Monuments in Moscow: at the Crux of the Russian Ethos

1812 and 1941 were important years for Moscow.  These mark invasions in the history of the city that simultaneously have put the future of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union in question, and have since been sources of immense pride.  While the survival of Moscow and Russia itself through Napoleon's 1812 invasion was supposedly Tsar Alexander I's "proudest moment," World War II is now called the Great Patriotic War in Russia.  Central to Moscow's ethos seem to be its celebration of or scorn toward certain historical periods, and the way these periods are commemorated or rejected.  These ways of seeing the past have shaped Moscow: as we will see through this exploration of Moscow's celebratory treatment of the successes 1812 and 1941, monuments commemorating history have provided the city with some of its most iconic sites and structures.  

To view the cartographical manifestations of these two important dates, either select the next page, "Moscow of 1812 and 1941 in Maps" or, for easier navigation, select here.