Description of the attraction
On May 8, 1985 in Leningrad, in the center of one of the most majestic squares of the city - Vosstaniya Square - an obelisk to the Hero City of Leningrad was opened. This event took place exactly 20 years later, after the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR approved the provision "On the highest degree of distinction - the title" Hero City ". For the first time, Leningrad was named a hero city in the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of May 1, 1945.
The authors of the 36-meter monument are architects A. I. Alymov and V. S. Lukyanov. Bronze ornament - the work of sculptors A. A. Vinogradov, A. S. Charkina, B. A. Petrova V. D. Sveshnikov. The monument is a reminder of another monument dedicated to the heroism of the Russian people in the war of 1812 - the Alexander Column.
The granite monolith of the monument completes the front part of Nevsky Prospect. Together with the complex of structures located along the perimeter of the square - the Oktyabrskaya hotel, the buildings of the Moscow railway station and the Ploschad Vosstaniya metro station - the obelisk is part of a harmonious ensemble.
The obelisk to the hero-city is installed on 50 reinforced concrete piles. The base and base of the monument are ten meters high; the height of its central part together with the top is over 22 meters. The weight of the main part is about 360 tons, the width of the base is about 9 meters, the total weight of the obelisk is 750 tons, the base diameter is 3.6 meters, the inner circumference of the bronze wreath is 4.5 meters, the height of the star and the top is 3.6 meters, the size of the star made of stainless steel is 1.8 meters. The lower part of the obelisk is covered with themed bas-reliefs "Rear Front", "Blockade", "Victory", "Attack", telling about the days of the defense of Leningrad and recalling the heroic past of the city. The inscription on the bronze cartouche reads “Hero City Leningrad”. Above the bas-reliefs, the obelisk is bordered with a bronze wreath of Glory. At the top of the obelisk to the hero-city is the "Golden Star".
The monument was opened in a solemn atmosphere in 1985, on the eve of the Great Victory Day. Nevsky Prospect and Ligovsky, Vosstaniya Square were decorated with banners, flags and flags. In honor of this event, a commemorative medal, badges, postcards were issued. The right to open was granted to honorary residents and well-known townspeople: the director of the Hermitage Museum, Academician B. B. Piotrovsky, Hero of the Soviet Union V. N. Kharitonov, the commander of the Leningrad naval base, Admiral V. A. Samoilov, twice Hero of Socialist Labor V. S. Chicherov, honored workers of culture, science, art.
Thousands of people, Petersburgers and guests of the city, came to the square that day. A guard of honor was built at the obelisk, which delivered the combat flags of military units, the banners of Leningrad and the region, crowned with orders. The orchestra of the Leningrad Military District performed the anthem of the USSR, marches of the war years. During the ceremony, a parade was held, during which soldiers of all types of troops and a company of the guard of honor marched in a solemn formation. Representatives of foreign powers, servicemen of foreign armies, officials of various ranks, residents and guests of Leningrad took part in laying flowers at the obelisk.
Highly qualified builders and assemblers were invited to install the obelisk. The granite from which this monument is made was quarried in the Vozrozhdenie quarry near Vyborg. A monolithic slab weighing more than 2 thousand tons was separated from the main layer on November 6, 1983. Part of the processing was carried out on site, in a quarry. The final part of the cutting and polishing of the obelisk was carried out on the spot - on Vosstaniya Square.
