Today we toured Moscow with a local guide and a big tour bus.
The bus met us in front of our hotel, the Petr I.
Main Victory Monument - more info here:
Lee-Ann at Moscow University
Second Stop: Novodevichy Convent
Novodevichy Cemetery is next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent.
The remains of many famous Russians buried in other abbeys were disintered and reburied at the Novodevichy. The cemetery holds the tombs of Russian authors, musicians, playwrights, and poets, as well as famous actors, political leaders, and scientists, with 27,000 buried there.
Nikita Khrushchev gravesite
Boris Yeltsin is under this big rock - his head stone is in the color of the Russian Flag
Vladimir Mayakovsky, Russian poet, playwright, actor, was not able to publish his work after Lenin came to power, despite supporting and fighting for the revolution, so he commited suicide at age 37.
Anton Chekhov
Mrs. Mikhail Gorbachev (Raisa) - Gorbachev is not very popular in Russia since it was under his administration that the Soviet Union dissolved. He now lives in Moscow and part time in San Francisco and runs several foundations.
Yuri Nikulin, famous Russian clown
Graves of a famous (at least for the Russians we didn't catch the names) ballerina and actress.
Below are some other tombstones that caught our eye - a very eclectic mix.
David's favorite, as a model collector - check out the tank at the base.
Entering the Metro
Long ride down to metro
Buying metro tickets
Mary Jane makes a Mormon friend who suggests a subway conversion
The newest Metro station, opened 2008
Metro art - mural depicting victory over Napoleon
The next stop was just as interesting.
Statue at a metro station - every corner of every arch in this station had a statue. I wish we had time to really study them.
Katya explains the Moscow subway system to us.
Group photo - at least some of us - Dave, Marilyn, Jeff, Randy, Boz, Mary Jane & Steve
The art we saw in the stations was good but there are many more eloborate stations - the Russians really invest in their infrastructure - check this out:
Katya ended our tour of the metro at the Red Square station. As we exited the subway we made our way past the GUM department store,
Gum Department Store from the Red Square - it's huge.
...and to a cafe in front of the Gum for delicious lunch. I had blueberry linguini with chanterelles mushrooms. According to Katya, it's been a very good year for the mushrooms. Unusual, but tasty.
Then on to a walking tour of the Kremlin.
State History Museum on Red Square
Tomb of the unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall
Monument to a WWII General
Gate to Red Square - Mary Jane Sheldon and Lee-Ann
Senatkaya Tower
Spasskaya Tower
Tsarskaya Tower
Part of the Kremlin Wall
Layout of the Kremlin
Grand Kremlin Palace where the president, Putin, works once or twice a week.
Leonid Brezhnev's contribution to the Kremlin - it is the only modern building and the only one where there was no attempt to make it blend into the surrounding structures.
The Communist Congress used to meet in this building, but now it is used for concerts and the annual Christmas Tree Party for the children of Russia
Ceremonial Cannon - Kremlin
Cathedral of the Assumption is the oldest church in the Kremlin. It is where all the Tsars were coronated.
Interior of Cathedral of the Assumption
Cathedral Square in the Kremlin
Cathedral of the Archangel is where the stars and grand princes of Russia were buried until the 17th century.
There are 54 tombs. The southern wall is where the Grand Dukes and their close relatives were buried. The northern wall holds the bodies of dukes who were sentenced to death for misconduct. The vaults of the Romanovs are located in the central part of the Cathedral - they include Tsar Michael Fyodorovich, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Tsar Fyodor Alexeyevich and Tsar Ivan Alexeyevich. In 1903, the tombs were covered with glass and copper cases for protection
One of greatest treasures of the cathedral is the burial vault of Ivan the Terrible. Ivan was the first to take the title of Tsar and therefore merited a special burial chamber, the construction of which he oversaw himself. Nearby are the tombs of Ivan's sons, Ivan Ivanovich (killed by his father) and Fyodor Ivanovich (who succeeded his father.)
Interior of the Cathedral of the Archangel
Alex, Ida, Marilyn, Boz, Randy, Lee-Ann and Dave
Kremlin Gate Guard
St. Basil's Catherdral
The spires of St. Basil's Cathedral
Tomorrow we will be back on the motorcycles to head further south and east. It will be a late start at 10:00 AM, as we were advised that early Saturday traffic is terrible due to dacha-bound weekenders.
No comments:
Post a Comment