Transcript:

Dear friends, I would like to congratulate all of you and, of course, all Muscovites and all the people of Russia on the opening of the Arch of Triumph or the Gate of Triumph. The restored Arch has regained its original image, with due consideration of some historical transformations. It ranks among the main and earliest national monuments, dedicated to Russia’s victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. Russian regiments had passed through a wooden Arch of Triumph, which was different from the one we see here, after the defeat of Napoleon’s forces.

The Arch symbolises this country’s military strength and glory, and highlights the heroic feats of our ancestors. It is a meaningful aspect of this city – it is impossible to imagine the Russian capital without the Arch of Triumph, or the Gate of Triumph, as it is impossible to imagine Russia’s entire heroic history without the Patriotic War of 1812. Consequently, the restoration of the Arch is truly important for Muscovites and for the entire country.

It should be noted that the present-day Arch of Triumph had shared in all the hardships of our 20^th century history. As we know, it was dismantled in the 1930s and reassembled only in the 1960s in another location. Naturally, time took its toll. As a result, the Arch was restored in the run-up to the celebrations of the 200^th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812.

This represents a return of our cultural heritage, patriotic spirit and historical memory. The Arch has never before been restored on such a grand scale – very complicated work has been completed. I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this project, and to say that this was a very complicated technological challenge, as workers had to combine old and, naturally, latest technologies. Many elements of the Arch of Triumph were rebuilt from scratch. For instance, the Chariot of the Goddess of Victory now occupies its original place. I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in the restoration effort. Your work deserves the highest praise and, hopefully, state awards. Thank you very much, everyone!