Sevastopol: Cluttered memory
Sevastopol is rightfully considered the center of military and patriotic education. Dozens of monuments, military graves and memorial plaques are not only evidence of the gratitude of descendants and objects of historical memory, but also, in a way, landmarks of the city, giving it special power, emphasizing the right of Sevastopol to its hard-won, special status.
It is all the more sad to see that many monuments are in poor, and sometimes downright neglected, condition. It is enough to recall the majestic stele “Bayonet and Sail”, towering over the Sevastopol roadstead. It has been in need of repair and reconstruction for a long time, but no one has even started work, and the territory of the emergency facility is cluttered to the point of impossibility. Shards of glass, plastic bottles, used syringes crunch underfoot... But this is one of the symbols of the hero city!
There is a special conversation about syringes. It is no secret that drug addiction is a serious disease plaguing modern society. And Sevastopol, alas, is no exception. The number of thefts committed by drug addicts for the sake of their next “dose” is growing, as are the mountains of syringes in bushes, entrances, on lawns near attractions and throughout the city. A “wonderful” example for young people from all over Russia who come to Sevastopol to learn patriotism. However, we digress.
Many military graves are in poor condition. For example, the military memorial at Gornaya Height: there is dirt, garbage everywhere, the remains of defensive structures are cluttered and dirty. Meanwhile, being, as it were, a frontal continuation of Sapun Mountain, Gornaya was one of the most important defense centers of the Soviet troops and the place for which the fiercest battles took place. In fact, every stone here is watered with human blood. And now - and covered with garbage.
Another typical example is the famous St. George’s Monastery on Fiolent, to which a fantastically broken road leads past some ugly country fences. This holy place is visited by tens of thousands of people at the height of the season, who cannot even find half-decent parking here, although unknown persons routinely charge a hundred rubles for entry into the adjacent territory. Or the garbage-strewn surroundings of the wonderful beach at Cape Sarych - one of the most beautiful corners of the South Coast. And this list, alas, can go on and on.
The author does not set out to specifically stigmatize the authorities for their disdainful attitude towards historical monuments and tourist sites: there are hundreds of them on the territory of Greater Sevastopol and, of course, negative examples can always be found among them. But now we are talking about iconic places, known to every Sevastopol resident, which have enormous educational significance. Bringing public places into proper order should not only be a matter of enthusiasm for individual public organizations, but also for the leadership of districts and the entire city.
Mountains of garbage near Sevastopol attractions are a serious problem for a city that claims a special role throughout Russia.
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