The New Maiden’s Convent (Novodevichy) was the place Tsars sent their former wife or sister either into seclusion (imprisonment) or to become a nun for the rest of their lives.
Smolensk Cathedral, built in 1525, (below) is in the Convent grounds and remains an active local church.
Adjacent to the Convent is a cemetery for illustrious figures of Russian society – artists, musicians, scientists, mathematicians, diplomats and political figures. It is an important place for the living (visitors) and the dead memorials).
A significant number of national hero’s and personalities are buried here and there is a constant stream of visitors. The map below indicated the graves of national significance and the long list of names identifying their burial place.
It is a well planned and well maintained cemetery with some remarkable and artistic headstones.
President Boris Yeltsin is buried here. His grave is in the colours of the Russian flag – white for the snow, blue for the rivers and seas, and red for the blood of the people.
President Nikita K grave (below)
And the popular Mrs Raisa Gorbachev.
Famous Moscow Circus clown Yuri Nikulin.
Playwright – Anton Chehov
Impresario – Konstantin Stanislavski, who produced Chekov’s plays.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Chesty Bond ??
I just took the two photos below because I liked the sculpture – Vladimir Mayakovsky
Sergei Prokofiev
Nikolai Gogol
Second cosmonaut in space – Gherman Titov.
Opera singer – Feodor Chaliapin
Feodor Chaliapin, as painted by Konstantin Korovin 1911 (Russian Gallery, St Petersburg).
Stalin’s first wife
Father M 