The Federal War Memorial Cemetery (address: Sgonniki village of Mytishchi district of the Moscow region, 4th kilometer of the Ostashkovsky highway) is the first large-scale necropolis in the world.
Description
The Pantheon is an architectural complex that also serves as a museum. The Federal War Memorial Cemetery occupies more than 53 hectares, of which 26 are intended for burial. The construction of the necropolis lasted more than 5 years. In a sense, it can be classified as a structure of grandiose scale.
The Federal War Memorial Cemetery consists of a memorial hall located underground, a funeral supplies store and a cafe. The object has a mode of operation, which limits the visit. Entrance is allowed to persons on the burial passport or as part of excursions.
Status
The necropolis has the status of a federal institution at the state level. It is called: “Federal War Memorial Cemetery” (FGU FMVK). The burial is in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Creature
The idea of creating such a structure was announced at the official level in the early 2000s. The construction was started by decree of President V.V. Putin. However, direct construction began in the spring of 2008. The discovery of the necropolis was postponed many times in connection with financial problems.
Initially, the Federal War Memorial Cemetery in Mytishchi was planned to open in May 2010. The ceremony was to be dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the victory of the people of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War. Then the opening was scheduled for December 2011 to the 70th anniversary of the battle of Moscow.
First burial
Many are interested in: in a necropolis such as the Federal War Memorial Cemetery, who is buried first? Such a burial was carried out on June 21, 2013. With proper military honors, the remains of an unnamed warrior who died at the beginning of World War II near Smolensk were buried.
The remains of a front-line soldier were found by the searchers of the Yelninsky detachment Blagovest and the Moscow group Zastava St Ilya Muromets. The nameless hero was interred with all the appropriate military honors. At the opening of the memorial, Sergei Shoigu noted that the peculiarity of the national character of the people of Russia is sacrifice in the name of the motherland and high ideas.
Official opening
The official opening date of the necropolis is June 22, 2013. At the ceremony, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu lit the Eternal Flame near the monument "Sorrow". On August 30 of the same year, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill consecrated a stone in the complex at the base of the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, which began to function in 2014.
For a long time in Russia in the tablets of Russian history the memory of the heroes-defenders of the fatherland was immortalized. Recall at least the cemetery in Piskarevo, the memorial in Volgograd and Kursk. The Federal War Memorial Cemetery is a unique complex in which the memory of people who left a noticeable mark in history will be immortalized.
Complex device
Unusual among all the monumental structures in Russia, the complex includes four zones: the entrance, the production part, the place for rituals and the burial area (this includes the columbarium). During the construction, granite and marble were used.
On a huge square, right near the entrance to the necropolis, there are two statues, whose height is 32 m. They are faced with red and black granite. Mosaics are laid out on them, the main theme of which was sorrow and farewell. Paved with granite road leads to the obelisks of glory, located in the center. This is a composition consisting of four cubic granite structures with reliefs that thematically reflect the branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the rear of the country.
The bridge located above the beam symbolically connects life and death. It is continued by the Alley of Heroes. On it are objects of architecture, complemented by twenty-four figures of Russian soldiers of six eras. On the opposite side of the bridge there is a ritual zone, two mourning buildings, which are decorated in the same Shchusevsky style. The functional part includes four pavilions, an underground hall for commemoration, a shop for rituals, a cafeteria.
A distinctive feature of the mourning houses was the rich interior decoration in the style of mosaic panels. The first house is decorated in a sovereign spirit. It is decorated with the symbols of Russia in the form of Kremlin towers and a double-headed eagle. The design of the second house is made in a military spirit. The walls of the hall depict panoramas on various topics from the history of major battles in which Russian soldiers participated.
This part of the pantheon ends with a columbarium, in the central part of which, against the background of granite banners, stands a bronze pedestal called “Sorrow”. It is a monument to a mother who bent over her son who died in the war. Around the monument is a tank of round water. Water flows down into the plates. In the center of Columbaria, the Eternal Flame burns.
The necropolis alley extends for 2 km. The memorial is designed for 30, 000 graves, and 10, 000 places are planned in the columbarium. On both sides of the Alley of Heroes there are 15 special sites for the burial of the commanders of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Land for regular burials have an area equal to 5 square meters. m. One plot is intended for the burial of one person and subsequently spouse.
Burial regulations for military and civilians
At the burial of the military, military honors are provided for, regulated by the garrison charter and the guard service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
When civilians are buried, burial is carried out according to the protocol adopted by the state, which also implies the presence of an honor guard, an orchestra and a solemn march.
Burial criteria
In addition to military personnel and a number of persons holding large state awards, in the necropolis, if agreed upon during the life of a person or at the request of close relatives, presidents of the Russian Federation, ministers and other citizens may be buried.
Who is buried at the moment?
What can be seen at the Federal War Memorial Cemetery in Mytishchi? Who is buried in this place? The creator of the legendary machine gun, General Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Igor Rodionov, the Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Gubarev, the scientist who contributed to the field of nuclear development, Arkady Brish, the battle artist Sergey Prisekin, was buried there.
At the end of 2015, a monument was unveiled over the grave of Kalashnikov. In December 2013, the first funeral of the body of the general was held in the mourning hall. It was made by the Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna Juvenal Poyarkov.
Controversial proposal
More than once there was a suggestion that it would be advisable to transfer the remains of those who rest near the walls of the Kremlin to the Federal War Memorial Cemetery.
This question is controversial. Surely such an idea has both supporters and opponents. However, there is a clear reason. Red Square has become a venue for entertainment events and festivities. When a place of fun is adjacent to burials, then from the side, according to many people, it looks unethical.
Rules for the design of tombstones
Unified rules have been introduced regarding the design of tombstones - a bust or a bas-relief. The material for the manufacture of the pedestal and its foundation is natural stone: black, red or gray granite. In special cases, bronze is used. Installation is carried out one year after the burial. Uniform rules exist when designing a memorial plate. Its base is bronze or black granite.
What else is there in the cemetery?
The complex includes 42 operation objects of autonomous value. There are three gas pipelines with different pressure indicators. It has its own water intake system.
Visiting Rules
The Pantheon operates in strict mode. His visit to outsiders is forbidden. As already mentioned, entry is carried out strictly according to the burial document or as part of an excursion group.
The significance of the new facility
The Federal War Memorial Cemetery is one of the significant burials of the Moscow region. In fact, it became the second most important after Novodevichy and the burial near the walls of the Kremlin. Since there are no more places near the wall and at the Novodevichy cemetery, the pantheon of national importance is designed for representatives of the elite in the fields of politics, science, military affairs and culture.
