The Field of Mars is one of the major attractions of St. Petersburg, though it doesn’t have any notable attraction itself. The Field of Mars has an impressive background history, and since it’s near some of the main attractions of the city, it got pretty significant.
The Field of Mars locates at the north part of the St. Petersburg at the west side of the Summer Palace of Peter the Great. The field is quite old as the city, so it observed many changes both to the city and itself throughout its existence.
The Field of Mars formed around a year after the city founded, but before that, it was only a vast bog between the Neva and Moyka River. This field turned to a place for the military to investigate the troops and weapons. There are also several parades took place at the field especially after the victory in the Northern wars. Following the parades and the military occupation, the field’s name changed to the Grand Meadow.
Following the victory in the northern wars, Peter the Great ordered to build a palace for his wife, Catherine I near the Grand Meadow, the Meadow’s name changed to Tsarina’s Meadow after the palace construction completed. The Tsarina’s Meadow became the central training ground for the imperial guards and military parades, and several artists and poets memorize these parades in their artworks. Most of the members of the royal family participated in these parades such as Emperor Paul who built his first imperial residence aside from the Tsarina’s Meadow, face to Catherine’s palace.
The Tsarina’s Meadow which was an important place for the military that held several parades throughout its existence lost its military appearance in the second half of the 19th century and turned to an amusement place for ordinary people. Many locals spent their relaxation time in this park which at the time had loads of attraction and amusement. The city government even built walking paths with beautiful flower decoration in the park for the people.
The Rumyantsev’s obelisk which was erected in the center of the field in 1799 transferred to the Vasilyevsky Island. The Alexander Suvorov’s statue which built by Mikhail Kozlovsky, and erected in the field in 1801 transferred to a square near the field. The Tsarina’s Meadow's name changed to The Field of Mars who was a Greek's God of War.
Following the February Revolution in 1917, the military character of the Field of Mars completely replaced by the new memorial face for the participants of revolution. After the October Revolution, 184 of assuming 1382 people who died during the revolution buried in the park territory which made the park as a small cemetery as well as the memorial place for the Bolshevik people.
The Field of Mars completely turned to the main memorial place and the symbol of the Revolution and the revolutionary people who lost their lives during the process. Several revolutionary people buried in the small cemetery of the Field of Mars years after the revolution such as Vaino Jokinen, Mikhail Lashevich, Grigori Tsiperovich, and Jussi Sainio.
The Lev Rudnev’s “To Fighters of Revolution” erected over the graves of the fallen in 1918. It was a monument to the participants in the revolution. Following that event, the name of the Field of Mars changed to The Place of the Victims of Revolution but changed back to the Field of Mars in 1944.
During the Second World War and the Siege of Leningrad, all the field of the memorial turned to a huge vegetable garden to supply the city’s needs. There is also some military weaponry took place all over the place. Following the victory in the war and lifting the siege, a tribute to the people who lost their lives to protect the city took place in the square which led to a salute fire ceremony.
The first-ever Eternal flame in all the Soviet Union was inflamed at the center of the memorial in the Field of Mars to memorize all the citizens who lost their lives during the revolutions and all wars in Russia. This Eternal Flame was the source of all the eternal flames in the memorials across all the Russia, including the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow’s Kremlin.
The 9-hectare park which today known as the Field of Mars has not any specific tourist’s attraction inside it, but because of the important background history and companion to several important constructions in the city of St. Petersburg, often recognized as an important tourist’s attraction itself.
The Field of Mars still witness lots of parades and rally as of today since it’s one of the main symbols of the city’s resistance.
We recommend that if you attended the Marble Palace, the Church on the Spilled Blood, the St. Michael’s fortress, or the Summer Palace also visit the Field of Mars since it’s quite near them, and observe the Eternal Flame at the center of the square firmly. This visit might become one of the unique experiences of your travel to St. Petersburg.
