12th-13th October 18 - Volgograd

We sailed along the Volga through locks to Volgograd/Stalingrad arriving in the afternoon for a walk around the new city. Saturday we went to Mamayev Hill - the site of a remarkable memorial complex to the near 900 day Battle of Stalingrad which ended in 1943 with the loss of over 2.5m Russians and Germans and their respective allies. It was a decisive turning point in WW2.

VOLGOGRAD

A double lock on the Volga

The 'MetroTram ' in Volgograd

The whole of Volgograd was destroyed in the War. so everything is 'new'. They are currently rebuilding the Cathedral.

This is how it will look. And how it looked in the early 20th century

They have already cast the bells.

Panorama over Volgograd from Mamayev Hill

Atop Mamayev Hill is the mighty statue of Mother Russia - some 85 metres tall.

The Hall of Glory commemorates the 2.5m who lost their lives in the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Eternal Flame in the Hall of Glory

We watched the Changing of the Guard. All very moving

View back at Mother Russia

Moving statues. This one is the Mother of Sorrows

Quite a moving place

View over Volgograd

They have left this old Flour Mill in the state it was after the battle.

Indeed you can see the old Flour mill top left in the diorama in the museum

The diorama in Battle of Stalingrad in the museum

These four old soldiers - all in the 90s - talked about their remembrances of the Battle of Stalingrad. They had all been conscripted in their teens. The one strong message was 'never again...'. Hear Hear to that!