Memorial eternal flame in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. On the history of the memorial complex "eternal flame" in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Is the Eternal Flame necessary?

I’ll start my notes about the Nizhny Novgorod region, of course, with its main city - Nizhny Novgorod. This is a city with an ancient and unique destiny, possessing numerous attractions. I will not delve into its history; it is quite long and has already been described by many. I will only say that the city was founded in 1221 by the Vladimir prince Yuri Vsevolodovich at the confluence of the Oka and Volga. The Kremlin was built here, the second militia was formed on the initiative of K. Minin to liberate Moscow from the Poles, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair operated, and the GAZ plant was created. St. Macarius of Zheltovodsky, inventor Ivan Kulibin, composer Mily Balakirev, photographer Maxim Dmitriev, mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky, pilot Pyotr Nesterov, writer Maxim Gorky, actor Evgeny Evstigneev, composer Alexander Kasyanov were born here. Let's walk through this magnificent city and visit its ancient streets.
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin- one of the few surviving in Russia, built in 1500-1518, it has never been taken in its entire history. The only Kremlin in Russia, located not on an elevated, flat plateau, but on a difference in relief:

Let's go around the Kremlin and see its towers
The main tower of the Kremlin is Dmitrievskaya. The Dmitrievskaya Tower was built first of all the Kremlin towers, during the reign of the Grand Duke of Nizhny Novgorod Dmitry Konstantinovich, who founded it in the 14th century.
The tower was named after the nearby Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica. The Dmitrievskaya Tower was the main formidable defender during enemy raids. In the thickness of its walls, reaching 5 meters, battle stoves are still visible:

Pantry tower. Since the 17th century. the tower was used to store ammunition and weapons (hence the name - Pantry):

Nikolskaya Tower. The tower got its name from the Verkhne Posad Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which stood opposite it near Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street. Tower with travel gates. Once upon a time the gate had a drawbridge over a moat, but at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries. the passage gates were blocked. At the same time, the tower was adapted for a food warehouse. Later, the tower belonged to the military department and until 1956 served as a utility room for various military units:

Rocker tower. The spindles (walls) that adjoin it are similar to rocker arms. Maybe that's why it got its name. However, there are various legends about this.
Legend one (heroic): a local girl with a yoke on her shoulders was descending from the Kremlin steeps to the Pochaina River, enemies attacked her, and she began to scatter their hordes with the yoke, but after a long struggle she fell dead, her enemies buried her with honors under the tower and left I'll pick you up back and say hello.
Legend two (tragic): the young woman Alena, who was going to fetch water, was grabbed by the tower builders and walled up alive under the base of the future tower, sacrificing her so that their work would go well, as the ancient custom said:

Tainitskaya Tower. The name Taynitskaya first appears in 1765 and is due to the fact that the tower had an underground passage-cache that led from the Kremlin to the Pochaina River:

North Tower. The name Northern is given due to the fact that it is the furthest to the north in relation to other towers located above the Pochainsky ravine:

Clock tower. Already during construction, the clock tower was given special significance: a wooden frame of a clock hut was placed above its stone part, and a guard tower was placed above it.
Inside the hut there was a clock mechanism, and dials were mounted on the outer walls. Hence the name of the tower - Clock. The inventory of 1621 says: “there is a fighting clock on the tower,” i.e. Every hour was marked with a strike:

Ivanovo Tower. The Ivanovo Tower can be called the largest (its volume is 17x20 m). It got its name from the nearby Church of John the Baptist. The tower played an exceptionally important role in the defense of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin from the foothill side. The tower itself contained many different rooms, including prison facilities. One of the legends tells how subjects of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania imprisoned in the tower helped the people of Nizhny Novgorod defeat the Nogai Khan. This tower is famous for the fact that from its walls in 1612 the Nizhny Novgorod militia, led by Minin and Pozharsky, moved to liberate Moscow from the Poles:

White Tower. The base of the tower is made of white stone - hence its name:

Conception Tower. Destroyed by landslides in the 18th century. The tower received its name from the convent located here. In 2012 it was recreated in its original appearance. At the same time, the walls were restored, 20-30 m adjacent to it in each direction. The tower houses an exhibition dedicated to the archeology of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin; the original remains of the tower are on display:

Borisoglebskaya tower. Once named after the church of St. Boris and Gleb, the tower was destroyed by time and landslides, and the existing one is a copy of the ancient one (recreated in 1972-1974). But on the outside of the Kremlin, the Restorers managed to preserve the original remains of the old tower:

St. George's Tower. Named after the church of St. George, which stood nearby. Like other quadrangular towers of the Kremlin, Georgievskaya had a passage gate. The tower was then used as a warehouse. Now outside it is almost half hidden by the ground:

Powder Tower. It contained reserves of gunpowder, hence the name:


Let us now enter the territory of the Kremlin itself through the Dmitrievskaya Tower.
Memorial to the Gorky Front. This exhibition of weapons produced in Gorky during the Great Patriotic War, dedicated to the labor exploits of Gorky residents, was opened on the 30th anniversary of the Victory, in 1975:


Obelisk with a sculpture of the patron saint of the Russian army, George the Victorious, in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin near the Park of Glory. Installed in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War:

St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.
The oldest building in the Kremlin that has reached us. An outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture, which belongs to the type of tent-roofed temples. The cathedral was built in 1628-1631. (architects - Lavrentiy and Antipas Vozoulins). The Archangel Cathedral is the tomb of the Nizhny Novgorod princes, and here since 1962 the ashes of K. Minin, the organizer and leader of the Russian people's militia of 1612, which liberated Moscow from the Polish invaders, rest:

Monument to the founder of Nizhny Novgorod, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich, and his spiritual mentor, Bishop Simon of Suzdal. The monument was erected in 2008:

Monument to the first Nizhny Novgorod residents:


The building of government offices (Cadet Corps) in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 1785. Here in 1887, the outstanding Russian pilot P.N. Nesterov was born into the family of a teacher, who was the first in the world to perform a loop and an aerial ram. Now here is the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region:


The building of the Regional Committee of the CPSU in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 1974-1976. on the site of the destroyed cathedral church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary built in 1821-1828. Currently, the regional Government and the administration of the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region are located here, as well as the Plenipotentiary Representative Office of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District:


Eternal flame with granite stele in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Was opened on May 8, 1965:


Tank T-34, produced during the Second World War by the Sormovo plant. is located next to the memorial complex in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Installed on May 9, 1970. The tank was one of the first to liberate the city of Vienna:


The building of the Kremlin Police Station (Telephone Exchange). Built in 1786. Nowadays - Federal Treasury Department for the Nizhny Novgorod Region:


Monument in honor of Gorky residents, participants in the Great Patriotic War, twice Heroes of the Soviet Union, Guard Lieutenant General of Aviation V.G. Ryazanov (1901-1951) and Major General of Aviation A.V. Vorozheikin (1912-2001):

Obelisk in honor of K. Minin and D. Pozharsky in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 1828. The oldest monument in Nizhny Novgorod. The granite obelisk was made in St. Petersburg. During transportation to Nizhny Novgorod, the upper parts of the granite trunk were damaged (which can be observed visually):


House of Soviets in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 1929-1931, this is the first large public building built under Soviet rule in Nizhny Novgorod. For the construction of the House of Soviets, the Transfiguration Cathedral and the guardhouse building at the house of the military governor were destroyed. The House of Soviets is a typical example of constructivist architecture. Two intersecting four-story buildings and a cylindrical “nose” resemble (in plan) an airplane. From the moment of construction to the present time, the city’s governing bodies have been located here:


Worship cross in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Established in 1994. Dedicated to the memory of the Slavic first teachers, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Equal-to-the-Apostles:


Chapel in honor of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 2012 on the site of the demolished Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior (1225-1918):

Tombstone behind the chapel in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. This slab was installed in the Transfiguration Cathedral at the burial site of K. Minin with donations from Nizhny Novgorod merchants in 1878. On November 4, 2012, in the year of the 400th anniversary of the feat of the Nizhny Novgorod militia in 1612, the tombstone was returned to its historical place:

A memorial sign on the site of the former Transfiguration Cathedral, demolished in 1929 for the construction of the House of Soviets in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin:

House of the military governor in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 1841. In the 1860s. here, in part of the building, the first public art school in Nizhny Novgorod was opened, headed by the famous artist and photographer A.O. Karelin and architect L.V. Dahl (son of V.I. Dahl). In the post-revolutionary period, Soviet and party bodies were located in the palace. It was in this building in 1858 that Governor A.N. Muravyov introduced the writer A. Dumas to the prototypes of his novel “The Fencing Teacher,” which had already been written - the former Decembrist and convict, Nizhny Novgorod official Ivan Annenkov and his wife Praskovya (nee Polina Geble). The story of the Annenkovs’ life and love is familiar to us from V. Motyl’s film “The Star of Captivating Happiness.” Since 1991, the Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum has been located here with a rich collection of paintings, graphics and sculpture:


Arbitration Court of the Volga-Vyatka District in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin:


Barracks of the garrison battalion in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Built in 1797-1806. The barracks buildings were conceived as an integral part of the complex of administrative buildings in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Military units and various services of the military department, including an infirmary, were located here. In the 2nd half of the 19th century. the building overlooking the former parade ground was given the name “White Barracks”.
From Soviet times until 2009, the headquarters of the Nizhny Novgorod military garrison was located here:


This concludes our walk around the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.

The eternal flame symbolizes the courage and bravery of the soldiers who gave their lives for a brave cause. When the Nazi occupiers violated the non-aggression pact and treacherously invaded the territory of the Soviet Union, everyone, young and old, contributed as best they could to the Great Victory. Most of the boys and girls volunteered to go to the front to beat the enemy, those who did not go to the front stood behind the machines, making shells and tanks for the Soviet army, mostly these workers were children.

The first days and months of the war were very difficult and tense. With incredible courage and bravery, the Soviet people defended their great Motherland. Volunteer partisan detachments were organized in the Belarusian forests, which through their actions tried to disrupt Adolf Hitler’s lightning-fast plan to seize the Soviet Union.

Opening of the first Eternal Flame of Glory

One of the first monuments to soldiers killed in battle was opened back in 1921. The memorial complex was built under the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital, Paris.

In the collapsed Soviet Union, in Moscow, in honor of the celebration of the Great Victory in 1955, the Eternal Flame was solemnly lit at the monument. However, it is difficult to call it “eternal”, since it was lit periodically, only a few times a year:

• to celebrate Victory Day;
• on the Day of the Armed Forces and the Navy, later, since 2013, on the Day of Defender of the Fatherland;
• on the Day of Liberation of Shchekino.

The truly Eternal Flame is considered to be the fire in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), which was lit on November 6, 1957 on the Field of Mars.

Today there are only three such memorial complexes in the capital. The first Eternal Flame was lit on February 9, 1961. Over time, the gas pipeline supplying gas deteriorated, and starting in 2004, it was temporarily turned off while repairs were being carried out, and by 2010 it was turned on again.

Monuments and memorial complexes built in the 50-60s of the twentieth century have become fairly worn out by our time. Gas pipes leading to fire are especially affected. Therefore, the government annually allocates funds to reconstruct and replace pipes at many of the country's monuments as quickly as possible.

Photos of the memorial complex

The photo below shows the Eternal Flame at the Kremlin Wall, which was lit at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 1967. The opening ceremony was chaired personally by Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev. In 2009, the fire was moved to Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill. In 2010, it was returned again to the Kremlin wall.

Representatives of the Moscow Veterans Society made a proposal to open a memorial on Poklonnaya Hill. The public warmly supported this initiative, because such monuments symbolize the eternal memory of fallen soldiers and teach modern youth not to forget the terrible pages of the history of their country.

The following remarkable and brave citizens were honored to light the Eternal Flame:

1. Vladimir Dolgikh, a participant in the fighting during the defense of Moscow, an honorary citizen, and chairman of the Council of War and Labor Veterans.
2. Hero of Russia Colonel Vyacheslav Sivko.
3. Representative of the public organization Nikolai Zimogorodov.

After the opening of the memorial complex, this place became the most visited in the Russian capital. Not only Moscow residents come here, but also numerous tourists who want to see the sights of the hero city.

Is the Eternal Flame necessary?

Modern youth are less and less interested in history and those distant, troubled days of the Great Patriotic War. There are fewer and fewer people left who passed through the fiery walls of hell in those years. But nevertheless, we must never forget about the feat that our fathers and grandfathers accomplished in the name of peace for future generations. One of these reminders are monuments and memorials with an eternal and unquenchable flame, reminiscent of the heroic deeds of soldiers on the battlefields.

When designing and restoring monuments, experts are thinking about how to make an Eternal Flame, but there are people and officials who are against this. They argue this by saying that extra material costs are needed for the installation and maintenance of gas exhaust pipes and burners. But it is very good that there are only a few such people, because the Eternal Flame symbolizes the eternal memory of the feat that people accomplished in the name of peace.

Where do veterans meet?

In many cities of the vast expanses of Russia, monuments and memorials with the Eternal Flame have been opened. These places have long become attractions and calling cards of cities; they attract many people of different ages, guests and tourists. For veterans, they serve as a meeting place and remembrance of distant war days and fallen comrades.

On the day of the celebration of the Great Victory over the Nazi occupiers, May 9, fresh flowers are brought to monuments and memorials and wreaths are laid. Here they very often set up a field kitchen for veterans with the mandatory one hundred grams of front-line food.

Eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

During the bloody battles, a huge number of soldiers and officers went missing. The remains of dead soldiers are still being found at former battlefields. During the defense of Moscow back in 1941, a huge number of workers and soldiers were killed; in their honor, the monument “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” was built in 1967. At its foot, pointed flames burst out from a bronze five-pointed star, symbolizing the unforgotten exploits of the heroes.

The Eternal Flame monument serves as a meeting place, because every day people bring fresh flowers to it, thereby honoring the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives for a bright future. It serves as a meeting place for students from Moscow (and not only) schools with war veterans. Each child then records what they see by creating a drawing. The eternal flame burns with a bright flame in young hearts.

Creating a drawing

How to draw the Eternal Flame? Before you start sketching, you need to look at it in person at least once. It is best to make a sketch without leaving the memorial, this way you can choose the most suitable angle. The monument should be photographed in order to complete the begun drawing at home.

On a piece of paper you need to sketch out the outline of the memorial. It is important to remember when creating a drawing: The eternal flame should not reach the edges of the sheet; two to three centimeters should be left. In this case, the image will turn out beautiful and voluminous. The sketch and the drawing itself should be done with a sharp pencil, drawing light lines.

Shutdown

The next step is to draw clearer outlines. Parents can give their children their advice on how to draw the Eternal Flame, but it is better to do it in the shape of a five-pointed star in the form of rays with all sides of the figure completed.

To add volume from each vertex of the star, we raise (lower) perpendicular lines relative to the entire picture and connect them with parallel lines. The final moment will be connecting the center of the star with its vertices. After this, you should proceed directly to drawing the flame. It is better not to paint the tongues of fire in a flashy bright red color, but to make them orange-red.

Finally, use an eraser to remove all auxiliary lines and color the picture using colored pencils or watercolors.

Hero Cities

The inscription on the granite slab of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial reads: “Your name is unknown, your feat is immortal.” In continuation of the historical ensemble, parallel to the Kremlin wall, urns with soil taken from the hero cities were installed: Minsk and Leningrad, Sevastopol and Kyiv, Kerch and Volgograd, Brest and Smolensk, Tula and Murmansk.

As you can see in the photo, the “Eternal Flame” is a monument that is always crowded with people. The flame burns constantly, and the top of the memorial ensemble is decorated with a soldier's helmet cast in bronze, a laurel branch and a battle flag. On May 9, Victory Day, thousands of people come to look at the Eternal Flame, as well as veterans who take a minute of silence to honor the memory of the fallen soldiers who showed extraordinary courage and fortitude in the struggle for freedom during the Great Patriotic War.

Craft for Victory Day

The “Eternal Flame” craft, made with your own hands, will be the most beautiful and expensive gift that a schoolchild can give to his grandparents who fought. On the eve of the holiday, at school and at home, adults should have a conversation with children about the heroic exploits of Soviet soldiers on the battlefields against the Nazi occupiers.

The craft is made from paper or other available materials. It should not be complicated so as not to discourage children from doing it. To make an Eternal Flame out of paper, a child will need perseverance, attentiveness, and the ability to use scissors and glue. Such crafts are best done by middle school students, fifth and sixth grade students. To make a gift you will need scissors, colored paper, glue, a simple pencil and a ruler. First you need to draw a star on the back of the colored paper, cut it out and glue the three-dimensional shape. You also need to do the same with the image of fire.

You can make an Eternal Flame with your own hands in an easier way. To do this, you will need the following ingredients: half a glass of flour, water and one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Ask your elders or try to knead the dough yourself. From it, like from plasticine, mold a cake and press it down with something flat, such as a saucer or plate. From the resulting cake, cut out a five-pointed star with a knife. Make five small fire holes in the middle. To make flames you will need red colored paper. On the back side you should draw a fire, then cut it out. There should be five flames. Having cut them out of paper, they need to be inserted into the holes made in the dough. The craft is ready, and you can give it to your grandparents!

The fire of Eternal Glory burns

Many representatives of the younger generation do not even know that their grandfathers and great-grandfathers once fought for the freedom of their Motherland. The primary task of teachers and parents is to work with children, aimed at ensuring that they do not lose the thin thread connecting the history of past glory and the realities of present life. Almost no one can answer the question of when the first Eternal Flame was lit; few can tell why it burns and what it symbolizes. Stories about war are an integral part in the upbringing and development of a child.

The eternal flame in Moscow and many cities in the vast expanses of the Motherland burns at the foot of memorial ensembles and monuments.

Memory is imperishable

In Cherkessk, during the celebration of Victory Day in 1967, a fire was solemnly lit at the memorial to the fallen liberating soldiers who gave their lives for the independence and freedom of Russia. From a conversation with the director of the local history center, S. Tverdokhlebov, it was possible to find out that he piece by piece collected information about the soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War, defending the city of Cherkessk. Based on this material, a book was published and the memory of the heroes was immortalized in the form of a memorial complex with the Eternal Flame.

It is very important that the current generation never forgets about the terrible crimes against all humanity committed by the Nazi invaders, so that the horror of war that our grandfathers experienced is never repeated, especially since every year there are fewer and fewer living witnesses of those terrible and busy days.

Memorial complex "Eternal Flame"- a complex in honor of the defenders of the Motherland, residents of the city of Salavat, who fell in heroic battles.

The memorial complex is located on Salavat Yulaev Boulevard, next to the Palace of Children and Youth Creativity. The complex opened in 1981. The complex includes:

• Eternal flame with a monument (boat on a pedestal). The inscription on the monument “In memory of the sailors who defended the Motherland in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” The inscription on the boat “In memory of the immortal feat of veterans of the Great Patriotic War”
• Anti-aircraft artillery installation - 100 mm cannon.
• Katyusha rocket launcher
• Tank T-34/76 model 1941-1942, which took part in the battles in the Baryatinsky district of the Kaluga region in March 1942.
• Memorial plates to the Heroes of the Soviet Union - V. S. Beketov, A. Ya. Sukhorukov, Kh. B. Akhtyamov and Hero of Russia - V. E. Trubanov.
• Granite wall with photographs of Heroes
• Granite slab with the inscription: “The square is dedicated to the defenders of the Fatherland. Laid down on May 9, 2000"

Story

Since 1981, the memorial complex included a monument with a boat and an eternal flame. The patrol boat was delivered by rail from Kerch. Specially invited veterans who took part in the fighting on Malaya Zemlya spoke at the opening ceremony of the complex. For the 65th anniversary of the Victory, the memorial complex was reconstructed and supplemented with military equipment, memorial slabs and a granite wall.

Nowadays, memorial events are held at the “Eternal Flame of Glory” memorial, veterans are honored, and wreaths are laid in memory of the fallen residents of Salavat.

Nizhny Novgorod, aka Gorky, aka, with a light youth hand - NiNo or NN. The city, which has earned the title of the Volga capital, is truly original - a little provincial and at the same time rapidly developing, having preserved its historical appearance, it is, at the same time, quickly acquiring modern architecture.

If we talk about the sights of Nizhny Novgorod, then there are quite a lot of them: over the 8 centuries of existence, no one has ever set foot on the land of the Dyatlov Mountains, who has left their mark on Nizhny Novgorod history.

Nizhny Novgorod is the birthplace of outstanding people in the fields of literature, art, and science. And almost every eminent citizen has a monument erected here. As a last resort - a memorial plaque. Monuments to the most famous Nizhny Novgorod residents - Minin and Pozharsky, Gorky and Chkalov - were erected in the very heart of Nizhny Novgorod.

The most famous Nizhny Novgorod landmark, the Kremlin, is also located here. Recently, negotiations have been underway to include it in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Russia.

Immediately outside the walls of the Kremlin there is Rozhdestvenskaya Street on one side, and the Chkalov Stairs on the other. Walking along these stairs is a reason not only to marvel at the power of engineering, but also to test your endurance. The staircase has no less than 560 steps! This is the longest staircase in Russia.

Numerous churches and cathedrals occupy a special place among the city's attractions. Some are monumental and strict (Old Fair Cathedral, Alexander Nevsky New Fair Cathedral), others are small and intricate (Stroganov Church and Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Torg).

But all are incredibly beautiful, with a rich centuries-old history. The Nizhny Novgorod monasteries - Annunciation and Pechersky - are especially famous.

As for the museums of Nizhny Novgorod, their number is not too large, but all of them, without a doubt, deserve attention. Moreover, some of them are unique and exist in Russia in the singular - for example, the Dobrolyubov Museum.

The most famous, of course, is the recently restored and therefore amazingly beautiful local history museum - the Rukavishnikov Estate. What is of great value here is not so much the expositions as the building itself, which amazes with its beauty and combination of styles.

Almost all the most interesting museums are located close to each other: the Art Museum, the Russian Museum of Photography, the museum-apartment of A.M. Gorky.

But still, the main attraction remains the natural beauty and landscapes of Nizhny Novgorod, opening from the Verkhnevolzhskaya embankment. The Nizhny Novgorod Volga Escarpment is a place that UNESCO experts plan to include as a World Heritage Site.

The beauty of Nizhny Novgorod nature can be appreciated not only on the Verkhne-Volzhskaya embankment, but also in one of the city parks: Avtozavodsky Park, Kulibin Park, Pushkin Park, Switzerland Park.

So, in Pushkin Park you can walk along a unique birch alley, and in Switzerland Park you can enjoy the beauty of the river expanses and ride one of the many attractions.

Noting the exceptional services of the Gorky defenders (now Nizhny Novgorod residents) to the Motherland, in 1964 the Gorky City Executive Committee decided: “For the 20th anniversary of the Victory, create a memorial complex in honor of the Gorky residents who died during the Great Patriotic War.” The grand opening took place on May 8, 1965, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Victory Day. The Eternal Flame memorial complex is located in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, not far from St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral. Since 1980, it was decided to organize a guard of honor consisting of schoolchildren near the memorial. The authors of the project were: Honored Architect of Russia, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences (RAACS) S.A. Timofeev, First Vice-President of the Union of Architects of Russia, Corresponding Member of RAACS, Honored Architect of Russia B.S. Nelyubin, Architect Kovalev V.Ya. and artists Lyubimov V.V., Lamster E.E., Topupov N.P., Shvaikin A.M. In just one year (from 1964 to 1965), the team of authors formed the general idea of ​​the ensemble, completed models and sketches of the complex, after which models of the main elements were made and installed and improvements were made to the memorial. On May 9, 1970, a T-34 tank was installed on the territory of the complex as a symbol of the labor contribution of Gorky residents to achieving Victory.

At the center of the memorial complex is an eternal flame, shining on a tetrahedral gray granite pedestal. The ensemble itself consists of two granite steles. Near the first stela, no more than one and a half meters high, there are gilded wreaths along the entire length, symbolizing the soldiers missing during the bloody war. The other depicts two soldiers and the date of the beginning and end of the Great Patriotic War, and on the reverse side are the names of Gorky residents - Heroes of the Soviet Union who died at the front, and the inscription: “Eternal glory to the Gorky residents who died in the battles for the freedom and independence of our Motherland!” . On the side of the stele there are verses by the poet V. Polovinkin embossed in gold letters:

"Comrades, remember the lives of those who defended

They saved us both sunshine and joy.

For honor, for freedom, for the homeland of the fallen

Consider us walking side by side forever."