Builder's Day is one of the few holidays so widely celebrated throughout Russia. Nowadays, few people will remember without a trace when and for what reason he appeared on the calendar. The day of the builder in the Soviet Union was first officially celebrated on August 12, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-six. On the eve, on the sixth of September, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-fifth, a Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council was issued on the establishment of the annual celebration of the "Day of the Builder." It was ordered to celebrate it in August, on the second Sunday of the month.
Why did the builders day appear in those years?
Just at that time, the authorities finally drew attention to the terrible housing situation that prevailed in the country and decided to significantly accelerate the pace of construction. This goal was akin to conquering outer space, because before 1980, millions of families were planned to provide housing, and not just housing, but a separate apartment. This was the beginning of the construction of the so-called "Khrushchev". Later, another decree followed, which concerned the elimination of excesses in design and construction. At that time, they began to struggle with the cult of the personality of Stalin, so what was called the "Stalin Empire" was forbidden: porticos, colonnades, turrets. Such a ban was justified by the fact that, supposedly, these excesses greatly slow down the pace of construction. It was also recommended to significantly reduce the area of auxiliary premises.
These legislative acts and led to the emergence of such a holiday as Builder's Day. They immediately organized an all-union celebration, and this is not surprising. Indeed, in those days the whole Union resembled one huge construction site. The newspapers of that time wrote that in Moscow they celebrated the Builder's Day with mass festivities, reports, exhibitions, and lectures. The main events took place in the Gorky Park, where the builders of the Leninsky district of Moscow gathered to build the ensemble of buildings of Moscow State University, the stadium named after Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and the southwestern sleeping areas of the capital. At this meeting, a commitment was made - to hand over two hundred and ten thousand square meters of living space by December 20th of this year.
According to the tradition prevailing at that time, socialist competitions unfolded before the holidays. Thanks to the hard work in that period, we still use such wonderful buildings as, for example, the Luzhniki Stadium, which was erected on the first anniversary of the Builder's Day celebration.
Like many other holidays, this date has formed its own traditions. And one of the best among them is the delivery of new objects on the Builder's Day. To this day, not one of these holidays takes place without the opening of new residential complexes, bridges, hospitals and schools. And by the year 2000, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was commissioned in Moscow.
There is also a tradition of initiation into builders. Usually it happens this way: to start a newcomer, they are fed with bread and salt, which symbolizes the “pound of salt” that you have to eat until you master your specialty. After that, he will have to hold his hands above the bowl with the fire burning in it in order to feel how “hot” work he will have in the future. Then they put a helmet on his head, and he takes the oath of the builder. Sometimes a neophyte is knocked on a helmet with a brick.
And, for example, in the Arctic, this humorous rite is performed by Nord himself - the lord of the North with his retinue. He leaves the arrived helicopter in front of the ranks of young builders, his retinue grabs the commanders of student groups and laughed them into the props, where they come out with diplomas of dedication, and also each is handed a piece of Norilsk ore mounted on a stand.
Today, the construction industry is starting to revive, as housing has received the status of a National Priority Project. And this means a significant increase in construction volumes and an even larger celebration of the Builder's Day.