Smolenskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg: address, chapel of Xenia Blessed (St. Petersburg) and history. How to get to Smolensk Cemetery

Smolenskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg, perhaps, can be called the oldest in the whole city. It appeared approximately at the same time as the city itself. Moreover, this place attracts its mystery, mysticism and a lot of legends.

Why Smolenskoye

It is believed that during the construction of St. Petersburg on the Vasilievsky Island workers from Smolensk came. Because of hard work and poor living conditions, they died early. And they were buried on the southern shore of the island along the Black River. Since then, the field along it has been called Smolensk.

However, most likely, this version is just someone's conjecture. The names of the river and the cemetery appeared after the construction of a church dedicated to the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in this place. The author of this icon was St. Luke. Vladimir Monomakh transferred it to Smolensk. Hence the corresponding name.

In 1792, the church underwent a restructuring and was re-illuminated by the name of the Archangel Michael. However, the church has not survived to this day, as it was dismantled in the 19th century.

"Double" Smolenskoye cemetery

St. Petersburg and the famous cemetery have a common history and almost simultaneous beginning. So, after the Poltava victory, thanks to which the northern capital exists, there was not one officially approved cemetery in the city. Where it happened, they buried it there. On Vasilevsky Island they were buried along the left bank of the Smolenka River (formerly the Black River). In 1710 a military chancery was built here, and the cemetery became a place for burial of prisoners who died in the St. Petersburg prison. It is rumored that the dead criminals were buried in shackles.

Under the name "Smolenskoye cemetery" is understood two independent cemeteries, located side by side - Orthodox and Lutheran (German). The oldest is the Orthodox.

The official burial ground was given to the cemetery in 1738 by the order of the Synod. The German cemetery was opened later - in 1747.

The cemetery was put in order and landscaped. Since there was no own chapel, in 1755 a church was built in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. Since then, here began to bury and parishioners, and city residents, and cadets. In 1807, the remains of the Maltese knights were buried. In 1831 there was a fenced place for the burial of people who died of cholera.

By the middle of the 19th century the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg was considered to be the largest in the city. In 1860, the number of buried people was 350 thousand. To date, the territory of the churchyard is about 50 hectares.

Flood

At the end of 1824, a flood hit the Smolenskoye cemetery. All the fences were demolished, the crosses washed away, the burial grounds themselves fell asleep on the ground so that it was almost impossible to find them. Many after the flood and could not find the graves of loved ones. The flood destroyed the entire archive, which was in the church, only the parish books that the priests kept at home were preserved. Church of the Archangel Michael was destroyed almost to the ground. As a result, it had to be demolished, since the building was no longer subject to restoration. During the flood even three old women drowned, who could not escape.

In a word, the entire cemetery was brought into utter confusion and suffered huge losses. It took a lot of time and effort to get everything cleaned and restored. However, many burials have not been found. For example, the burial place of the Maltese knights.

The legend of the forty priests

Smolenskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg, as a rule, crowded. Not only relatives come here to pay homage to the deceased, but also just wishing to walk and look at the graves of famous people, as well as those who wish to plunge into the atmosphere of mystery and mystery. In the old historical part of the cemetery, which is heavily run, according to legends, one can meet ghosts. A lot of legends are connected with this place. And the most terrible and ominous is the legend of 40 martyrs in the name of faith. Many scholars and historians believe that this is not just a legend, but an event that took place to be in reality.

In the 20 years of the last century, the authorities arrested forty priests, consisting of the Leningrad diocese. The arrested were brought to the Smolensk cemetery. They were built along a dug grave and given a choice: either life in exchange for renouncing the god, or death. None of the priests denied God. Then they were all buried alive. According to eyewitnesses, for three days from the ground moans of martyrs came from under the earth, and then the grave was illuminated by the Divine beam, and it became quiet.
Despite the fact that almost a century has passed since the tragedy, people come to the grave to commemorate the memory of forty martyrs. The grave always has candles and flowers.

Blessed Xenia of Petersburg

Smolenskoye cemetery is also famous for the famous in the whole city chapel of Xenia Blessed, intercessor and guardian of St. Petersburg. And the name of this patroness is also associated with many legends.

So, according to one of them, a young girl Xenia, having buried her husband, distributed to the poor everything she had, put on her coat and became insane. And in the heat and cold, she wandered through the city streets and told passers-by all sorts of crazy things. But it soon became clear that everything that Xenia had said had a profound meaning. She possessed the gift of clairvoyance.

After Xenia died, people began to come to the grave of the insane in the Smolensk cemetery. And soon they built a chapel in her honor. This church did not close even during the Soviet era. People believe that if three times around the church, while thinking about their most intimate, then Xenia Blessed will fulfill the desire. Probably, therefore often there it is possible to meet suffering lovers.

Not only legends

Smolenskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg is famous not only for its secrets. Many famous Petersburgers rest on the territory of the cemetery.
Luminaries of science, such as Zablotsky, Viskovatov, Beketov, writers Sollogub, Charskaya, Emin, artists Makovsky, Shebuyev, Jordan and Shchukin.

On the central aisle of the cemetery you can see the graves of Mozhaisky - the man who designed the world's first aircraft, the creator of the battleships - Popov, the famous traveler Semenov-Tien-Shansky, seaman Valkitsky, commander of the submarine "Panther" Bakhtin, as well as Dostoyevsky's brother and nephews.
Not far from the grave of forty priests is the Blok's path. On this place in 1921 Alexander Blok was buried. The grave of the poet has long been moved to the Volkov cemetery, but the "original" place was not forgotten. There stands a memorable stone, and flowers lie from the fans.

In addition to the graves of famous figures, there are beautiful and unusual monuments on the Smolensk cemetery. For example, a monument dedicated to the ranks of the Russian police, which was preserved from pre-revolutionary times. This monument is constantly guarded by traffic police.

Cemetery today

In the post-revolutionary years, the cemetery was closed due to a shortage of seats. And part of the land with graves was given for construction ... of a kindergarten.

In order to preserve at least the monuments and tombstones of famous figures, they were moved to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Today, the Orthodox part of the cemetery was restored: the tombstones, the chapel were restored, the alleys were improved, and a special archive of all graves was being kept. The graveyard is no longer buried (except in special cases).

The German part is in immense desolation, and even there are rumors about the impending demolition. However, so far no changes, and here still come to look at the preserved monuments of the 18th century.

So, if you decided to visit the Smolensk cemetery, how to get there? The nearest metro station is Vasileostrovskaya. Near the exit from the metro is a stop. Take a taxi No. K-249 and drive fifteen minutes to Kamskaya Street. On it, nowhere to go, go straight ahead, and ahead - the Smolensk cemetery. Address: 3 Kamskaya Street.