The monument "The Broken Ring" on the shore of Ladoga Lake

In the summer of 1941 the combined Nazi troops launched a full-scale offensive on Leningrad. The operation to seize the city was of strategic importance, its successful outcome opened the way for the enemies to Moscow. Despite the heroism of Soviet soldiers, the forces of the invaders had multiple superiority, and by September 8, 1941, Leningrad was completely surrounded. The enemy ring around the city was closed. The tragic period in the history of Leningrad began: a terrible 872 days of blockade.

The terrible word "blockade"

The heaviest for the Leningraders was the first siege winter. The shortage of food, water, lack of heating, along with regular air strikes, led to a mass famine in the city, which killed hundreds of thousands of old people, women and children. Bread was issued on special cards - only 125 grams a day. People were exhausted enough to fall dead right on the street.

The only artery through which modest food supplies arrived in the city was Ladoga Lake.

"Road of Life", which evacuated people from the city, delivered food, was regularly fired upon by enemy artillery and bombers. Hundreds of human lives, tons of food and medicine were on the bottom of Ladoga.

Monument "Torn Ring" - a symbol of turning to victory

The complete blockade of Leningrad was lifted on January 27, 1944. But already in the winter of 1943, thanks to the competent command of the Soviet Army , a breakthrough was made in the ring. The resulting land corridor in some areas reached a width of 8 to 10 kilometers. The new road made life easier for residents in the city. Delivering food supplies to Leningrad became easier, despite the fact that regular shelling and blockade continued.

It was on January 18, 1943, that a decisive step was taken by the people of Leningrad to free themselves from the terrible blockade: another Road of Life was laid. The monument "The Broken Ring" became the personification of this first victory and is located in the very place where the overland section of the road began.

History of the monument

The reinforced concrete structure, representing two semi-arches, is at the same time a symbol of human torment and outstanding heroism of Leningraders and Soviet soldiers during the war years.

This seven-meter monument represents hundreds of thousands of lost lives and the long-awaited torn ring of the blockade. The monument was erected by the famous Soviet sculptor KM Simun. The author of the monument was a native Leningrader, and despite the fact that during the war he was in evacuation, for him the liberation of the city meant an early return to his native land. Perhaps, thanks to this, a huge memorial weighing 32 tons so accurately reflects the joy of the first victory in the liberation of the besieged Leningrad and conveys the pain of all the torments that had to be borne to its inhabitants. Next to the monument, the sculptor arranged two white balls as an imitation of searchlights and a genuine anti-aircraft weapon, and beneath the arch one can see traces of the protector of cars.

The monument "The Broken Ring" was opened in October 1966. Currently, the monument is an object of cultural heritage and part of a huge memorial complex "Green Belt of Glory."

The Museum of the Road of Life

The road through which the besieged city survived was not in vain called "The Road of Life". It was here that a dangerous crossing was organized across the Ladoga Lake, which from September 1941 to March 1943 connected Leningrad with the country. Despite the hundreds of drowned cars, boats, barges and thousands of dead people, the city continued to exist.

The land section of the road from Leningrad to Lake Ladoga is a unique open-air museum and includes 7 monuments and pillars of memory: 46 of them are located along the highway and 56 are along the railway. These structures are part of the unique historical complex "Green Belt of Glory".

On the 40th kilometer of the road is the memorial " Broken Ring". The monument, the photo of which is located below, is a symbol of the interrupted blockade and the beginning of the new life of the city that survived the horror of the terrible war.

Here there is another monument with words of farewell addressed to the descendants, and an anti-aircraft cannon. All of them represent the memorial complex "Broken Ring" (monument).

How to get there?

"The road of life" is part of a great history, a unique place that is visited annually by thousands of tourists from different countries and people who have gone through the years of a terrible blockade.

The monument "The Broken Ring" was erected in the village of Kokkorevo, Vsevolozhsky District, Leningrad Region. Get to the memorial can be on the federal highway A 128, moving in a northeasterly direction to Vsevolozhsk. This stretch of highway carries the eponymous title "The Road of Life". The memorial is located north of the village of Kokkorevo, on the outskirts of Ladoga.

You can reach the memorial by train. From the Finland Station of St. Petersburg, located on Lenin Square, an electric train is sent daily. To leave should be at the railway station Vaganovo, and then about 3 kilometers on foot towards the village of Kokkorevo. In addition, the monument can be reached along the shore of Ladoga, the distance is about 5 kilometers. But in this case, you need to get off the train at Lake Ladoga station.

The war is not forgotten

Since the tragic events of the Leningrad blockade more than 70 years have passed. But all the horror of the war and the exploit of the Soviet soldiers will never be forgotten. Especially bright these terrible memories will be in the memory of those children who in the distant 1941-1943 experienced hunger, bombardment, shelling and defeated death.

On the anniversary of the Victory Day celebration, the monument "The Broken Ring" and other memorials and memorable pillars of the museum were reconstructed. In the future, it is planned to beautify and green the adjacent territory. All these events will preserve the country's historical heritage and pass it on to the future generation.