Sowjetisches Ehrenmal - Treptow
Type: Free Attractions, Historic Sites, History Museums, Military, Museums, Outdoor Activities, Parks
10Best Says
Oh well, just another monument, you might think. Think again, for the Soviet War Memorial in Treptow Park is the 'mother of all memorials', epic in proportion and gravitas. Incidentally, it is Mother... Read More
Oh well, just another monument, you might think. Think again, for the Soviet War Memorial in Treptow Park is the 'mother of all memorials', epic in proportion and gravitas. Incidentally, it is Mother Russia herself who greets visitors approaching the memorial from the northern end. Hewn in sandstone, she is shown grieving for the loss of her sons, 5000 of whom lie buried beneath the memorial grounds, killed in 1945 during World War II's final Soviet assault on Berlin. Behind the sculpture, a portal flanked by two kneeling soldiers was made from red granite scavenged from Hitler's New Reich Chancellery. It gives way to a vast 'cemetery' field overlooked by a 12m-high statue of a Soviet soldier standing over a broken swastika. The memorial opened in 1949 and is one of three Soviet war memorials in Berlin.
Hours:
- Daily Open 24 Hours
Admissions:
- Free
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Andrea Schulte-Peevers
Berlin Local Expert
- Best Attractions & Activities: "The memorial is just a short walk from the Spree River bank, where you'll find beer gardens and boat rentals. River cruises depart from landing docks just south of the Treptower Park S-Bahn station."
- Recommended as Best Attractions & Activities Because: Though pompous and bombastic, this memorial aptly captures the enormity of the loss of Soviet lives on the battlefields of World War II.
