Moskovsky Victory Park
Encyclopedia
Moskovsky Victory Park is a public park in the Moskovsky District of Saint Petersburg
, Russia
. The name of the park was given in honor of Victory in the Second World War
.
Victory Park is situated in the south part of Saint-Petersburg and bounded by Kuznetsovskaya Street, Moskovsky Avenue, Yuri Gagarin Avenue, Basseynaya Street. The address of the park administration is Kuznetsovskaya Street, 25. Park covers an area of 168 acres (0.68 km2).
Victory Park was created as the area redevelopment of the former site of the brick factory soon after World War II ended. The factory site and surrounding area carried a sorrowful reminder for surviving citizens. During the war, the factory facilities were used to cremate victims of German blockade and bombardments during the Siege of the city
. The ashes were transported in mine cars and dumped in the nearby flooded pits. The brick factory was located less than a mile from Russian front-line positions along one of the city's major routes - International Avenue (now Moskovsky Avenue) - close to the south outskirts of the city. Several pictures taken by Nazi aerial reconnaissance in one of the harsh winters during the Siege shows that the crematory facility was heavily used as seen by markings on snow-covered area. Estimates on how many victims were cremated there widely range from at least 117 thousand to over 600 thousand bodies. Soon after World War II, the factory building was erased and the area was redeveloped into a park.
Victory Park was officially opened on July 7, 1946 and covered only the 1/7 of the present-day territory. During the next decade, the park grew to the present boundaries. The original quarries, trenches, and foxholes were preserved and further developed into a system of channels and small ponds. The 1950s saw construction projects in the park led by Soviet architects Evgeniy Katonin and Valerian Kirhoglani. They created a summerstage, fountains and several pavilions including two propylaea
-like buildings at the main entrance. In further years, sculptures and monuments were installed throughout the park. A major alley called "Alley of Heroes" features busts of Soviet heroes, hence the name. Among statuaries in the park are the monument dedicated to Soviet marshal Georgy Zhukov
and statues of Soviet war heroes Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya
and Alexander Matrosov
. In the 1990s, the Orthodox chapel and commemorative plaque were erected at the former site of the crematory facility.
The park features several entertainment options including a small amusement park, playgrounds, cafés, boat rental, mini-golf, tennis courts and outdoor ice skating rink. Transportation to the park is provided by a namesake subway station (Park Pobedy Metro
) at the south-west edge of the park.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The name of the park was given in honor of Victory in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Victory Park is situated in the south part of Saint-Petersburg and bounded by Kuznetsovskaya Street, Moskovsky Avenue, Yuri Gagarin Avenue, Basseynaya Street. The address of the park administration is Kuznetsovskaya Street, 25. Park covers an area of 168 acres (0.68 km2).
Victory Park was created as the area redevelopment of the former site of the brick factory soon after World War II ended. The factory site and surrounding area carried a sorrowful reminder for surviving citizens. During the war, the factory facilities were used to cremate victims of German blockade and bombardments during the Siege of the city
Siege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
. The ashes were transported in mine cars and dumped in the nearby flooded pits. The brick factory was located less than a mile from Russian front-line positions along one of the city's major routes - International Avenue (now Moskovsky Avenue) - close to the south outskirts of the city. Several pictures taken by Nazi aerial reconnaissance in one of the harsh winters during the Siege shows that the crematory facility was heavily used as seen by markings on snow-covered area. Estimates on how many victims were cremated there widely range from at least 117 thousand to over 600 thousand bodies. Soon after World War II, the factory building was erased and the area was redeveloped into a park.
Victory Park was officially opened on July 7, 1946 and covered only the 1/7 of the present-day territory. During the next decade, the park grew to the present boundaries. The original quarries, trenches, and foxholes were preserved and further developed into a system of channels and small ponds. The 1950s saw construction projects in the park led by Soviet architects Evgeniy Katonin and Valerian Kirhoglani. They created a summerstage, fountains and several pavilions including two propylaea
Propylaea
A Propylaea, Propylea or Propylaia is any monumental gateway based on the original Propylaea that serves as the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens...
-like buildings at the main entrance. In further years, sculptures and monuments were installed throughout the park. A major alley called "Alley of Heroes" features busts of Soviet heroes, hence the name. Among statuaries in the park are the monument dedicated to Soviet marshal Georgy Zhukov
Georgy Zhukov
Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov , was a Russian career officer in the Red Army who, in the course of World War II, played a pivotal role in leading the Red Army through much of Eastern Europe to liberate the Soviet Union and other nations from the Axis Powers' occupation...
and statues of Soviet war heroes Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya
Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya, alternatively Romanised as Kosmodem'yanskaya was a Soviet partisan, and a Hero of the Soviet Union...
and Alexander Matrosov
Alexander Matrosov
Alexander Matveyevich Matrosov , born in Yekaterinoslav was a famous Soviet infantry soldier during World War II....
. In the 1990s, the Orthodox chapel and commemorative plaque were erected at the former site of the crematory facility.
The park features several entertainment options including a small amusement park, playgrounds, cafés, boat rental, mini-golf, tennis courts and outdoor ice skating rink. Transportation to the park is provided by a namesake subway station (Park Pobedy Metro
Park Pobedy (Saint Petersburg Metro)
Park Pobedy is a station on the Moskovsko-Petrogradskaya Line of the Saint Petersburg Metro. It was opened on April 29, 1961. An above-ground vestibule was designed by A.S. Getskin and V.P. Shuvalova. This station was the first station in the world with Platform screen doors....
) at the south-west edge of the park.