Field of Mars, Saint Petersburg, Russia

The Field of Mars or Marsovo Polye is a large park named after the Mars, Roman god of war. The history of Field of Mars goes back to the first years of Saint-Petersburg. At that time it was called Grand Meadow. Later there were organised solemnities in the honour of the victory in the Great Northern War and the Field was renamed Pleasure Field (Poteshnoe Pole). In the 1740s Pleasure Field for a short while was turned into a walking park with paths, lawn and flowers. Its next name – Tsarina’s Meadow – appears after the royal family commissioned F.B. Rastrelli to build the Summer Palace for Empress Catherine I. But near the end of the 18th century Tsarina’s Meadow became a military drilling ground where they erected monuments commemorating the victories of the Russian Army and where parades and military studies took place regularly.

In 1799 the Rumyantsev obelisk was placed in the center of the Field and in 1801 the monument to A. Suvorov was placed in the south section by M. Kozlovsky. A great military leader was represented as Mars (Roman god of war). In 1805 Tsarina’s Meadow was officially renamed Field of Mars. After the suggestion of Carlo Rossi the monument of A. Suvorov was moved to Suvorova Square. After the February Revolution in 1917 the Field of Mars finally lost its significance as a military drilling ground and became a memorial. In summer 1942 the Field of Mars was completely covered with vegetable gardens to supply the besieged Leningrad.

On 23 May 1917 the participants of February Revolution were buried there. 184 of 1382 citizens who were killed during the Revolution were buried in the common grave. In 1917-1919 a monument “To Fighters of Revolution” was erected above the graves. In 1918 the square was renamed to “The Place of the Victims of Revolution” but in 1944 it was renamed back.

On 6 November 1957 in the center of the Field was lit an Eternal Flame. It was the first in Russia. From here the Flame was delivered to Moscow in 1967 and was placed nearKremlin wall on the Tomb of Unknown Soldier. The Flame from the Field of Mars also burns on Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery and on other memorials in Saint-Petersburg.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Saif Bone (5 months ago)
Magically beautiful and got spirits of the fallen heros

Benedict O'Leary (5 months ago)
Field of Mars (Марсовое Поле) is more than just an open space in the city centre. It is packed full of history and considered a sacred site in the canon of the Russian revolution and its role in the Decembrist uprising. Nowadays it is a centrally located open green space, and a popular spot for picnics. Views of the Summer Garden and Saviour on the Blood Cathedral are impressive. Traffic whizzes around all day long, so it’s not quiet and tranquil. The Eternal Flame burns in memory of fallen soldiers in the heart of the field.

Farah Shiyyab (5 months ago)
Loved this park.. its close to almost everything thing. And the eternal flame is interesting

Руслан Мамедов (8 months ago)
Can't even describe such beauty with words!

Caleb Carter (22 months ago)
This was nice large green space in an otherwise very full city. The playground was nice for the kids and the walk was pleasant. It wasn't something to gawk at like central park, but it was nice.

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Les Invalides is a complex of buildings containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building"s original purpose. The buildings house the Musée de l"Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d"Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France"s war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte.

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