Published on: 2026-06-22
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Milena Zolotaryova (fourth from the left) with student participants of the conference
June 22 is a special date in the history of our country. On this day began the Great Patriotic War, which became the most severe trial for millions of people. Decades pass, generations change, but the memory of this event remains a part of our national identity. It lives in family history, archival documents, frontline letters, memorials, and museum exhibitions. But there is also one more sensitive memory that we face every day — the city.
Streets, squares, embankments, monuments, and historic buildings of Leningrad – Saint Petersburg have become silent witnesses of the war years. Many of them survived bombings and artillery shelling, many were damaged or destroyed. Behind each restored facade, behind each repaired monument, stands the work of people who, during the war years and the post-war period, did not allow the city’s cultural heritage to disappear.
For architects, engineers, and builders, the memory of the Great Patriotic War holds special significance. During the harsh years of the war, representatives of these professions solved tasks on which the lives of people and the historical appearance of Leningrad depended. They participated in the construction of defensive structures, worked on camouflaging important objects, and developed engineering solutions to protect the city. And even during the blockade, specialists continued to think about the future, understanding that after Victory the city would have to be restored.
This page of history was dedicated to the student scientific conference “Builders and Architects of Peaceful Life: From Defense to Restoration,” organized by the student scientific society of the architectural faculty of SPbGASU with the support of its curator, associate professor of the Department of History and Theory of Architecture, deputy dean of the architectural faculty for scientific work Milena Zolotaryova jointly with the museum-memorial complex “Road of Life.” The venue for the event was the museum “Road of Life Motorists Headquarters”—a space where the memory of Leningrad’s heroic past is especially carefully preserved.
The choice of venue for the conference is deeply symbolic: the Road of Life has forever entered history as the path of salvation for the besieged city. Over the ice of Lake Ladoga, food, medicine, and fuel were delivered to the besieged Leningrad, and residents were evacuated from the city. Thanks to the dedication of military personnel, drivers, engineers, and transport organizers, hundreds of thousands of lives were saved.
Before the start of the conference, the participants familiarized themselves with the museum’s exhibition. The tour became an important emotional introduction to the scientific part of the event, allowing them to see the events of the war not only through documents and facts but also through the fates of specific people.
In their research, students and instructors of SPBGASU examined various aspects of the activities of architects and engineers during the Great Patriotic War. They paid special attention to the work of Leningrad architects during the blockade period. Despite the constant threat of artillery shelling and air raids, the architects continued to perform their professional duties, participating in the defense of the city and the preservation of its cultural heritage.
Student Nikita Yeremin is giving a report on the architecture of the blockade, prepared jointly with senior lecturer of the Department of History and Theory of Architecture Ivan Minniev.
One of the important directions of activity was architectural camouflage. Many recognizable objects in Leningrad needed protection from enemy aviation. Architects developed projects that made it possible to hide important buildings and structures, change their visual appearance, and complicate enemy orientation. This work required not only engineering knowledge but also a creative approach, since it was necessary to preserve the architectural value of the objects while simultaneously ensuring their safety.
No less significant was the activity of recording and preserving historical memory. During the war years, architects and artists created sketches, drawings, and measurements of buildings, documented destruction and damage. Many of these materials later became the basis for restoration work. Thanks to this work, it was possible to compile information about architectural monuments and prepare restoration projects.
A separate topic of the conference was the post-war revival of cities. Victory did not mean the end of trials. Specialists faced the grand task of restoring the destroyed economy, housing stock, industrial enterprises, and cultural monuments. Leningrad had to not only regain its lost appearance but also preserve its historical identity.
The restoration of the city became an example of an incredible professional and human feat. Architects, engineers, and builders worked on the restoration of palaces, cathedrals, memorial structures, and city ensembles. They aimed not only to eliminate the consequences of destruction but also to preserve the historical authenticity of monuments, to pass on to future generations a cultural heritage that survived the war.
A special interest among conference participants was aroused by studies devoted to the restoration of architectural monuments and memorial sites in Petersburg. These works allowed for a new perspective on the role of architecture as a tool for preserving historical memory. After all, each restored monument becomes not just an object of cultural heritage but a symbol of the resilience of the city and its inhabitants.
Special attention was paid by those gathered to the personality of a graduate of the Leningrad Engineering and Construction Institute (LISI, as it was then called SPBGASU), a military engineer, architect, and one of the creators of the museum “Headquarters of Motorists – Roads of Life”Leonid Yulyevich Galperin. His fate became an example of how a professional calling can be combined with service to the Motherland and with the preservation of historical memory. The study of his activities allowed the conference participants to see the connection between the heroic past and modern work on preserving historical heritage.
Day of Remembrance and Sorrow is not only a day of recalling a tragic event of the past. It is an opportunity to reflect on the price our cities, culture, and historical memory have paid. For Leningrad – Petersburg, which survived the blockade, this date has a special significance: it reminds us of the courage of the city’s defenders, the resilience of its residents, and the selfless labor of those who restored life to it after the war.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims, and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.