Russia is a spacious country that is partly in Europe and partly in Asia. The country also has several time zones. Russia is now an independent country ruled by a head of state. But until 1918 it was the tsars and tsarinas who were in charge. The long history of Russia has different periods in which wars, communism, the Soviet regime, privatizations, domination and reforms have left a clear mark. These changes are also clearly reflected in the architecture and cityscape as we can see today in cities such as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Solovetsky Islands and Kizhi. The wealth that palaces, churches and other cultural buildings are undeniable for the power that the country exudes. Most of them have now been converted into museums or exhibition centres. In that respect, Russia is a country where history, culture, art and nature merge in a fascinating way. Unfortunately, due to the vastness of the country, you can only make limited choices. It is impossible to see everything in a short time. The list below is therefore a good start. Unfortunately, due to the vastness of the country, you can only make limited choices. It is impossible to see everything in a short time. The list below is therefore a good start. Unfortunately, due to the vastness of the country, you can only make limited choices. It is impossible to see everything in a short time. The list below is therefore a good start. Check topmbadirectory for how to get to Russia.
Top 10 sights of Russia
#1. Red Square
The most famous square in Russia has to be the Red Square ‘Krasnaya ploshchad’ in Moscow. It is described by the Russians themselves as the “heart” of Russia. The name ‘Red Square’ is a translation of the Russian adjective ‘krasnyj’, which used to mean beautiful. However, in modern Russian it also means red. On the spacious Red Square you will find famous sights such as the Kremlin, which functions as a center of power. Other places of interest are the 16th-century Saint Nicholas Cathedral, the State Historical Museum, the monument to the people’s leaders Minin and Pozharsky, the Lenin mausoleum, the Goem shopping center and the Kazan Cathedral. Don’t forget to take a trip by metro. Nowhere in the world can you find such beautiful metro stations as Komsomolskaya in Moscow. Check simplyyellowpages for mass media and culture of Russia.
#2. Hermitage
One of the world’s largest art museums is located in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg. The Hermitage was founded here around the second half of the eighteenth century with a collection of art that came from Catherine the Great, Tsarina of Russia. The Hermitage is now an art and cultural history museum that enjoys great prestige worldwide. A visit to the Hermitage takes quite some time. Some planning is therefore definitely recommended. The more than three million objects on display are spread over various buildings with endless rooms, halls and other spaces that form an area of about 230,000 square meters.
#3. Kremlin in Moscow
Around the twelfth century a start was made on the construction of a wooden fortress on the Borovitski hill. The defenses became partly responsible for the rapid urban growth, as a result of which it began to fall outside the first city walls. After breaking down this first wooden city wall, a stone wall was built. What fell within was known as the Kremlin. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, among other things, a church was built and slowly but surely it grew to its current size. The function of the Kremlin has basically remained unchanged. It still serves as protection, but more as a center of power to direct public life. Those who visit the Kremlin should take some time for this. It is in fact a huge complex including the Uspensky Cathedral, the Troitskaja tower, the bell tower of Ivan the Great ‘Kolokolnja Ivana Velikogo’, the cathedral of Archangel Michael ‘Sobor sviatogo Archistratiga Michail’, the Annunciation Cathedral ‘Blagoveschensky sobor’ and the Trinity tower. The Moscow Kremlin Museums offer you the opportunity to get acquainted with the history and culture of the country. the Annunciation Cathedral ‘Blagoveschensky sobor’ and the Trinity tower. The Moscow Kremlin Museums offer you the opportunity to get acquainted with the history and culture of the country. the Annunciation Cathedral ‘Blagoveschensky sobor’ and the Trinity Tower. The Moscow Kremlin Museums offer you the opportunity to get acquainted with the history and culture of the country.
#4. Lake Baikal
The vast Lake Baikal is very popular among the Russians. Since being listed on the Unesco World Heritage List, this popularity has also been noticed outside of Russia. This crystal clear freshwater lake has an unprecedented depth of about sixteen hundred meters and covers an area of about thirty-one thousand five hundred square kilometers. Lake Baikal or Lake Baikal is located in the south, not far from the border with Mongolia. In the immediate vicinity of the lake you will find the Pribajkalski National Park, the Barguzinski Biosphere Reserve and the Zabajkalski National Park. Although the water is often on the fresh side, during the summer it is eagerly used for various water sports. In winter, the weather is extremely beautiful, when the frost has made its appearance. The contrast with the surrounding mountains is extremely attractive all year round and therefore very photogenic.
#5. Temple of all Religions
In a suburb of Kazan is the district known as Staroye Arakchino. This destination is famous for the Temple of All Religions designed by the late artist Ildar Khanov. The colorful religious structure is intended to bring together the religions with which he has become acquainted thanks to his many travels. His travels to India and Tibet are particularly responsible for his later initiative. Although he never trained as an architect, his design eventually grew into about sixteen buildings. The Temple of All Religions was by no means complete at the time of his death in 2013. His brother, Ilgiz Khanov, took over the tasks and managed to achieve the final result. The Temple of all Religions is still not finished, but a number of parts can already be visited.
#6. Kazan Kremlin
The historic fortress of Tatarstan is better known as the Kazan Kremlin. Since the year 2000, this most important monument of Kazan has also been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Kazan Kremlin dates back to the sixteenth century. The church and the Annunciation Cathedral were built by Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiryai. The clock in the tower of the church was not added until the eighteenth century. In addition to the church, there are a number of government buildings, the presidential palace, the Qolşärif mosque, the beautiful Söyembikä tower, an exhibition hall and the Hermitage-Kazan Exhibition Center to visit. The latter is the Natural History Museum of Tatarstan and also part of the Saint Petersburg Museum. For enthusiasts, a guided tour can also be booked.
#7. Palace complex in Peterhof
Around the seventeenth and early eighteenth century, a start was made on the palace complex in Peterhof, a suburb of Saint Petersburg. The palatial complex is also known as the ‘Venice of the North’. The more than four hundred bridges span a route across the spacious estate where tsars and tsarinas once took their walks. Think of Peter the Great, Peter II Alekseyevich, Anna Ivanovna, Elisabeth Petrovna, Charlotte of Prussia and finally the last Tsar Nicholas II Aleksandrovich and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna. After that, the complex became state property. Very striking about the palace complex in Peterhof is the harmony between the architecture and the waterways. It exudes wealth and authority. Visitors to the palace complex have been given access to the gardens and several palaces since 1918. These include the Peterhof Palace, the Marl Palace, the Palace of Monplaisir, the Marli Palace, the beautiful Fountain of Samson and many more.
#8. St. Isaac’s Cathedral
One of the most impressive buildings in Saint Petersburg is St. Isaac’s Cathedral ‘Isaakievsky Sobor’. This religious building dates back to the eighteenth century. It took more than forty years to be able to speak of completion. Architects, technicians and artists included names such as Auguste de Montferrand, William Handyside, Ivan Vitali, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Karl Bryullov, Josef Hermann and Mikhail Lomonosov. During the Second World War, the dome, which is completely clad in gold leaf, was covered with gray paint. Hoping it wasn’t noticed. The interior of St. Isaac’s Cathedral is extremely beautiful and quite impressive. In particular, the colorful dome, bronze doors, many murals, glittering mosaic and other decorations give the whole an excellent appearance. Because there is no seating in an Orthodox church, there are no benches or chairs to be seen. At the time, the surfaces provided space for about fourteen thousand believers.
#9. Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a fairly well-known tourist destination in the east of Russia. Among the sights are a number of volcanoes, including some active ones. The most famous are located on the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’. But Kamchatka also has beautiful bays, nature parks, port cities such as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and many mountains. Most visitors to Kamchatka visit the Avachinskaya Sopka volcano, the Geyser Valley in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, the Musnovsky volcano and Lake Kuril where thousands of bears reside. In the period between mid-July and September, the bears are especially active hunting salmon. On the Kamchatka Peninsula you can also visit some traditional reindeer herders. Their way of life consists mainly of hunting fish, collecting wild plants and now tourism.
#10. Trans-Siberian Express
One of the world’s most famous train journeys has to be the Trans-Siberian Express. This train journey is in any case the longest train journey in the world with its 9287 kilometers. The now world-famous train journey is mainly due to Tsar Alexander III. His idea for a train connection between Moscow and Vladivostok became reality around 1916. The Trans-Siberian Express now has four main routes. There is one route from Moscow to Vladivostok, one from Moscow to Beijing, one from Moscow via Ulaan Baatar to Beijing and one from Moscow via Lake Baikal to Vladivostok. The routes to Beijing are also known as Trans Siberia Express, Trans Manchuria Express or Trans Baikel Express. Until Kasnoyarsk the routes are the same, after that the four routes diverge. Because the routes span several days, there are also beds in the train compartments. A reservation in advance is definitely recommended.
