“Largest in Europe” is quite a claim. But it is indeed true for Khovanskoye Cemetery. It sprawls across nearly two million square meters. That is almost 500 acres.
Khovanskoye Cemetery is more than just a burial ground. It is a vast landscape of memory. It reflects Moscow’s history.
Let us walk through the grounds of Khovanskoye Cemetery. It is divided into three main sections. There is the Central Cemetery established in 1972. The Northern Cemetery followed in 1978. The Western Cemetery was established in 1992.
This division reflects the cemetery’s growth. It shows how Moscow needed more space for its departed. In 1988 a crematorium was added. This offered another option for those planning their final arrangements.
You will notice the Russian Orthodox chapel. Patriarch Alexius II visited it. This highlights the cemetery’s spiritual significance.
Khovanskoye Cemetery has seen dark days. In 2016 a large brawl broke out. Migrant workers clashed with young thugs. This conflict resulted in deaths and injuries. Prosecutors linked it to a struggle for control. The control was over the cemetery’s grave maintenance business. This business was worth millions of rubles.
Many notable people rest here at Khovanskoye Cemetery. Vasily Aleksanyan was interred here. So were Iskra Babich and Dmitri Bystrolyotov. The cemetery is the final resting place for Boris Delaunay. Aslan Usoyan and Alexei Khomich are here too. Even the model Ruslana Korshunova found her final peace here.
Khovanskoye Cemetery stands as a testament to life and loss. It is a place of quiet reflection. It is a place to remember those who shaped Moscow. Take a moment to appreciate the scale of this place. Think about the stories buried beneath our feet.