Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery in St Petersburg commemorates those who died during the Siege of Leningrad. Its 186 mass graves hold more than 400,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers. Walk the grounds to see the eternal flame and the central bronze figure of Mother Motherland. The cemetery is a place for quiet remembrance; take time to read about the siege before you visit.
A memorial to the siege
Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery commemorates the people who died during the Siege of Leningrad in the Second World War. The complex was designed by Alexander Vasiliev and Yevgeniy Levinson and opened on May 9, 1960.
Its 186 mass graves contain about 420,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers of the Leningrad Front. The burial plots are marked with dates of death between 1941 and 1944, rather than individual names. The scale of the cemetery gives a sense of the human cost of the siege.
The eternal flame and central monument
An eternal flame burns near the entrance. At the centre of the memorial's design is a bronze figure representing Mother Motherland, created by sculptors Vera Isaeva and Robert Taurit.
A marble plaque records the bombardment and loss of life in Leningrad between September 4, 1941, and January 22, 1944. It states that 107,158 air bombs were dropped and 148,478 shells fired. The plaque also records 16,744 people killed by the attacks, 33,782 wounded and 641,803 who died of starvation.
FAQ
What does Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery commemorate?
It commemorates those who died during the Siege of Leningrad in the Second World War. Its mass graves hold civilians and soldiers.
What can you see at the memorial cemetery?
The grounds include 186 mass graves, an eternal flame near the entrance and a central bronze figure representing Mother Motherland. A marble plaque records details of the siege and its toll.
Where is Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery?
It is at Prospekt Nepokoronnykh, 72, in St Petersburg.
