Mars Field is a square in the center of St. Petersburg that served as a parade ground in imperial times and later became a necropolis for the fallen after the revolution. It got its name by analogy with the Parisian territory where army exercises took place, which in turn borrowed it from a place of military drills in Ancient Rome, where the altar of the god of war Mars stood. A monument to Generalissimo A. V. Suvorov in the guise of a Roman deity is installed at Mars Field in St. Petersburg.

At the beginning of St. Petersburg's existence, the site of Mars Field was a marshy forest. Peter I decided to build the Summer Garden nearby, and the swamp was drained: two canals connected the Moika River with the Neva, forming a rectangular island. When the soil dried, the trees were cut down, and a meadow appeared, named the Big or Empty Meadow.

The new square became a place for drills and parades, as well as public festivities. Under Peter I, there was a Drinking House, later rebuilt into a Post Office, and a menagerie. The most grand celebration took place on the occasion of the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Northern War with Sweden. The main event occurred on the other bank of the Neva, but a triumphal decoration and fireworks were also arranged on the Big Meadow.

In the future, Mars Field was nicknamed the "Playground." The area was built up with mansions of the nobility, and palaces were erected on the field itself. One of them, the Summer Palace, belonged to Catherine I. Under Anna Ioannovna, military drills and parades were held here. According to the plan of architect V. V. Rastrelli, the field was transformed into a garden, but the work continued under Elizabeth Petrovna. A new Summer Palace was built on the site of the old one, and the square in front of it became known as Tsaritsyn Meadow. Trees were planted on the island, alleys were laid out, garden pavilions and a fountain were built. In 1750, two theaters were erected. However, in 1777, a flood destroyed the garden.

Tsaritsyn Meadow again became a place for parades and festivities. Under Catherine II, the square was cleared of vegetation and filled with sand. Under Paul I, the meadow turned into a parade ground for drill training. The theater was demolished, and the Mikhailovsky Castle was built on the site of the Summer Palace.

Under Alexander I, famous architects reconstructed Mars Field. The Rumyantsev Obelisk was moved to Vasilievsky Island, and the statue of Suvorov was placed in front of the Saltykov house. Alexander II reopened Mars Field for festivities. Expressions related to visiting Mars Field and its entertainments became common.

In February 1917, the fallen in the street battles of Petrograd were buried at Mars Field. Later, other victims of political conflicts were also buried there. The square was named "Victims of the Revolution." During the Siege of Leningrad, there were vegetable gardens and an artillery battery on the field. The monument to Suvorov stood undamaged. In honor of the lifting of the siege, a salute was fired from Mars Field, which was restored to its historical name.

Today, Mars Field is a park and a memorial-historical complex where one can honor the memory of the fallen, relax, or listen to music.