Soviet memorial in Treptower Park

Treptower Park

The Treptower Park was planned and laid out between 1876 and 1888 by the then municipal garden director Gustav Meyer.
With the S-Bahn, the 88.2 hectare park is very easy to reach. There is also a landing stage for the Stern- and Kreisschifffahrt. In addition to the beautiful large playgrounds and sunbathing lawns, especially the four-kilometer-long waterfront promenade along the Spree is a popular destination.
About a steep bridge you can reach the Island of Youth, a wonderful place to linger and rest with a beautiful view to the island of Stralau.
The riverside path continues to the Plänterwald, which in contrast to the Treptower Park was not designed, but left as a forest.
In the central part of the park is the Soviet Memorial; east of it the Archenhold Observatory with the longest refracting telescope in the world.

In addition to the beautiful large playgrounds and sunbathing areas, especially the four km long waterfront promenade along the Spree is a popular destination.
About a steep bridge you can reach the Island of Youth, a wonderful place to linger and rest with a beautiful view to the island of Stralau.
The riverside path continues to the Plänterwald, which in contrast to the Treptower Park was not designed, but left as a forest.
In the central part of the park is the Soviet Memorial; east of it the Archenhold Observatory with the longest refracting telescope in the world.

Soviet memorials

In the urban area of Berlin, three Soviet memorials were created by the Red Army after the end of the Second World War. The central memorial is located in Treptower Park, two other memorials were created in Tiergarten and Schönholzer Heide in Pankow.
They are intended to commemorate the 80,000 Red Army soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin. They are not only monuments commemorating the victory over Nazi Germany, but are also military cemeteries and thus Soviet war gravesites in Germany.

They are not only monuments commemorating the victory over Nazi Germany, but are also military cemeteries and thus Soviet war gravesites in Germany.

Sarcophagi

Sixteen white sarcophagi made of Jurassic limestone stand lined up at the edge of the central central field. They are not burial sites, but symbolize the union republics of the former USSR. On their long side there are reliefs from the history of the Patriotic War of the Soviet peoples. On the narrow side, facing the central field, are quotations from Josef Stalin.
Each of the sixteen sarcophagi is under a particular theme such as: Attack of the Germans, Destruction and Suffering in the Soviet Union, Victory, Death of Honour, etc. In the sarcophagi lined up on the northern side of the complex the quotations are carved in Russian, in those standing on the southern side in German. On their long side there are reliefs from the history of the Patriotic War of the Soviet peoples. On the narrow side, facing the central field, are quotations from Josef Stalin.
Each of the sixteen sarcophagi is under a particular theme such as: Attack of the Germans, Destruction and Suffering in the Soviet Union, Victory, Death of Honour, etc. In the sarcophagi lined up on the north side of the complex, the quotes are carved in Russian, in those that stand on the south side, in German.

On their long side are reliefs from the history of the Patriotic War of the Soviet peoples. On the narrow side, facing the central field, are quotations from Joseph Stalin.
Each of the sixteen sarcophagi is under a particular theme such as: Attack of the Germans, Destruction and Suffering in the Soviet Union, Victory, Death of Honour, etc. In the sarcophagi lined up on the north side of the complex, the quotes are carved in Russian, in those that stand on the south side, in German.

back to overview

1. Treptower Park
2. Soviet memorials
3. Sarcophagi