The Flower of Life is a memorial at kilometre 3 of the Road of Life — the route that connected besieged Leningrad to the rest of the country across Lake Ladoga. The stone flower with a child's face on one petal stands among birch trees planted in memory of children who perished during the 872-day siege.
What to see
Three parts: the Flower of Life stele (15 metres tall), the Alley of Friendship (900 birches — one for each day of the siege), and a memorial mound with granite slabs bearing lines from Tanya Savicheva's diary. The walk takes 30–40 minutes.
Getting there
By car: A128 highway from St Petersburg, about 30–40 minutes. Free parking. By public transport: commuter train to Rzhevka or Vsevolozhskaya, then a local bus — check schedules, they run infrequently.
If you need a ride from the city, you can book a transfer.
Nearby on the Road of Life
Continue to Lake Ladoga to see the Road of Life Museum in Osinovets and the Broken Ring memorial, which marks the start of the ice road. The full drive from the Flower to Ladoga makes a day trip.
Practical notes
Free entry, open 24 hours. No facilities on site — the nearest cafés and restrooms are in Vsevolozhsk.
Who should consider carefully
The memorial is a place of remembrance, not entertainment. Young children may not understand the context. Without a car, reaching it involves transfers and waiting.
Good to know
Allow about an hour at the memorial itself and dress for open ground, because the site is exposed and the wind can be sharp in autumn. Since there are no facilities on site, fill your tank, use a restroom and buy water in Vsevolozhsk before you arrive. You can combine the visit with the Road of Life Museum and Lake Ladoga, but check the museum's opening hours beforehand. Visitors usually keep their voices low, and many bring flowers to leave at the memorial.
Verified 23 October 2026
