About 6,000 Swedish warriors were killed in the Battle of Poltava – the bloodiest battle in the Swedish-Russian wars. Their remains were hurriedly buried in numerous marshy gullies close to the places they happened to be found.

A question concerning the erection a monument in commemoration of fallen Swedish warriors on the battlefield for the first time was raised in Sweden in 1890 by then major Claus Grill. Being in exchange service in Russian Army he had often been to Poltava and the battlefield.

Holly Cross Exaltation Monastery, an outstanding historic landmark of Poltava is situated on the southern edge of the long range, overlooking the western bank of the Vorskla River and can be seen from considerable distance. This location was chosen for the monastery by the Father-Superior Kalistrat of Mhar Monastery (situated in Lubny, 200 km. away from the Ukraine's capital, Kyiv). The commanders of the Poltava Cossacks regiment Ivan Iskra, Ivan Kramar and others, headed by regimental commander Colonel Martin Pushkar, founded it in 1650, so it can be regarded as a Cossack's monastery.

Possibly term "Redoubt" originates from the French word of “redoubt”, which means "shelter". In Britannic military terminology it was used to name the isolated defensive installation, equipped with all necessities to withstand a long siege.

Soon after the battle of Poltava Peter I issued an order to build two churches in the name of St. Sampsoniy, whose name-day is celebrated on the 27th of June - the day of the battle. One of these churches was erected in St. Petersburg and another one was supposed to be built in Poltava.