Cathedral of Christ the Savior

Adjacent to the Moskva river and near the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was commissioned by Tsar Alexander I to honor those killed in the Napoleonic war of 1812.

The Cathedral took many years to build and did not emerge from its scaffolding until 1860. Some of the best Russian painters of the time  (Kramskoi, Surikov, Vereshchagin) continued to work on the interior for another 20 years. The Cathedral was finally consecrated in 1883.  Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture debuted there the year before.  At the time it was the largest Orthodox church in the world.

The Cathedral was destroyed in 1931 during Stalin’s regime, to make way for what would have been the world’s tallest building, the Palace of the Soviets.  It took more than a year to clear the debris from the site.  The original marble high reliefs were preserved and are now on display at the Donskoy Monastery.  For many years they were the only reminder of the largest Orthodox church ever built.

The building to replace the Cathedral was never constructed. In 1960, on orders from Nikita Krushchev, an open-air swimming pool called Basin Moskva was built instead.

With the end of  Soviet rule, the Russian Orthodox Church received permission to rebuild the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 1990.  Over a million Muscovites donated money to the project, and in 1994 the pool was demolished and the Cathedral reconstruction began. The lower church was consecrated  in 1996, and the completed Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was consecrated in 2000.  The cathedral square is graced by several chapels, designed in the same style as the Cathedral itself.

The first Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who died in 2007, lay in state in the Cathedral prior to his burial in Novodevichy Cemetery. The Cathedral ‘s location provides a wonderful bird’s eye view of  Moscow.

We can include a tour of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior before or after a tour of the Pushkin Museum of Art. They are across the street from each other.

Also while visiting the Cathedral of Christ the Savior ask your Private Moscow Tour Guide to show you the Love Locks on the Moscow River bridge.

Grave of the Unknown Soldier

In 1966, the ashes of the Unknown Soldier were moved to the Alexandrovsky Garden from the 41th kilometer of the Leningrad Highway.  The memorial to the Grave of the Unknown Soldier was unveiled in May 1967.  The eternal flame of glory coming from the center of the bronze military star was lit from the flame that burns on the Field of Mars in Petersburg.  Inscribed on the granite slab of the gravestone are the words “Your Name is Unknown, Your Deeds are Immortal.”  To the right of the grave, there is a row of urns along the Kremlin Wall that contain the sacred soil of hero cities.  Every year in May, marking Victory Day, the entire country of Russia observes a moment of silence to honor the memory of their fallen soldiers.  Flowers are place on the Grave of the Unknown Soldier to commemorate the day.

Kuskovo

Built in the 18th century, the Kuskovo estate is an example of a Muscovite country residence. The estate was built shortly after 1715 when Tsar Peter the Great awarded the village of Kuskovo to his Russian general Boris Sheremetev for his outstanding courage at the battle of Poltava.  The Sheremetyevs,  one of the richest and most influencial families in Russia during this time, built a summer residence at Kuskovo. The palace and park complex was designed especially for receptions and festivities.  In the late 1700′s, as many as 30,000 guests were entertained in a single day!  It was the aristocracy’s favorite place of entertainment for more than 100 years.  Magnificent balls, fireworks, folk dances, theater performances, rowing on the lake, were all held at Kuskovo. Kuskovo’s gardens were maintained by hundreds of  gardeners.  Throughout the estate there are over 50 statues, most of them 18th century Italian masters.  The statue of Minera was built to celebrate the visit of Catherine the Great in 1775.  Many of the gardens and buildings found today were created by Borisâ™ son, Pyotr, who had a passion for architecture and landscaping. Today the estate is used to host classical music concerts and festivities including Independence Day which is organized by the US Embassy, and Bastille Day which is arranged by the French Embassy.

St. Basil’s Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral is a magnificent piece of architecture that appeals to everyone.

The Cathedral is a uniquely Russian structure.  The towers and domes lack symmetry and consistency, yet the effect of each structure taken together is a wonderful sight.

There are nine separate chapels, one under each of the domes.  The central tower unifies the structure into a whole.

The Cathedral was built 1555-1561 to commemorate Ivan’s the Terrible’s defeat of the Tatar City of Kazan.  The statue in front of St. Basil’s dates from 1818, and portrays Minim and Pozharsky who drove Polish invaders out of Moscow in the early 1600′s.

It was moved from the middle of Red Square in 1936 because it impeded the many parades that marched through the Square.

The Cathedral was named after Basil, one of Russia’s barefoot “holy fools” (the most famous one being Rasputin).  Basil died while Kazan was still under siege.

Red Square

 The “Red” in Red square is not a reference to communism or to the red brickwork around the square.  It was originally a reference to St. Basil’s Cathedral.  The Russian word “krasnaya” can mean either “red” or “beautiful,” and it was the term “beautiful” which was applied to St. Basil.  It later shifted in meaning and location to become Red Square. If there is one site that can be considered the epicenter of Russia, Red Square has that distinction. The Square has witnessed many famous spectacles throughout the history of Russia:  revolution, military displays, outdoor performances in front of more than 100,000 people, trade markets, workers festivals, and much more.  Famous attractions around the square include the Novodevitchi Cemetery (the burial place of many elite members of society, famous Russian writers, artists and politicians, including Nikita Khrushchev), Lenin’s Mausoleum, State History Museum, and St. Basil’s Cathedral.

Bolshoi Theatre

The word “Bolshoi” means “Grand,” and this theatre lives up to that description.  The Bolshoi is Moscow’s oldest opera and ballet house for more than 200 years.  The interior consists of five tiers of gilded boxes and can seat over 2200 people at a performance.  The Bolshoi has gained a world-wide reputation for its famous ballet performances:  Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker are still being performed at the Theatre today.  Its own ballet school nutures new ballet dancers.   The Opera’s repertoire has included Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rachmaninov, Puccini and Verdi. The Bolshoi has it own museum, founded in 1920, that contains memorablia connected to its many world famous performances.  Many of the theatrical costumes worn by the legendary Russian bass singer Fyodor Shalyapin are displayed in the museum.  Becoming acquainted with behind-the-scenes activities of the ballet and opera,  and visits to the ballet school and museum is to be enchanted with a grandeur of epic proportions you won’t find anywhere else.

The Kremlin – Moscow

The word “kremlin” means fortification, and there are many across Russia.  However, “The Kremlin” always refers to the Kremlin in Moscow.
The history of The Kremlin goes back to the reign of the Great Prince Yuri of Kiev, considered to be the founder of Moscow.  There is an equestrian statue, erected in 1954, on Tverskaya St. honoring the Great Prince.  The white stone walls and towers of the Kremlin were erected in 1367 by Dmitry Donskoy.  Totally rebuilt between 1485 and 1495, the Kremlin acquired its present appearance and dimensions.
At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I moved the capital of Russia to St. Petersburg, but the coronation of Russian tsars continued to be held in within the Kremlin walls in the Cathedral of the Dormition. There you will see the actual chair in which Ivan IV (terrible) sat during the ceremony.
The Soviet government moved the capital back to Moscow in 1917, and the Kremlin became the seat of the highest state bodies, known as the “preserve,” where only those who lived or worked there were admitted.
Only since 1955 have the unique museums of the Kremlin become accessible to the public. The old cathedrals resumed religious services and the Kremlin bells, which had been silent for over 70 years, ring joyously throughout the area.
Also inside the Kremlin walls is the Kremlin Armoury Museum. The Kremlin Armoury requires a seperate admission ticket. It is well worth the price ! Inside the Kremlin Armoury you will find the Crown Jewels, various other gifts given to the Russian state, some Faberge eggs and even the gown worn by Catherine the Great at her coronation.
The Moscow Kremlin has been the residence of Russian tsars and hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.  Since 1992 it has been the residence of the President of the Russian Federation and his administration.
The Kremlin remains a unique monument of Russian culture and will always be a symbol of Russian statehood.

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