Eternal flame in Yaroslavl, War memorial at Chelyuskintsev Square, Russia
The Eternal Flame in Yaroslavl is a granite war memorial on Chelyuskintsev Square, made of two carved blocks depicting a soldier and a woman. A continuously burning flame rises between the two figures at the center of the open plaza.
The memorial was built in 1968, about two decades after the end of World War II, to honor Yaroslavl residents who served or died during the conflict. The gap between the war's end and the monument's opening reflects the time Soviet cities typically took to plan and erect major memorials.
The site draws crowds during Victory Day celebrations, when residents gather to place flowers and remember those who died in the conflict. The eternal flame functions as a focal point for this annual remembrance in the city.
The memorial stands on a central square that is easy to reach from several nearby streets, with no significant access barriers. Visiting around May 9th offers a chance to see the site during Victory Day, when the square is especially active.
The sculpture was created by Lev Kerbel, a Soviet artist who also designed the Karl Marx monument in what is now Chemnitz, Germany. Placing a civilian woman alongside the soldier in stone was not a common choice at the time, which sets this memorial apart from many others of its era.
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