Victory Memorial to Soviet Army

Victory Memorial to Soviet Army Global Sightseer (Atlas Obscura User)

Erected in 1985 to commemorate the Soviet Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, the Victory Memorial to Soviet Army is one of Riga’s most controversial monuments. The memorial complex dominates the park with its towering 249-foot (76-meter) obelisk. It is adorned with five golden stars that symbolize the five years of WWII. On either side of the obelisk are bronze statues of Mother Motherland and a band of three soldiers.

The monument can be found in the city park created in 1909 when Latvia was part of the Russian Empire. The park’s opening ceremony was attended by Tsar Nicholas II. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Latvia declared independence. However, it wasn’t until after Latvia defeated the West Russian Volunteer Army in 1919 that Latvia was recognized as a new nation. In honor of this triumph, the park was renamed Victory Park in 1923.

The Victory Memorial to Soviet Army has been controversial as it is seen as a symbol of the Soviet re-occupation of Latvia during WWII. In 1997, the monument was targeted by members of a Latvian ultra-nationalist group and was unsuccessfully bombed.

The sculptures were destroyed in 2023 and currently, the park is not accessible to the public due to construction works.

Know Before You Go

Take tram no.1 from Kr Barona to the second stop (Slokas iela) over the Akmens Bridge. The monument complex is part of Victory Park. The park is used for recreation and includes a cross-country ski track.

At an emergency meeting on Friday, May 13, the Riga City Council decided to instruct the Rīga Monuments Agency to perform all the necessary activities for the dismantling of the Soviet monument at Uzvaras Park