Nikolsky Cemetery: historical information, description

Nikolsky Cemetery - the third of the necropolises of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra on the opening date. Here outstanding figures and famous persons of various epochs are buried. Today, the cemetery with a lot of ancient tombstones and crypts has an undeniable historical value.

History of the foundation of the necropolis

In 1861 near the Holy Trinity Cathedral a new Zasobornoe cemetery was opened. If you believe in historical documents, this necropolis was considered especially prestigious and expensive always. Initially, the owners of honorary titles and other outstanding citizens were buried here.

In 1868-1871 the church of St. Nicholas of Myra is built, the cemetery changes its name and has since been called Nikolsky. Necropolis since its foundation is more like a city park garden, rather than a mournful place. The territory has a regular layout, the cemetery has its own pond. Buried on Nikolsky people famous and rich. Each family seemed to be trying to compete with all the others in the splendor of the decoration of the grave. Chapels, crypts, monumental portals, crosses and obelisks of all forms. Many graves were decorated with decorative sculptures and even portrait busts of the deceased.

Periods of Decline and Renaissance

At the end of the XIX century the necropolis looked solemn and magnificent. The most spectacular panorama was opened to him when viewed from the eastern shore of the pond. From this point of view, a view was opened of the buildings of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra: the Trinity Cathedral, the Annunciation and the Fedorov Church.

After the revolution of 1917, many of the ancient necropolises of Leningrad were closed. In most cases, the active development of the city contributed to this. That Nikolskoe cemetery, once located on the outskirts, was surrounded by city blocks. Officially, the necropolis was closed in 1927. Even then, the cemetery could be turned into a city park-museum in the open air. But instead, some of the most valuable graves were transferred to the neighboring Literary bridges of the Volkov cemetery and the Necropolis of Artists.

Nikolsky and marauders suffered greatly. In search of treasures, crypts were broken, graves were dug up and even elements of tombstones were stolen. Some time later, the city department, following the ancient necropolises, carried out the liquidation of "orphan" burials. Within the framework of this questionable program, hundreds of ancient tombstones with unvisited graves were destroyed. And suffered the St. Nicholas Church.

The temple was tried to be converted to a crematorium, then it was used as a warehouse. The value of some monuments was officially recognized in 1940. However, the cemetery was remembered only in the 1970s with the complex restoration of the ensemble of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. At that time a new columbarium wall was erected. In 1985, the church was reconstructed and again consecrated, after which the complex improvement of the cemetery territory finally began.

Interesting facts and common myths

Was Nikolsky Cemetery again opened? In fact, since 1992, there has rarely been a burial site. The cemetery once again acquired a special status closed to "ordinary mortals." Over the past years, it has appeared less than 20 new graves. There were buried such famous people as Lev Gumilev, Mikhail Malafeev, Igor Glebov, Dmitry Filippov, Anatoly Sobchak and others. A separate site in the cemetery is allocated for burials of monks and priests. In the historical part of the necropolis you can see the tombstones of famous military leaders, scientists, inventors, cultural figures and artists. Like any other, the Nikolsky cemetery is shrouded in a train of mystical superstitions and urban legends. The most terrible of them relate to modernity. According to some sources, adepts of satanic sects periodically appear on the ancient necropolis and conduct various rituals there.

Nikolsky Cemetery: address and mode of operation

Today, the third necropolis of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra exists as an open-air museum. Its territory is ennobled and protected, for tourists there is free entrance. How to get to the Nikolsky cemetery by public transport? From the metro station "Alexander Nevsky Square" you need to walk to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, go through the Lazarevskoye cemetery, and then move towards the church of St. Nicholas. Visit the ancient necropolis from 9.00 to 18.00. The phone number of Nikolsky Cemetery can be found in the reference books.