The Shtyki Memorial (, lit. ''
bayonet
A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...
s''), also named the Monument to the Defenders of Moscow (), is a memorial complex in honour of those who defended
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
in the
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II, between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated H ...
. At the site are a
common grave
A potter's field, paupers' grave or common grave is a place for the burial of unknown, unclaimed or indigent people. "Potter's field" is of Biblical origin, referring to Akeldama (meaning ''field of blood'' in Aramaic), stated to have been pur ...
and an architectural complex. It is located on the 40th km of Leningrad highway, at the second entry into the city of
Zelenograd
Zelenograd (, , ) is a city and administrative okrug of Moscow, Russia. The city of Zelenograd and the territory under its jurisdiction form the Zelenogradsky Administrative Okrug (ZelAO), an exclave located within Moscow Oblast, north-west ...
heading south, and the road to
Mendeleyevo heading north. The memorial complex obtained its name because of the central
obelisk
An obelisk (; , diminutive of (') ' spit, nail, pointed pillar') is a tall, slender, tapered monument with four sides and a pyramidal or pyramidion top. Originally constructed by Ancient Egyptians and called ''tekhenu'', the Greeks used th ...
, which represents the stylized image of three
bayonet
A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...
s held together. The first burials in the common grave were in the winter of 1941; the architectural features were completed on 24 June 1974.
[Памятники Великой Отечественной войны 1941-1945 годов на территории Зеленограда.](_blank)
Памятник-монумент защитникам Москвы на 40-м километре Ленинградского шоссе
/ref> The architects of the project were I. A. Pokrovsky, and Y. A. Sverdlovsky, with sculptors A. G. Shteyman, and E. A. Shteyman-Derevyanko.
Components
The complex is composed of a kurgan
A kurgan is a type of tumulus (burial mound) constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons, and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into mu ...
, the Shtyki obelisk, and a bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
triptych
A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
with inscriptions. The kurgan contains the common grave known as Hill of Glory (), which rises to a height of 27 meters.[История Зеленограда: № 39 (1974 г.) Памятник — монумент на 41-м километре ](_blank)
/ref> The Shtyki obelisk is composed of three stylized bayonets that symbolize the rifle, tank and cavalry divisions. It is made of reinforced concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...
and has a height of 42 meters from the apex of the barrow.stele
A stele ( ) or stela ( )The plural in English is sometimes stelai ( ) based on direct transliteration of the Greek, sometimes stelae or stelæ ( ) based on the inflection of Greek nouns in Latin, and sometimes anglicized to steles ( ) or stela ...
are reliefs depicting a soldier in the helmet, a laurel branch, and the inscription: ''"1941 г. Здесь защитники Москвы, погибшие в бою за Родину, остались навеки бессмертны''"Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
, fallen in battle for the Motherland, remain forever immortal." Under the bronze wreath rest the ashes of hundreds of Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
soldiers. On the wreath is inscribed: ''"Никогда Родина-мать не забудет своих сыновей"''
Connections with other monuments
The Shtyki Memorial is connected with other monuments, particularly the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
A Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is a monument dedicated to the services of an unknown soldier and the common memories of all soldiers killed in war. Such tombs are located in many nations and are usually high-profile na ...
at the wall
A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or serves a decorative purpose. There are various types of walls, including border barriers between countries, brick wal ...
of the Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall along with the K ...
, and the Kurgan of Glory in Minsk. On 3 December 1966, in the commemoration of the 25 summer anniversary of the defeat of Hitler's troops in the environs of Moscow, ashes of the soldiers were carried to the Kremlin.
Flag and coat of arms of Zelenograd
The monument has become an element of the flag of the city of Zelenograd, which is incorporated into the city's coat of arms. A stylized drawing of the monument in silver or white is displayed on the flag which is in turn displayed on the center shield of the coat of arms. It is on a red background in the lower right portion of the flag, which is divided into two portions by a gold and silver diagonal. On these two emblems the monument symbolizes the important boundary in the defense of the capital, and the beginning of the defeat of Hitler's troops in the environs of Moscow in 1941. Opposite the monument on the flag is a stylized golden image of a microchip
An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...
in the form of an equilateral cross.Зеленоград - Герб и флаг города
/ref>
References
{{coord, 56, 00, 53, N, 37, 12, 30, E, type:landmark, display=title
World War II memorials in Russia
Soviet military memorials and cemeteries
Monuments and memorials built in the Soviet Union
Matushkino District
Buildings and structures completed in 1974
Cultural heritage monuments of regional significance in Moscow
Monuments and memorials in Moscow
Outdoor sculptures in Moscow