Cathedral of St Sampson the Hospitable Some of Russia’s most magnificent churches are found in St Petersburg. And among its most outstanding examples are the city’s Orthodox Cathedrals. Built at the height of the Russian Empire’s wealth and power, these impressive buildings were designed by the city’s greatest architects, and no expense was spared in their construction or decoration. In this latest article, we look at two more of these fascinating buildings, namely… Cathedral of St Sampson the Hospitable  Cathedral of St Sampson the Hospitable / Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F ..read more

@photo was provided by the press center of Zaryade Park There’s an amazing new park right in the heart of Moscow. Opened in September, the park covers 13 hectares between Red Square and the Moscow River, and it’s certainly attracting the crowds. Unusually, its buildings are buried underground – much of the apparently natural landscape has been constructed over the roofs of these new buildings. Among them are a media center and nature center, along with a fancy restaurant that runs along highly thematic space-travel lines – waitresses wear navy boiler suits and the salt and pepper shakers are w ..read more

The Kazan Cathedral as a neoclassical, stately building, modeled on the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican Strolling down Nevsky Prospekt, there’s no shortage of amazing things to see and do. But surely one of the most eye-catching buildings you’ll see en route is the majestic Kazan Cathedral. Dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan, it’s a truly stunning demonstration of Russian religious architecture. But the original church which occupied this iconic location wasn’t quite so imposing. Here are a few facts and figures… Between 1733 and 1737, architect Mikhail Zemtsov built a small church and a bel ..read more

Spring in Russia Butter Week, Crepe Week, Cheesefare Week … however you want to translate ‘Maslenitsa’, it’s an important date in the Russian calendar, and a great opportunity to join in the celebrations, Russian-style. This Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent, ie the eighth week before Eastern Orthodox Pascha (or Easter). Maslenitsa may be the oldest surviving Slavic holiday and has its origins in pagan tradition. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a sun festival, personified by the ancient god Volos, and a celebration of the imminent ..read more

The Cathedral of the Annunciation Andrey Rublev may be Russia’s most famous icon painter, yet relatively little is known about his life. For a start, we know only that he was born somewhere between 1360 and 1370, although we don’t know where, and that he died on 29 January 1427 … or 1430 … or 17 October 1428. But what we do know is that he is generally considered one of the greatest medieval Russian painters of Orthodox icons and frescos, whose works, such as the famous icon of the Trinity, people flock to see in their thousands. Rublev probably lived in the Trinity-St Sergius Lavra near Mosco ..read more

The Novodevichy Convent Russia is full of incredible religious buildings. But surely one of the most breathtaking is the Novodevichy Convent. One of Moscow’s most beautiful cloisters, it’s nestled in the southwest of the city, where the Moskva River bends to form what looks like a peninsula. It is an amazing architectural monument, and one of Moscow’s greatest attractions, second only to the Kremlin. The Novodevichy (or New Maiden) Convent was founded by Tsar Vasily III in 1524 to mark winning the city of Smolensk back from the Lithuanians 10 years earlier. The new convent was consecrated in h ..read more

The Bronze Horseman The Bronze Horseman – an impressive monument to the founder of St Petersburg, Peter the Great – is one of St Petersburg’s most famous monuments. Standing on Senatskaia Ploshchad (Senate Square), it faces the Neva River and is surrounded by the Admiralty, St Isaac’s Cathedral, and the buildings of the former Senate and Synod (the civil and religious bodies that governed pre-revolutionary Russia). The monument was built by order of Empress Catherine the Great as a tribute to her famous predecessor, Peter the Great. She ordered that an inscription be placed on the mo ..read more

Cathedral of the Nativity in Suzdal as the oldest church in Suzdal with a history of nearly 800 years Traveling by motorbike is a great way to see new countries and meet the local people. And with so many great countries to visit, it can be difficult to know where to start. So can we make a suggestion? Why not try a tour around Russia! Here’s a suggestion for starters… Moscow & the Golden Ring – Recommended Time: 7 days  This motorcycle tour around the Golden Ring takes you through the most ancient Russian cities that best preserve the unique history and traditions of the country. Alo ..read more

The beautiful night view of St Petersburg There are so many reasons to visit St Petersburg. Some people come in search of culture, others seek inspiration from its literary associations. For some, it’s the architecture that’s top of their list, while others simply come to experience a different way of life. One thing that’s certainly not in short supply in St Petersburg is history. The city may only have been founded in 1703, but the last 300 or so years provide a fascinating insight into the changes which have shaped this incredible city. Here, we look at the legacy left behind by Peter III ..read more

The Museum – Grand Maket Russia Russia is a big place! With a total surface area about 70 times bigger than the UK, you could spend a lifetime exploring this fascinating land, and still only scratch the surface. But now there’s a different way to see Russia – in miniature! Opened less than five years ago, Grand Maket Rossiya is a private museum in St Petersburg which features a model layout designed on a scale of 1:87 and covering an area of 8600 sq ft. Here, you’ll find collective images of regions of the Russian Federation represented in the largest model layout in Russia ..read more