptural groupings.
Do not attempt to climb or sit on the memorial statues or the base of the obelisk.
Closed on Tuesdays and the last Thursday of every month.
Maintain a quiet, respectful volume as the site functions as a formal war memorial and burial place.
