Moscow's Poklonnaya Mountain

Moscow's Poklonnaya Mountain

There lies in Moscow a place called a mountian that is actually a flat top hill. It is famous for several reasons.

This hill is situated in the western part of Moscow, between the Setun & Filka rivers . At one time the Poklonnaya Mountain was far outside the city of Moscow. From the top of the hill one could see the cit's panorama. Travelers as well as merchants often climbed the hill to get a view of this city and to bow to Mosocw. "Bow" or "poklon" in Russian, is how the hill got its name, Poklonnaya.
  
Poklonnaya Mountain was first chronicled in historical documents in the 16th century. Then it was called, "...the Poklonnaya Mountain on Smolenskaya Road." Napoleon waited in vain for the keys to Moscow from the top of this hill. During WW-2 Russian solders passed Poklonnaya Mountain as they left for the front in their defense of Russia.
  
In 1942 it was decided thatt a memorial should be raised on top of Poklonnaya Mountain. Also during that time it was completely impossible because of the war. On February 23, 1958, Poklonnaya Mountain was awarded with a sign stating that "Here the Monument to Victory of Soviet people in World War II 1941-1945 will be constructed".
  
Many years passed as the project & construction of the memorial complex was actuallly made to become a reality in Moscow. A solemn opening was slated for the 50th. ww-2 Victory Anniversary celebrationto be held on the 9th of May 1995, VE Day.
  
This wonderful memorial complex covers some 135 hectares. It includes the Central Museum of Great Patriotic war, the Victory Monument & 3 temples of 3 religions constructed in memory of those who died during the war. St. George temple opened in 1995, the Memorial Mosque was completed in 1997 & the Memorial Synagogue was completed in 1998.
  
The Central Museum of Great Patriotic War is located in the round Winners' Square. The central alley of the Victory Park connects it with Kutuzovsky Prospect. The museum founded in 1986 contains about 50,000 exhibits of military history. The 385 volumes of Memory Books containing the names of those who died during the Patriotic War are displayed in special showcases. Among other items, the museum contains the red Victory Flag that was raised over the Reichstag in Berlin on the 30th of April, 1945. Near the museum the permanent exhibition of defense technology is situated.
  
At the center of Winners' Square there is an obelisk, 141,8 meters high, that symbolizes 1,418 days and nights of the Great Patriotic War (WW-2). Upon the 100-meter mark a bronze figure of the Victory Goddess, Nike,
is situated. At the bottom of the obelisk is the  statue of St. George is placed. St. George is shown killing the
snakelike dragon that symbolizes evil. Both sculptures are the work by Z. Tsereteli. In 2003 a chapel was built to commemorate the memory of Spanish volunteers who died during WW-2.

Around the Hall of Memory are 6 dioramas that depict the biggest battles fought during WW-2; "The Counteroffensive of the Soviet Troops Near Moscow in December 1941", "The Joining of Fronts, Stalingrad", "The Siege of Leningrad", "The Battle of Kursk Bulge", "The Crossing of the Dnieper, 1943" & "The Storming of Berlin". These dioramas, executed by masters from the Grekov Art Studio of Battle Painting, covers a surface area of 1,500 square meters. Anyone who has an interest in the WW-2 on the east front is sure to find a visit to the museum very worthwhile.
 
Sources:
http://www.moscow-hotels-russia.com/poklon_gora.htm
http://www.threewhales.ru/t27.html
http://www.infohub.com/attractions/poklonnaya_mountain_26771.html
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/1995/05/05/006.html