Road of Life, Ice road in Saint Petersburg, Russia

The Road of Life was an ice route across Lake Ladoga near Saint Petersburg, Russia, that served as a supply line during wartime. It connected the city to the mainland over a frozen body of water that became solid enough in winter to carry heavy vehicles.

The route emerged in winter 1941, when the city was encircled and no other connections remained functional. It stayed in operation through several winters and enabled the evacuation of civilians as well as the delivery of food and medicine.

The name recalls the only connection that gave people hope when all other routes were closed. Today, memorial stones and markers line the former route across the frozen lake, and visitors follow the traces of drivers who traveled at night under fire.

The former route lies outside the city and is accessible through memorial sites along the shores. Visitors should bring warm clothing, as the area is open and often windy, especially in winter.

The ice road's official designation was the 101st Military Vehicular Road; a second, longer route, the 102nd, bypassed German-held Tikhvin to the north. The first supplies crossed on 19 November 1941 by horse-drawn sleigh under Captain Mikhail Murov, and the first 60 trucks arrived on the night of 22 November under Major V. A. Porchunov.