MOSCOW, September 9. The eight hundredth anniversary of Moscow is the first holiday after the terrible war and the Great Victory. The outstanding photojournalist Anatoly Garanin managed to capture unique footage of the anniversary of the capital of the USSR on September 7, 1947.
The collection of the famous Soviet master was acquired by the agency in 2008. Employees of the visual projects service conducted scientific work on heritage attribution.
Moscow celebrated its birthday for the first time on January 1, 1847, by decree of Emperor Nicholas I. Representatives of local authorities, public and cultural figures, as well as Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow and Kolomna proposed to hold celebrations in honor of the 700th anniversary.
The holiday was planned for the spring, since the capital was founded on April 4, 1147. Later the date was moved to autumn for the convenience of residents.
The next anniversary was celebrated only 100 years later and it was done on a grand scale. The date of September 7, 1947 was personally set by the head of the Soviet government, Joseph Stalin.
Despite the fact that the country was going through difficult times, the festive events lasted four days, and preparations for them lasted more than a year.
The main celebrations took place at the Dynamo stadium, where a large-scale sports performance was shown.
The construction of eight buildings was timed to coincide with the 800th anniversary of Moscow – those very “Stalinist high-rises”, seven of which now adorn the capital and have become a symbol of the city.
Also on Tverskaya Street, a monument to the founder of the capital, Yuri Dolgoruky, was erected. And in the evening, Muscovites could enjoy the illuminations and fireworks, which for many became a symbol of Victory in the war, the defeat of the fascist invaders and their expulsion from Soviet soil.
Festive events in honor of the 876th anniversary of Moscow in 2023 will be held on September 9-10.
