One of the main attractions of the capital, according to which Moscow will learn even foreigners - is the Kremlin wall.Although originally written as a defensive fortification, now it serves, rather, a decorative function and is an architectural monument.But apart from that, in the last century Kremlin wall also serves as the burial place of the outstanding people of the country.This necropolis is the cemetery of the most unusual in the world and has become one of the most important historical monuments of the capital, and thousands of tourists visit the place.
History Kremlin wall
modern view it took until the early 16th century.The Kremlin wall being built of red brick on the site of the ancient white stone, and only in the area east of the Kremlin was a little extended.It was built by the Italian architects.The shape of the outline of the fortress wall of the Kremlin's repeated, and took the form of irregular triangle.It extends over two kilometers and a height of from five to twenty meters.The highest walls were from the Red Square.Top Kremlin wall decorated with teeth that are shaped like a dovetail.There are more than a thousand, and almost all have narrow slits.The wall itself is wide, about six meters, it is arranged in a plurality of embrasures and transitions.Outside, it is smooth, made of solid red bricks.Over 20 different towers built into the wall.The most famous of them - the Saviour, on which the Kremlin chimes.In addition to its architectural and historical value, today Kremlin Wall attracts tourists also created in the last century necropolis.It is a kind of cemetery, which became a memorial.
Create Kremlin necropolis
first two mass graves near the Kremlin wall appeared in November 1917.They were located on the Red Square between the Nikolsky Spassky Gate.They had been buried about 200 nameless soldiers who died during the October Revolution.In the next ten years, a more than ten mass graves next to the wall.And three hundred Bolsheviks buried in them are known only 110 names.In honor of them have been named many streets and squares in the capital and other cities.Until 1927 near the Kremlin wall, and even the dead were buried who died a natural death of the Revolution.There were also single burial of famous people of the time.
who is buried at the Kremlin wall in the early years?
- first single grave at the Kremlin wall appeared in 1919.It was buried Sverdlov.
- In the early 20-ies in single graves were buried many prominent figures of the party and government: Mikhail Frunze, Dzerzhinsky, M. Kalinin and others.
- In the early years of the necropolis were buried near the Kremlin wall as foreign Communists.Here are buried, John Reid, Clara Zetkin, Inessa Armand and Sam Katayama.
- Since 1924, the center became the necropolis of the Kremlin Mausoleum in which lay the body of Lenin.This place later became a tribune for prominent public figures.
Burial 30-80-ies
After 1927 it was decided to be buried near the Kremlin wall only prominent members of the party and government, as well as great scientists.Fraternal burial stopped, but before 1985 in this necropolis buried many famous people.
- members of the party and government: Budyonny, Suslov, Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko;
- in the early 60-ies of the Lenin Mausoleum carried and buried near the Kremlin wall the body of Stalin;
- all died in the rank of Marshal Zhukov, for example;
- outstanding pilots such as Chkalov, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and many others;
- famous scientists Karpinski, Kurchatov and Korolev;
- necropolis Visitors interested in who is buried at Kremleskoy walls still can see the names of the mother of Lenin, his wife Nadezhda Krupskaya, the writer Maxim Gorky, Lunacharsky Commissar of Education, and many others.
How were buried in the necropolis?
Until the early '80s was used for the burial of famous people Kremlin wall.Burial beside her were of two kinds:
- right of the mausoleum near the Kremlin wall are located the graves of very prominent figures of the party and the government.They are decorated with sculptural portraits - a bust of the famous sculptor Merkurov, Tomsk, and other Rukavishnikova.The last person buried at the Kremlin wall was Konstantin Chernenko, was buried there in 1985.
- Most of those buried in the necropolis of cremated.Urns with their ashes imbedded in the Kremlin wall on both sides of the Senate tower.Their names and dates of life engraved on the memorial slabs.Just a wall of the ashes of 114 great people - scientists, the military, politicians and astronauts.The last was buried in such a way Dmitri Ustinov.
What else is known Kremlin wall?
Burial attracting tourists are not only on the Red Square.The necropolis of the Kremlin wall includes a memorial to the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier", located in the Alexander Garden.It was created in 1967 in honor of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Moscow.The ashes of the Unknown Soldier on the gun carriage as part of the funeral procession was taken out of Zelenograd.The modern form of the memorial is not taken immediately.At the grave of a soldier tombstone was installed with the composition of cast bronze.In the folds of the battle flag is a soldier's helmet and a laurel branch.Eternal Flame at the Kremlin wall completes the composition.Later, it has been added to an alley with porphyry units that are stored under the ground ten cities-heroes, and in 2010 there was a granite memorial 10 meter stele.It also symbolizes the memory of the hero cities.An important part of the whole composition of the memorial itself is the Kremlin wall.Photos of the place known not only in Russia but also abroad.
history necropolis
For almost a hundred years, there is a kind of cemetery.His appearance was changed several times, and in the 50s he even wanted to close and move the dust resting there in another place.We planned for this to create a special pantheon, but the project was soon closed.On the fate of the cemetery is not much happening in the country reflected the political events.Although policies are in disgrace, is not buried by the wall, but not eliminate the existing burial.Since 1974, the necropolis made in the number of public monuments, and he was protected by the state.And part of it - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - has become the most popular destination of tourists and visits of foreign statesmen.For many years, talking about the elimination of the necropolis and transferring the ashes buried there in the common cemetery.This is due not only to religious, but also political considerations.However, in accordance with applicable Russian legislation, it needs to obtain the consent of relatives, which in most cases is impossible.So now the necropolis was the architectural and historical monument.Many tourists tend to visit the Kremlin wall.
value necropolis
From the first years of its establishment, it has become a place of the oath of soldiers in front of the Mausoleum parades.During the holidays, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier assigned wreaths.And in recent years about her is a constant guard of honor of the soldiers of the presidential regiment.This place is visited by foreign delegations and tourists not only during the holidays, but also on ordinary days.Not everyone knows who is buried near the Kremlin wall, but that such a memorial exists, known not only in Russia but also abroad.This necropolis was one of the most popular sights of Moscow.
