Obelisk "Moscow - Hero City", Commemorative obelisk at Dorogomilovskaya Zastava Square, Moscow, Russia.
The Obelisk "Moscow - Hero City" is a granite monument in Dorogomilovskaya Zastava Square, in the western part of the city, rising about 40 meters tall. A gold-plated star crowns its top, and bronze sculptures along with a decorative wreath surround its base.
The obelisk was unveiled on May 9, 1977, to mark Moscow's official designation as a Hero City after World War II. It was placed where the city's former western gates once stood, a point that had long been seen as a symbolic entrance to the capital.
The bronze soldiers at the base of the obelisk represent the city's defense during World War II, and people still gather here on Victory Day each year. Flowers are often left at the foot of the monument as a sign of remembrance.
The monument stands near Kievskaya station and can be reached easily on foot from the surrounding area. It sits in an open square, which makes it easy to see from several directions as you approach.
The square where the obelisk stands marks the exact spot where Napoleon's army entered Moscow in 1812, long before the monument was built. This means the site carries two very different layers of military history from two separate centuries.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
