3-day trip to the Russian Federation – Moscow
Visiting the White House, Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery, State University, Sparrow Hill, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (or Christ the Redeemer ), Ulitsa Arbat, Manege Square, Kremlin, Red Square, Cathedral St. Basil, GUM Store, Kazan Cathedral, Historical Museum of Moscow Metro, Pushkin Museum, Tretyakov Gallery, Kolomenskoye.
White House, Hotel Radisson (ex Hotel Ukraina), Square of Europe and Pectopah restaurant
We started the visit of Moscow going to the new Business Center characterized by numerous skyscrapers (still under construction ) and then we saw the White House, once the seat of Parliament, made famous in the world when Boris Yeltsin in 1991 attempted the coup d’etat against the president in office, Mikhail Gorbachev. Opposite, on the bank of the Moskva River, the famous Hotel Radisson which was previously called Hotel Ukraina. With its imposing size and its “Gothic Stalinist” tower ,the hotel features more than 500 rooms as well as numerous apartments .
White House
MoscowThen we visited the Square of Europe on which stands, in addition to Kievsky rail and metro station, also the European Mall.
We stopped at the traditional Pectopah Restaurant and in the photo gallery I want to show its characteristic inside.
Pectopahb Restaurant
MoscowNovodevicij Convent
Nearby, on the water of a beautiful lake, it is mirrored the Novodevichy Convent. It is surrounded by high walls with turrets . Inside there is an important Belltower separate from the Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk. Within the Church of the Assumption there is an exhibition of religious works.
Monast Novodevicy
MoscowNovodevichy Cemetery
In the nearby Novodevichy Cemetery there are the graves of the most famous Soviet personalities such as Boris Yeltsin at Raisa Gorbachev.
Novodevichy Cemetery
MoscowState University, Sparrow Hill and Luzhniki
The Moscow State University has a very scenographical impact thanks to the large sheet of water where this monumental building is reflected. On the top of its spire, a star of enormous size is placed.
In front of the University, there is an observation platform (Sparrow Hills) which offers the best panoramic views of the city of Moscow. Right below there is the Luzhniki Stadium, a big sports stadium built for the 1980 Olympics.
State University
MoscowCathedral of Christ the Saviour (or Redeemer)
Back in the city center, on the banks of the Moskva River, we visited the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (also known by the name of Christ the Redeemer) . The existing cathedral is a copy of the original one demolished by Stalin in 1931. The reconstruction was made only in two years and the cathedral was inaugurated in 1997 for the 850th anniversary of Moscow.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
MoscowI want to draw your attention to a picture with a photo of Alberto Sordi in a scene from the film “An American in Rome”. This giant poster was used to advertise a restaurant.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
MoscowUlitsa Arbat, Vakhatangonva theatre, Church of the Saviour of the sands (Spasopeskovskij Pereulok) and Melnikov house
Ulitsa Arbat is the name of the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow. In it we found numerous street jugglers and musicians, the beautiful Vakhatangonva Theatre, the mystic Church of the Saviour of the sands ( Spasopeskovskij Pereulok ), the curious Melnikov House and the beautiful statue of the singer Bulat Okudzhava.
Ulitsa Arbat
MoscowA special mention for the Wall of Peace characterized by various tiles, each one hand-painted , all of them inspired by the same theme: the friendship among peoples.
Kremlin
I try to show the magnitude of the Kremlin with a picture which, being the landscape too wide, is not linear.
We entered through the Borovitskaya Tower, on its left there is, with its impressive beauty, the Palace of the State within which we visited the Armoury which exhibits the treasures of the Tsars saved from the 1737 fire.
Kremlin
MoscowChurch of the Deposition of the Virgin’s Robe, Tsar Ivan the Great’s Bell Tower, Cathedral of the Annunciation and Cathedral of the Archangel
With subsequent photographic shots I show the domes of the Church of the Deposition of the Virgin’s Robe and introduce the interior of the Kremlin.
Church of the Deposition of the Virgin’s Robe
MoscowThe Tsar Ivan the Great Bell Tower dates back to 1500 and was the tallest building in the city whereas the Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world. The Cathedral of the Annunciation, the only building of the Kremlin complex designed by Russian architects, dates back to 1500 and was originally the personal chapel for the Tsars.
The Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, the last building made inside the Kremlin , was designed by Alvise Novi , a Venetian architect .
Cathedral of the Archangel
MoscowCathedral of the Assumption and Tower of the Trinity
The Cathedral of the Assumption, the main church in Moscow, was designed by Aristotele Fioravanti, an Italian architect. The interior is rich in important frescoes.
The Tower of the Trinity is the most important of the Kremlin and it was through its door that patriarchs and tsarinas entered the Kremlin.
Cathedral of the Assumption
MoscowManege Square, Red Square and Lenin’s Mausoleum
Manege Square, once an ancient market of game and poultry, is filled with fountains and monuments that characterize it. Nearby there is the largest shopping center (the GUM) in Moscow.
The historic Red Square, usually imagined immense for the grand military parades, in reality has a normal size. It is characterized, in particular, by the Lenin’s Mausoleum where, at its main entrance, you can find numerous visitors lined up waiting to visit Lenin’s embalmed body.
Red Square
MoscowGUM department store, Kazan Cathedral and Historical Museum of Moscow
I imagined the GUM as a department store of minor importance. It was just an idea linked to old information, never updated, since today it is a modern and beautiful complex full of cafes, restaurants and shops of leading internationally known companies.
GUM Department store
Moscow In the north side of the Red Square, we visited the Kazan Cathedral, copy of the original of 1637. The church was in fact demolished in 1936 and was rebuilt in 1993. The icon of the Virgin is a copy of the original which had been stolen in 1906.
Besides the red building in Moscow baroque style houses the State Historical Museum.
Historical Museum
MoscowSt. Basil’s Cathedral
The chromaticity of St. Basil’s Cathedral domes is so beautiful to touch everybody. Legend held that its architect was blinded so that he could not re-create anything better. Do not miss a visit to the interior galleries richly painted and decorated with floral tiles.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
MoscowArbatskaja station, Teatralnaja station and Majakovskaja station
The Moscow Metro is world famous because many of its stations are real works of art. Each visited station has got a theme: singers in traditional costumes, Lenin, Russian history, the union of Communist peoples, etc. .
In this photo gallery I show the bronze statues of the Arbatskaja metro station (Revolution Square).
Arbatskaja Metro Station
MoscowThen Teatralnaja station with bas-reliefs representing singers of various nationalities in traditional costumes and, finally, the rich mosaics of Majakovskaja station.
Teatrazlnaja Metro Station
Moscow
Majakovskaja Metro Station
MoscowBelorusskaja station and Novoslobodskaja station
The complex Belorusskaya station is dedicated to Lenin with references to the partisans and to the representation of the hammer and sickle.
Belorusskaja Metro Station
MoscowNovoslobodskaya station instead gives its importance to rich and beautiful stained glass panels.
Novoslobodskaja Metro Station
MoscowKomsomolskaja station and Taganskaja station
In the station Komsomolskaya the Russian history is represented in several mosaics, whereas in the Taganskaya station there are a series of panels illustrating the soldiers of various military sections.
Komsomolskaja Metro Station
Moscow
Taganskaja Metro Station
MoscowDobryninskaja station and Kievskaja station
In the Dobryninskaya station it is emphasized the Union of Communist Peoples and in the Kiyevskaya station it is represented the Ukrainian history.
Dobryninskaja Metro Station
Moscow
Kievskaja Metro Station
MoscowPushkin Museum and Tretyakov Gallery
In our visit to the Pushkin Museum we were more interested in the section reserved to European paintings.
Paul Gauguin's work - Puskin Museum
MoscowThe Tretyakov Gallery has the largest collection of Russian fine art in the world.
I chose some works, mainly icons of great value, most of them are works created by the famous painter Andrei Rublyov.
Tretiakov Museum
MoscowNight tour with illuminated monumets
Panorama at night
MoscowWe wanted to visit the city of Moscow at night so that we could enjoy its illuminated monuments .
Panorama at night
MoscowWooden Palace (or Great Palace)
This Wooden building (Great Palace), known as “the eighth wonder of the world” is the copy of the original demolished by Catherine the Great.
Great Palace
MoscowChurch of Our Lady of Kazan, Church of the Ascension, St George bell tower and Church of St. John the Baptist
Kolomenskoye was a country residence and is now a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It includes the Church of Our Lady of Kazan, the Church of the Ascension, the bell-tower of St. George and the Church of St. John the Baptist.
Kolomenskoe
Moscow
Ignazio MarconiMy name is Ignazio and my motto is Travellingforever
my biography
