Fleeting wonders: cemetery wifi in moscow

  11 December 2015    Read: 1240
Fleeting wonders: cemetery wifi in moscow
Would it kill you to check your email? If so, maybe do it in the Russian capital. Moscow City Hall announced today that, starting next year, you`ll be able to surf the web at the city`s three largest cemeteries. The city will also set up special spots among the gravestones for visitors to "unwind," said Artyom Yekimov, a member of a state-owned funeral director`s company who is involved in the project.
In Russia, chillin` in cemeteries is a storied tradition–only the Netflix is new. Graveyards have long been popular spots for memorial feasts and celebrations (which isn`t so strange, as many are lovely, green, and full of statues of cosmonauts). Officials hope that the ability to stay connected will encourage the public, especially younger generations, to continue with important traditions like taking the bus, going to church, and picnicking on the graves of their ancestors.



This is the latest step in a longer, multi-pronged campaign to bring the Internet to public spaces in Moscow. Earlier this year, authorities began setting up hotspots at bus stops, along with special "navigation tables" in the city`s center.

Several religious organizations, including the Russian Orthodox Church and the Council of Russia`s Muftis, are working on providing free "clean internet" in and around Moscow`s places of worship.

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