September 8, 2012, Russia will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino, which took place in 1812 under the command of Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov. Preparations for the anniversary of the Day of Military Glory have been in full swing for more than a year. Back in August, the first festive events dedicated to the victory over Napoleon began in Moscow.
The battle near the village of Borodino near Moscow took place on August 26, 1812 according to the old style (Julian calendar) 125 km from the capital. According to the new calendar, which was established by the Soviet government in 1918, a significant date was moved forward 12 days in advance (August 7). According to the federal law of 1895, the official holiday of the Day of Military Glory of Russia is annually celebrated on September 8.
The battle of Borodino (the French call it Bataille de la Moskova) was the largest milestone in the Patriotic War of 1812. The bloody massacre lasted for 12 hours, as a result of the loss on each side amounted to about 45 thousand people. The battle of Moscow ended with an uncertain result: the French army could not win a decisive victory, but the Russian troops, although for strategic reasons, retreated. Napoleon himself wrote about the battle as follows: "The French showed themselves worthy of victory in it, and the Russians gained the right to be invincible."
The preparation program for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the battle of Borodin was approved by the Government of the Russian Federation back in 2009. According to the official website of the specially created public council, the federal plan provided for the restoration of monuments, the construction of the Moscow Museum of the War of 1812, the design of the city, and various cultural, sports, and military-historical events.
On August 12, 2012, from the Alley of Russian Glory in Moscow, a unique equestrian campaign was launched, dedicated to the feat of soldiers of the Great Patriotic War of 1812. It consists of 23 Cossacks who straddled rare Don Trotters. Riders plan to go through all the famous battlefields of the chieftain Ataman Matvey Platov, get to Paris and end the procession on October 22 with a concert in Fontainebleau - the ex-residence of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The event is being watched by residents of six European countries; The trip is accompanied by an interesting cultural program. So, for the audience they organize performances of the Cossack choir, theatrical performances of the Kremlin riding school and exhibitions of historical uniforms of 1812 and other exhibits from private and public collections.
On the day of the celebration of the Battle of Borodino, the construction of the War Museum of 1812 in the courtyard of the former City Council was finally completed - a project that was conceived for the 100th anniversary of the battle with Napoleon. According to RIA Novosti, the museum is currently installing window dressing and an exposition is being formed.
Citizens will be able to attend dozens of scientific, educational and recreational events in Moscow. So, after a long break, the Kutuzovskaya Izba museum was re-created, dedicated to the Military Council at Fili, a key moment of the Patriotic War of 1812. August 30 (City Day) is expected to open the Arc de Triomphe on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, which has been under restoration for a long time.
September 1, in the park "Krasnaya Presnya" is expected the festival "1812. The Age and the People", which will be a carnival procession and a costume ball. Event organizers expect at least 3, 000 people to attend. On the same day, another festival kicks off in Moscow - the Spasskaya Tower for Russian, European and American military bands. In the morning they will begin the march along Tverskaya, and the next day the groups will perform in twelve metropolitan estates and parks.
On Borodin Day - September 7 - flags of Moscow and Russia will be hung out on all the houses of the capital, after which the patriotic action "Moscow is behind us" will be held in Luzhniki. It is designed for about 5000 people. Here, on the Day of the military glory of Russia, September 8, the battles of the Russian and French army of the 1812 model will be reconstructed.
Fans of stylized historical events can celebrate the victory of the Russians over the French on the Borodino field itself. Here, on the anniversary of the Battle of Moscow Region, a grandiose military-historical performance is organized. Perhaps, during the holidays, there will be additional flights for residents of the capital to the Moscow-Mozhaysk and Moscow-Borodino electric trains. Travel companies offer bus excursions to Mozhaisk district.
- A new museum of the war of 1812 will be opened in Moscow
- Towards 1812
- Review of all-Russian and regional plans for preparing for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812
