Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, Arkhangel'Skiy Rayon

Leningrad's experience of WWII was unimaginably harsh. Hitler was intent on nothing less than the extermination of the city's population by starvation and ceaseless bombing. This imposing monument commemorates the siege of Leningrad and can be found on the main road into the city. A wide concrete staircase flanked by heroic bronze figures leads up to a 48-meter column of red granite. Beyond stands a lowered circular basin where an eternal flame burns. From here, you can enter the unsettling underground Memorial Hall.