About 6,000 Swedish warriors were killed in the Battle of Poltava –
the bloodiest battle in the Swedish-Russian wars.
Their remains were hurriedly buried in
numerous marshy gullies close to the places where they happened to be found.
Some of the captured Swedish army chaplains were permitted to say a requiem
mass over the last resting place of their comrades.
In 1909 the Government of the Russian Empire decided to erect a
monument to the fallen Swedish warriors as a sign of recognition
of their military valour and courage. It was unveiled on June 27th 1909 on the site
where the right flank of the Swedish Army had been
positioned. The monument was created in the form of truncated
granite pyramid crowned with a cross. A bronze plate bears the following inscription:
“Let the brave Swedish warriors who perished in the Battle of Poltava
on June 27th 1909 be remembered forever”. The monument is surrounded by
cast-iron pillars connected with a chain. The first picture of the monument
was taken soon after its unveiling and published in the “Ogonek” magazine.
|