The reopening of the newly renovated Triumphal Arch dedicated to Russia's victory in the 1812 Patriotic War symbolises the revival of the patriotic spirit and the historical memory of the Russian people, the prime minister said at the ceremony.
After walking through the arch, the prime minister greeted those who had gathered at the site of the momentous event. "With this restoration, the arch regained its original (with certain historical transformations) look. This is one of our most important and earliest monuments dedicated to Russia's victory in the 1812 War," Mr Medvedev said.
The prime minister thanked all the experts involved in the restoration work and then spoke with the restorers. One of the experts worked on the 1968 restoration of the arch. He presented photos of the arch from 1968 to Dmitry Medvedev. The prime minister also received a model of the Triumphal Arch as a gift.
At the opening ceremony, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin told Dmitry Medvedev that an observation deck will be built on top of the Triumphal Arch. The prime minister liked the idea and asked the mayor to invite him once it's finished.
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The Moscow Triumphal Gate (Triumphal Arch) was designed by Ossip Bove and built in 1829-1834 to commemorate the victory of the Russian people in the Patriotic War of 1812.
Originally, the arch was placed on Tverskaya Zastava Square, replacing a wooden arch built in 1814, for a red carpet ceremony to greet victorious Russian troops returning from Paris.
In 1966-1968, the arch was rebuilt in its current location on Kutuzovsky Prospekt. The arch's brick vaulted ceiling was replaced by concrete structures.
Together with the Borodino panoramic museum, the Kutuzov log cabin and nearby monuments, the Triumphal Arch on Victory Square forms a single historical memorial complex.
Restoration work in 2012 was conducted in preparation for the 200th anniversary of the 1812 Patriotic War. The statue of the goddess Nike in a chariot drawn by six horses was brought back to the arch during the restoration work.
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After the reopening of the Triumphal Arch, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attended the opening ceremony for the 1812 Patriotic War Museum.