Bits of Moscow

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This entry includes details of several interesting places I saw in Moscow. Perhaps, or most likely, it will be updated.

August 2

I wanted to go to Rostov on Saturday and had railway tickets. It got up not early enough, came to the train station a couple of minutes before departure, and naturally missed the train. Unfortunately, I cancelled my electronic registration of the ticket and got the printed ticket from the machine, thus losing the precious minutes. If I just had the electronic registration I’d most likely catch up with it. Instead, I tried to run as fast as I could, while the train was not yet in motion, but missed it. I fell down and scratched my knee, and was very sad, but blamed only myself. Nothing doing, I decided to do some sights of Moscow.

I had two places on my mind, included in UNESCO World Heritage List – Novodevichy Monastery and Kolomenskoye Church. It was early morning with few people in the streets. I have read about the places before and knew how to get there.

Novodevichy Monastery (Convent) was founded in relation to the vow made by Moscow Prince Vasily III in 1514. Smolensk in those times belonged, due to an agreement between the Moscow Prince Vasily Temny and Grand Duke Kasimir, to the Grand Princedom of Lithuania. Soon Vasily III decided to take the lands back, with many an unsuccessful attempt. Vasily III made the vow to build a convent if he captured Smolensk. Ten years after, in 1524, the prince founded the Novy Devichy Convent.

I took photos of the monastery walls and the entrance gate church and saw an excellent sight from the river bank – the Moscow City skyscrapers looking quite out of place on the background of water and trees, but so impressive. I entered the territory, paying 100 Roubles for photographing, and the splendour of monastery revived my spirits. I still desire to visit Rostov during my Moscow stay.

Next, I went to Kolomenskoye, a natural and landscape reserve museum. It is at a noticeable distance from the metro, particularly, the buildings. Formerly it was tsar’s residence and patrimonial estate. I walked from the metro station under unbearable heat (I find I dislike hot weather a lot) but the park shades provided some coolness. There were lots of visitors as well as many newly wedded couples on photo sessions.

Kolomenskoye Village on the road from Moscow to Kolomna was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1336, being the patrimonial estate of Moscow Grand Dukes and Tsars. It has a fine specimen of church architecture – the UNESCO-listed tabernacular Church of the Ascension built in 1528-1532. I remember this church, as well as some other buildings, from a school history book. To me it looked rather unlike any other churches.

Kolomenskoye flourished during the times of Alexey Mikhailovitch. It became his favourite residence. An amazing timber palace was built here, but today only its modern copy exists because the palace degraded when the capital was moved to Saint-Petersburg and was disassembled during Ekaterina II’s reign. I think if it still existed (though wood usually does not bear time with too much strength), it might be one of Russia’s finest sights. Nevertheless, it is still impressive. It is about two kilometers from the first part of the park, and I had to take a bus (or one metro station). I might walk, but did not want.

The palace looks wooden, but it is not truly wooden. It is built as per the old drawings of modern construction materials such as concrete, and logs are attached to its frame (in 2008-2010). I bought a ticket to see the palace richly and colourfully decorated interiors. Most of all, I was impressed by the large bathhouse.

I was unsure what to do next but decided to go to Tsaritsyno, because I still had much time. Moreover, it is located just two metro stations from Kolomenskoye. While planning any visit to those parks, remember that they are rather large and, in any case, exploring the interesting places in and close to Moscow might take a month or two (or less, if seeing something every day).

At the entrance to Tsaritsyno Park there is the ‘I love Moscow” post on the background of flowerbeds and pathways. I crossed the bridge across the pond to the fountains and then ascended a hill to the architectural treasures.

Tsaritsyno is a palace and park ensemble established by Ekaterina II in 1776. Itisthemostimportantmonumentoftheso-called“RussianGothic” (pseudo-Gothic). Theemperor’sresidencewascreatedbytwonotablearchitectures– VasilyBazhenovandMatveyKazakov. It is Europe’s largest pseudo-Gothic construction of the XVIII century and the only palace complex built in this style. However, the palace was never used for any purpose, and was turned into a museum in 2005. The mass media criticized the creation of interiors which never existed in complete form.

I bought a ticket for the palace. The entrance is in a glass hall built away from the palace, and access is from underground. I think I needn’t have gone inside because there was not much to see for my personal taste. Of course, there were many nice things, like excellent porcelain chef-d’oeuvres and other art items. Also, there was a large hall (Ekaterina’s Hall) reminding me of Konstantin Palace in Strelna.

August 4

In the evening I was to take train to Petersburg for a couple of matters to be settled, and from 5 o’clock, after work, I decided to do some sights. I chose at random the Izmailovo Manor which I’ve seen in the web but did not know how to get there. I tried a guess at Izmailovskaya Metro Station, but the correct station was Partizanskaya. As I came out of the metro, I saw the four buildings of Izmailovo Hotels where I was on the New Year of 2009. Bringing back many memories.

First, I went the wrong way to Izmailovo Amusement Park – it is a good family place as such, but my way lay in the other direction. I checked up the directions from internet and took the wrong trolleybus. I asked the driver but he, surprisingly, did not know about the Manor; I learned about the 90-minute multi-ticket which allowed me 3 bus drives and 1 metro (to and from the park). I cannot advise the best ticket option for travelers, but I know that the more trips you buy at once, the cheaper they should be.

Izmailovo Manor boasts of the Bridge Tower (XVII century), Pokrovsky Cathedral (XVII century), Front and Rear entrance gates, and some other buildings from the XIX century.

After that I went to Moscow City skyscraper complex, which has always excited me when I saw it from afar. The buildings are very tall but not so beautiful at close look. They are not still completed, so there are many workers, equipment, and restricting boards. The buildings are included in the International Business Centre. Mercury Tower, my favourite, is the tallest skyscraper in Europe.

August 7

I had a day off and decided to go somewhere. I was running out of money so I could not go outside the city, but went to see the Danilov Monastery and Donskoy Monastery. It was horrible because I was neither allowed to enter in shorts nor take photos. I do hate these photo prohibitions in any places other than military or the like. They completely spoiled my spirits, and I even dared not enter the second, Donskoy, monastery, but simply walked around its walls and saw a couple of towers and church domes. I assume I have seen the two monasteries.

I also planned to go to Alexandrovskoye, a palace and park ensemble of the XVIII century on the bank of Moscow River in the Moscow Region. I took bus from metro Tushinskaya and reached it in about 25 minutes. I walked in the park, descended to the river and ate an apple while sitting on a bench. The park reminded me of Petersburg’s ensembles and of Versailles, though Alexandrovskoye is smaller. I also went inside the palace where nice paintings by old French artists were exhibited on the first floor. On the ground floor, I saw three or four nicely decorated halls.

August 10

I went to Kuskovo Manor in the morning. At first, I wanted to go either to Rostov, Zaraisk or Pereslavl-Zalessky, but that involved a long bus drive and much money. In addition to the three above-mentioned towns, I want to see Uglich. I did not feel much enthusiasm to go far when I got up, so I decided to go only to Kuskovo, and perhaps to a museum.

I could not find the necessary bus easily, but a man told me where the correct bus stop was. It is better to go from Ryazansky Prospekt metro station by bus 133 or 208, though the manor’s official website also suggests buses from Vykhino metro station. You’d better not go there because there seems to be no stated buses.

Kuskovo Manor is the former estate of Sheremetev earls, and features an architectural and art ensemble of the XVIII century. The palace was built in the second half of XVIII century in classicism style; it also includes a regular park with sculptures and pavilions ‘Grotto’, “Greenhouse’, ‘Hermitage’, and the ‘Italian’ and ‘Hollander’ lodges. The palace features works of Russian and West European fine arts, and portraits of Russian emperors and the manor’s owners – Sheremetevs.

After the walk in the park I visited the palace halls. Then I decided to have a boat trip, rented a boat for 300 roubles for half an hour. It was excellent, and I remembered my schooldays when my family had a boat.

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