On one day, Natasha and I headed out to Volgograd to see some other sites I hadn’t seen yet.  We walked around stopping at lots of places, including the Volgograd State Panorama Museum.  Located next to the Old Steam Mill and across the street from the Pavlov House in downtown Volgograd, it stands with remarkable architecture.

During the half year battle in Stalingrad, the entire city lay in ruins.  The Old Steam Mill, built by two German Businessmen and destroyed in 1942 by the Nazi Germans, is the only building saved as a memorial to the fierce battle and the victory of Stalingrad.

The Pavlov House was originally an apartment building, named after the Junior Commander and his men.  Pavlov and his squad were the first to fortify the building and later, more men defended with them and mines were placed around the building.  Nazi German Maps marked this location as a fort.  This building stands as a memorial.

The Volgograd State Panorama Museum was amazing.  As the name suggests, on the top floor there is a panorama painting which completely surrounds you on the wall of the building.  Painted by seven painters working together to depict one day of fighting in Stalingrad.  The Panorama is absolutely unbelievable and you have to see it to believe it.  You are allowed to take pictures for you memories of being there, but you have to see it with your own eyes.

Also located there are some of the most prized items during that time.  One of my personal favorites was to see the actual sniper rifle used by Stalingrad War Hero, Vasily Zaitsev.  There is by far too much to see there, and I cant talk about all my favorites.  If you have the opportunity to go, it’s a must see!