Shirokorechenskoye cemetery in Yekaterinburg

Cemeteries are not only places of burial of people, but also a part of the history of our country. Even in the country churchyard, you can find something cognitive, not to mention the large urban necropolises. In our article we will tell about Shirokorechenskoe cemetery, located in Yekaterinburg.

The First Graves

In early 1941, a piece of land allocated for burial was just beginning to fill, there was a lot of free space. Therefore, it was here that the soldiers and officers who died in the Great Patriotic War and, more precisely, the deceased in the Sverdlovsk hospitals, found rest. Shirokorechenskoe cemetery is a special place. It was here, according to the decision of the Sverdlovsk Executive Committee of 1978 and the resolution of the head of Yekaterinburg in 1995, that only soldiers who died in the performance of their duty to the homeland, people's artists, honorary citizens of the city, members of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and the Russian Academy of Sciences were buried. Also on its territory the temple of the Monk Mark of the Caves was built.

Two sides of the medal

Shirokorechenskoye cemetery (Yekaterinburg) is the place where the memorial is located, built in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, in 1985 an obelisk was added to it. Currently, the memorial is looked after as an object of cultural heritage. In 2015, its restoration was completed. At the same cemetery there is a monument in honor of the Germans who died in captivity during the war. Shirokorechensky cemetery became the place of their last rest. However, in 1952 the site, which was specially allocated for these purposes, was liquidated along with graves and tombstones.

Help is needed

It is interesting that in order to support the Shirokorechenskoe cemetery in order, a special charitable foundation was created. He is engaged in collecting money not only for the maintenance of the churchyard and memorial. One of its main goals is the social support of veterans, disabled people, pensioners, family members of the dead servicemen.

Of course, the maintenance of the cemetery is allocated budget money, but they are not enough to cover all the necessary costs. For example, to cut down trees that threaten monuments, additional funds are needed to pay for the work of special services.

Heroes of his time

It's no secret that the 90s of the 20th century were difficult for the whole country. But among its inhabitants there were those who did not want to put up with poverty and preferred to strive for a good life at all costs. Often such a struggle led to the death of people, then they were buried in specially designated areas of the cemetery. It's about the bandits who died in the showdown between the two factions.

In Yekaterinburg, power in the city was divided into "central" and "Uralmash" ones. The burial place of members of the first grouping was Shirokorechensky cemetery (Yekaterinburg). The graves of gangs are a sign of that time. Therefore, it is not surprising that graves of this kind become a landmark of necropolises. The Shirokorechensky cemetery also has monuments of marble and granite, installed in honor of the dead leaders of gangs and simple fighters.

Our lot fell

Members of the groups most often died young. Heads of such organizations suited everyone a rich funeral. The coffin and other attributes of the farewell ceremony should have been very expensive, but, of course, in accordance with the status of the deceased bandit.

The most magnificent send-offs were at the heads of the organized crime group. To emphasize the power of the organization and "love" for the deceased, a huge stone slab was erected vertically on his grave, on which he was portrayed in full growth. Such monuments of marble and granite make up the alley of "heroes" on the Shirokorechensky cemetery.

Look good

The local tombstones are different from standing in other cemeteries in that the dead bandits are depicted on them in their usual clothes, unvarnished, just as they appeared before members of their gang daily. And this, of course, is a tracksuit, sneakers, a leather jacket, a cap.

But the authorities look impressive on gravestones. Looking at such portraits, one can doubt that a man in an expensive suit is the head of a gang. Also on the monuments depicted luxury items of the time: cell phones, cars, gold jewelry. On tombstones it was emphasized that the deceased was a believer, therefore icons, crucifixes, crosses or signs of another religion were often depicted.

Original tombstones

One of the interesting monuments to the deceased member of the bandit organization is the tomb of Nikolai Morazovsky. He was killed at the age of 23. On his monument there are two portraits. On one of them he is young and not very well off financially. About this I testify surrounding objects and a discreet ornament on the finger. On the second portrait, Morazovsky matured, having achieved a certain material wealth man. This symbolizes the fact that his departure from life was in vain and he died not in vain.

On its vast territory in 44 hectares, the Shirokorechenskoe cemetery gathered and reconciled a multitude of diverse people. Someone died the death of the heroes, defending their homeland, someone just assumed this title. But they are now sleeping peacefully alongside scientists, artists and politicians.