The memorial is dedicated to the victims of totalitarian regimes from Russia and Poland. In 1940, this was the place of shooting and burial of approximately 4,500 Polish officers. It is also a burial site for over 10,000 Russian citizens who were executed during the purges of 1930-40s.
The memorial consists of two parts, the Polish military cemetery and the Russian grave sites. This is Russia's first ever international memorial to the victims of totalitarian purges.
The Russian and the Polish parts of the memorial are joined together by the Alley of Memory, which runs from the first ritual ground to the second ritual ground. This Alley is a symbol of the common memory and unity of two Slavic peoples in the face of unending pain.
Smolenskiy Terem Informational Center for Culture and Tourism of Smolensk / visit-smolensk.ru
Источник фотографий: Russia.Travel