Russia School Tour

Russia is a country with a fascinating and tumultuous history that you don't have to look too far back to find. It is the perfect destination for groups who are studying Russian history, Superpower Relations, Politics and Religion, but it also offers much in the way of a general cultural experience. The scars of its past are written clearly across these two important cities, but their beauty, grandeur and architecture are there to awe and inspire as well.

Highlights of the capital include St. Basil's Cathedral, that looks like something that might have been inspired by Gaudi in the Twentieth Century rather than by two architects that lived as long ago as the sixteenth century, and the Kremlin, which requires at least a day to look around. St. Petersburg, on the other hand, is a great place to find out about one of Russia's most impressive Tsars, Peter the Great, who founded the city of St. Petersburg, or to see one of the most extensive collections of art, artefacts and documents in Russia, at The Hermitage Museum.

Moscow

Red Square

Over-towered by the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow's Red Square is probably one of the country's most famous landmarks. Although it is now associated with political strength after thousands of mounted Russian troops trampled Nazi officials at the end of World War II, it was originally a medieval shanty-town home to vagabonds, drunkards and criminals, who were banned from dwelling within the city 'proper.' Despite many people thinking that its name comes from Russia's links with Communism, in actual fact, the name 'Red Square' came about well before Communism ever existed as a political idea. The word that now means 'red' in Russian originally meant 'beautiful' and so the square was initially known as 'beautiful square.' A visit to Red Square will not quickly be forgotten, as it is a great place to appreciate St. Basil Cathedral's exceptional architecture.

St. Basil's Cathedral

Also known as "The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat," St. Basil's Cathedral is entirely unique in its design, but is not how it would have looked when it was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in 1552 to mark the capture of Kazan from Mongol forces. There are several myths surrounding its construction including that Ivan blinded the two men responsible for its design so that they would not be able to create anything comparable. It is made up of 8 chapels built around 1 central Cathedral, which probably reflects the medieval symbol of Christianity, the eight-pointed star. It is open every day except Tuesday from 11am-5pm. However, there are occasions when both the Cathedral and the square close to the public, so you should check before you go to make sure that there will not be any planned closures during your stay.

Stalin's Bunker

It is very well known that Hitler kept a bunker from which he planned military missions, but it is perhaps less well-known that Stalin had one too. You can now visit his secret underground quarters, which have been transformed into a museum and kept in the same condition (with the same furniture, decoration, etc.) as it was in the 1930s when it was built. As it turns out, Stalin preferred working in the Kremlin so the bunker was only used very occasionally. Don't forget to check out the 10 mile long secret tunnel that connects the bunker to the Kremlin.

The Kremlin

Despite what many may think, the Kremlin is not only the beautiful Cathedral-like building topped with golden domes, it is in fact a principality within the capital that is now the political centre of Russia, with armouries, churches and palaces.

The Arsenal, the headquarters of the Kremlin guard, was commissioned by Peter the Great to serve as a weapons depot, but after the Napoleon defeat in the C.18th, it became a museum to commemorate Russian victory.

The Senate is now the official Presidential Residence, but it was commissioned by Catherine the Great to serve as a military meeting place for an advisory council. However, it is most famously known for being Lenin's office during the post-Revolutionary era.

The Tsar Bell, might not be finished or have ever been rung, but it is nevertheless well-worth a visit, being the largest in the world at a massive 200 tons. It was built in the mid-C.17th, but was destroyed in the Moscow fire of 1701. Thirty years later Empress Anna ordered that the fragments be recast in a much larger bell, but it cracked in 1737 after falling into its casting pit. It was not until 1837 that the bell was fitted into its current location.

The Cathedral Square and Cathedral of the Assumption are probably the most iconic buildings of the Kremlin. Cathedral Square was built to be the first great public space during the ascension of the Muscovite power in the C.14th. It was the political centre until Peter the Great moved his council out to St. Petersburg in 1710. The Cathedral was built in the 1470s by Ivan the Great to be the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. For this reason, it was always the site of any state funerals, weddings, christenings and coronations.

The famed gold-domed Cathedral of the Annunciation served as the private chapel to the Tsar family before they were deposed, and there was a secret passage from the Cathedral to the family headquarters. In 1918 the Cathedral officially closed as a place of worship and became a museum.

Ultisa Varvarka

If you're in the Red Square, then from there you can visit what is reportedly the oldest street in Moscow, Ulitsa Varvarka. Although the street is short, it boasts more churches than any other street in Moscow. The name of the street comes from the church which is immediately to your right as you enter the street from the Red Square, the Church of St. Barbara. St. Barbara was allegedly killed by her father in the C.4th AD in Asia Minor for her Christian beliefs. Since then she has generally been considered the Patron Saint of Merchants in Russia and it was originally merchants from the South who lived in this area and commissioned the building of the church.

Lenin's Mausoleum

Lenin's Mausolem may seem like a morbid outing, but it has become a tradition amongst Moscow's visitors to see the body of the man who could be said to be the father of Russian Communism. Whilst rumours abound that the actual body has been replaced by a wax model, it is clear that Lenin's body still lies where is always has. As you are queuing along the Kremlin wall, remember that the wall itself is also a mausoleum to the many other heroes of the Communist cause; buried within it are such big names as Charles Rutenberg, the first General Secretary of the U.S. Communist Party.

 

Metro Tour

Take a tour of one of the world's most beautiful and impressive underground transport system. To deal with the steep climb in population growth during the first third of the twentieth century, in the 1930s Stalin decided that Moscow was in need of a new form of transport to carry the many people around. The Moscow Metro became a symbol of the power of Socialism; 260km of track at depths of up to 86 metres with 165 stations, many of which look more like rich cathedrals and museums rather than station platforms.

St. Petersburg

The Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace

The Hermitage Museum, connected to the Winter Palace, houses a collection consisting of around 3 million works of art and artefacts of world culture. From art to military history, the Hermitage Museum at St. Petersburg covers a wide range of interests. Visit the armoury to see 15,000 artefacts of Russian, Western European and Oriental weaponry from the middle ages to the C.20th. For those of you who want to find out about Russian culture in particular, there is a Russian culture section, which has over 300,000 items reflecting a 1000 year Russian history.

The Winter Palace, St. Petersburg's most famous building, will give you a sense of the awe and magnificence of Russian royalty before the Revolution. The State rooms are now the most popular tourist attraction in St. Petersburg and will open up the lives of those who lived there to all your students.

Cruiser Aurora

The Cruiser Aurora was a battle ship built in the year 1897-1900 and it was active in the Russo-Japanese war from 1904-1905. After the war, the ship was mainly used for naval military training, but in October 1917, Cruiser Aurora took the limelight, when it fired a blank shot signalling to revolutionaries that it was time to storm the Winter Palace. During the 900 day siege of Leningrad, the ship once again came to the rescue, when its guns were dismantled and used on the front-line defence. After the war, the ship was carefully restored and opened as a free museum and training base for cadets. It is open from 10:30am-4pm every day except Mondays, Tuesdays and the last Wednesday of every month.

Peter and Paul Fortress

The Peter and Paul Fortress was commissioned by Peter the Great after he reclaimed land along the Neva Delta from the Swedes. It was built to protect the area against future attack by the Swedish army and navy. It was founded on a small island in the Neva Delta on May 27th 1703, which has since been recognised as St. Petersburg's birthday. It served as the city's garrison and, rather more notoriously, as a high security prison for political dissidents. One of its first inmates was Alexei (Peter the Great's rebellious son) and since then has held such great names as Dostoyevsky, Trotsky and Lenin's older brother, Alexander. The fortress' most notable feature is undoubtedly the magnificent Peter and Paul Cathedral, the burial place of all the Russian Emperors since Peter the Great. At 404ft tall, the Cathedral is the tallest building in the city.

The Cabin of Peter the Great

The first residential building to be built in the new city of St. Petersburg was a small wooden cabin built for Peter the Great to live in. In style and architecture it represents a crossing over of the Russian and Dutch tradition. The Tsar lived there from 1703 to 1708, and the living room, bedroom and study are still filled with his belongings. At the time Peter, wanted all the buildings to be built out of stone, as per the European tradition, but he could not afford it, so he ordered the house to be painted as if it were made out of bricks. The Cabin was the first museum to open after the 900 day siege of Leningrad at the end of World War II. It is open daily, except for Tuesdays, from 11am-9pm.

 

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