After passing the Square of Those Who Stood to the Death, you will come out onto a wide granite staircase narrowing in perspective. On either side of it rise the Walls-Ruins, shielding those walking up the steps from the surrounding world. A similar architectural solution, known as propylea, was used as far back as Ancient Greece on the approaches to shrines and temples to emphasize the solemn atmosphere.
The Walls-Ruins are positioned at an angle to each other, converging at the far end of the staircase. They are 46 meters long, and in some sections rise to 18 meters high. The propylea of Mamayev Kurgan recreate the most heroic and terrifying events of the Battle of Stalingrad. Soldiers on the bas-reliefs go on the attack, tanks carved in stone relentlessly move forward, and the walls are lashed by machine-gun fire and chipped by grenade explosions.
Everywhere are inscribed the most famous slogans of that war, quotes from military leaders and excerpts from orders, battle cries, and the words with which commanders inspired the soldiers. Even greater realism is added to the composition by the sounds of gunfire coming from loudspeakers, battle cries, wartime music, and the voice of Levitan delivering war bulletins.
The left wall is devoted to the sacred oath of the defenders of Stalingrad: “Not a step back!”, while the right calls for attack: “Only forward!”.
