What is remarkable about the Donskoye cemetery

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Donskoy Cemetery, located in the south-west of Moscow, is one of the most significant historical necropolises of the capital. Many figures who left a noticeable mark on Russian history, politics, culture and science are buried on it. Let's take a closer look at this architectural and historical landmark.

From Russian history

On the date of foundation of many historical and architectural objects that have existed for many centuries, we can only judge approximately. Donskoye Cemetery in Moscow is not one of them. Historical sources have preserved the exact date of the first burial on it, this is 1591. According to tradition, the cemetery was opened at the Donskoy Monastery founded in the same year on the outskirts of Moscow. It was erected to commemorate the victory over the Crimean Khan Girey and named after the Don Icon of the Mother of God. It was with this icon that Sergius of Radonezh blessed Prince Dmitry for the Battle of Kulikovo. The Donskoy Monastery has been one of the most significant spiritual centers of the Russian Orthodox Church for centuries. Its architectural ensemble has become a unique collection of monuments illustrating the development of Russian architecture from the Middle Ages to the present day.

On the graveyard of the Donskoy Monastery

There is nothingsurprising in the fact that the Donskoy cemetery became the final resting place of many significant people in Russia. Moscow, the ancient capital of the Russian state, was located in close proximity to it even at the time of its foundation. And with the natural growth of the city, the Donskoy Monastery, together with the necropolis, first became part of the territory of Moscow, and then ceased to be considered its outskirts. But as a burial place of the highest aristocracy and nobility, the Donskoy cemetery became known as early as the second half of the eighteenth century. This churchyard was considered one of the most respected and prestigious not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia. Not every mortal could be honored to be buried on it. Nevertheless, the Old Donskoy Cemetery is a burial place for people from different social strata of Russian society. Here are the graves of participants in the Patriotic War of 1812, Decembrist revolutionaries, prominent statesmen and public figures, writers and artists.

Donskoye cemetery in Moscow today

The total area of the historic churchyard is currently about 13 hectares. The modern Donskoy cemetery is divided into Old and New. Each of the two territories has a separate entrance and is open to the public. In the administrative sense, the Donskoye Cemetery is a structural subdivision of the State Unitary Enterprise "Ritual". It is this organization that ensures the care of the graves and the maintenance of the graveyard in the proper form. From the late twenties toOn the territory of the cemetery, a crematorium functioned, and urns with ashes were buried in the walls of columbariums located here. There are currently no burials in the territory of the Donskoy cemetery. Exceptions to this rule are very rare.

Last burials

But still, new graves in the cemetery sometimes appear. Decisions on burial in a historical cemetery are made at the highest state level. So, as an exception, at the Donskoy cemetery in October 2005, the reburial of the commander of the White Army, General A. I. Denikin and the Russian philosopher I. A. Ilyin, who died in exile, took place. These people returned to Russia after their death, according to their will. And in August 2008, the outstanding Russian writer, publicist and public figure A. I. Solzhenitsyn was buried on the historical graveyard.