For siege survivors, Middle Turnpike (now Victory Square) is closely linked to the city's defense during the Great Patriotic War. Defense installations were built in the square, just 9 kilometers away from the frontline. In 1941, regular troops and volunteers passed through the square on their way into the battle.

Construction of the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad Memorial was completed within record-breaking time. Volunteers from Leningrad and elsewhere in the Soviet Union took part in construction. A bank account was opened for donations. The above part of the memorial was finished in just 13 months. The monument also has an underground museum focusing on the Siege history.