ИСТИНА

The famous Novodevichiy Cemetery - which is part of the Novodevichiy Convent established as far back as 1524 - is a place that accommodates the sacred and the profane; the religious and the secular; sorrow and pride; rationality and emotions; and importantly, the past, the present and the future. The convent is an important touristic and pilgrimage site, especially for religious tourism, as it is located in the central part of Moscow. Established in 1898, the cemetery stays separately and is not visited by large crowds of people though nowadays it has become part of some tourist packages. Being in UNESCO’s list of 100 most important necropolis of the world, it actually represents the history of pre-Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, and the entire history of the Soviet Union. Visits to cemetery represent some sort of pilgrimage even if we don’t perceive it as such. In the case of the Novodevichy cemetery it is also a pilgrimage to the past, and a possibility to pay the tribute to the memories of those who contributed to Russia’s great history.