Solovetsky Stone, Memorial stone in Tverskoy District, Moscow, Russia
The Solovetsky Stone is a granite boulder positioned in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, directly facing the former headquarters of the secret police in Tverskoy District. The roughly 1.75 meter tall rock rests on a low base and bears a simple bronze plaque dedicating it to victims of political persecution.
This marker was installed in 1990 after the statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky was removed from the same square. The installation marked a turning point in public recognition of Soviet repression by Russian society.
This granite marker serves as a meeting point for the annual ceremony called Return of Names, where participants read aloud names of those who died during political persecution. The event takes place each year on October 29 and brings together people who remember the era of state repression.
The site is freely accessible year-round and sits in a central location near Lubyanka metro station. Visitors can easily find it on the square directly in front of the large building with the characteristic facade.
The granite used for this marker was brought from the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea, where the first Soviet forced labor camp opened in 1923. The choice of material physically connects the site of remembrance to one of the darkest chapters in Soviet history.
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