Heroes' Memory Square and Eternal Flame. Square in memory of heroes Monuments on the territory of the square

The boulevard was inaugurated on August 31, 1912 in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II, who visited Smolensk as part of the anniversary events. Before the official opening, on August 6, a groundbreaking took place on the newly constructed Boulevard, the grand opening of which took place on September 10, 1913.

On August 26, 1912, in honor of the anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, a bronze bust of M.I. was unveiled on the Boulevard. Kutuzov and the City Public School in Memory of 1812 (now the museum “Smolensk Region during the Great Patriotic War”).

In the anniversary year of 1912, 19 cast-iron memorial plaques were installed on the fortress wall along the Boulevard, which were made by the regiments - successors to the military glory of the soldiers who defended Smolensk at that terrible time. Of the 19 boards, 10 have survived.

In the 20s of the last century, the square lost its name. Officially it was called the Dynamo Garden. A summer wooden theater and restaurant operated here for Smolensk residents. The square seemed to complement

In 1943, after the liberation of Smolensk and part of the region from the Nazi invaders, burials of dead Soviet soldiers began near the fortress wall - the Smolensk necropolis began to form.

On September 28, 1968, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Smolensk region from the Nazi invaders, the Eternal Flame was lit in the park, delivered on an armored personnel carrier from Moscow from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The fire was lit by Hero of the Soviet Union, Smolensk resident Mikhail Egorov, who hoisted the Victory Banner over the defeated Reichstag in 1945. At the same time, the square was renamed the Square in Memory of Heroes.

The Park in Memory of Heroes acquired its modern appearance in 1975. For the 30th anniversary of the Victory, a reconstruction was carried out and a granite stele was installed with the words of the Smolensk poet Nikolai Rylenkov.

During the celebration of the 175th anniversary of the victory over Napoleon's army in 1987, opposite the bust of Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, busts of the generals who defended Smolensk in the battle of August 4-5, 1812 were unveiled: Barclay de Tolly, Bagration, Dokhturov, Raevsky, Neverovsky.

In August 2011, a bust of General Evgeniy Ivanovich Olenin was inaugurated. In 1987, a memorial sign was unveiled in the park alley near the fortress wall in honor of the partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812. In 2000, a bronze bust was installed at the grave of Mikhail Alekseevich Egorov. Its author is Smolensk sculptor Albert Sergeev. In September 2006, on the day of the 14th Gathering of CIS Hero Cities in Smolensk, in memory of the feat of the defenders of the Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, the Alley of Hero Cities was opened.

Address: Smolensk, st. Dzerzhinsky

The Square of Memory of Heroes is one of the attractions of Smolensk. Located in the very center of the city. Here, near the fortress wall, people are buried who gave their lives for the people and the Fatherland.

The improvement of the square began in 1911, and the first burial appeared in 1943. The first, on October 18, 1943, to be buried with full military honors was the head of the political department of the 21st Guard Army, Colonel Vladimir Stolyarov. In total, 39 people who died during the Great Patriotic War were buried in the park.

There are only two such memorials in Russia: the first is a burial on Red Square in Moscow, the second is a public garden in Smolensk.

Square of Memory of Heroes

The Square of Memory of Heroes, located in the city center, is one of the main attractions of Smolensk. Here, next to the fortress wall, lie the ashes of people who died in battles for the freedom of our Motherland. There are only two such memorials in Russia: in Moscow and Smolensk.

Initially, this place was a wasteland. In 1912, improvement of the territory along the fortress wall began - the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 was approaching. During the solemn celebration of the memorable date, the famous monument “Grateful Russia - to the Heroes of 1812” was laid in the park, and after some time a bronze bust of M.I. Kutuzov and the City Primary School in Memory of 1812 were opened. The new square was named "Square of Memory of 1812".

In August 1912, Emperor Nicholas II took part in the grand opening of the "Boulevard of 1812", and soon 19 memorial plaques were installed on the fortress wall. Each of them was dedicated to military units that distinguished themselves in the Battle of Smolensk. Only ten cast iron boards have survived to this day.

The square has become one of the favorite recreational places for city residents. And in 1968, when Smolensk celebrated the 25th anniversary of liberation from the Nazi invaders, the Eternal Flame was lit in the Memory of Heroes Square. It was delivered from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, and the fire was lit by Hero of the Soviet Union M.A. Egorov - the same man who hoisted the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. The square acquired its modern appearance by 1975, when reconstruction was carried out and a granite stele with carved lines of poetry was installed in memory of the fallen heroes.

Smolensk residents lovingly and proudly call their parks, squares and gardens “the green necklace of the city.”
Among the most famous and visited:
. City Garden named after. M.I. Glinka (Blonier)
. Central Park of Culture and Culture "Lopatinsky Garden"
. Heroes' Memory Square

The Heroes' Memorial Square is a memorial square. It was inaugurated on August 31, 1912 in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II, who visited Smolensk as part of anniversary events dedicated to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.

In August 1912, in honor of the anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, a bronze bust of M. I. Kutuzov and the City Public School in Memory of 1812 (now the museum “Smolensk Region during the Great Patriotic War”) were opened on the Boulevard. At the same time, 19 cast-iron memorial plaques were installed on the fortress wall along the square, which were made by the regiments - successors to the military glory of the soldiers who defended Smolensk at that terrible time.
A year later, in 1913, the grand opening of the monument “Grateful Russia to the Heroes of 1812” took place on the territory of the park, the sculptural composition of which most expressively and vividly reflects the country’s intransigence to foreign intervention.

In 1943, after the liberation of Smolensk from the Nazi invaders, burials of fallen Soviet soldiers began in the park near the fortress wall - the Smolensk necropolis began to form, and in 1968, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Smolensk region, the Eternal Flame, brought from Moscow from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The fire was lit by Hero of the Soviet Union, Smolensk resident Mikhail Egorov, who hoisted the Victory Banner over the defeated Reichstag in 1945. Here, at the foot of the fortress wall, Mikhail Egorov was buried in 1975.

During the celebration of the 175th anniversary of the victory over Napoleon's army in 1987, busts of the generals who defended Smolensk in the battle of August 4-5, 1812 were unveiled: Barclay de Tolly, Bagration, Dokhturov, Raevsky, Neverovsky. In August 2011, a bust of General Evgeniy Ivanovich Olenin was inaugurated.

In 1987, a memorial sign was unveiled in the park alley near the fortress wall in honor of the partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812.

In 2000, a bronze bust was installed at the grave of Mikhail Alekseevich Egorov. Its author is Smolensk sculptor Albert Sergeev.

In September 2006, on the day of the 14th Meeting of Hero Cities of the CIS in Smolensk, in memory of the feat of the defenders of the Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, the Alley of Hero Cities was opened.

Brief historical background:

The Square of Memory of Heroes, located in the very center of Smolensk, is one of the city’s attractions. Here, near the fortress wall - a symbol of the defense of the Motherland, people are buried who gave their lives serving the people and the Fatherland. There are only two such memorials in Russia: the first is the well-known burial on Red Square in Moscow, the second is in the hero city of Smolensk

Sights of the object:

Bust of Kutuzov M.I., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Barclay de Tolly M.B., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Bagration P.I., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of N.N. Raevsky, cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Dokhturov D.S., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of D.P. Neverovsky, cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev memorial sign to the partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812, cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor O.A. Baranovskaya, architect V.I. Tsikorev

Purpose (nature of modern application):

Object of historical and cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of federal (all-Russian) significance

Protected by the state, a monument of federal significance

1. Full name of the object

Bust of Kutuzov M.I., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Barclay de Tolly M.B., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Bagration P.I., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of N.N. Raevsky, cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Dokhturov D.S., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev; bust of Neverovsky D.P., cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor A.G. Sergeev

Memorial sign to the partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812, cast iron, granite, 1987, sculptor O.A. Baranovskaya, architect V.I. Tsikorev.

2. Historical events associated with the object

The Square of Memory of Heroes, located in the very center of Smolensk, is one of the city’s attractions. Here, near the fortress wall - a symbol of the defense of the Motherland, people are buried who gave their lives serving the people and the Fatherland. There are only two such memorials in Russia: the first is the well-known burial on Red Square in Moscow, the second is in the hero city of Smolensk.

On August 6, 1912, during the celebration of the anniversary of the War of 1812, a square was founded, and on September 10, 1913, the famous “Monument with Eagles” (author Lieutenant Colonel N.S. Shutsman) was opened.

On August 26, 1912, in honor of the anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, a bronze bust of M.I. Kutuzov (sculptor M.I. Strakhovskaya) and the City Public School in Memory of 1812. The appearance of the building resembled a medieval castle, which was built into the fortress wall, symbolizing with its appearance military valor and antiquity. Currently, this building houses the museum “Smolensk Region during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”.

On August 31, 1912, Emperor Nicholas II, who visited Smolensk on a visit, solemnly cut the ribbon and opened the “1812 Boulevard”. In the same year, 1912, 19 memorial cast iron plaques were fixed on the wall facing the square in memory of the military formations that performed feats in the Battle of Smolensk on August 4-5, 1812. To date, 10 of them have survived.

Since 1911, this place has been called the “Square of Memory of 1812”. In the 1920s, it lost its name, and people began to call it simply “Kutuzovsky Garden” (because of the bust of M.I. Kutuzov installed here), and officially – the “Dynamo” Garden. A summer wooden theater and restaurant operated here for Smolensk residents. The square seemed to complement the Park of Culture and Recreation.

In 1972-1973, the square was expanded; a passage was opened into it from the street. Dzerzhinsky. The eternal flame was moved from the center to the foot of the Donets Tower. Bust of M.I. Kutuzov was moved to a new place, a slab with words from the field marshal’s message to the Smolensk people was laid in front of him.

3. Location of the object

Smolensk, Heroes' Memorial Square.

4. Description of the object

The Park in Memory of Heroes acquired its modern appearance in 1975. For the 30th anniversary of the Victory, reconstruction was carried out and a stele was installed at the central entrance to the park. In 1983, the building of the Eternal Flame was partially reconstructed. In 1987, busts of the commanders of the Patriotic War of 1812 were installed in the Memorial Park of Heroes: M. B. Barclay de Tolly, P. I. Bagration, D. S. Dokhturov, D. P. Neverovsky and N. N. Raevsky.

In 2000, paving stones were laid in the park, and a bronze bust was installed on the grave of M. A. Egorov (author A. G. Sergeev).

5. Sources of information about the object and events associated with it

Internet.

6. Distinctive features of the object, degree of uniqueness

An object of historical and cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of federal (all-Russian) significance.

7. Condition of the object and degree of preservation

The condition of the object is good.

8. Protection of the monument

Protected by the state. Monument of federal significance.

One of my favorite places in Smolensk is a small park on Dzerzhinsky Street. Officially, it is called the Square in Memory of Heroes, and Smolensk residents simply call it Kutuzovsky Garden (because there is a bust of Russian general Mikhail Kutuzov here).

I love silence, and I don’t like crowds of tourists, and I probably haven’t found a quieter place in the city center than the Kutuzovsky Garden. On one side, most of the square is closed by a fortress wall, and on the other - by green trees, fir trees and bushes. Therefore, the noise of the streets practically does not penetrate here.

When you come to the park, you involuntarily remember the Moscow Kremlin. There is a similar necropolis here, with the same nameplates of soldiers who gave their lives for their homeland, the Eternal Flame, attached to the red brick walls. Here the memory of two sad pages in the history of not only the city, but also our entire country is intertwined, two destructive wars: 1812 and the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. The park was created in honor of the fallen heroes.

Story

The Kutuzovsky garden appeared on the site of a vacant lot for the centenary of the victory over the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Initially, the square was dedicated to the heroes of the War of 1812, but after the Great Patriotic War, Soviet soldiers began to be buried here and black granite slabs were installed with the names of soldiers who died in battles with the Nazis.

Therefore, the square is divided into two parts, however, conditionally: in one, monuments dedicated to the War of 1812 are concentrated, in the other, memorials are erected in memory of the events of 1941–1945.

Monuments in the park

There are more than ten monuments on the territory of the garden, mainly busts of generals, memorial plaques, there is a necropolis and a museum.

"Grateful Russia - to the heroes of 1812"

Perhaps, what seems especially interesting to me is the “Monument with Eagles”, installed right in the middle of the square. This is a ten-meter monument, which is a sheer cliff. At its peak there are sculptures of two bronze eagles: one protects the nest, and the second covers it from the rear. A Gaul, armed to the teeth, sneaks up to the nest, he raises his sword over his head and is about to destroy the nest, but the brave bird resists and repels the enemy.

The two eagles symbolize the first and second Russian armies, which united near Smolensk in 1812, and the Gallic warrior symbolizes Napoleonic army. The monument personifies the invincibility of Russia.

It is interesting that the monument looks different from each of the four sides, but from any angle it represents a solid composition.

Busts of generals

Not far from the “Monument with Eagles” stands apart a bronze bust of the greatest commander in Russian history, Mikhail Kutuzov, which was placed in the park back in 1912. During the Great Patriotic War, the Germans removed the sculpture of the general and wanted to take it to Germany, but Soviet soldiers returned the bust to its original place.

Next to the commander-in-chief of the Russian army of 1812, as if in military formation under the command of a great general, busts of other commanders who defended our homeland from the Napoleonic hordes stand as if alive. These are sculptures of Bagration, Dmitry Neverovsky, Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, etc.

Walking along the busts of the heroes of the War of 1812, you feel proud and grateful for such sons of the fatherland.

Museum "Smolensk region during the Great Patriotic War"

Directly opposite the "Monument with Eagles" there is a red two-story house with a tower, reminiscent of a castle from the Middle Ages - this is a military museum dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. It has been operating since 1973, and before
a school was located inside the building. The structure is more than a hundred years old; it was built on the site where the round Kasandalovskaya tower previously stood, which was blown up by the French army during the retreat.

The museum presents a variety of exhibitions on the topic of war. There are documents and personal belongings of soldiers, weapons of the Soviet and German armies, various awards, models, stands, and a diorama dedicated to the Battle of Smolensk in 1941. But what struck me most were the gloves made by Nazi doctors from human skin. When you look at this “exhibit”, goosebumps run through your body from horror...

If you do decide to visit the museum, be sure to take a look at its courtyard. There you will see military equipment from different eras: from old guns to modern aircraft. I advise you to try to negotiate with the museum employees so that they can give you a tour. You will be able to learn a lot of interesting details about each weapon. Men will especially enjoy this excursion.

Museum address: Dzerzhinsky street, 4a.

Operating mode:

• from Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 to 18:00,
• on Friday from 10:00 to 17:00.
• Monday is a day off.

The museum is also closed on the last Tuesday of the month: this is a sanitary day.

Ticket price:

• adult - 120 rubles,
• preferential (for pensioners and children) costs from 30 rubles.

Where to eat

There is a budget cafe on the territory of the square, it is called “At the Samovar”. Address: Dzerzhinskogo, 4. It is very cozy here, the interior resembles a country house with elements of traditional Russian style: wooden furniture, log walls, chandeliers with lampshades, cute flowered curtains, carved wooden display cases, there is even a real samovar. Large selection on the menu: from pies to meat dishes. There is Wi-Fi.

How to get there

You can get into the park from absolutely any direction, both from Dzerzhinsky Street and from Bolshaya Sovetskaya. It is not fenced with anything, and there is no special entrance to it.

I will describe two ways to get to the Heroes’ Memory Square: from the railway station and the bus station.

From the station

You can get from the train station to the park by bus. First you need to find the Zhelyabova Square stop. From the station building you can walk to it (700 meters) or take tram No. 3 or No. 4 (you only need to go one stop), the route is shown on the map below.

At the “Zhelyabova Square” stop, take minibus 2N or 47N and get to the “Tukhachevsky” stop, get off and walk straight for 200 meters. On the right you will see a park.

From the bus station

If you are coming from the bus station, you need bus number 113.

Right next to the bus station building there is a stop with the same name, we take the desired route and get to the Tukhachevsky stop, get off, walk 200 meters and see a park on the right. Directions are shown on the map above.

Conclusion

Kutuzovsky kindergarten is a very quiet and clean place, despite the fact that it is located in the city center. Here you will not meet souvenir sellers or tourist buses, but will see only flowers, lists of heroes, the Eternal Flame and passers-by like you.

Walking along the paths of the park among monuments and monuments, you can feel how great the power of the human spirit is, feel pride in your fatherland and pay tribute to fallen soldiers.