Piskarevskoe Memorial Cemetrey

Categories / Architecture/Cemeteries (see also Municipal Economy)
PISKAREVSKOE MEMORIAL CEMETREY (72 Nepokorennykh Avenue), the main site of mass burials of Leningrad residents who starved to death or perished during the siege of 1941-44, and soldiers of the Leningrad front-line fallen during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. The cemetrey represents one of the symbols of St. Petersburg, being a reminder of the heroic Leningrad defence of 1941-44, and acts of courage of its citizens surviving the unprecedented 900-day siege. The cemetrey is situated in the north-east part of St. Petersburg, in the district of Piskarevka (hence the name). Over 470,000 civilians and 50,000 military men lie in common graves of Piskarevskoe Cemetrey. Architect A.V. Vasilyev won the bid for designing the cemetrey memorial (February, 1945). Later on, architect E.A. Levinson was commissioned for the development of the project, approved in 1948. The construction of the architectural sculptural ensemble began in 1955, it was inaugurated on 9 May 1960. The territory of 26 hectares comprises 186 earth mounds of common graves. The entrance to the necropolis is marked with propylaea pavilions with a museum exhibition. Wide stairs lead down from the granite deck marked with an Eternal Fire (lit from the fire on the Field of Mars) towards "the field of solemn grief" crossed by the main alley (480 metres). The whole ensemble is dominated by the six metre high bronze statue Motherland (sculptors V.V. Isaeva, R.K. Taurit), rising in front of the granite memorial wall (150 metres long). The memorial wall features the engraved city defenders' names (sculptors M.A. Veinman, B.E. Kaplyansky, A.L. Malakhin, M.M. Kharlamova) and a poetical inscription by O. F. Bergholz which reads, "We cannot enumerate all their noble names here, For so many lie there under the eternal granite guard. But know, honouring these stones, Nobody and nothing is forgotten." On Piskarevskoe Cemetrey, the memorial services and mourning ceremonies are held on remembrance days of the Great Patriotic War. The sounds of the funeral march always accompany the cemetrey's solemn atmosphere.

References: Петров Г. Ф. Памятник скорби и славы: Пискаревское мемориальное кладбище. Л., 1986.

Y. M. Piryutko. Bergholz Olga Fedorovna
Isaeva Vera Vasilievna
Kaplyansky Boris Evseevich
Kharlamova Maria Matveevna
Levinson Evgeny Adolfovich
Malakhin Abram Lazarevich
Taurit Robert Karlovich
Vasilyev Alexander Viktorovich
Weinman Moisey Abramovich
Nepokorennykh Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 72
The Field of Mars/Saint Petersburg, city
Петров Г. Ф. Памятник скорби и славы: Пискаревское мем. кладбище. Л., 1986 Siege of 1941-44
Leningrad Front
Field of Mars (Marsovo Pole), ensemble
1960