Vagankovo Cemetery (russian: Ваганьковское кладбище, Vagan'kovskoye kladbishche), established in 1771, is located in the

Presnya The Presnya (russian: Пресня) is a river in Moscow (Russia) and a left tributary of the Moskva (river), Moskva. In 1908, Presnya was led into an underground concrete tube. The Presnya gave its name to the Presnensky District of central Mosco ...

district of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

. It started in the aftermath of the

Moscow plague riot of 1771 {{noref, date=July 2012 Plague Riot (''Чумной бунт'' in Russian) was a riot in Moscow in 1771 between 15 and 17 September, caused by an outbreak of bubonic plague. History The first signs of plague in Moscow appeared in late 1770, whic ...

outside the city proper, so as to prevent the contagion from spreading. Half a million people are estimated to have been buried at Vagankovo throughout its history. As of 2010, the existing cemetery contains more than 100,000 graves. The vast necropolis contains the

mass grave A mass grave is a grave containing multiple human corpses, which may or may not be identified prior to burial. The United Nations has defined a criminal mass grave as a burial site containing three or more victims of execution, although an exact ...

s from the

Battle of Borodino The Battle of Borodino (). took place near the village of Borodino on during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The ' won the battle against the Imperial Russian Army but failed to gain a decisive victory and suffered tremendous losses. Napoleon ...

, the Battle of Moscow, and the

Khodynka Tragedy The Khodynka Tragedy ( rus, Ходынская трагедия) was a crowd crush that occurred on , on Khodynka Field in Moscow, Russia. The crush happened during the festivities after the coronation of the last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas I ...

. It is the burial site for a number of people from the artistic and sports community of Russia and the old

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

William Taubman William Chase Taubman (born November 13, 1941 in New York City) is an American political scientist. His biography of Nikita Khrushchev won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2004 and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography in ...

claims that during the

Great Purge The Great Purge or the Great Terror (russian: Большой террор), also known as the Year of '37 (russian: 37-й год, translit=Tridtsat sedmoi god, label=none) and the Yezhovshchina ('period of Nikolay Yezhov, Yezhov'), was General ...

"alcohol-soused guards would execute weeping prisoners" after they had dug their graves in the cemetery. The cemetery is served by several Orthodox churches constructed between 1819 and 1823 in the Muscovite version of the

Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 durin ...

Notable burials

* Nadezhda Lamanova (1861-1941), fashion and costume designer * (1900-1979), writer, journalist,

Russian Civil War , date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...

and

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

participant,

Union of Soviet Writers The Union of Soviet Writers, USSR Union of Writers, or Soviet Union of Writers (russian: Союз писателей СССР, translit=Soyuz Sovetstikh Pisatelei) was a creative union of professional writers in the Soviet Union. It was founded ...

Aleksandr Abdulov Aleksandr Gavrilovich AbdulovАбдулов Г. Д.
Ферганский г� ...

(1953-2008), actor *

Vasily Agapkin Vasily Ivanovich Agapkin (russian: Васи́лий Ива́нович Ага́пкин; 3 February 1884 – 29 October 1964) was a Russian and Soviet military orchestra conductor, composer, and author of the well-known march "Farewell of ...

(1884–1964), musician, author of the song "

Farewell of Slavianka "Farewell of Slavianka" (russian: Прощание славянки, Proščanije slavjanki) is a Russian patriotic march, written by the composer Vasily Agapkin in honour of Slavic women accompanying their husbands in the First Balkan War. Th ...

" * Boris Andreyev (1915-1982), actor * Inga Artamonova (1936–1966), world speed-skating champion *

Grigori Chukhrai Grigory Naumovich Chukhray (russian: Григо́рий Нау́мович Чухра́й; uk, Григорiй Наумович Чухрай; 23 May 1921 – 28 October 2001) was a Ukrainian Soviet and Russian film director and screenwriter. ...

(1921–2001), film director *

Vladimir Dal Vladimir Ivanovich Dal ( rus, Влади́мир Ива́нович Даль, p=vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr ɨˈvanəvʲɪdʑ ˈdalʲ; November 22, 1801 – October 4, 1872) was a noted Russian-language lexicographer, polyglot, Turkologist, and founding me ...

(1801–1872), lexicographer *

Sergei Grinkov Sergei Mikhailovich Grinkov (russian: Сергей Михайлович Гриньков; 4 February 1967 – 20 November 1995) was a Russian pair skater. Together with his wife Ekaterina Gordeeva, he was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and ...

(1967–1995), world & Olympic ice skating pairs champion * Leonid Kharitonov (1930–1987), actor *

Otari Kvantrishvili Otari Kvantrishvili ( ka, ოთარ კვანტრიშვილი, russian: Ота́ри Квантришвили; January 27, 1948 – April 5, 1994) was a Georgian mafia boss and one of Moscow's leading organised crime figures during ...

(1948–1994), godfather of the

Georgian mafia The Georgian mafia ( ka, ქართული მაფია, tr) is regarded as one of the biggest, most powerful and influential criminal networks in Europe, which has produced the largest number of "thieves in law" in all former USSR countries ...

Egor Makovsky Egor Ivanovich Makovsky (14 April 1802 – 9 August 1886) was a Russian accountant and artist, one of the founders of the forerunner of the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Early life Born in 1802 in Zvenigorod (although ot ...

(1802–1886), accountant and artist * Andrei Mironov (1941-1987), actor *

Bulat Okudzhava Bulat Shalvovich Okudzhava (russian: link=no, Булат Шалвович Окуджава; ka, ბულატ ოკუჯავა; hy, Բուլատ Օկուջավա; May 9, 1924 – June 12, 1997) was a Soviet and Russian poet, writer, musici ...

(1924–1997), poet and singer-songwriter, writer *

Vasili Oshchepkov Vasiliy Sergeyevich Oshchepkov (russian: Васи́лий Серге́евич Още́пков); (January 7, 1893 - October 10, 1938) was a Russian researcher of different types of national wrestling and martial arts. He was ranked as a Merit ...

(1892-1937), fighter *

Lyudmila Pakhomova Lyudmila Alekseyevna Pakhomova (russian: Людмила Алексеевна Пахомова; 31 December 1946 – 17 May 1986) was an ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union. With her husband Alexandr Gorshkov, she was the 1976 Olympic c ...

(1946–1986), world & Olympic ice dancing pairs champion *

Mikhail Pugovkin Mikhail Ivanovich Pugovkin (russian: Михаи́л Ива́нович Пу́говкин; July 13, 1923, Rameshki, Chukhlomsky District of Kostroma Oblast — July 25, 2008, Moscow) (aged 85) was a Soviet and Russian comic actor named a Peopl ...

(1923–2008), actor *

Prosh Proshian Prosh Perchevich Proshian (1883 – December 16, 1918, Moscow) was an Armenian revolutionary active in the Left Socialist Revolutionary Party (left SR). In November he stood as a candidate for the Baltic Fleet electoral district during the elec ...

(1883–1918),

Left Socialist-Revolutionary The Party of Left Socialist-Revolutionaries (russian: Партия левых социалистов-революционеров-интернационалистов) was a revolutionary socialist political party formed during the Russian Revo ...

* Alexei Savrasov (1830–1897), painter *

Gennady Shpalikov Gennady Fyodorovich Shpalikov (russian: Генна́дий Фёдорович Шпа́ликов; 6 September 1937 – 1 November 1974) was a prominent Soviet Russian poet, screenwriter and film director. Early years Born in the town of Segezha, ...

(1937–1974), poet, screenwriter *

David Shterenberg David Petrovich Shterenberg (russian: Давид Петрович Штеренберг; Zhitomir – May 1, 1948 Moscow) was a Ukrainian-born Russian Soviet painter and graphic artist. Life Born to a Jewish family in Zhitomir, Ukraine, Shterenb ...

(1881–1948), artist *

Vitaly Solomin Vitaly Mefodievich Solomin (russian: link=no, Виталий Мефодьевич Соломин; 12 December 194127 May 2002) was a Soviet and Russian actor, director and screenwriter, best remembered for playing Dr. Watson in a series of Sherloc ...

(1941–2002), actor *

Anatoly Solonitsyn Anatoly (Otto) Alekseyevich Solonitsyn (russian: Анатолий (Отто) Алексеевич Солоницын; 30 August 1934 – 11 June 1982) was a Soviet actor known for his roles in Andrei Tarkovsky's films. He won the Silver Bear for ...

(1934-1982), actor *

Nikolai Starostin Nikolai Petrovich Starostin (Cyrillic: Никола́й Петро́вич Ста́ростин; 26 February 1902 – 17 February 1996) was a Soviet footballer and ice hockey player, and founder of Spartak Moscow. Early life and Spartak Mosco ...

(1902–1996), footballer *

Vasily Surikov Vasily Ivanovich Surikov (Russian: Василий Иванович Суриков; 24 January 1848 – 19 March 1916) was a Russian Realist history painter. Many of his works have become familiar to the general public through their use as illus ...

(1848–1916), painter *

Yevgeny Svetlanov Yevgeny Fyodorovich Svetlanov (russian: Евгéний Фёдорович Светлáнов; 6 September 1928 – 3 May 2002) was a Russian conductor, composer and a pianist. Life and work Svetlanov was born in Moscow and studied conducting ...

(1928-2002), conductor, composer, and pianist *

Igor Talkov Igor Vladimirovich Talkov (russian: link=no, И́горь Влади́мирович Талько́в; 4 November 1956 – 6 October 1991), was a Russian rock singer-songwriter and film actor. His breakthrough came in 1987 with the David Tukhma ...

(1956–1991), poet, singer-songwriter *

Anna Timiryova Anna Vasilyevna Timiryova (russian: Анна Васильевна Тимирёва; 18 July 1893 – 31 January 1975) was a Russian poet. Born Anna Safonova, she was the daughter of composer Vasily Ilyich Safonov. At the age of 19 she married Ad ...

(1893–1975), poet *

Nika Turbina Nika Georgievna Turbina (russian: Ника Гeopгиeвна Туpбина; 17 December 1974, Yalta – 11 May 2002, Moscow) was a Russian poet. She became famous for her profound and emotional poems which she wrote at an early age. She wrote her ...

(1974–2002), poet *

Vasily Tropinin Vasily Andreevich Tropinin (russian: Васи́лий Андре́евич Тропи́нин; – ) was a Russian Romantic painter. Much of his life was spent as a serf; he didn't attain his freedom until he was more than forty years old. ...

(1776–1857), painter *

Lev Vlassenko Lev Nikolaevich Vlassenko ( Russian: Лев Никола́евич Вла́сенко; 24 December 1928 – 24 August 1996), was a Soviet pianist and teacher. Biography Lev Vlassenko was born on 24 December 1928 in Tiflis, Georgian SSR, Soviet Un ...

(1928–1996), pianist *

Vladimir Vysotsky Vladimir Semyonovich Vysotsky ( rus, links=no, Владимир Семёнович Высоцкий, p=vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr sʲɪˈmʲɵnəvʲɪtɕ vɨˈsotskʲɪj; 25 January 1938 – 25 July 1980), was a Soviet singer-songwriter, poet, and actor ...

(1938–1980), poet, singer-songwriter, actor *

Vasily Yan Vasily Yan (Russian: Васи́лий Ян; 23 December 1874 (4 January 1875), Kyiv, Russian Empire – August 5, 1954, Zvenigorod, Moscow Oblast) was a Russian writer, author of famous historic novels. Also spelled "Vassily Yan" (or "Ian") or ju ...

(1876–1954), writer *

Leonid Yengibarov Leonid Georgievich Yengibarov ( hy, Լեոնիդ Ենգիբարյան; russian: Леонид Георгиевич Енгибаров; March 15, 1935 – July 25, 1972) was a Soviet Armenian clown and actor. Biography Leonid Yengibarov was b ...

(1935–1972), clown, mime, actor * Yakov Rozval (1932-2015), engineer, inventor * Sergei Yesenin (1895–1925), poet, husband of

Isadora Duncan Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...

Antonina Zubkova Antonina Leontievna Zubkova (; 12 October 1920 — 13 November 1950) was a captain and squadron navigator in the women's 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment during World War II who was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Prewar life Zubk ...

(1920-1950), WWII bomber pilot, Heroine of the Soviet Union *

Lev Loktev Lev Abramovich Loktev (Russian: ) (August 25, 1908 - April 28, 1981) was a Soviet artillery designer and served as the chief designer at Mikhail Kalinin Plant No.8 in Podlipki, now part of Korolyov, Moscow Oblast. Early life Lev Abramovich Lokt ...

(1908-1981), artillery designer * Anastasia Filatova (1920—2001) the Russian wife of the

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

n leader

Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal ( mn, Юмжаагийн Цэдэнбал, ''Yumzhaagiin Tsedenbal'' ; russian: Юмжагийн Цэдэнбал, translit=Yumzhagyn Tsedenbal ; 17 September 1916 – 20 April 1991) was the leader of the Mongolian Peop ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1771 establishments in the Russian Empire Cemeteries in Moscow Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Moscow