Monuments to celebrities at the Novodevichy cemetery. Novodevichy Cemetery – Rest of the Great (55 photos). Famous composers at the Novodevichy cemetery

Located near the Sportivnaya metro station in Moscow Novodevichy Cemetery It is known primarily for the fact that there are many graves of celebrities on its territory. It is because of this that the necropolis attracts the attention of tourists and people interested in the historical past of Russia and the personalities of prominent people.

History of the necropolis

WITH The cemetery received its name due to its proximity to the Novodevichy Convent. Official documents about scheduled burials here date back to 1898, and its opening took place in 1904. The expansion of the capital and the increase in its population inevitably entailed an increase in the territory of the cemetery. Official decrees on the inclusion of nearby territories into the necropolis were issued twice:

• in 1949, the so-called New Novodevichy cemetery was formed to the south of the ancestral territory;
• at the end of the 70s. It was decided to create the Newest Novodevichy Cemetery.

As a result of these expansions, the territory of the necropolis is currently approximately 7.5 hectares, and over 26 thousand people are buried here. The importance of Novodevichy as a cultural site is evidenced by the UNESCO decree on its inclusion in the list of one hundred most important necropolises in the world.

Initially, its deceased novices were buried on the lands adjacent to the monastery by order of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III. Over time, graves of ordinary Muscovites began to appear. Since the middle of the 17th century, news appears in sources about the departure on the territory of the monastery cemetery funeral rite over the deceased daughters of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Before this, the necropolis of the ruling dynasty was the Kremlin Archangel Cathedral. The burials of representatives of the reigning dynasty far from the main necropolis are explained by two reasons:

The burials of members of the ruling dynasty at Novodevichy did not make this cemetery a place for the posthumous resting place of privileged persons. A certain tendency towards this has been observed since the second half of the 19th century century. There are more and more graves of intellectuals and successful merchants. Largely thanks to this, the decrees of 1898 and 1904 were passed, and the cemetery area was fenced off.

The revolution of 1917 stopped for some time the process of turning Novodevichy into

necropolis for the elite. Since then, funerals of ordinary Muscovites have been held here. But already in 1922, the territory of the cemetery was declared a museum. Conducted restoration work, and also to increase the attractiveness of the place, a large square with picturesque alleys is being created. However, the latter led to the destruction and damage of old graves.

By decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of 1927, the territory of the cemetery was reserved for the burial of persons who occupied a high position in society. At the same time, the necropolis was reorganized. The historical burial sites were divided into four sectors. Subsequently, four more were added to them: on their territory you can find graves only from the 20th century.

In connection with the increase in the number of deceased people associated with the growth of the population of Moscow, a columbarium that is still in operation was opened, where urns with the ashes of the deceased are located. Currently, the columbarium houses over seven thousand urns.

As already mentioned, the special status of the cemetery is associated with the abundance of graves here famous people. Most of them are marked by monuments made by recognized sculptors. Among those celebrities who are buried at the Novodevichy cemetery, Several groups can be distinguished:

Monument to Yeltsin

Perhaps the most famous burial is the grave, the photo of which is attached below. This is the tomb of the first elected president Russian Federation- Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin (died April 23, 2007). At first, at the burial site there was a traditional small hill and a wooden Orthodox cross. Later, as an assessment of Yeltsin’s merits in the formation of a new Russian statehood, his grave was “covered” with a marble Russian tricolor.

Tombstone N.S. Khrushchev

The monument to Khrushchev at the Novodevichy cemetery was made by avant-garde sculptor Ernst Neizvestny. During the moves when Nikita Sergeevich headed the Soviet Union, he harshly criticized the exhibition of works contemporary art. In fact, this meant a ban on creating. However, after being removed from power, Khrushchev reconsidered his views. Therefore, his son Sergei personally turned to Neizvestny with a request to design a monument for his father.

In his work, the sculptor symbolically expressed the duality of the nature of the former Secretary General. The monument represents the golden head of Khrushchev, standing in a white marble niche against a background of black granite. This is exactly how Nikita Sergeevich is remembered by society: always wanting the good of his country, he made monstrous mistakes that cost dearly to the economy and foreign policy.

It should be noted that the Brezhnev authorities reacted coolly to the idea of ​​the Unknown. Some saw in the black granite a hint of the stagnation that gripped the country in the 70s. With great difficulty, the family of the deceased managed to obtain permission to install a monument by Neizvestny.

Not all famous people wanted to be buried in a prestigious place. For example, Vasily Shukshin really wanted to be taken to Siberia, where he was born, after his death. His mother insisted on the same thing. But Shukshin’s significance for Soviet culture in the eyes of the authorities seemed to be a more important factor in comparison with the last will of the deceased and the desires of his family.

For the Minister of Internal Affairs Soviet Union Andrei Gromyko's grave at Novodevichy turned out to be a kind of demotion in status. The fact is that it was originally planned to bury his body near the Kremlin wall, as was done with the most prominent political figures Soviet era. But the situation changed, the USSR entered a period of severe crisis and was falling apart before our eyes. Burial on the territory of the Kremlin has lost its relevance.

Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation in 1998-1999. Evgeny Maksimovich Primakov was also buried at Novodevichy against his will. He wanted to rest next to his wife at the Kuntsevskoye cemetery, but according to the instructions of the authorities, his wish was ignored. The only thing in which his last will was respected was the poem engraved on the gray granite monument: “ I firmly decided: to be in the harness until the end, until I’m exhausted, until I fall. And if it becomes unbearably hard, then even then I will not leave the road.”It was written by Evgeniy Maksimovich himself.

Monument as a symbol

Most of the Novodevichy tombstones reflect the professional side of the activities of the people buried there. For example, General Lebed is forever imprinted in his jacket, decorated with all the medals and insignia he received. The grave of TV presenter and traveler Yuri Senkevich is decorated with a sculptural wave with a reed vessel in memory of his sailing on the boats "Ra" and "Tigris" with Thor Heyerdahl.

The famous Russian clown and remembered for his role as the Goonie in the comedies of Leonid Gaidai, Yuri Nikulin, was also buried at Novodevichy. His monument is a bronze sculpture sitting with a cigarette between his fingers next to the grave. The monument to another famous actor, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, is a sculptural image of Stirlitz, his character from the popular film series “Seventeen Moments of Spring.”

In recognition of the merits of famous writers, their monuments are supplemented artistic depiction characters in their works. The tombstone of Alexander Fadeev was created according to this principle: his monument is surrounded by sculptural images of characters from the novel “The Young Guard”. After his death, Alexei Tolstoy, popular under Soviet rule, is also in the company of the heroes of his novels: “Walking Through Torment” and “Peter the First.”

The poet Andrei Voznesensky personally developed the design of his tombstone. According to his plan, a split tombstone made of dark granite was installed on the grave, along which a massive ball was rolling down. Only a small crucifix keeps the ball from falling completely. At the request of the poet, there are no images or sculptures on his grave.

The history of the burial of N.V. Gogol

Every cemetery has dark legends associated with it.. For Novodevichy, such a legend arose thanks to his reburial in 1931 famous writer Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol. This happened at the height of anti-religious policies in the USSR. Then a decision was made to liquidate the Danilovsky Monastery and the cemetery belonging to it. While moving the ashes of the deceased, the coffin was opened and it was discovered that the inside of its lid was scratched. Hence the rumors that the writer was buried alive.

The old monument to Gogol (a black stone with an uneven surface symbolizing Golgotha) was given as a tombstone to another Russian writer - Mikhail Bulgakov. Instead, a sculptural image of Gogol was installed with a dedication on behalf of the Soviet government. Only in 2009 the writer’s tombstone acquired its original appearance..

Excursion programs

Even this cursory review allows us to form a certain idea about the significance of the necropolis in the complex cultural heritage countries. Excursions are constantly held here for both domestic and foreign tourists, and special guides and maps or diagrams by section are compiled. Throughout the week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the entire Novodevichy Cemetery is open to the public. The address is easy to remember: Moscow, Luzhitsky proezd, 2.

For those who do not have the opportunity to personally join the excursion group, we offer virtual tours, which also costs much less than standard ones. But people who believe that such a service cannot be compared with the magical feeling that arises when entering the territory where people like Vishnevsky or Chernyakhovsky are buried should, of course, go there in person. There are various types transport to the Novodevichy Cemetery: you can get to it by metro, and get there by trolleybus or taxi.

“Save, Lord!” Thank you for visiting our website, before you start studying the information, please subscribe to our Orthodox community on Instagram Lord, Save and Preserve † - https://www.instagram.com/spasi.gospodi/. The community has more than 60,000 subscribers.

There are many of us like-minded people and we are growing quickly, we post prayers, sayings of saints, prayer requests, post them in a timely manner useful information about holidays and Orthodox events... Subscribe. Guardian Angel to you!

There are cemeteries in Russia where ordinary people it's almost impossible to get in. Only those who have certain services to the Fatherland deserve burial there. One of the most famous is the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. Here are the graves of politicians, actors, poets, show business stars, and other celebrities.

Death is an unpleasant event in people's lives that can come both unexpectedly and expectedly. Be that as it may, every deceased person must undergo a funeral ceremony. Which method to choose is the decision of loved ones or the last will of the deceased. Currently there are 2 most common types:

• burial in the ground
• cremation.

Regardless of which method is chosen, you should worry about the burial place. And here some difficulties may arise.

If in small villages and towns there are no problems with space in cemeteries, then in big cities it is a real disaster. Not only is it difficult to choose what you want, but the prices are also quite high. In addition, due to the large number of deaths, some cemeteries are closed, and they do not particularly care about opening new ones.

In addition, there is a tendency to move such funeral areas outside the city. Getting to such places is not that convenient, but that doesn't really interest anyone. That is why many people make one grave.

Moscow Novodevichy Cemetery

It is considered one of the most famous cemeteries in Moscow. The year of its foundation is considered to be 1898, near the walls of the Novodevichy Convent. The first burials were made here in the 16th century. These were the nuns of the monastery. Later they began to bury the other deceased.

Since over time the territory was almost full, they decided to allocate another plot of land for expansion. The official opening took place in 1904. Now the old part is called the Old Novodevichy Cemetery, and the modern part is called the New Novodevichy Cemetery.

Nowadays it is also called the necropolis. According to some sources, about 26,000 people are buried here, and the territory reaches 8 hectares of land.

How to get to Novodevichy Cemetery

Its location address: Luzhnetsky passage, 2. You can get there at:

• metro,
• bus,
• trolleybus.

If you choose the metro, you should get off at Sportivnaya station. Turn right and walk along 10th Anniversary of October Street. You will see a monastery. turn left and walk along the wall to the cemetery gate. You can also get there by buses number 64, 132 or trolleybus 5.15.

Opening hours

The opening hours of the Novodevichy Cemetery for visitors are as follows: from Monday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00.

Who is buried at Novodevichy Cemetery

Some historical documents say that here lie the remains of the daughter of Ivan the Terrible, the daughters of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the sister of Peter 1 and Tsarina Sophia, the wife of Peter 1. Also in the 19th century, wealthy merchants, political and public figures, scientists, writers, and musicians began to be buried here .

In 1922, the cemetery was given the status of a museum and taken under state protection. Over the course of 8 years, a park with alleys was laid out on the territory of the necropolis. With this improvement of the territory, a large number of ancient graves were destroyed, and many were damaged.

As already mentioned, from the 19th century, burials of famous people began to take place on the territory. The entire territory is divided into 4 sectors. But areas 5 to 8 began to be used only in the 20th century. Also on the territory of the New Novodevichy Cemetery, a columbarium was built, where urns with the ashes of the dead are buried. At this time, there are about 7,000 urns. The most famous is Yeltsin’s grave at the Novodevichy cemetery.

But already in the 80s, the newest territory of the cemetery appeared. Previously, there was a stone-masonry workshop in its place.

As already said, this place burials are not intended for mere mortals. Mostly those who have certain merits are buried here. Among them are a large number of pop stars, poets, actors, politicians and other celebrities. Separately, for a long time we can talk about the monuments at the Novodevichy cemetery. Some of them are architectural masterpieces. Among them there are sculptures in full height, and quite extraordinary monumental compositions.

This cemetery contains the burials of the following famous people:

• political figures: B. Yeltsin, N.S. Khrushchev, R.M. Gorbachev, A.I. Lebed;
• writers: I.A.Ilf, M.A.Bulgakov, A.N.Tolstoy, S.Ya.Marshak, V.M.Shukshin;
• actors: O.I. Yankovsky, L.P. Orlov, Y. Nikulin, E. Leonov, R. Bykov, A. Papanov, I. Smoktunovsky, V. Tikhonov;
• singers: M. Bernes, L. Ruslanova, A. Vertinsky;
• announcer - Yuri Levitan;
• aircraft designer - A.N. Tupolev;
• pilot-cosmonauts - G. Titov and G. Beregovoi;
• directors - S. Bondarchuk, S. Gerasimov.

Among such famous people, the person Ilya Glazunov stands out. He was folk artist USSR. After he died on July 9, it was decided to hold the funeral of Ilya Glazunov at the Novodevichy cemetery next to the grave of Vladimir Zeldin.

The graves of celebrities at the Novodevichy Cemetery are located throughout the territory. After all, their location depends on the time of their death. Many people want to see their tombstones and therefore come to the cemetery. And demand, as we know, creates supply. They began to conduct excursions on the territory of the cemetery for everyone who wants to see all the graves and not have to look for them among others.

Since the territory of the cemetery is no longer increasing, and accordingly there are no more places for this, it was decided that the Federal Military Military District could become the further resting place of the first persons of the state memorial cemetery in Mytishchi or Troekurovskoye. An application for such a decision was announced back in 2007 by the head of the presidential affairs, Vladimir Kozhin, after the death of Mstislav Rostropovich. But nevertheless, burials are still carried out.

Currently, this cemetery is a place of frequent visits by tourists. Many gravestones are made famous sculptors. Also, a large number of urns with ashes and graves are classified as cultural heritage monuments of regional and federal significance.

The Lord is always with you!

The graves of celebrities at the Novodevichy Cemetery - the most famous and prestigious necropolis in Moscow - are included in the list of “must see” excursion and tourist routes in the Russian capital. The churchyard was founded in late XIX century at the southern wall of the Novodevichy Convent. Subsequently, the burial places of prominent compatriots, major politicians, scientists, and artists were located here.

Yeltsin's grave and government officials at Novodevichy Cemetery

Boris Yeltsin, First President of the Russian Federation, is buried in section 6 of the Novodevichy Cemetery (central alley). On the wide tombstone, the Russian tricolor made of red porphyry, sky-blue Byzantine mosaic and white marble is spread out in monumental folds.

Grave of Alexandra Kollontai, Russian revolutionary noble origin, framed it sculptural image. Kollontai became the world's first female minister, then the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Mexico, Norway, Sweden, and in 1944-1945. - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USSR to the Kingdom of Sweden.

Tombstone of the First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR in 1958-1964. Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev confirms the unspoken rule according to which disgraced statesmen were not buried near the Kremlin wall. The complex political fate of the Soviet leader is symbolically reflected in the tombstone commissioned by Khrushchev’s son by Ernst Neizvestny. The simple face, sculpted with maximum portrait likeness, of the First Secretary is surrounded, like an angular spacesuit, by a white and black vertical composition - faith in a bright communist future and the dark legacy of mass repression.

Andrei Gromyko, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. “No” of the Soviet foreign policy, was the last person planned to be buried near the Kremlin wall. Nevertheless, the grave was placed at the Novodevichy cemetery at the will of Gromyko himself and at the request of his relatives.

The monumental monument to General Alexander Lebed, governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, who died in a plane crash, depicts the military leader seated, in full dress uniform with a full set of orders.

Viktor Chernomyrdin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers - Government of the Russian Federation in 1992-1998, rests in a paired family grave, decorated with monuments in the traditional Russian style, with carvings in black marble.

The tombstone of Yevgeny Primakov, intelligence officer and diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, was a massive monolith of gray granite and a light stone scroll with the text of a poem written by this outstanding politician: “I firmly decided everything: to be in harness until the end I won't run out of steam until I fall. And if it becomes unbearably hard, then even then I will not leave the road.”

Famous scientists at the Novodevichy cemetery

Powerful thinkers, founders of scientific directions and schools, who lived extremely fruitfully, are buried in the Novodevichy necropolis.

The snow-white marble monument, covered with a transparent protective case, marks the burial of the Russian cosmist scientist, the outstanding mineralogist Vladimir Vernadsky, who first introduced the terms “biosphere” and “noosphere”. At the base of the monument there is a quote: “We live in a wonderful time when man becomes a geological force changing the face of our planet.”

Tombstone of the brilliant theoretical physicist, laureate Nobel Prize Lev Landau made by Ernst Neizvestny. A block of dark granite with a bust-length sculptural portrait of a scientist rests on a metal column formed by three concave sections.

The grave of geologist and geographer Vladimir Obruchev is marked by a gray granite monolith with a sculpturally detailed portrait and a symbolic image of a geological hammer crossed by a writer's pen. Obruchev perfectly mastered the art of effective time management, successfully combining intensive scientific work with the creation of science fiction works, including such voluminous ones as “Plutonia” and “Sannikov Land”.

Famous composers at the Novodevichy cemetery

The names of the composers buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery have become iconic phenomena in the history of music.

A black marble stele with the dates of the life of Sergei Prokofiev marks the burial place worldwide famous author instrumental concerts, symphonies, seven operas and eleven ballets.

No less laconic tombstone Dmitry Shostakovich is one of the most performed composers in the world. His numerous works had a significant influence on the development musical culture humanity.

Gogol's unquiet grave. Burials of writers on Novodevichy

The great classic Nikolai Gogol was buried at the Danilovsky cemetery. In 1931, during the liquidation of this monastery graveyard at the height of the fight against religion, the writer’s ashes were transferred to the Novodevichy cemetery. In 1952, over the new grave, instead of the previous cross with a stone base, a sculptural monument with the inscription “Words to the Great Russian Artist from the Government of the Soviet Union.” In 2009, the tombstone again acquired its previous appearance: only a stone and only a cross.

A special black stone with a lumpy surface, shaped like Golgotha, the site of Christ’s crucifixion, located on Gogol’s original grave, was installed as a tombstone over the burial of another master of words, Mikhail Bulgakov.

The Novodevichy cemetery as a whole has become a real pantheon of writers and poets. Here, under a white stele in the New Russian style, Anton Chekhov rests. The urn with the ashes of the frantic futurist, proletarian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky is buried under a massive slab of dark gray granite. Over the grave of the creator of new words, “Chairman globe» Velimir Khlebnikov laid an ancient sculpture from the Kyrgyz steppes. The tombstone of the intellectual symbolist Valery Bryusov, who sought inspiration at the intersection of science and poetry, is decorated with an accurate, stylistically consistent profile portrait of the poet. The medallion with a bas-relief profile of Alexei Tolstoy, favored by the Soviet regime, is accompanied by sculptural images of characters from his most monumental works - the novels “Peter the Great” and “Walking in the Torment”. The monument to Alexander Fadeev is complemented by heroes from Krasnodon from the Young Guard. There are no sculptures or portraits at the grave of the wonderful poet Andrei Voznesensky. The tombstone, made according to his own design, is an inclined polished plane of dark granite. It’s as if a large stone ball is about to roll down it, held back from rapid movement down the slope only by a small bronze crucifix.

Steel wing hands, fiery engine of the heart - creators and heroes

Bas-relief and sculptural portraits mark the burial places of outstanding aircraft designers - Pavel Sukhoi (Su fighters), Andrei Tupolev (Tu planes), Semyon Lavochkin (LaGG and La fighters), Alexander Yakovlev (Yak fighters).

The polar pilot Anatoly Lyapidevsky, the first to receive the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and the air marshal, three times Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Pokryshkin, a fighter ace and one of the most successful pilots of the Great Patriotic War, are buried at Novodevichy.

Space. Earth. Ocean

Above the grave of cosmonaut No. 2 German Titov it was installed sculptural portrait with an eagle. “Eagle” was Titov’s call sign in radio communications with the Earth. Buried at Novodevichy, cosmonaut and test pilot Georgy Beregovoy, who piloted the Soyuz-3 spacecraft, received the first title of Hero of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War.

The space theme is displayed on the exclusive tombstone of Yuri Senkevich, who for 30 years was the permanent TV presenter of the Film Travel Club. Senkevich was engaged in medical preparation of space and high-latitude expeditions, took part in ocean voyages on the papyrus boats “Ra” and “Tigris” at the invitation of Thor Heyerdahl. On the tombstone, these voyages are represented by a sculpted wave with a reed ship under straight sail.

Act four, final and eternal

Life is like a play in three acts - exposition, twists and turns and denouement - among stage people there may be a fourth act, which continues in the memory of followers and admirers.

The author of the acting technique of genuine emotions, which has been followed for a hundred years, Konstantin Stanislavsky rests in the Novodevichy cemetery under a red granite slab. On it there is a white vertical curtain stele with the Moscow Art Theater emblem - a seagull, topped with a large Orthodox cross.

At the grave of Stanislavsky's direct follower, Evgeniy Vakhtangov, there is a bronze figure of a woman, whose sadly bowed face is hidden by a cape.

The burial place of the great Maria Ermolova is marked by a vase made of dark polished granite with flowing drapery. A bas-relief profile of the actress is placed on a dark pedestal.

The bas-relief profile of an actor of unique talent, Innokenty Smoktunovsky, is captured in a round medallion on a gray grave boulder. Bronze sculpture Vyacheslav Tikhonov reproduces the image of the actor in the role of intelligence officer Stirlitz. A white marble rounded stele with a bas-relief Orthodox cross was installed on the grave of Oleg Efremov. The monument to Lyudmila Gurchenko combines black polished granite and snow-white marble with a full-length sculptural image of the actress. The grave of Yuri Yakovlev is overshadowed by a white marble eight-pointed cross, designed in the style of Chekhov's tombstone. The great comedian Yuri Nikulin is forever captured in bronze, sitting on a low curb-pedestal.

At the Novodevichy cemetery there are many memorable places, which allow us to remember the great voices of Russia - Chaliapin, Zykina, Yuri Levitan, a whole galaxy of artists, outstanding chess players, film directors, doctors, teachers, architects. This necropolis with twenty-five thousand burials - a real encyclopedia domestic celebrities.

Novodevichy Cemetery. Lists of celebrities

• Alexander Vertinsky
• Lyudmila Zykina
• Elena Obraztsova
• Galina Vishnevskaya
• Klavdiya Shulzhenko
• Fyodor Chaliapin
• Leonid Utesov
• Yuri Levitan

World chess champions

• Vasily Smyslov
• Mikhail Botvinnik

A galaxy of artists and famous patrons of the arts

• Valentin Serov
• Witold Byalynitsky-Birulya
• Isaac Levitan
• Mikhail Nesterov
• Tretyakov brothers

Actors

• Arkady Raikin
• Yuri Nikulin

Film directors

• Sershgay Eisenstein
• Sergei Bondarchuk
• Eldar Ryazanov

You might be interested:

The Moscow Novodevichy Cemetery is known far beyond the capital. The remains of great figures of science, culture and art, and prominent politicians rest in this shelter for the dead.

The territory of the cemetery is huge - as much as 7 and a half hectares. It continues to grow. It all started with a modest burial at, founded in the 16th century. Prince Vasily III. At first, the deceased nuns of the monastery were buried here. The monastery gave its name to the cemetery. The name of the most holy place, according to legend, comes from the Maiden Field, where the Tatars in ancient times selected Russian beauties for themselves.

Before the October Revolution and a decade after it, nuns and ordinary Muscovites were buried at Novodevichy. It became privileged in the late 20s. last century, when the government of the country decided that only people who occupied a prominent social position would be buried here. On this land the writers V. Mayakovsky, V. Bryusov, A. Chekhov, A. Tvardovsky, B. Akhmadullina, V. Shukshin and many others found eternal peace; political figures - V. Chernomyrdin, A. Gromyko, B. Yeltsin, M. Gorbachev’s wife Raisa Maksimovna; artists - I. Levitan, V. Serov; actors and directors - S. Bondarchuk, E. Evstigneev. There is a special “Mkhatovskaya Alley” at the cemetery.

The territory of the eternal resting place of outstanding people of Russia is divided into Old, New and Newest cemeteries. There is a special office where you can book an excursion. The “cemetery guide” will show you the most famous graves and tell you about interesting facts related to the life and death of our wonderful compatriots.

So, during the excursion you can find out that Vasily Shukshin was buried in a “privileged” cemetery against the will of his mother, who wanted the body to be delivered to her son’s homeland - Siberia.

An interesting and rather unexpected story is about Stalin’s wife Nadezhda Alliluyeva. It turns out that the unbending “leader of the peoples,” who accused her of betrayal at his wife’s grave (Nadezhda committed suicide for unknown reasons), often came here secretly at night and was sad at her grave.

The most mysterious story Novodevichy is associated with the name of Gogol. When his grave was opened, it was discovered that the coffin was damaged on the inside, and the head of the corpse was missing. They say, great writer it was not in vain that he was afraid that he would be buried alive... Scientists have been disproving these legends and speculations for decades, but among the people they are still alive.

Novodevichy Cemetery became famous thanks to architectural monuments. Many tombstones are real works of art, creations of brilliant sculptors. This is the last refuge of many famous people Russia is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Silence and tranquility reign everywhere here. In this land lie those who created our history, whose names are written in school textbooks. No matter how we treat them, their memory is worthy of our respect. Peace and rest to their ashes...

Novodevichy Cemetery is considered the second most important burial place in Moscow. At the same time, it is one of the oldest. The cemetery appeared back in 1898 on the southern side of the Novodevichy Convent. More than a hundred years ago it was considered an honorable place for a final resting place due to the proximity of the holy monastery.

During the Soviet Union, Novodevichye turned into a real pantheon national heroes and outstanding figures of art and science. Only burial near the Kremlin wall can be more prestigious.

History of Novodevichy

The very first graves on the territory of the modern Novodevichy cemetery appeared in the 16th century. But then these were isolated cases of burials. Here some of the inhabitants of the monastery found their last earthly refuge. The number of their graves gradually increased. Over time, they were joined by the tombs of noble people.

In the 50s of the 20th century, the territory of the Novodevichy cemetery was actively developed. It was expanded by adding soil on the southern slope. The territory was fenced with a brick wall, which adjoined the ancient monastery walls. Now on Novodevichy there are 11 sites on which more than 26 thousand people are buried. To receive the honor of being buried in this place, during your lifetime you must be an outstanding person, a son (or daughter) of whom the Motherland could be proud.

Novodevichy Cemetery is, in a sense, Russian historical museum. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Register. Some of the first “sovereign” individuals buried on its territory were relatives of Ivan the Terrible: his daughter Annushka, as well as his daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law. High-born nuns also found peace here, and in the past - the princesses Ekaterina and Evdokia of Miloslavsky, Sophia, the sister of Tsar Peter I, and his wife Evdokia Lopukhina.

[C-BLOCK] Later, representatives of famous Russian families were buried here: princes Sergei Trubetskoy, Alexander Muravyov, Decembrist Matvey Muravyov-Apostol, Count Alexei Uvarov, etc. During the years of Soviet power, the ashes of the great author of “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” were transferred to Novodevichye » Nikolai Gogol and the world famous opera singer Fyodor Chaliapin (the latter’s ashes were transported from France several decades after the death of Fyodor Ivanovich). [C-BLOCK]

It’s interesting that in a sense, a real “grew up” on the old territory of the cemetery. cherry orchard" Many are buried here famous actors Moscow Art Theater headed by the unforgettable Anton Chekhov and Konstantin Stanislavsky. In addition to the graves of these outstanding people, on Novodevichy you can find the tombstones of the final resting places of Mikhail Bulgakov, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Samuil Marshak, Sergei Prokofiev, Vladimir Vernadsky, Ivan Sechenov and other world-famous poets, writers, playwrights, composers and scientists.

Who can be buried at Novodevichye in our time?

According to official data, burial places are provided in 2 cases: for special services to the Fatherland and in the presence of ancient family burials. In the first case, the Moscow government provides a place in the cemetery free of charge to a person whose services to the Motherland are undeniable. Such persons include outstanding scientists, figures of art and literature, political figures, etc. The state provides them free of charge with the opportunity to rest in close proximity to the great sons of Russia and automatically replenish this glorious pantheon. [C-BLOCK]

In the second case, you need to be a descendant of an old Russian family, whose representatives already have graves on Novodevichy. Naturally, in such a situation it is necessary to provide documents confirming the relationship of the deceased with those who were previously buried in the historical cemetery. According to the law, new family burials cannot be opened here (Novodevichye is considered a closed cemetery).

At the same time, you can often find advertisements for funeral services that offer assistance in conducting burials on Novodevichy. According to unofficial data, prices for a plot in this historical cemetery start from 150 thousand rubles and can reach an amount of 1.5-1.8 million. Usually such burials are possible only if very old grave, but this happens extremely rarely.