Tomb of the Unknown Soldier & Zhukov Statue in Moscow
Looking around Russia, it's easy to see how much this country has invested in and valued its military power and soldiers. Although they are remnants of the Soviet era, statues of soldiers charging forward with guns still remain everywhere in subway stations and buildings. There are also statues of people who made significant achievements in war scattered around, and you can always see red roses placed in front of them. And if there's one more place where you can get a glimpse of this Russian patriotism, it's the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the statue of Marshal Zhukov.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Marshal Zhukov is a national war hero of Russia, and a highly mythical figure, especially to those who dream of a strong Russia. However, whether he was born in the right or wrong era, even this incredible war hero was eventually purged by Stalin in his later years.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a place honoring soldiers who died in the World Wars; in Korean terms, it's like a national cemetery for the unnamed. There's one in the US, and pretty much every country that wants to emphasize patriotism has one. The "Eternal Flame" that burns 24/7, 365 days a year, is also installed in several countries to honor patriotism and soldiers. This flame for fallen Russian soldiers is famous not so much for the fire itself, but for the Russian changing of the guard ceremony that takes place in front of it.
The tomb is usually blocked off from entry, but when children or ordinary people want to lay flowers in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, one of the guards opens a sort of barricade in front to let them in. Whether it's St. Basil's Cathedral or other restricted areas, they always open the doors when someone wants to touch things directly and pray. It's a completely different way of appreciating things compared to Korea or other European countries, where you are absolutely forbidden from touching valuables.
The names of various Russian regions are written on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and you can easily see people praying and leaving flowers at the spots marked with their region's name. Even though it's a memorial in another country—and specifically a memorial in a place that was once hostile to Korea—it's easy to empathize with the sorrow of the war victims and their families when you see people shedding tears here. Of course, at a quick glance, this is just a place for Chinese tourists to take pictures.
Expenses based on 1 person / might be for 2
- Breakfast shashlik plov 250RUB
- Lunch at Mu-Mu 820RUB
- Kremlin 500RUB
- St. Basil's Cathedral for two 700RUB
- Dinner salad, bread, sauce 300RUB, chicken 125RUB, shashlik 126RUB, ikra (caviar) 100RUB, 251RUB out of 400RUB for vodka
Total expenses 2,521RUB
Total trip expenses 525,936 KRW + 21,012RUB + $53.16