Field of Mars, Memorial square in central Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Field of Mars is a large open square in Saint Petersburg, bordered by three waterways: the Neva River, the Moika River, and the Swan Canal. Granite paths run through lawns and flower beds, linking different sections of the space.
The swampy ground was drained in the 18th century and became a military parade ground in 1805, named after the Roman god of war. After the revolution, it was transformed into a memorial for those who died in the fighting and the years that followed.
An eternal flame has burned at the center since 1957, honoring revolutionaries and those who fell in later conflicts. Granite slabs bear the names of groups the city remembers, and relatives still visit to pay their respects.
You can reach the square on foot from several metro stations less than ten minutes away, including Nevsky Prospekt and Gostiny Dvor. The open grounds are freely accessible and can be crossed in any direction.
During the siege between 1941 and 1944, residents turned the square into vegetable gardens to feed the city. These plots helped keep thousands alive through the hardest months.
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