Poklonnaya Gora (Victory Park)
Poklonnaya Gora (or Victory Park) is a memorial park in Moscow, created to glorify and immortalize the memory of the dead and missing in the Great Patriotic War. Russian citizens come here from all over the country to pay tribute to the defenders of the Fatherland.
Video: Poklonnaya Gora
ContentsHighlights
Victory Park is not only a memorial complex, but also a great place for recreation of citizens and guests of the capital. There are a lot of attractions for children, those who wish can take part in a sightseeing tour conducted on an autotrain. The autodrome and the Virtual Cinema are open for visitors of the complex. Skateboarders and rollerbladers hone their skills on Poklonnaya Gora, and there are separate paths for cyclists in the park. There are electric cars, rollers, scooters, bicycles for rent, as well as cozy cafes and restaurants.On Poklonnaya Gora constantly held thematic events and festivals, sports competitions, concerts.
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The complex is located in the west of the capital, between Kutuzovsky Avenue and Minskaya Street.
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History
Memorial Complex
All memorial and iconic structures of Poklonnaya Gora are located in the eastern part of Victory Park on the territory of 135 hectares.
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From the beginning of the central alley to the Victory Monument there are granite slabs symbolizing the years of war. On the other side rise 15 bronze memorial steles in honor of 10 fronts of the Great Patriotic War, 3 fleets – Baltic, Northern and Black Sea, as well as partisans and home front workers. Obelisks are arranged in the same sequence in which military associations were placed at the Victory Parade on June 22, 1945.
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In the park there is a grandiose complex of fountains with 5 hydrocascades, each of which releases 45 vertical jets. The total number of water streams symbolizes the duration of the war – 225 weeks. The evening bright scarlet illumination of the fountains makes this place especially dramatic, evoking associations with the blood spilled by the country’s defenders.
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In Victory Park you can admire the world’s largest flower clock, whose dial reaches 10 meters in diameter. The length of the hour hand is 3.5 meters, the minute hand – 4.5 meters. Nearly 8,000 flowers are planted on the clock.
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In front of the museum burns the Eternal Flame, lit in April 2010, on the eve of the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Victory.
.Three temples of different religions, symbolizing the multinationality of the country’s defenders, were built on Poklonnaya Hill.
.The construction of the Church of St. George the Victorious began in 1993, and two years later the cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Alexy II. Its main shrine is a particle of the relics of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, a gift from Jerusalem Patriarch Diodorus. The shrine commemorates the main commander of the Great Patriotic War – Georgy Zhukov, whose heavenly patron saint was St. George. In the walls of the sanctuary is open Sunday school. The chapel of Archangel Michael is also located there.
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The memorial mosque, erected in honor of Muslim soldiers, was opened in 1997. Red Army soldiers from predominantly Muslim regions of the country: Bashkiria, Tatarstan, the Caucasus and Central Asia played a major role in bringing victory closer. The mosque offers classes and lectures, Friday sermon and night prayer in Ramadan. For believers there is a room for ablutions and a library of religious literature.
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Victory Park is not only a memorial complex, but also a great place for recreation of citizens and guests of the capital. Families with children come here, for which there are many attractions. Those who wish can take part in a sightseeing tour conducted on a motor train. The autodrome and the Virtual Cinema are open for visitors to the complex. Skateboarders and rollerbladers hone their skills on Poklonnaya Gora, and there are separate paths for bicyclists in the park. At the service of tourists – rental of electric cars, rollers, scooters, bicycles, as well as cozy cafes and restaurants.
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On Poklonnaya Gora there are constantly held thematic events and festivals, sports competitions, concerts.
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Interesting facts
The depth of the metro station “Victory Park”, named after the park of the same name, is 84 meters, which is a record for Moscow.
.Next to Poklonnaya Hill is “Kutuzov’s hut”, where the famous Russian commander conferred with his generals on the eve of the Battle of Borodino. The hut was restored to the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino and a museum of veterans was created there. The room is furnished with a Russian stove, wooden benches, an icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk and a table with a model of a military map of those times. Nearby is the grave of 300 participants of the legendary battle, as well as the museum-panorama “Battle of Borodino”. The central exhibit of the museum is a 115-meter painting by artist F.A. Rubo, reproducing one of the fragments of the battle.
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The mass of the Victory Monument is 1000 tons. When erecting the monument there was a problem – because of the great weight of the figure of the goddess Niki the whole composition could collapse due to strong winds and vibrations. To increase the stability of the monument on it installed vibration dampers, the largest of which weighs 10 tons and is located behind the back of the goddess. Also, to balance the sculptural composition, a special bunker is built in the hill below it, which prevents the monument from tilting to one side or another. The bunker contains a room where the condition of the monument is constantly monitored.
.Useful information
Address of Poklonnaya Gora: 10, Brothers Fonchenko St.
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