Geoff Brock & Bruce Gamble
         
     

Day 10: Volgograd

  
 
 

Wednesday, 21st October 1998

 

Volgograd was next. Formerly Stalingrad (and before that, Tsaritsyn), it was raised to the ground by the Nazis during a year-long siege, during which many hundreds of thousands died. The new town built on the site is attractive with wide streets and parks. The people are rightly proud of their heritage.

As we arrived in Volgograd we were stunned by the enormous statue of Mother Russia on the horizon.
 
 
 
 
 
The Volgograd diorama museum building
 
The great steps
 
We were deeply moved by the War Memorial. Overshadowed by the massive staue of Mother Russia, the round building is open to the sky and has an eternal flame for the hundreds of thousands of citizens who died during the Nazi siege of the city.
 
 
 
 
View of the city and the Volga from the memorial
 
After a day which we both found to be both informative and poignant, the evening was a complete contrast. We were treated to music and dancing from a group of Cossack dancers who paid a visit to the ship.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©Geoff Brock and Bruce Gamble