Sphinxes of Mikhail Shemyakin - a monument to victims of political repression

In St. Petersburg on the embankment of Robespierre there is a memorial to the victims of political repression. The monument was opened in April 1995.

The architecture of the monument was designed by V. Bukhayev, the work of the sculptor was performed by M. Shemyakin. The pedestal is a sphinx that lies on a pedestal of granite. The sphinx has 2 profiles: one, female, looks at the houses of the embankment, the other, a skull, looks at the prison "Cross". The artist shows 2 extremes: freedom and imprisonment, life and death. The bodies of the sphinxes were depicted very thin, bones and ribs are thrown into the eyes.

The obelisk is made of pink granite, a sculpture of sphinxes and a board of bronze. The idea of the monument reflects the life of the country: half lived in ignorance, others died for what is not clear. At the time, most people were unaware of the existence of the Gulag.

The twentieth century is called not only the century of great achievements, but also of colossal losses. Imperialism has claimed millions of innocent lives across the country. The monument to the victims of political repression was opened in memory of that terrible time.