2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino. The Battle of Borodino became a decisive strategic operation that turned the tide of the war with the Napoleonic army. Some historians, however, believe that formally Napoleon won the battle, but, despite conflicting assessments, in Russia this event is annually celebrated as a victory for Russian weapons.
The battle of Borodino took place on September 7, 1812 (August 26, old style). It lasted more than twelve hours and is considered the bloodiest battle in history in military science. As a result of the battle, the Russian side lost about 44 thousand, and the French - at least 58 thousand people. In the folk and military tradition of Russia, the battle near the village of Borodino has become a symbol of heroism and fortitude. Over the past two centuries, this estimate has not changed.
In 2012, residents of Russia and many neighboring countries are preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino. Large-scale celebrations in various cities and regions are timed to this anniversary, including museum exhibitions and the reconstruction of military events.
Many events started at the beginning of the year. During the New Year holidays, everyone had the opportunity to visit the Borodino Field Museum-Reserve on preferential terms. During a three-hour excursion, you can get acquainted with the places of battles, listen to a story about the course of the battle and the exploits of Russian soldiers. The exposition of the museum will be significantly updated by the time of the celebration of the anniversary date.
As part of the events to celebrate the anniversary of the battle, the Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum and the Moscow Department of Culture organized a Festival of Artistic Creativity titled “1812 in the Memory of the People”. The best works are presented as an independent section at the anniversary exhibition in the Manezh exhibition hall.
On the website of the Panorama Museum, indicated at the end of the article, you can visit a virtual exhibition dedicated to the Battle of Borodino. The user can get a detailed description of three-dimensional objects of the museum, view videos and photos, listen to audio files. The project allows you to plunge into the events of two hundred years ago, without leaving your home.
The Bank of Russia plans to issue commemorative coins from the historical series dedicated to the anniversary of the victory over the Napoleonic army in 1812. Commemorative coins dedicated to the Battle of Borodino will be minted in neighboring Belarus as well.
The shooting of the historical film "Ulanskaya Ballad", in which Alexander Domogarov and Sergei Bezrukov are filmed, are in full swing. The release of the film is scheduled for the day of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino - on September 7, 2012.
The central event in the celebration of the anniversary will, of course, be the historical reenactment of the battle. The military reconstruction program can be found on the Borodino 2012 website. The fancy-dress event on the real battlefield promises to be colorful and spectacular.
