WATERWAYS OF THE TSARS:
MOSCOW TO ST. PETERSBURG
ABOARD THE VOLGA DREAM
Table of Contents
Thank You ...................................................................................................................................2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................2
Summary Overview ....................................................................................................................3
June 17 - Prague - Bridges to dynasties, history and culture ......................................................5
June 18 - Prague - Castles, palaces and more steeples .............................................................10
June 19 - Prague to Moscow - An introduction to the Tsars and some new friends ................12
June 20 - Moscow - The world of Pushkin................................................................................13
June 21 - Moscow - A private collection now public, and the ballet ........................................17
June 22 - Moscow - Anniversary of Germany’s declaration of war on Russia (1941) .............21
June 23 - Uglich - Our 38th wedding anniversary! ....................................................................26
June 24 - Plyos - Russian politics update and our first stop on the Volga.................................28
June 25 - Yaroslavl - The oldest city on the Volga...................................................................30
June 26 - Goritsy - Two monasteries, Basil II gets a "Terrible" son, and we see eagles. ........32
June 27 - Kizhi - Log cathedrals and onion domes ...................................................................34
June 28 - Mandrogi - Vodka culture and Farewell Dinner.......................................................39
June 29 - St. Petersburg - Peter’s dream and the city of palaces and poets .............................40
June 30 - St. Petersburg - Two palaces: built, destroyed and restored; and Hermitage #2......43
July 1 - St. Petersburg - Fountains, “cottages” and world class Russian art............................49
July 2 - St. Petersburg to Helsinki - A “doormat” survives and excels...................................52
July 3 - Helsinki - Reliving a 57-year memory .........................................................................54
July 4 - Helsinki - No fireworks, but lots of weddings..............................................................57
July 5 - Helsinki to New York - Homeward bound..................................................................59
Epilogue - “Discovery” ..............................................................................................................60
Appendix - The History of Prague.............................................................................................61
Appendix - The History of Russia .............................................................................................62
Appendix - The History of Helsinki ..........................................................................................63
Index - Chronological Order of Churches and Monasteries Visited..........................................64
Index - Chronological Order of Museums Visited.....................................................................65
Index - Chronological Order of Lectures ...................................................................................66
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Thank You
We are immensely grateful to David and Charlotte, who, again last Christmas, gave us
two roundtrip air tickets to anywhere in the world we wanted to go! It is such a generous,
yet challenging gift as we consider what’s left on our “bucket list”. The gift is without
limitations, except it can’t be to do business and we aren’t allowed to take family members
with us. This unique opportunity stretches our sensibilities, fulfills our dreams and lets us
reach into uncharted waters (literally and figuratively).
We want to also acknowledge the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s role in initiating and
organizing “The Waterways of the Tsars” trip along with their tour organizer, Academic
Arrangements Abroad. Two of AAA’s Russian experts, George Garber and Olga
Kovalenko, who traveled with us in Russia as tour directors, were immeasurably helpful in
seeing that things ran smoothly. They were also good company. Our lecturers and fellow
travelers, Helen Evans of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Simon Marks of
Thirteen/WNET greatly expanded our horizons in understanding the history, art and
politics of Russia. Finally, we are indebted to Greg and Andrea Elphinston for taking us
into their home for dinner in Helsinki.
Note should be made of the author’s dependence on DK Eyewitness Travel Guide books
for explanation, spelling and various descriptions.
Introduction
Right after Christmas, we received an invitation from the Met to “join us for a very special
voyage aboard the Volga Dream. As we navigate the gentle Russian waterways, the
countryside will unfold, revealing a fascinating land of peaceful villages and domed
monasteries. Moscow and St. Petersburg will delight us with their splendid palaces,
extraordinary museum collections and architectural treasures.”
In our home, Judith opens the mail, sorting it: for her, me (mostly bills), us (for discussion)
and the trash can (ads, catalogs, etc.). We both hit on this exciting travel opportunity at the
same moment: could we fit it into our schedule? afford it? was it at the top of our “bucket
list”? Yes, maybe and yes. By January 27th, we had submitted our applications and
deposits. The time since then has been consumed with the excitement of planning, reading
and dreaming.
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Summary Overview
First, a declaration: this journal was prepared for our own record and enjoyment and for
family and friends that may want to sample a small part of our incredible experience. The
Table of Contents provides daily highlights; the Indices catalog, in chronological order, the
museums and churches visited and the academic lectures attended; the photographs portray
a small percentage of what we saw. Given the uncharted experiences for us, nearly every
section includes a historical perspective or background to form a platform for our findings.
More complete histories—of Prague, Russia and Helsinki - are included as Appendices.
The impetus for the trip came from an invitation from the Metropolitan Museum of Art “to
visit Ancient and Imperial Russia via “The Waterways of the Tsars” aboard the Volga
Dream. Our goal was to study, or at least get an exposure to, the incredible history, art and
politics of the regions visited. The “bookends” to our trip (see cover) were added as a first
visit to Prague and a return to Helsinki, where a significant part of my life was shaped in
1952. These opening and closing venues were visited in each other’s company, while our
Russian journey was with a great group of like-minded individuals who (mostly) shared our
passion for the “academic” approach to and opportunities offered through focused travel.
Our emphasis on Church and State is driven by the recognition that, particularly in the
areas visited, there are rich and complex examples of the relationship and the priorities of
each. In addition, churches offer the best in art and architecture, and museums often expose
the best and the worst of history. Our focus was on the geographic areas between the Baltic
and Black Seas, encompassing roughly 12 centuries of history, art and politics, not to
mention dozens of wars, occupations and treaties, made and broken.
The duration (19 days) and intensity of this trip set a record for us: 34 churches and
monasteries, 29 museums and 8 dance and concert performances. Our hotels were some of
the best in Europe: Four Seasons Prague, Ritz Carlton Moscow, Grand Hotel Europe St.
Petersburg, and Hotel Kämp Helsinki. The food was some of the best we have ever eaten;
the weather was close to perfect. What’s not to like about that!
Prague, despite its wars, occupations and republic splits, is today on the threshold of a
new era. It is a beautiful and warm city with 21st c. ambitions and the inspired people and
leadership to make them happen. It is the quintessential example of a city that has
weathered the worst and now offers the best. It should be close to the top of places that
everyone must visit.
Russia is-uniquely-Russia. It has been variously influenced by the Kievan Rus, the
Mongols, Poland, Sweden, France (Napoleon), Germany (Hitler), revolutions and civil
wars, World Wars I and II, the creation and dissolution of the USSR and especially, by the
Russian Orthodox Church. Over that time, it has had strong and weak leadership, but
consistently it has fostered some of the world’s best artists, musicians, dancers and writers,
not to mention, scientists (Sputnik I was launched in 1957). It represents (even after the
1991 split), an enormous territory (at one time, one-sixth of the earth’s surface) and
possesses an abundance of the world’s greatest natural resources. Still, are today’s Russians
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happier? Not necessarily; while things are better, many miss the “order” and comfort level
of the Communist state. Moscow is experiencing an economic boom, notwithstanding the
current global crisis. The standard of living is rising in general, especially for the “New
Russians”, i.e. the oligarchs or wealthy elite.
Moscow has always been a city apart from the rest of Russia. In the recent years, this gulf
has widened leading to a wave of immigration from the provinces and former Soviet
republics. It is increasingly aware of the value of tourism and is reaching out as never
before. On the other hand, St. Petersburg has retained its beauty and its brilliance, just as
Peter I ordered. Russia’s capital from 1712-1917, in the 20th c. alone, that city has gone
through three name changes, three revolutions and a horrific 900-day siege. For a city little
more than 300 years old, it has an amazing history. And it may well be the most beautiful
city in the world. Some call it the “Venice of the North.” While no longer the center of
government, St. Petersburg remains the center of Russia’s arts and culture.
Helsinki, in most respects, cannot be compared with Prague, Moscow or St. Petersburg.
Museums are a little less dramatic. Churches are Lutheran and, therefore, more
conservative in decoration. Only 500,000 people live within the city limits. However,
those people are warm and hospitable and a determined walking tour yields a variety of
sights and sounds that are at once, enticing and unforgettable. Long the doormat for
Sweden and Russia, it now has strong, popular leadership and has found its own comfort
zone in the world. Most complain about its high taxation rates, but the quality of available
education, health care and other social benefits is significant. The Olympic Stadium, the
Finn’s coup in the 50’s, hasn’t changed a bit. Visiting only Helsinki leaves so much of the
country unexplored, like Lapland and the Arctic. By the way, Finnair is a terrific airline!
So, enjoy your perusal. This journal ends with a Epilogue setting forth final memories of
our discovery. We were afforded a wonderful window on a special and vital part of our
planet.
________________
___________________
Charles H. Moore
July 27, 2009
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June 17 - Prague - Bridges to dynasties, history and culture
Czech Air’s Airbus 310 posted a “block time” in Prague’s
Ruzyne International Airport of 6:07 am, 8 minutes ahead of time. Departing from JFK
essentially on time, it had been a good flight: good food, excellent service and intermittent
sleep disrupted with only occasional air choppiness.
Ruzyne Airport was built in 1936, modernized in 1960 and acquired by Air France in 1992.
We moved through customs and baggage claim quite swiftly as we were one of the first
arrivals; even the money changers had yet to open.
A Four Seasons hotel driver met us and comfortably drove us through pretty countryside
and the attractive streets of Prague. We were greeted by the exceptionally friendly staff of
the Four Seasons. Located in the Old Town, this two-year old hotel is right on the Vltava
River, (think Smetana’s “Moldau”) the longest in the Czech Republic. It flows south to
north, reaching the North Sea (with the help of the Elbe River).
We had already learned that the city of Prague, population 1.2 million (10 million for the
entire Czech Republic), has four sections: Old Town (11c.), New Town (founded by
Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emporer in 1348) and the Jewish Quarter,
all on the east bank of the Vltava River, and the Little Quarter on the west bank. The river,
itself, is spanned by many bridges, including (formerly) the Judith Bridge, which was
washed out by a flood in 1342 and replaced by Charles IV. Only the tower remains of the
former Judith bridge, now called the Charles Bridge.
5
Three great dynasties have shaped the history of Prague: the Premyslids, the Luxemburgs
and the Habsburgs. According to Slavonic legend, the Premyslids were founded by
Princess Libusa as early as 900. Premysl Otakar II (1253-78) was killed on the battlefield at
Marchfield, which paved the way for the Luxemburgs, who reigned from 1310 to 1471.
This family produced one of Prague’s greatest rulers, Charles IV, who was King of
Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. In 1526, the city came under the control of the
Austrian House of Habsburgs, whose rule lasted for 400 years, until October 28, 1918,
when Czechoslovakia gained its independence. Since then, there has been a succession of
presidents, notwithstanding the effects of war and occupation. World War II brought
occupation by the German army, followed by four decades of Communism. Since the
“Velvet Revolution” of 1988, Prague has created a new identity. In 1993, the Czech and
Slovak Republics were split. Today, the Czech Republic is bordered by Austria, Germany,
Poland and Slovakia.
For a more complete history of Prague, refer to the Appendix that follows. Back to our
check in at the Four Seasons. Miraculously, despite the early hour, our room was ready, so
we took a nap, followed by a lunch of delicious goulash soup and a three and half hour
walking tour with a hotel-supplied guide called Mahulena.
We taxied directly to Prague Castle, high on a
hill above the city, founded by Prince Bořivoj
in the 9th c., overlooking the Vltava River. In
about 1320, a town called Hradčany was
founded as part of the Castle’s outer bailey.
The Castle has been built and rebuilt many
times, most notably during the reigns of
Charles IV and Vladislav Jagiello (14711516). There are all kinds of palaces,
churches, government buildings (including
two Houses of Parliament), an opera house,
you name it. It’s the seat of the Catholic
Cardinal and of the President. There is a
wonderful sculpture of the first democratically
elected president (1918-35), Tomáš Garrigue
Masaryk. Coincidentally, a similar statue was
erected on Massachusetts Avenue in
Washington D.C., across from the Cosmos
Club, just before we moved from D.C. to New
York. It now has more relevance to us.
Architecture ranges from Renaissance to
Gothic to Baroque. There are courtyards and
gardens everywhere.
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On the grounds of Prague Castle, the “signature” attraction was the gothic Catholic
Cathedral, St. Vitus, which is truly splendid. Started in the 14th c., it was not finished until
the 20th c. The original architect was French; the outer material is sandstone. All
kings of Czechoslovakia have been crowned and are buried there. The stained glass
windows are relatively new (within the last 100 years) and dazzling. A 14th c. saint is
entombed in a silver casket made from more than two tons of silver. Frescoes adorn many
of the walls. The organ is enormous with pipes and console looming over the south aisle
because the east end has only recently been finished. Services are held in St. Vitus for all
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denominations. It’s interesting to note that while Catholicism is the dominant religion in
the Czech Republic, the percentage of active Catholics has dropped to 25%.
As we walked down the hill, an amazing
view of Prague unfolded, dotted with
vineyards and flowering linden trees, the
Czech Republic’s national tree. (The lion is
the national animal, notwithstanding the fact
that none has ever been sighted in the entire
country.) We crossed the Vltava River on
foot, passed the National Theater and an airy,
modern sculpture of a man’s torso, before
entering the Jewish Quarter, part of the Old
Town. The Jewish population has fallen to
5,000, so six of the city’s synagogues are
being converted to Holocaust museums
(one has the names of 80,000 Jews who
disappeared). One of the two surviving
synagogues, the Old-New, was built around
1270 and is the one of the earliest gothic
buildings in Prague; wonderful, simple
architecture. Czechoslovakia had only one
concentration camp, which was used as a
transit, rather than an execution camp. All
around, are beautiful, expensive apartments
in the “history architectural style” (according
to our guide).
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Old Town Square is spellbinding! Like most streets in Prague, it is all cobblestone pavers, a
bit difficult to walk on but beautiful and long lasting. Highlights include the Protestant St.
Michael’s Church in the baroque style, a 14th c. gothic Catholic Church with two towers, an
18th c. baroque palace and a 16th c. Renaissance building (former school), all in a row! The
Old Town Hall, built in 1395, has a chapel
inside and houses the famous and still
working astronomical clock with a face
containing 365 names of angels, zodiac signs
and two sets of symbolic figures: four figures
representing vanity, greed, death and
pleasure, and four figures representing
literature, science and history with an angel
to protect them. Traffic-free, the Square
serves as a lively meeting place with cafes
and bistros abounding.
After a rest, we had dinner on the terrace of
the Four Seasons’ Allegro restaurant, rated
by many as the city’s best dining, and we
were not disappointed! From our table, we
watched a tethered (with passenger) balloon
rise above Prague Castle. We finished our
first evening in this amazing city with a walk
along the Vltava. What a start to our holiday!
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June 18 - Prague - Castles, palaces and more steeples
Another pleasant day: 50˚ Fahrenheit, a slight
breeze and scattered clouds. Our original goal
was to explore as many churches (steeples) as
possible combined with museums scattered
along the way. Our journey started,
appropriately, on the Old Town side of the
Charles Bridge, where we found the baroque
Church of St. Francis, once part of the
monastery of the crusading knights of the
Cross with the Red Star. Crossing the bridge,
an important Prague ritual, we found all kinds
of artists and crafts salespersons, leading to
the twin towers at the other end: a shorter
“Judith” (all that’s left) and the taller
“Charles”.
Next stop was the gothic (now baroque)
Church of St. Thomas, home for Englishspeaking Catholics and originally created by
Wenceslas II in 1285 as a monastery church of
the Augustinians. It was destroyed by
lightning and rebuilt in 1723. There is a copy of Rubens’ “Martyrdom of St. Thomas” over
the altar; the original is in the Sternberg Palace. We then visited St. Nicholas Church in
Little Town, whose robust dome and thin bell tower are an inseparable part of the Prague
Castle skyline. Considered the most beautiful building of Czech Baroque, construction
started in 1702, although the parish of St. Nicholas existed as early as 1283. Although there
are no stained glass windows to allow light into the interior of the Church, it is still very
dramatic, as is its exterior. An oval chapel of the dead, called the Chapel of St. Barbara, is
located to the left of the entrance. It is richly decorated with artificial marble and gold. A
fresco depicting St. Francis with the Church Fathers hangs above the Presbytery. Rococo
classicist statues of four Eastern Church Fathers stands in front of the four supporting
pillars of the main dome. We found modern Rembrandt-style paintings of Christ in the
gallery (high balcony) where the organ console is also located. The late baroque organ was
built in 1745 and after several “renovations”, was restored to its original sound in 1834.
After climbing hundreds of stairs to the Prague Castle, we visited one of six National
Museums, the Castle’s Picture Gallery. There we saw 16th-17th c. paintings by Holbein the
Younger, Tintoretto, Veronese and Titian, among others. One of the highlights was a
painting of Jesus in a straw hat by Anthonis Santvoort. All of this was the collection of
Emperor Rudolf and his ancestors. Emperor Matthias, Rudolf’s successor, moved much of
the collection to Vienna. The Prague Castle Administration was able to recover and return
the collection to the Prague Castle Picture Gallery in 1998.
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Next stop was the Sternberg Palace, another one of the six National Galleries, and its
“Collection of Old Masters” featuring 16th-18th c. masters from Italy, Spain, France and
Flanders/Holland. We enjoyed the works of Tintoretto, Goya, El Greco, Brueghel,
Rembrandt, Rubens, Hals, van Ruisdael, Poussin, Boucher, van Dyck, Cuyp and Jan Steen.
We then tried to get back on our “steeples chase” but St. George’s Basilica required tickets,
and a long walk, so we had to pass it up. Founded by Prince Vratislav II, the basilica
predates St. Vitus’s Cathedral and is the best-preserved Romanesque church in Prague.
Instead, fortified by the “best ice cream in Prague”, we turned our full attention to the
Lobkowicz Palace, one of the palaces that was constructed after the fire of 1541, when
Hradčany (the old city) was almost totally destroyed. It dates from 1570, but most of the
present palace is Carlo Lurago’s 17th c. reconstruction for the Lobkowicz family, which
inherited it in 1627.
For 300 years, the palace was passed down to each reigning Prince Lobkowicz. After
WWI, and following the abolishment of hereditary titles in 1918, Maximilian, son of the
10th Prince, demonstrated his support for the new Republic by making several rooms
available to the Prime Minister’s office. At the beginning of WWII, the invading Nazis
confiscated the Palace, along with other Lobkowicz family properties. Returned in 1945,
the Palace and all other properties were seized once again just three years later by the
Communists. After more than 40 years of Communist rule (1948-88), and a further 12
years seeking restitution, the Lobkowicz family are once again the owners of this Palace. In
the spring of 2007, following more than 3 years of planning, careful restoration and
refurbishment, the Palace opened to the public for the first time as a private family museum
(part of the National Museum), with its permanent exhibit “The Princely Collection”. This
visit proved to be one of the most enchanting and exhilarating cultural experiences of
my life! Judith wisely insisted on an audio-guided tour, with 34 stops, narrated by living
family members and accompanied by appropriate music. It was truly ethereal and an
amazing retrospective of Czech culture.
Room after room of family portraits unfolded and much more, including Veronese’s David
with the Head of Goliath, Ruben’s Hygieia and the Sacred Serpent, and Brueghel the
Elder’s Haymaking (painted in 1535 and my favorite). There were so many exquisite
paintings including two by Canaletto - The River Thames on Lord Mayor’s Day and The
River Thames Looking Toward Westminster from Lambeth. There are rooms displaying
decorative arts: from Romanesque silver-gilt and rock crystal crosses and Delft service to
all kinds of armory and guns. My favorites were the result of the family’s patronage of
music, especially that of Joseph František Maximilian, 7th Prince Lobkowicz (1772-1816),
himself a talented singer, violinist, and violoncellist. His most important musical
relationship was with Ludwig van Beethoven (when both were in their early twenties). The
Prince guaranteed Beethoven an annuity that would allow him to work without financial
worry. In turn, Beethoven dedicated a number of pieces to the Prince, including his 3rd
(Eroica), 5th and 6th symphonies. We saw many of the original manuscripts (including
Mozart’s instrumental arrangement of Handel’s Messiah!). Our tour ended with the chapel
and the Palace’s magnificent reception rooms, today known as the Concert Hall, the
Balcony Room and the Marble Hall. We did not see the Palace’s Library, considered one of
11
the great noble libraries of Europe, including a rare copy of the 48-line Bible (printed on
vellum in 1462) and a copy of St. John’s Account of the Apocalypse. We had to save
something for our next visit.
We left the palace in a daze; there is no way to adequately describe the scope, beauty or
cultural preservation of this collection, all shared with us by living family members! One of
the Lobkowicz sons took Judith’s tickets and orders for the audio tour sets! It was worth
our entire visit to Prague and more.
We walked, maybe floated, down the big hill and fell into a small
touring boat to “cruise” the Vltava for an hour. Aimlessly, we
wandered into a street-side café in Old Town and had a terrific
bottle of Czech white wine with pheasant (JMM) and branzino
(CHM). We finished our day with a walk to the Old Town Square,
saw the Town Hall’s great clock do its act on the hour and
returned to the Four Seasons for a short gin rummy game (and a
big win by Judith).
June 19 - Prague to Moscow - An introduction to the Tsars and some new
friends
Leaving the Four Seasons was sad; it had been so comfortable, so elegant with the best
service possible. Leaving Prague was even sadder. In the Middles Ages, during the reign of
Charles II, Prague enjoyed a Golden Age and grew into a magnificent city larger than Paris
or London. It has also faced wars, weak kings and occupation, but today, it’s a vibrant,
positive city that is as exciting as any we have ever visited. We left only on the promise to
ourselves that WE WILL RETURN.
Flying to Moscow for the first time provided another “first” time experience. Czech Air did
its part: left on time, arrived on time. Our disembarking had to wait until a person checked
our temperatures with a device that looked like a camera; that’s after we each completed a
Mexican (read “swine”) flu certificate. Our Czech Air plane parked beside an Aeroflot
plane named the “Kandinski”; leave it to the Russians to name their airplanes after their
artists. The airport is under lots of construction (as is much of Moscow). The temperature
was mild (65˚ F). Customs clearance was fine, but we were anxious about the baggage
claim. In New York, we had purchased a bottle of Chivas Regal (the only way you can
happily play gin if you’re losing). Now opened and lightly sampled, we foolishly thought it
would pass security in a carry bag. Not so, but we were able to check one of our carry bags
at the plane and to our relief, the Chivas showed up with the rest of our bags.
12
A Ritz Carlton driver met us; his first name was Yuri, just like the Russian who finished
second in the 400 meter hurdles in 1952! Traffic, along the Moscow River, was somewhat
heavy, as many Russians headed for their dachas on a Friday afternoon. The Ritz Carlton,
also just built two years ago, is quite “old world” and very elegant. At 7:30 pm, our
Waterways of the Tsars group—from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Trust of
Historic Preservation, Channel 13/WNET and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art—gathered
for cocktails and introductory remarks, followed by a lovely dinner in the Moscow I and II
rooms. It’s a very interesting group of fewer than 50, plus lecturers and tour directors,
coming from as far as California, Texas, Alabama, Maine, Italy and South Africa.
Interestingly, there were only 9 couples. I have no idea what that means!
June 20 - Moscow - The world of Pushkin
After a buffet breakfast in the “old world” Caviarterra Restaurant, we bussed to the Pushkin
Museum of Fine Arts, with our local guide, Rosa. On the way, we passed the History
Museum (all red brick), the Resurrection Gate (entrance to Red Square), the former KGB
building (now the Federal Security Bureau, or FSB), a 19th c. synagogue, President
Medvedev’s office, the National Library, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ
the Savior. Part of our trip was along the Moscow River with the Kremlin Wall on our
right.
Founded in 1647, the Pushkin Museum is made up of three buildings: one for private
collections, one for Old Masters and the third for French Impressionism. We visited all
three starting with the special exhibition hall where we had pre-opening exposure to the
“Era of Faberge”, a private collection purchased through Sotheby’s from Malcolm Forbes’
collection among others. The “eggs for royalty” display of Easter eggs and all kinds of
13
jewelry was very impressive (ornate detail and gems), including a simple gold egg
commissioned by Alexander IV, an enameled egg owned previously by Forbes (he had 11
of them at one time), an egg in the shape of a clock with a rooster on top and a Coronation
egg with a tiny “surprise” carriage inside. A Faberge exhibit from the collections of the
Kremlin, Queen Elizabeth II, and Malcolm Forbes toured the world five years or so ago.
We began in the Old Masters building with Italian “icons”. I was really taken by a painting
of a boy with an arrow by Gioyanni Antona Boltraffio (1467-1516). Other favorites
included a Christ by Veronese (1520-88) and St. John the Baptist by El Greco.
We toured a room full of Egyptian Coptic art, funeral portraits, painted during the patron’s
lifetimes, and mummified bodies, before entering a room given over to Schliemann’s gold
from Troy (dating to 2500 B.C.) recovered in Turkey, which was first exhibited in 1996.
While this includes mostly jewelry (rings, earrings, etc.) the most sensational piece is a
diadem (hair piece).
Next, we came to a room with six Rembrandts (all painted around 1600) along with two
other rooms of Flemish paintings. Since I can’t make up my mind, my five favorite
Rembrandts were:
• “Doubting Thomas”
• “Portrait of Old Man” (Rembrandt’s brother?)
• “Portrait of Old Woman”
• “Portrait of an Elderly Woman”
• “Incredulity of St. Thomas”
We were also taken by Albert Cuyp’s 17th c. “Cattle on a River Bend”.
14
In the third building of the Pushkin, we “overdosed” on all our favorite French
Impressionists, plus some we hadn’t ever seen before. At the entrance, there were two large
Bonnards and a figural sculpture by Aristide Maillol. Judith found a wonderful painting by
Theodore Gudin. We own a small seascape by Henriette Gudin who was taught to paint by
her father.
With twenty minutes to spare, we dashed
across the street to the Cathedral of Christ the
Savior. This Russian Orthodox Church was
consecrated in 1883, having taken 44 years to
build. Stalin ordered its destruction in 1931; it
was rebuilt in 5 years in the 1990’s with the
re-consecration service held on January 7,
2000. The church is beautiful, but
overwhelming with a huge central dome.
There are no seats. Everyone stands for
Russian Orthodox services and there is no
instrumental music, so no organ. The service
is sung by men only with those lovely
rumbling bass lines.
We drove to the new, elegant Bolshoi
Restaurant down the boulevard, again passing
the gate to the Kremlin and National Library
of Russia. Luncheon was a “bit much” -- with
five courses and wine!
During lunch, it had started to rain, so we changed our afternoon plans to include the New
(State) Tretyakov Gallery to get really serious about 20th c. Russian painters beginning with
the Avant-garde (1910) and through the Constructivist period. I had never heard of any of
these artists but know that they are prized at the Tate, MoMA, etc.:
Mikhail Larionov (1881-1964)
Natalia Concharova (1881-1902)
Vladimir Tatlin (1888-1953)
Niko Pirosmani (1862-1918)
Alexander Shevchenko (1863-1948)
Pyatr Konchalovsky * (1876-1956)
Ilya Mashkov * (1881-1944)
Alexander Kuprin * (1880-1960)
Vasily Rozhdestuensky (1884-1969)
Aristarkh Lentuluv (1882-1943)
Robert Falk (1886-1958)
*Members of Society of Jack of Diamonds; one of the most significant artistic societies of
the avant-garde.
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In rooms that followed, we saw paintings by artists more familiar to us:
Mark Chagall (1889-1988)
Yuri Amenkov (1899-1974)
Vasily Kandinsky (1866-1944)
Alexel Yawlensky (1864-1941)
Pavel Filonov (1883-1941) – “most mysterious”
Kazimir Malevich (1897-1935) – “black square on white”
Lyubov Popoya (1889-1929)
Nadezhda Udaltsova (1886-1961)
Kusma Petrov-Vodkin (1897-1939) – Impressionist with focus on red
Finally, on another floor, we viewed an exhibit of “those that got away”: American Artist
Descendants from the Russian Empire”, dedicated to the art of Russian émigrés to the
United States. The exhibit was large and very good, and we were surprised by how many
we knew including Rafael and Moses Soyer, Louise Nevelson, Mark Rothko, Archipenko
and Jacob Lipschitz.
With the rain now only drizzling, we decided to walk through the Open Air Sculpture Park,
including the corner they call “Graveyard of Fallen Monuments”. Some of the more
familiar figures were: Lenin, Stalin, Kosygin, Brezhnev and Gorbachev.
There were many other sculptures, some very funny and some sad. There was a tiny one of
Peter the Great and a huge one of that ruler (one of the three tallest sculptures in the world)
to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the launching of Russia’s navy. Designed by Zurab
Tsereteli and dedicated in 1999, this piece dominates the park. There was a band playing in
the background, and the park’s gardens attracted much of our photographic attention.
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It had been a full day. With such an immense lunch, we settled for a relatively late snack at
a nearby all-Russian restaurant (where we ate alone), Russian vodka on our hotel’s O2
Summer Terrace on the top floor (with a terrific 360 degree view of Moscow and where the
Obamas would dine several weeks later) and a short game of gin rummy. My game is now
on the upswing.
June 21 - Moscow - A private collection now public, and the ballet
After breakfast, we were off to the Old Tretyakov Gallery via the 12-lane boulevard
heading straight for the conspicuous Gates to Red Square. The skies were overcast.
Locals describe summer in Moscow as “nine months of expectation followed by three
months of disappointment”. To get to the Gallery, you cross a bridge with trees decorated
with padlocks which Russian lovers have placed there; very strange looking.
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Paul Tretyakov, a wealthy merchant who was largely self taught in artistic matters, founded
the Tretyakov Gallery in 1856 and then, presented his private collection of Russian art to
the city in 1892. His brother Sergei also donated a number of works, and the Gallery’s
collection has expanded since. Today, the Tretyakov has the largest collection of Russian
art in the world. The building has a striking facade, designed by artist Viktor Vesnetsov,
with a bas-relief of St. George and the Dragon at its center.
We proceeded to view Tretyakov’s collection of Russian art ranging from 12th c. icons
to 20th c. paintings. Just some of these treasures included:
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V. L. Borovikovsky (1757-1865) — Catherine II in Garden with Dog
O. A. Kiprensky (1782-1836) — portrait of Pushkin and a self-portrait
(“I see myself as if in a mirror but the mirror flatters me”)
K. P. Bryullov (1799-1852) — portrait of woman and a self-portrait
A. A. Ivanov (1806-58) — a mammoth painting of Christ with Russian soldiers,
Jewish peasants and slaves, as well as “The Appearance of Christ to the People”
1833 (unfinished)
V. A. Tropinin (1776-1859) — former slave, became famous for his “Lady Lace
Maker” and portraits of wife and son
P. A. Fedotov (1815-52) — “Storyteller” and “Matchmaker”
Pryanishnikov (1840-94) — “Jokers”
Grigoryevich Perov (1833-80) — evoked a “strong social conscience” with his
“believers” and “more believers”
A. K. Savrasov (1830-97) — “Rooks Arrived” and other landscapes
I. K. Aviazovsky (1817-1900) — “Russian Turkey” (Istanbul)
M. Vrubel (1856-1910) — “Lilacs”, sketch for façade at Hotel Metropole, and
painted “demons” to reflect his vision/philosophy
I. N. Kramskoy (1837-87) — critical realism; painted “Jesus in the Desert”
(MOST POWERFUL); also portraits of Tolstoi and Tretyakov
I. I. Shishkin (1832-98) — “Noon in the Environs of Moscow”
V. M. Vasnetsov (1846-1926) — storyteller, “After the Birth”
V. V. Vereshchagin (1842-1904) — oriental influence; became pacifist
V. I. Surikov (1848-1916) — “historical” paintings, showed sketches with two
major paintings
I. Y. Repin (1844-1930) — “Easter Parade” showing step-niece of Peter the Great
scowling, as well as portrait of Moussorgsky-Kachina (opera)
I. I. Levitan (1869-1900) — “Golden Autumn”
Many of the rooms were filled with paintings by just one artist. It was extraordinary! Then,
we proceeded to view the Gallery’s collection of icons, including the schools of Kiev
(much symbolism), Novgorod (brightly colored) and Moscow. My overall favorite was a
copy of “Holy Trinity” painted by Andrei Rublev in 1420; it depicts three angels
representing the Trinity sitting at a table. The dominant brilliant blue color indicates
spirituality. We later went into the Church of St. Michael where we saw the original of this
powerful icon flanked by a wall of icons.
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Lunch at Zurab Tsereteli’s Artist Gallery was fine, but visiting his immense indoor
sculpture room with huge scale pieces was something else! Not only did he do Peter the
Great’s celebration of Russia’s naval fleet (see June 20th), which you can see from all over
the city, but he did all kinds of crazy reliefs and sculptures exhibited in this space. A giant
walk-in “apple” got the most attention as, upon entering, the inside walls are covered in
the most erotic figures in every conceivable position (I was embarrassed; the rest of the
group found it very entertaining).
So off we went to Red Square, to see St. Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square including Lenin’s
Tomb and/or GUM department store (the largest in the world). The Square was filled with
a festival of all kinds of athletic events, including volleyball, soccer machines, climbing
walls, basketball and “bike gymnastics” (with which I was intrigued). Judith and I
concentrated on the
Pokrovsky Cathedral
(St. Basil’s) where
with the (partial) help
of an audio tour we
visited the Church of
the Intercession of the
Holy Virgin, the
Chapel of St.
Cyprian, The Chapel
of Three Patriarchs,
The Chapel of the
Holy Trinity, The
Chapel of the Venerable Alexander, The Chapel of St.
Nicholas, The Chapel of the Venerable St. Varlaam of
Khutynsky, The Chapel of the Entry of the Lord into
Jerusalem and The Chapel of Bishop Gregory. There
are 10 chapels in all and some tricky climbing (no
handicapped ramps in sight).
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From there, we visited the Church of Our Lady of Kazan, most important for its bells
which are played manually as are most “Russian bells”.
We walked past the mammoth History Museum, out through the Gates and to our hotel
barely in time to dress for “Giselle”, a full-length, two-act ballet. The peasant girl, Giselle,
was danced by Marianna Ryzhkina and Count Albrecht by Dmitry Gudanov. The music
was written by Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), and this performance (Giselle’s 1,166th at the
Bolshoi Theatre) was a tribute to Maya Samokhvalova (a former Bolshoi ballerina), who
was there and was introduced. The theatre was quite elegant and in fact, had been redone to
continue Bolshoi performances while the larger Bolshoi (established in 1776) is being
refurbished. In Moscow, they hide a construction site with a massive curtain painted with
images of what the building will look like, rather then the awful netting we use in the U.S.
Two hours and twenty minutes later we were heading out of the theatre for dinner. We ate
at Café des Artistes (the same name as one of our favorite Manhattan restaurants), and had
a quiet supper washed down with a good bottle of Chilean wine. Globalization is good, and
we were having a terrific time!
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June 22 - Moscow - Anniversary of Germany’s declaration of war on Russia (1941)
No rain today, so we walked to the Kremlin through a convoluted series of tunnels and
pathways dictated by the Russian police who seemed to think all the alternatives should be
closed off for the commemorative proceedings. In 1156, Prince Yurij Dolgorukiy chose the
confluence of the Moskva (Moscow) and Neglinnaya Rivers (now paved over) as the
leading site for the first wooden Kremlin. Late in the 15th c., Tsar Ivan III invited several
leading Italian architects to build a sumptuous new complex. They designed the Cathedral
of the Assumption and the Faceted Palace, among other buildings, in the form of early
Russian and Renaissance styles. Over the years, this has been the Citadel of the Tsars,
headquarters of the Soviet Union and now, the residence of Russian President Medvedev.
The Kremlin’s wood walls were replaced with white limestone and then in the 15th c., with
red brick. Today, it is an impressive and formidable fortress.
Alexander Park, at the foot of the Kremlin, was closed due to the Day of Mourning (flags
flew at half mast), so we proceeded to the State Armoury, which was built in the 18th c. as a
storage place/museum, next to the original 15th c. Armoury workshops, which were
demolished in 1960 to be replaced by the Nikita Krushchev’s Kremlin Palace, the only
modern building in the Kremlin.
Our tour of the State Armoury was fascinating, including:
1. Faberge eggs (10)
Four were particularly interesting:
• A tiny replica of the Cathedral of Assumption with mica windows and
frescoes painted inside, along with a music box
• Map of 1900 Trans-Siberian railroad with gold carriage and platinum engine
nestled inside
• Forget-me-not flower
• 48 miniature emperors (1913)
2. Cabinet after cabinet of precious objects including the wedding crowns of Pushkin
and his wife.
3. All kinds of armour — European style and Russian (much lighter)
4. Diplomatic gifts for Russian Tsars (i.e. 16th c. English silver and gift from Napoleon
to Alexander I in 1807)
5. Olympian china service (200 pieces) — all mythology scenes
6. Clock with eagle feeding pearls to babies which plays 18 different tunes
(appropriately received but sent directly to storage!)
7. Alexander I’s crib, which took 10 years just to restore
8. Costumes:
• Catherine the Great left 20,000 gowns behind, many never worn
• Coronation Crown of Ivan the Terrible (1547) conferred at age 16
• Double Throne: built for Ivan, age 16 (mentally retarded and mostly blind)
and Peter, age 9. Ivan’s sister, Sofia, stood behind him to help him answer
all questions, leading to the expression “behind every great man is a great
woman”
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Sable fur trimmed royal crowns from the 15th c. Crowns became more
traditional from Peter the Great’s era onward
Peter the Great’s coronation robe - he was over 6’7” but had very small feet
Carriages: oldest (15th c., made in England); Catherine the Great’s carriages
prominently displayed the Romanov double-headed eagle
Somewhere in the carriage display I carelessly touched a roped stand, which set off an
alarm - that place was really wired!
There are 9 churches on the grounds of the Kremlin. Responding to a teaching of Karl
Marx in which he claims, “religion is the opium of the people”, many churches were
repressed and even destroyed between 1917-1949, and Kremlin houses of worship were no
exception. This represented the supreme separation of state, church and school. We visited
two of the three significant Kremlin churches which have been restored, covering the
“philosophy of life”: birth, crowning and burial.
The Cathedral of the Archangel was the last of the three churches to be built and the first
one we visited. It was commissioned by Ivan III in 1505 and designed by a Venetian
architect. It is the burial site of Russian princes and tsars from 1340 onward. The walls,
pillars and domes are covered with superb frescoes, and the iconostasis contains an icon of
Archangel Michael which dates to the 14th c.
The ornate Cathedral of the Annunciation was designed and created by Russian architects
and artists, as opposed to Italians who designed and constructed the other Kremlin
cathedrals. Commissioned by Ivan III in 1484 as a royal chapel, the whole of the interior,
including galleries, is painted with frescoes. Four of the greatest Russian masters of icon
painting, the monk, Feodosius, the son of the icon painter, Dionysius, Andrei Rublev and
Prokhor Gorodetsky all contributed to the richness of decoration. This was the tsars’
family church.
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The third cathedral is the Cathedral of the Assumption, which from the early 14th c. was the
most important church in Moscow, and is where Russian princes were crowned and
metropolitans and patriarchs of the Orthodox Church were buried. Unfortunately it was
closed on the day of our visit. We were told it is filled with glorious icons, frescoes and the
royal throne of Ivan the Terrible.
The highest point on the Kremlin hill is Ivan the Great’s Bell Tower (1508). The name is
taken from the Church of St. Ivan Climacus, which stood on the site in the 14th c. It is
called “the Great” because of its height (in 1600, this was the tallest spire in Moscow).
Outside the bell tower, rests the Tsar Bell, the largest in the world, weighing over 200 tons.
It was being cast when the Kremlin caught fire. Cold water was poured over it causing a
huge fragment to be broken off. This fragment now sits beside the monumental bell and
must weigh several tons by itself.
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As we exited the Kremlin through a single gate, we were
reminded that Russia’s original flag was changed during
the Soviet period to the hammer and sickle, and has now
been returned to the original red, white and blue. Very
sobering was the thought that 3 million Russians were
killed in the first two weeks after the outbreak of the war
with Germany in 1941; 27 million Russians in total were
killed during WWII, compared with the total number of
casualties worldwide of 50 million.
After lunch and hotel
checkout, we did a bus
tour of Moscow. Our
first stop offered two
options: visit the Novodevichy Convent (founded by Basil
III in 1524 to commemorate the capture of Smolensk from
the Lithuanians) or the Novodevichy Cemetery, where
many famous Russians are buried and is full of fascinating
tomb sculpture. We chose the latter and saw the resting
places of Anton Chekhov (playwright); Nikolai Gogol
(writer); Sergey Prokofiev, Aleksandr Scriabin and Dmitry
Shostakovich (composers); Nikita Khrushchev (1999) and
Boris Yeltsin (2007); and many more (ballerinas,
comedians, cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich (see photo at
left), heart surgeon Bakulev, etc.). The monuments were
fascinating and each had its unique story.
Our bus tour continued through Sparrow Hills, past the University of Moscow (30,000
students), the 1980 Olympic Stadium, (boycotted by the USA and others because of
Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan), a new business district, a movie filming district, all the
way to the Volga port. As we drove through the city, we saw several of the “Seven
Sisters”, the huge gothic apartment buildings constructed in the Stalin era.
Even a brief visit to Moscow merits a serious reflection on the experience. From 12th c.
origins as an obscure, defensive outpost, Moscow rose to govern one-sixth of the earth’s
surface and cast her shadow even further. The story of Moscow’s history is laced with
glory as well as setbacks, including the two centuries when St. Petersburg was the capital
of Russia, and Moscow lived the life of a disgruntled dowager. A more complete
chronology of the history of Russia follows in the Appendix.
Is Russia a better place to live today than during the Communist period? It depends on who
you ask, but most would agree that the times are better, but not necessarily more certain.
Communism did provide order which some miss. However, there is no question that
Moscow has changed: it’s more prosperous, it’s growing and there appears to be more
freedom. Population is estimated at 12-17 million. Is the country big? Yes; it’s the largest
country in the world and incorporates eleven time zones. It’s interesting to note that the
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USSR, at its zenith, recorded a total population of 250 million, compared to today’s 145
million.
Russians take their religion seriously, at least on the surface: 70% of Russians are
registered in one denomination or another, but only one half of the claimants are active.
Russian Orthodox is dominant, although Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Jews (200
thousand) are represented. Still, Russians look sad to me. There is little expression and
almost no animation in their faces. Alexander Pushkin wrote, “There is no truth when there
is no love”. These words may provide the key to the understanding of the mysterious
Russian soul and its everlasting search after truth - perhaps the essence of Russian life.
We were greeted at the Volga Dream with lots of enthusiasm, the traditional bread and salt
and, of course, icy shots of vodka. We moved into our home for the week on the
Promenade Deck, Cabin #310, which was very comfortable. After the usual safety drills
and Captain’s greeting, we enjoyed an excellent dinner - and retired to bed (no gin rummy).
The ship has a staff of 58; that’s more than the number of passengers.
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June 23 - Uglich - Our 38th wedding anniversary!
Last night, we embarked on a journey of
some 1700 kilometers (roughly 1100
miles), including the Moscow, Rybinsk
and Onega locks (6 in each place),
through gates weighing up to 300 tons.
We traveled through mostly pastoral
lands in relatively narrow canals and
traversed the two largest lakes in
Europe: Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga,
as well as the Rybinsk Reservoir. Started
in the early 1930’s, the purpose of the
canal system was (and is) to deliver
water to inland cities.
Our anniversary morning dawned with a temperature of 68˚ F (going up to 75˚F). We
attended lectures on board, and enjoyed a leisurely day (including catching up on my
diary). The staff left anniversary gifts in our state room: “towel art” that looked like two
swans and a card and later, a bottle of cold champagne.
The producers of our trip had three objectives to share with us: Russian art, history and
politics, in person, through lectures and by advanced reading. On June 23 and 24 we
enjoyed two lectures by Simon Marks, Special Correspondent for the Jim Lehrer News
Hour (PBS). A Brit, now living in Washington D.C., Simon lived and worked in Moscow
for several years (above a McDonald’s) and is very articulate, insightful, and entertaining
Gorbachev (1985-91) and Yeltsin (1991-2000)
In today’s lecture entitled “Democracy Deferred”, Simon developed the case for a broken
system, politically and economically, the reshuffling of the political elite and the rise to
power of Yeltsin. He characterized Yeltsin as a pragmatist (and Gorbachev’s alter ego), not
a believer in a free market or democracy. Still, he praised Yeltsin for his realistic decision
making. In 1993, Yeltsin put tanks on the streets as factories closed. At the same time, the
super wealthy elite class was being created. Simon described Yeltsin as an alcoholic, who
was very careful to make sure Putin would grant him immunity from the consequences of
his errors in judgement. He described the Kremlin government as endemically corrupt.
Disembarking to visit Uglich, (Russian word for “sharp corner”) was fun; we were greeted
with a band playing Mack the Knife and Hello Dolly! Founded in 1017, at one time, Uglich
was a serious contender for fame. Today, it is a sleepy village with 36,000 residents, 8
schools, two colleges, 17 active churches and is very dependent on summer tourism. In
fact, most of the village was there to greet us—behind their arts and craft concession
stands. Mr. Smirnoff lived there at one time, and a Vodka Museum exists but we never
found it.
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After leaving the ship and running through the
“gauntlet of commerce”, we passed the ever
present Lenin Monument in a leafy square, just
like in all other Russian towns, on our way to
visit the 17th c. Church of Prince Dmitry on the
Spilled Blood (built on the site where Ivan the
Terrible’s son met his death), and the Church of
the Transfiguration (noted for its green domes
and baroque icons).
Our first stop was a church which had been
converted to a museum, as so many had after the
Revolution. Waiting for us, was a five-man, tenyear-in-training choir called Noah’s Arc, who
performed two very well-received Russian
pieces: one folk song and one sacred piece.
Their bass singers were very strong; Judith
purchased a CD of their music and gave them a
much appreciated copy of St. Thomas’
recording of Rachmaninov’s Vespers.
Next we visited the Church of Prince Dmitry,
built by Ivan the Terrible, to honor his youngest
son. The first son drowned. Ivan IV killed his
second son. I never understood what happened
to his third child, and the death of the fourth boy
is still a mystery. Choices of scenarios include:
he killed himself with a knife during an epileptic
fit; he was killed by henchmen of Boris
Godunov (the scene is vividly painted on one of the church’s walls); or he disappeared to
Poland, only later to return later as “False Dmitry”. In the end, the villagers caught and
stoned Godunov’s men to death, but when the case was tried in Moscow, they concluded
that Dmitry had killed himself and that the villagers should be punished: 200 were put to
death, 2,000 were exiled to Siberia along with the church’s bell! The bell was returned to
the church after 300 years; we weren’t told what happened to the people who were exiled.
The church, built on the spot Dmitry is said to have been murdered, is colored red (for
blood) and white (for purity). As we exited, we learned that part of the floor was made of
cast iron panels, which are heated to help control the cold and damp of Russia’s severe
winters.
We then visited a palace dedicated to Dmitry, where we learned that this “False Dmitry”,
after reigning for eleven months, was proved to be an imposter. He was killed and his
remains put in a cannon and shot back to Poland! Our final visit was the 15th c. Cathedral
of Transfiguration, which boasted a copy of a Raphael painting as a fresco. The Cathedral
was rebuilt in the 18th c. and has a very impressive iconostasis.
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We stopped at the only ATM in town, and set our sights on shopping. Uglich is world
reknowned for its watches. We didn’t get one of those, but Judith got a pretty amber
pendant. In the evening, the chef and staff honored us with a special anniversary cake.
After dinner, we were entertained by the Vis-á-vis string quartet, four attractive young
ladies from Moscow, who performed Haydn, Schnittke and Tchaikovsky; really good. We
still had our champagne to finish, along with a partial game of gin rummy. It had been quite
a day!
June 24 - Plyos - Russian politics update and our first stop on the Volga
We sailed out of the canal and into the Rybinsk Reservoir and turned east into the Volga
River which was much wider than the earlier canal. The scenery was spectacular as we
passed miles of forest land and quaint villages with glorious church domes. The weather
continued to be good, but bird life, outside of the ever present gulls and a few terns, was
non-existent.
Sleeping late, I just made breakfast, while Judith didn’t. Still, she did attend the
introductory Russian language and singing classes, which I passed in order to shower and
shave. It’s all a matter of priorities, and we both managed to make Simon Marks’s lecture
entitled:
Putin (2000-08) and Medvedev (2008 to present) - “Russia Resurgent”
Marks talked about “who they are” and “how they get along”, starting with Yeltsin’s
resignation on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1998, his request for leniency and his plan
for Putin to serve as Acting President for three months. Yeltsin had run through a string of
Prime Ministers (some called this job “a one way trip to obscurity”), so at least the press
was not expecting a smooth transition from the post of Prime Minister. Putin’s background
is career KGB, and prior to that, he worked for the Mayor of St. Petersburg. He is seen as
young, charismatic, determined and in tune with Russian youth. He demonstrated distrust
for the past (Yeltsin era) and was against “loans for shares” and the oligarch movement.
Marks readily admitted that Putin’s success and prosperity were driven by oil and gas.
Putin led a crackdown on criticism and pushed for a “support the leader” acceptance. In the
process, he was seen as tough on NGOs and faith-based organizations. His successful core
strategy was to restore stability, pride and prosperity while overlooking any necessary
infringements of “civil liberties”; that is, he saw a broader national purpose. Still, he was
term limited (according to the Russian Constitution, which he probably could have changed
given his popularity). As we have seen, Putin used his “levers of power” and anointed as
president, his Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev (Putin’s former campaign manager and
chairman of Gazpro). In effect, the lead guy in the Kremlin swapped jobs with the lead guy
in the Russian White House, and “Putin’s poodle” conveniently solved Putin’s two-term
limitation. Marks then answered a variety of questions, including international business
partnerships with Russia (they have no respect for property rights) and the appropriate U.S.
policy (think “realism and respect” as we face this “nuclear armed petro state”). Marks
thinks this “political act” will last as long as Putin wants it to and expects that he’ll return
as President in several years.
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After lunch, we took in a lecture on Plyos, and one on Yaroslavl, the next day’s stop, as
well as a documentary film “Russia — Land of the Tsars (from its origin to Ivan the
Terrible)”. Plyos is the smallest town of the Golden Ring with only 2-300 residents and 9
churches. The streets are lined with wooden houses. We visited the Travkin Museum of
Primeval Man. This particular house was built by the present occupant’s great grandfather.
Among other things, we inspected shoes made of both birch and linden; they were so rough
the wearers had to first wrap their feet with cloth. While there was a cooking oven in the
house, much of the cooking took place in the “back yard”.
We then visited the house museum devoted to landscape painter, Isaac Levitan, who came
to Plyos in 1888, at the age of 28, to find his inspiration and stayed for several years.
Before returning to the boat, Judith and I explored, the Eternal Peace Wooden Church
(see photo above). There’s a large domed church across the street that’s in ruins, but is in
the first stages of restoration (below). Very romantic!
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Piano music before and after dinner was the order of the day. The sunset at 10:00 pm was
magnificent!
Courtesy of Giack Selloni
June 25 - Yaroslavl - The oldest city on the Volga
It got colder overnight (60˚F) and as we went further north clouds hovered, but it wasn’t
raining. We got an early start (8:15 am) for our exploration of Yaroslavl (population
638,000), at one time referred to as the “capital of merchants”. Founded by Prince
Yaroslavl the Wise in 1010, the town is preparing to celebrate its 1,000th anniversary. At
one time, there were 50 Orthodox churches. Since the Revolution, there are only 20.
There’s also one each of Catholic, Muslim, Lutheran and Baptist churches, as well as the
usual monasteries and nunneries.
Passing a leafy square with the ever present Lenin Monument and a Drama Theatre (built
in 1750, and decorated with Greek mythology reliefs), we visited the 16th c. Transfiguration
of the Savior Monastery, noted for its architecture and icons. We also toured the small
Church of the Epiphany, decorated with five-color glazed tiles. The monastery, surrounded
by white walls, has lovely gardens and a very interesting sculpture of black arrows at its
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entrance representing the “Wounded Russian”. A Byzantine church serves as the
monastery’s concert hall. A Gothic-style bell tower was added later but it, too, is under
restoration. We did have an outdoor bell concert by “Andrew”, who played twelve small
bells attached to his fingers by strings. The
monastery is also famous for its library, apples
and honey (which is produced in a miniature “village” of beehives). Two kinds of crosses
decorate the steeples and domes – the classic Roman one and one much more decorative
type.
Yaroslavl has two rivers: the Volga and the Kostromaq. Our tour guide imparted to us a
great appreciation for the charm and prosperity of this place (apartments sell for $5,000 per
square meter). From 1917 to nearly 1962, churches were mostly closed, during which time
some were converted to museums. The Church of Kazan was built in 1995, and the Eternal
Flame War Memorial was built in 1962 and faces the Church of St. Michael. The buildings
of Yaroslavl were largely unharmed by WWII.
Next, we visited the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, one of five churches being patronized
by UNESCO, with its richly decorated icons and five domes. It has garlands from linden
trees on its iconostasis and wonderful frescoes, but no heat. Next to it is the winter church
dedicated to the Virgin Mary, with a heating system. There, we were entertained by a fourman choir who sang “Glory to Jesus” and a romantic ballad. Judith purchased the CD in a
glazed tiled case. Outside, in the vestibule are frescoes of the Last Judgment. After
wandering through a marketplace off the square and, one more time, hitting the ATM to
replenish our supply of rubles, we visited the Institute of Artists, which was featuring a
wide assortment of exquisite lacquer boxes (made of a base of papier mâché, plus 12 or
more coats of paint and lacquer). We purchased one depicting Moscow’s Cathedral of
Christ the Savior. Our box had been made in the village of Kholuy, and will be used as a
special gift.
After returning to our boat and having lunch, we listened to our first talk by Helen Evans,
specialist in Byzantine Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She attended a worldwide
conference of Byzantinists in Russia in 1991 at the time of Gorbachev’s arrest (August 18,
1991). Gorbachev’s most notable achievement was, however unwittingly, to dismantle the
USSR, with a minimum of bloodshed — earning him admiration abroad and enmity at
home. An eight-man “Emergency Committee”, comprised of the heads of the military,
police, KGB, and government was formed to affect a coup. The plotters believed that
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Gorbachev would accede to the demand that he resign, which he flatly refused to do. The
following day, Moscow broadcast an appeal to the Russian people, claiming that
Gorbachev’s policies had failed and left the country ungovernable and on the verge of
collapse. The plotters sent tanks into Moscow to arrest Yeltsin, who boldly made his way to
the Russian White House, passing through the line of tanks and daring anyone to arrest
him. His refusal to acquiesce proved the turning point; standing on a tank, Yeltsin
demanded the reinstatement of Gorbachev as President, called for a general strike, declared
the Russian Federation sovereign and ordered all authorities to obey him. Eventually, the
military itself split, with some tanks and units changing sides and coming to defend the
White House. The plotters had to abandon their plans as, by August 21st, they had
obviously suffered a complete rout. Gorbachev now returned to Moscow, but the capital in
fact already belonged to Yeltsin.
So, against this backdrop, Evans’ address was “Present at Gorbachev’s Arrest”; and she
shared her experiences in this unprecedented situation, with the USSR being dissolved in
December. She described the sense of the interplay between Moscow, St. Petersburg and
cities like Yaroslavl, and between church and state.
After a brief review of the next day’s visit to Goritsy, we walked ten laps around the boat
and caught up on our diaries, while others met with our chef for pelmeni and blini cooking
lessons. Around 5:00 pm with the sky clearing, we passed the city of Rybinsk and its
magnificent 19th c. Cathedral of the Savior of the Transfiguration. An hour later, we were
enjoying the string quartet we had heard two nights before. They played selections from
Prokofiev, Dvorak and Alyabyex (“Nightingale”), as well as three more modern encores.
At the same time, we navigated the Rybinsk going through locks no. 11 and 12 to raise our
boat to the level of the Reservoir, formed in 1941, when the Rybinsk hydroelectric station
was built.
Another “festive” Captain’s cocktail party and dinner, and we were ready for gin rummy
and bed, passing up the after-dinner piano music.
June 26 - Goritsy - Two monasteries, Basil II gets a “Terrible” son, and we see eagles
Another great day, 75˚ F going up to 80˚ F and virtually no clouds. After breakfast, we
watched the documentary film “Russia – Land of the Tsars”, part 2: “From the Time of
Troubles to Peter the Great”. Then we were ready to step ashore at Goritsy (“small hills”),
a small town of 600 residents founded in the 9th century White Lake region. We were to
visit two significant monasteries. En route, we passed lots of wooden houses which are
heated exclusively by wood stoves. There are already huge piles of split and stacked wood
in readiness for the long Russian winter. The area is dotted with glacier lakes in which can
be found 29 different species of fish.
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The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
(Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake)
is in the village of Kirilov, some 8 km away
from the river. The legend is that a monk
from Moscow named Cyril had a vision
from the Blessed Virgin that he should go
north and found a monastery. This 11’ high
fortress was used not only as a monastery,
but also as a defense against the Swedes and
Poles during a five-year siege. The main
church was built in 1497 by 20 men in 5
months. Its icons from all three schools —
Moscow, Novgorod and Kiev — are
magnificent, including “Trinity” (3 angels),
“Our Lady of the Burning Bush” and
“Resurrection” (descent into hell). Most
importantly, Basil II desperately wanted an
heir. In time, he banished his first wife to a
convent and took another (younger) wife but
without much more success. The couple
prayed for a son at Kirillo and a miracle happened —they had a son, who would become
Ivan IV “the Terrible”. This piece of good luck resulted in Kirillo-Belozersky becoming the
wealthiest in Russia because of its “VIP” patronage.
The two monks who founded Kirillo Belozersk in 1392 eventually split on fundamental
differences, so Ferapontov left to establish his own, to which we then drove. On the way,
we passed a parish church (closed in 1917) and another Lenin Monument in the town of
Kirillo (population 8, 000). Under a clear blue sky, the Ferapontov Monastery, built on a
lake, is enchanting. Its cathedral is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin and to the Virgin
Mary. The frescoes are by Dionysius, perhaps the most important Moscow artist of his day.
In 1502, Dionysius and his two sons completed this monumental work in only 34 days. Of
note is that there are 50 colors in the frescoes using only 5 minerals. The Dionysius figures
are very distinctive: elongated (skinny) bodies and small hands and feet. There is a side
chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas. Both monasteries function as museums today.
We returned to our dock around 2:00 pm, where the merchants were all selling fur coats,
hats, etc. Disciplined as we are, we bought nothing. Once underway, we made our way
through Lake Beloye (White). Following lunch, we listened to another lecture by Helen
Evans: “The Monasteries of the North”. She covered the monasteries that we had just
visited, pointing out that Kirillo Monastery had the most important library in Russia in the
17th c. (“the power of Moscow to the north”) and developed the role played by St. Cyril and
the “miracle” of Ivan IV’s birth. She described the use of icon covers (or veils made of
silver) and why they never cover the face or hands. She particularly emphasized the
differences in the Latin/Roman liturgy versus Constantinople Orthodoxy and how the
Russians have developed profound rituals (and attraction) for their own style of worship.
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Having learned, earlier in the day, that life expectancy in Russia is 73 years for women and
only 57 for men, I decided to skip the Russian language and singing lessons and
concentrate on sunning myself. We did pull ourselves together in time to make the
traditional Russian dinner accompanied by Russian vodka. We were all expected to make
some effort to wear a Russian outfit. The best I could muster was a red-striped shirt!
Before dinner, Judith and I were walking laps around the boat and mostly complaining
about the lack of bird life—nothing but sea gulls, scarcely even a tern—when we spotted
an eagle on top of a dead tree! We were thrilled! Then, at our Russian dinner, I was seated
facing the porthole, enjoying an endless panorama of birch trees, when I spotted another,
which turned out to be two eagles sharing a post. We had the whole dining room
cheering—in English and Russian.
Courtesy of Giack Selloni
After dinner, we enjoyed our boat’s pianist, Vasiliy, performing Tchaikovsky’s “The
Seasons”—one short piece for each month introduced by a verse from a famous Russian
poet or author. Quite lovely. A rare visit to our TV, which was almost exclusively devoted
to the death of Michael Jackson, completed our “Russian Day”.
June 27 - Kizhi - Log cathedrals and onion domes
I woke up during the night, and we were in queue to go through Lock 6, to be followed by
Locks 5 to 1. This adjustment of 70 meters, was our greatest elevation change during the
river trip. We entered the Vytegra Canal, near the town of Vytegra with its over 10,000
persons, and then came our grand entrance into Lake Onega. This is the second largest lake
in Europe after Ladoga. It is fed by 50 rivers and 1,000 streams, but only the Svir River
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originates from the lake. Lake Onega boasts 40 species of fish, including trout and salmon,
and 200 varieties of birds (it’s about time but we still didn’t see any).
After breakfast, we attended our “Byzantinist’s” third lecture - this one on the “origins of
icons”. Helen Evans traced that origin to the 4th c., based on letters about icons of the time
that have survived. She reported that there are great icons that date from the 6th c.; that in
the 7th c., a religious “civil war” broke out with respect to their use and that it was not until
843 that the church affirmed the legitimate use of icons. 12th c. icons were identified in
Novgorod (“mother of Russian Orthodoxy”), showing Boris and Gleb, the first Russian
martyrs. (Evans refers to Novgorod as Russia’s “Williamsburg, Virginia”.) John VIII and
Kiev were willing to accept a union with Rome in 1439, but not all were willing to go
along with this. Actually, Constantinople set the stage for Russian Orthodoxy in 988, when
ecclesiastic leaders visited Hagia Sophia to sort out the choices between Catholicism,
Judaism, Muslims and Orthodox beliefs. Orthodoxy reform came in 1666 (in form of the
“third Rome”) and lasted until the Revolution in 1917.
In short, the three most famous and significant Russian icons are Rublev’s “Holy Trinity”
(which shows the godhead as a triune), the “Virgin of Vladimir” (we saw the original of
this in Moscow) and the “Virgin with the Golden Hair” (which we will see in the
Hermitage).
We passed on the Russian dance class, but I did manage to make the Captain’s bridge tour.
The Volga Dream, considered to be the most comfortable ship in these waters, is 96 meters
long x 15 meters wide (the locks are 17 meters wide). She has three engines, three rudders,
no stabilizer but all kinds of electronic gear. She travels at a maximum speed of 14 knots,
and her season runs from April through October. These lakes freeze in November; for
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example, the island of Kizhi is served by a bus which runs on the ice in winter. Moscow is
102 meters above sea level; St. Petersburg is 15 meters below sea level, making our total
elevation change on this trip 117 meters. All crew shifts, whether on bridge or in the engine
room, are 4 hours, with 8 hours rest around the clock.
After lunch, we watched a History Channel documentary on the Hermitage, this part
focusing on Flemish and Dutch painters including:
•
•
•
Rubens – “Descent from the Cross”
van Dyck (student of Rubens), who became painter for the court of Charles I
Jordaens – “Bean King”
Peter the Great loved and collected seascapes. Church and royalty were becoming
secondary players as private collectors took more of a role in amassing great collections.
The Hermitage collection of Dutch painters includes:
•
•
•
•
•
Rembrandt – “Descent from the Cross”
Hals
Steen (humorist)
Claes – “Breakfast with Crab”
van Ruisdael – “Watery Gloom”
The Kizhi State Museum of Architecture and Cultural History was founded in 1966.
Situated on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega, it is one of the first outdoor museums in Russia.
The architectural collection includes 87 buildings and structures. The center of the
attraction is the Kizhi Architectural Ensemble with the Cathedral of the Transfiguration and
the Church of the Intercession — outstanding monuments of traditional wooden
architecture built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Your first sight of the Cathedral of the
Transfiguration is guaranteed to take your breath away. The world community has
recognized its value by including the Kizhi Pogost on the World Heritage List of UNESCO
in 1990. During the brief period of the museum’s existence, many buildings have been
moved to the island, among them are the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, the oldest
wooden church in Northern Russia, several chapels and nearly 20 farmhouses and many
other buildings such as barns, granaries and saunas.
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Courtesy of Jamie Salomon
37
The 22-domed, 5-level (123’ high) Cathedral of the Transfiguration (1714), with its
transfixing architecture, gives the appearance of “upward movement” and is mesmerizing.
Its siding is made of pine and aspen logs; shingles (some 30,000 of them) are aspen and
applied with 3 nails. The logs that make up the building’s walls are hewn and no nails were
used in the construction. The domes are the traditional onion domes of various sizes. There
is a myth that the entire church was built by one carpenter who, when it was complete,
threw his hammer into the lake, exclaiming that “There will never be another church like
this!” The church is currently closed as it will be taken apart and rebuilt by 2018. They
have already built an internal metal superstructure to contain the form and expect to replace
18% of the logs. It’s a mind-boggling project. The church’s icons are in gold frames and
have been moved to a museum.
The Church of the Intercession (1764), although smaller, takes a similar form and required
3,000 hewn logs to construct. It is heated and has been conducting year-around services
since 1994. Its iconostasis is predictable but lovely. There is a separate bell tower (1862).
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We also visited one of the homes in which 10 to15 people would sleep in one room, mostly
on hay-filled mattresses. There’s also a wonderful windmill to grind grain.
The Chapel of the Archangel Michael (17-18th c.) has a bell tower and faces another part of
the lake. As you can imagine, bells were an important (sometimes the only) means of
communication in this period. The bell master played his 9 bells for us, in a similar manner
as our man, Andrew, in Yaroslavl. There was time for shopping as we wandered back to
the boat through vast fields on wood walkways (to avoid the vipers!). It was over 80˚ F and
very sunny. Our young travelers went swimming where the water temperature was a chilly
58˚ F.
After dinner, we passed on the “Cranes are Flying” movie to check out world developments
on BBC and to play a little gin rummy. Cruise-wise, we had to retrace our steps in Lake
Onega in order to head west on the Volga.
June 28 - Mandrogi - Vodka culture and Farewell Dinner
It’s raining hammers and sickles! After breakfast, we watched another “Russia – Land of
the Tsars” documentary, which let us trace the lives of Elizabeth (daughter of Peter the
Great), through Catherine the Great to Nicholas I. We covered the War of 1812, the
burning of Moscow and the defeat of Napoleon, all as a dominant Russia was
contemplating freedom, civil rights and a constitution (they called it their “age of
enlightenment”).
The village of Mandrogi is unique in respect to its geographic, historical and natural
parameters. One of the largest villages on the shores of the River Svir, it was crucial in
Peter the Great’s effort to open a seaway to the Baltic. In Mandrogi, they produced iron,
quarried granite and constructed ships. The village was destroyed in WW II and completely
disappeared from the record books. A St. Petersburg entrepreneur and patron of the arts had
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the idea to revive the village and turn it into a
tourist destination in 1996. Despite the now
drizzling rain, we enjoyed seeing the wooden
houses, richly decorated with carvings, and the
Vodka Museum. Actually, it turned out to be a
high-end shopper’s paradise for crafts
with artisans in every room (jewelry,
Matreshka dolls, lacquer-ware, amber
jewelry, embroidery, paintings, etc.).
The Vodka Museum handles 2,800 different kinds of vodka and, has on display over 2000
unique bottles from all over Russia. Our admission ticket qualified us for 4 shots each; we
quit after 2, including “Ctahoapt” and one called “birch tree”.
After lunch (which was to have been on deck) of terrific bar-b-qued pork ribs, we set sail
for St. Petersburg (215 miles) on the Svir River and through Lake Ladoga. Rachmaninoff’s
“Vespers” by our Saint Thomas Choir (courtesy of Judith Moore) was played to listeners in
the lounge prior to a final lecture by Helen Evans, “Medieval Muscovy: Real and
Remembered”. In her presentation, she reviewed the limitation on the Russians to
“westernize” Moscow (each tsar trying to distinguish his/her own reign), in terms of
inadequate engineering and contractors who couldn’t make structures big enough or high
enough (i.e. they didn’t know how to construct large vaults or domes out of brick). So, Ivan
II imported Italian architects and workers to build St. Basil outside the Kremlin and tried to
compete with Jerusalem, as he looked to the east for inspiration. In St. Petersburg, Peter I
and Catherine II (the Greats) reached west to Europe for their neoclassical and baroque
styles of architecture. They added the first clocks to their bell towers, and imported bells
from the best foundries in Holland. Evans finished by telling us that we would see a church
similar to St. Basil in St. Petersburg, the Church on Spilled Blood.
In our daily agenda bulletin in the morning, we were invited to the Captain’s Farewell
Cocktail Reception and Dinner, with the suggestion that we “wear the best you brought”.
We did, including Judith wearing her new yellow, brown and cherry amber beads. Our sixcourse farewell dinner, starting with caviar and finishing with Baked Alaska, was terrific;
we followed that with a nightcap in the lounge to check out a beautiful 10:15 pm sunset.
We’ll miss the Volga River, and especially the Volga Dream.
June 29 - St. Petersburg - Peter’s dream and the city of palaces and poets
It was 65˚ F and overcast which was not surprising when you consider that St. Petersburg
only gets 60 days of sun per year. We had worked our way from Lake Ladoga to our dock
via the Neva River, which enters into the Gulf of Finland, and which gave Peter the Great
his most prized goal: access to the Baltic Sea.
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Founded in 1703, within a few years St. Petersburg had become the capital of the vast
Russian empire and quickly gained a reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, as
it still is today.
The second largest city in Russia, St. Petersburg’s population is 4.5 million. Named for the
Apostle Peter in 1703 as St. Petersburg, it became Petrograd in 1914, Leningrad in 1924
and in 1991, went back to being called St. Petersburg. It served as the capital of Russia
from 1712 to 1918, when Moscow reassumed its role as the seat of government. St.
Petersburg has 65 theatres, 80 rivers and canals, 320 bridges and 42 islands. 10% of the city
is covered by water, hence the name “Venice of the North”. It has also had its share of
floods; as it lies 15 meters below sea level. It’s also known as the “City of Palaces”; there
are 500 of them. St. Petersburg’s represents 46 different nationalities.
While our destination for the day was the Winter Palace and the Hermitage, we also had a
great bus tour and saw or passed by:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oldest porcelain business in the world (1744)
Hundreds of spectacular buildings, palaces and churches. Peter the Great insisted on
stone construction (no more flammable wood like Moscow) and required barges to
deliver granite blocks as payment in order to dock. Today, most buildings are
painted stucco over brick.
The first monastery was erected by Peter the Great in 1710 in honor of Alexander
Nevsky, who defeated the Teutonic Knights in 1242. There are two churches in the
monastery we would visit: Annunciation (1722) and Old Testament Trinity (1790),
as well as a cemetery, the burial place of many famous Russians.
Empress Elizabeth’s girls school (“New Maidens”) designed by Trezzini, an
extravagant blue and white secular building, along with an 1807 extension
The Square of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat
Pink Church of All Sorrow
Small Marble Palace
Summer Garden (1704), along Fountain St.
Michael Castle, across from the former headquarters of the Singer Sewing Machine
St. Simon and St. Mary Church
Nevsky Prospekt (“main drag”)
Many sculptures by Pyotr Klodt
We went straight to the Winter Palace to visit the Hermitage Museum after it was closed to
the public for the day. Preceded by three earlier versions on this site, the existing Winter
Palace (1754-62) is a superb complex of Russian Baroque. The architect of the original
Winter Palace was Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700 – 1771), who worked for Peter the Great.
Later, Catherine II, preferring a simpler Classical style, added the more intimate Small
Hermitage. In 1771-87, she built the Large Hermitage to house her growing collection of
art. The Theatre was built in 1785-87; the New Hermitage in 1839-51. The New and Large
Hermitages were opened by Nicholas I in 1852 as a public museum. From 1918-39, the
Winter Palace was slowly incorporated into the museum ensemble. Today, the combined
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museums welcome 3 million visitors a year. There are 2.7 million works of art in the
collection.
Our visit began with the Jordan staircase, where each Epiphany season they bless the water
in the Neva River. We passed through all kinds of rooms: Small Throne, Emblem, Gallery
of the Battle of 1812, Large Throne Room, etc. We passed through 30 rooms of Italian
paintings (Botticelli, Robusti, Veronese, Tintoretto, Canaletto, etc.); Spanish paintings
(Velazquez, Goya, Murillo, El Greco); and of course, the Rembrandts. Titian’s “Dance”,
Caravaggio’s “Lute Player”, and Rembrandt’s “Return of the Prodigal Son” stand out. But
to be honest, we were on “painting overload”, not to mention sculptures and furniture. It
was a good thing that we went to lunch at the Noble Assembly, after which we were finally
able to check into the impressive Grand Hotel Europe.
By 4:00 pm, we were walking to the
Church of Our Savior on the Spilled
Blood (also known as the Resurrection
Church of Our Savior). It was built on
the spot where on March 1, 1881, Tsar
Alexander II was assassinated. The story
is told that Alexander II (“the Liberator”)
had been told that he would have 8
attempts on his life. On March 1, 1881, a
man threw a bomb that was intended for
him but missed. Despite protestations by
his guards, Alexander insisted on getting
out of his carriage to see if he could help
the injured, when another attacker killed
him with a second bomb. In 1883, his
successor, Alexander III, launched a
competition for a permanent memorial.
Foundations were laid in October 1883
for the Church on Spilled Blood.
Completely covered in sparkling colored
mosaics, the overall spectacular effect of
the church is enhanced by the
imaginative juxtaposition of materials.
Inside, more than 20 minerals, including jasper, rhodonite, porphyry, and Italian marble are
lavished on the walls and columns, the iconostasis, icon cases, canopy, and domes. It took
25 years to build. The interior reopened in 1998 after more than 20 years of restoration. It’s
quite mind-boggling.
That night, we went, on our own, to hear the St. Petersburg’s Academic Symphony
Orchestra play Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concertos No. 3 and 4 with soloist Kun Woo Paik
(Republic of Korea) and conductor Alexander Dmitriev. Paik had played the Nos. 1 and 2
the previous evening. It was outstanding! Our plans for dinner were thwarted because the
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restaurant was closed for a private party. So, we went next door and had a four-cheese
pizza. We’re back to “city life”.
June 30 - St. Petersburg - Two palaces: built, destroyed and restored; and Hermitage #2
We were impressed with the Grand Hotel Europe, even before we had experienced their
buffet breakfast! It starts with champagne and caviar (seriously) and soothes you with harp
music while you enjoy a variety of fruits, meats, cheeses, etc. from all over the world. This
was before 8:00 am, at which time our buses left for Pavlovsk Palace.
It was a nearly cloudless day and got up to the mid 70s˚ F. The palace is southeast of St.
Petersburg, about a 75 minute ride as you work your way through the “old” part of the city,
through the Moscow District and into the country. We followed, for a while, Nevsky
Prospekt, enjoying the Art Nouveau buildings, Academy of Royal Ballet and wonderful
gardens and flower pots along the street, until we crossed the bridge at Fountain River.
There were originally 5; now there are only 2 identical bridges that cross this waterway that
bustles with barges and sightseeing traffic.
Among other things, St. Petersburg is known as the “City of Poets”, Pushkin and
Dostoevsky to name two. On Moscow Avenue, we noticed obelisks, which serve as mile
markers for the trip to Moscow (700 km away). We passed a statue of Dmitry Mendeleyev
(1834-1907), who compiled the Periodic Table of Elements, and the Church of
“Teetotalers”. We were told that St. Petersburg has the deepest metro in the world, because
it passes under so many navigable waterways. We passed, again, the New Maidens
Convent, adjacent to Smolnyy Cathedral; the Arch of Triumph, celebrating Russia’s victory
over Turkey and Prussia; the large Siemens operations and lots of faceless apartment
buildings. Russians rank their post-revolution apartments into 4 categories: Stalin (biggest),
Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Modern. An average Russian apartment is 2 rooms (total of 60
square meters); they sell for U.S. $4,000 per square meter (or an average of $240,000). In
Moscow Square, we saw (of course) a big statue of Lenin and in Victory Square, a
monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, called “The Winners”. The Intourist
Hotel we stayed in on our first visit to St. Petersburg, (now called the Park Inn) is opposite
this square. By now, we’re well out into the country.
The town of Pavlovsk (population 60,000) is charming. It’s a town in which many wealthy
St. Petersburgers have their summer places. There’s a statue of Johann Strauss, The
Younger, who was rejected by his lover’s mother and was sent packing (as Judith would
say, “good riddance”). We will visit two important 17th c. palaces today, Pavlovsk and
Tsarskoe Selo. The challenge to assimilate this vast amount of information is real but well
worth the effort. The architecture, the art and the gardens are unbelievable, but what stood
out for me are the following points:
1. The cost to so many (it was all about royalty) and the far-ranging collecting of art
and the amazing gifts received by Russian royalty as they traveled throughout
Europe to seek the “treasures of the west”.
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2. The devastation caused by the Nazis - first, as they occupied these palaces (900-day
siege in 1941) and then, the destruction (bombing) they wrought as they retreated.
These palaces were mostly ruined; a huge effort was made to remove and hide the
portable objects before the war but only a percentage of the art objects could be
saved.
3. The amazing restoration (and its cost), still going on. There is still much scaffolding
visible, and many rooms are not yet available. Even so, the restoration detail,
authenticity and richness are not to be believed. Arguably, the real heroes are those
who managed this meticulous restoration and the spirit of a government and citizens
who cared enough to fund these impressive projects.
A little background is helpful to understand St. Petersburg and its surroundings. In the early
18th c., this city, then the new capital of Russia, sprang up on the low swampy shores of the
Neva. It was flanked to the south by a semicircle of Imperial residences. Peterhof (we visit
it tomorrow) was the first to be built as a symbol of the Russian power on the Baltic. It was
followed by Tsarkoye Selo (coming up this afternoon), located on the highest geographic
point of the surrounding area.
Catherine the Great became Empress in 1762, following the murder of her husband,
Peter III, in a palace coup. She was an enlightened leader despite her reputation concerning
affairs of the heart. During her reign, Catherine expanded the Russian Empire to include
Turkey and Poland and built many palaces. She laid the foundation for Gatchina in 1760,
which she presented as a reward to her favorite, Grigoriy Orlov, the man who had helped
her to succeed to the throne. Later, after Orlov’s death, Catherine gave Gatchina to her son,
Paul, and it became his favorite summer residence.
Catherine also built Pavlovsk for Paul, who later became tsar. Some researchers argue that
Catherine did not approve of Paul, but after his second marriage to a 17 year old German
princess who converted to Russian Orthodoxy and who produced ten children, Catherine
began to see Paul in a different light. She considered him to be the continuation of her
undertakings and tried to cultivate his love and devotion, often resorting to expensive gifts.
The Empress deliberately chose to build Paul a private residence in Pavlovsk rather than to
have him in residence in Tsarkoye Selo. She herself spent the greater part of her time in the
latter palace and may have feared Paul might become party to potential court intrigue.
In late 1877, Paul’s wife, Maria Feodorovna gave birth to a son, Alexander. The
appearance of her first grandson prompted Catherine to present Paul with 1,000 acres of
woodlands, plowed fields and two villages (with peasants) lying along the bank of the
Slavianka River, four miles from Tsarkoye Selo. Incidently, Catherine also took Alexander
away from his parents to be raised by herself (a not uncommon practice at the time), and, as
well, invited her favorite architect, Charles Cameron of Scotland, to construct the palace in
Pavlovsk. The design was started at once. While Paul and Maria traveled extensively in
Europe, they sent their ideas back to Cameron. When they returned, they didn’t like the
results and ordered a second architect, Vincenzo Brenna to add wings and complete the
design. As Paul preferred Gatchina, Maria was given Pavlovsk to do with and decorate as
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she pleased. She created a delightfully charming, harmonious series of rooms which has
now been fully restored after the devastation left by the German occupation.
You enter Pavlovsk through the Egyptian Vestibule with 12 allegorical sculptures, (one for
each month). The first state room interior, the Italian Room, has wonderful marble
sculptures. The next room, with very little decorative finish, the Valet de Chamber,
contains two large pictures of Paul and Maria’s trip to Europe in 1782. Then, there is an
interconnecting room linking Paul I’s dressing room with the north annex of the palace,
the Grand Palace Library. One wall of the Emperor’s Study is taken up by a portrait of
Peter the Great, idol and great grandfather of Paul. From there, we walked through the
Carpet Study, the War Room, the Greek Room (place of official receptions and balls),
Library of Maria Feodorovna (noted for its abundance of decorative design), the State and
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Dressing Rooms of Maria, the Maid of Honor’s Room, various interconnecting studies, the
Picture Gallery, Throne Room (largest in the palace), the Ante-Chapel Gallery (the
Knight’s Room, originally conceived as a gallery for ancient sculpture), the Palace Chapel
(the finish and décor of which was mostly post-war), the Crimson, New and Common
Studies, White Dining Room (with major portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna),
Old Drawing Room, the Lantern Study (my favorite with Bronzino’s painting Madonna
with the Child and St. John the Baptist) and more dressing rooms, apartments and studies,
all exquisitely decorated and appointed. We had little time to explore the wonderful parks
outside, including The Obelisk of the Founding of Pavlovsk.
It is worth noting that throughout our tour, we saw photographs of the destruction during
WWII. While shocking, it does underscore the immense job of restoring Pavlovsk (30,000
objects are still missing!) In 1978, with restoration completed, Pavlovsk became the first
palace to rise in full from the ashes.
However, our morning’s exploration was only half done. We immediately went to Tsars
Village for a specially arranged private visit to the Catherine Palace, which was not yet
open to the public during our visit. Tsarskoye Selo comprises the Catherine Palace and
Park and the Alexander Palace and Park. In 1744, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna
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commissioned Rastrelli to build “A palace with truly splendid ornaments fit to be an abode
for the ruler of the empire.” During the reign of Catherine the Great, Tsarskoye Selo was
further enriched with the work of a number of architects, including Rinaldi, Cameron and
Quarenghi, whose tastes were formed under the influence of ancient architecture. As has
been noted, the Alexander Palace was built by Catherine the Great as a gift to her first and
favorite grandson, Alexander Pavlovich (future Alexander I). We concentrated on the
Catherine Palace, the fronts of which extend for 740 meters. What a place! Starting with
the main staircase with two tiers of windows overlooking the Catherine and Alexander
Parks, you then enter the Great Hall (or Ballroom), a masterpiece of the decorative genius
of Rastrelli with gilded carvings. This was followed by the Dining Room for Cavaliers-inAttendance, the Portrait Hall, the White Dining Room, the Crimson and Green Pilaster
Drawing Rooms and the enchanting Amber Room, ranked by connoisseurs as among the
“treasures of the world.” While many of the amber objects were removed ahead of the
Nazis, the wall panels, themselves, were destroyed. If you can, imagine the magic of the
wealth and warmth of the tones, which encompass every shade of yellow, from dusky topaz
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to bright lemon. The rooms that follow are nearly as captivating: the Picture Hall (150
paintings), the Green Dining Room, the Blue Dining Room (maybe the most remarkable
interior of the palace with silk upholstery on the walls and paintings on the ceilings), the
Chinese Blue Drawing Room (or Main Study), the Bedroom (simply amazing), the Choir
Ante-Room, the State (marble) Study and the Church of the Resurrection. Again, we had
little time to enjoy the Catherine Park, to which Rastrelli added mirror ponds, parterred
flowerbeds and intricate mazes.
We had lunch at Podvorye, a restaurant in a 17th c. log house, where we had, family style,
course after course, an assortment of traditional dishes, as well as vodka and wine. They
had three musicians to entertain us and then, lead us in a song we had learned on board the
Volga Dream: “Kalinka, Kalinka, Kalinka, Maya.” It’s sort of like “they’re laying eggs
now!”
We were supposed to have the afternoon “at leisure,” but by the time we bussed back to the
hotel from an incredible morning, it was practically time to go again; this time to the
Hermitage for a private after-hours tour of Impressionist Masters and an operatic
performance in the lavishly ornate Italian Hall.
We started on the third floor - viewing paintings by Cezanne (1839-1906); Pissarro (18301903); Monet (1840-1926) including his “Lady in the Garden,” “The Poppy Fields,” and
“Waterloo Bridge;” Sisley (1831-99); Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904); Boudin (18241918); Renoir (1841-1919); van Gogh (1859-90) including his “Thatched Cottage” and
“Area of Arles;” Gaugin (1849-1903); Valtat (1869-1956); Matisse (1869-1954)
including his “Music,” “Red Rose” and “Dance;” Gauguin (1874-1949); and Derain
(1880-1954). In many of the rooms, there are sculptures by Rodin. Other rooms showed
Picasso (1881-1973), mostly Cubism and some from his “Blue Period,” as well as Picasso
ceramics. On the second floor, we saw more French paintings by Lorrain (1602-82),
Poussin (1594-1665), Daret (1615-68), La Hyre (1605-58), and Vouet (1590-1649), before
we moved through the Flemish rooms with Rubens (1577-1641), Breughel The Younger
(1564-1638), van Dyck (1599-1640), and Jordaens (1593-1678). Next, we saw small
paintings by Hals (1582-1666), Claez (1594-1662), Cuyp (1620-91) and Murillo (1617-66).
After all that, we ended up in the Great Italian Hall for arias from Don Giovanni, Barber of
Seville, The Snow Maiden and Eugene Onegin, accompanied by The State Hermitage
Orchestra and conducted by Mikhail Pabuzin. The soloists, a soprano and a tenor, were
from the Marinsky Theatre. They deserved their standing ovation from our small
delegation. Having had all the stimulation we could absorb (two palaces and parks,
extensive luncheon, two floors of the Hermitage and an operatic performance), we settled
for frozen vodka, Ossetra caviar and a decadent dessert in the Lobby Bar of the Grand
Hotel Europe.
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July 1 - St. Petersburg - Fountains, “cottages” and world class Russian art
Last day, and we’re heading for Peterhof to visit the Cottage Palace, favorite residence of
Nicolas I and then, to stroll in the fountain-filled gardens and visit Peter I’s favorite
pavilion, Mon Plaisir.
On our bus trip out, we passed St. Isaac’s Cathedral (one of the world’s largest cathedrals
and the largest in Russia; opened in 1858 and filled with hundreds of impressive 19th c.
works of art); Theatre Square (once known as Carousel Square); Cathedral of our Lady of
Kazan (commissioned by Paul I in 1811 and one of St. Petersburg’s most majestic
churches); an 18th c. monastery where they hosted the G-8 Summit in 2006 and the
Business School of the University of St. Petersburg.
The neo-Gothic Cottage Palace was designed by the Scottish architect, Adam Menelaws, in
1826-9. The Study is of oak wood with Dutch seascape paintings. There is a rose window
motif in the carpet of the Great Drawing Room and a 5,200-piece crystal and porcelain
dining service in the Dining Room (and this is a “cottage?”) The top floor was Alexander’s
favorite, his Maritime study area. Perhaps most interesting was the use of Keralian birch.
With its commanding views of the Baltic, Peterhof is a perfect expression of triumphalism.
Originally designed by Jean Baptiste Le Blond, the Great Palace was transformed during
the reign of Elizabeth. It’s now under restoration, so we concentrated on Peterhof Park,
totaling some 1,500 acres. Le Blond submitted his “water plan” to Peter the Great in
1717, by which time the tsar had begun sketching his own ideas. The centerpiece is the
Grand Cascade, fed by the underground springs of the Ropsha Hills about 14 miles away.
The Cascade is a celebration of the triumph of Russia over Sweden, symbolized by Mikhail
Kozlovsky’s glorious sculpture of Samson rending the jaws of a lion. Peterhof Park is a
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riot of fountains: Roman, Adam, Neptune, and Pyramid, as well as the Grand Cascade, a
photo op for everyone.
Mon Plaisir is a delightfully unpretentious palace, designed by Johann Braunstein in 1714.
Even after the Great Palace was built, Peter continued to live and entertain here, where his
guests were usually subject to a punishing regime of heavy drinking. Seven rooms in total,
they include a wood-paneled Ceremonial Hall, a Lacquered Study in the Chinese style,
Peter’s Naval Study and a Delft tile small kitchen. Adjoining Mon Plaisir is the Catherine
Wing, which was built for her by Rastrelli in 1747-54. Catherine was staying here in 1762,
when her lover, Count Orlov, arrived with news of the coup which was to bring her the
crown. From the palace, we walked to the Baltic dock to pick up our box lunch and our
private hydrofoil to return to St. Petersburg and to visit the Russian Museum. Our ride
back presented an interesting perspective of St. Petersburg from the water, as we passed
dry docks and ended up in one of the many canals.
The Russian Museum is housed in the Mikhailovsky Palace built in 1819-25 for Grand
Duke Mikhail Pavlovich. Alexander III’s plans to create a public museum were realized by
his son, Nicolas II when the Russian Museum opened in 1898. Today, the museum holds a
world class collection of Russian art. Our tour included old Russian art, 18th-19th c. art and
20th c. art; we didn’t make the fourth division, Folk Art. We were impressed with the
“Virgin with the Golden Hair,” an icon of the 12th c., as well as the poetically expressive
work of Andrey Rublev (14th c.). Peter the Great, himself, was the first patron to send
young artists, often serfs, to study abroad. Secular art began to gain momentum in 1757
with establishment of the Academy of Art, which placed heavy emphasis on classical and
mythological subjects. One of my favorite Russian painters is Ilya Repin (1844-1930), a
realist painter who taught at the Academy of Art. His bold canvas “Barge-Haulers on the
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Volga” combines a visually powerful attack on forced labor with a romantic view of the
Russian people. Vasily Perov’s (1833-82) “A Meal in the Monastery” offers a satirical and
equally effective attack on social injustice. Vasily Surkov (1848-1916) turned to Russian
history for inspiration in treating his subjects and produced some huge battle scenes (see
photo below). In the 20th c. period, Vasily Kandinsky was a key figure in Russian abstract
art, followed by the likes of Marc Chagall (1887-1985) and Alexander Rodchenko (18911956).
Our Farewell Dinner took place at the Victoria Restaurant, which offered a great view of
St. Petersburg. The evening was festive with no speeches. We chose to walk back to the
hotel; the beautiful palaces and buildings served as a great backdrop for the interesting
people on the street.
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July 2 - St. Petersburg to Helsinki - A “doormat” survives and excels
One final Grand Hotel Europe buffet breakfast, and we’re off to the St.
Petersburg airport with very few rubles to our name! Finnair declared one of our bags over
23 kg, so we had to pay dearly.
After a short flight on Finnair to Helsinki, the taxi ride to Hotel Kämp Helsinki took about
thirty minutes and we passed right by our 1952 Olympic Village. The little road we crossed
to get to the training track is now a highway. The high security fences are gone. The
weather was great: warm and sunny. Helsinki has a population of 500,000 and was made
capital of Finland in 1812. Architecturally, Helsinki is no match for St. Petersburg; few
cities are! Most road signs are in three languages: Finnish, Swedish and English.
Finnish history is the story of a people who for centuries were a bone of contention
between two heavyweights—Sweden and Russia—and this nation, eventually, emerged
from their grip to become one of the world’s most progressive and prosperous nations.
What is now Finland was inhabited way back in the mists of time: pre-Ice Age remains
have been found at Susiluola cave, near Kristiinankaupunki, dating from some 120,000
years ago. The first post-thaw inhabitants had spread themselves over most of Finland by
about 9,000 B.C. At this period, too, the Baltic was formed, as the sea reached into what
was once a freshwater lake. In the first century A.D., the Roman historian Tacitus
mentioned a tribe called the Fenni, who he described as “wild savages who had neither
homes nor horses”. He probably was referring to the Sami culture, which eventually
migrated northward, likely being replaced in the south by two Finnish tribes that led a
warring coexistence in the 1st c. The Karelians in the east had extensive cultural contact
with Russia, while the Hame tribe of the west had trading contacts with the Viking groups
in Sweden and Aland.
By the 12th c., the nascent Kingdom of Sweden saw the territory today occupied by Finland
as a natural direction for extending its influence in the Baltic and countering the growing
power of Novgorod (later to become Russia). The Peace of Oreshek (1323), between
Sweden and Novgorod, established a frontier in the Karelian Isthmus. Sweden’s squabbles
with Novgorod went on for two centuries, but it was the treaties drawn up by the two
powers that define the influence. Sweden gained control of southwest Finland and much of
the west coast, while Novgorod controlled Karelia, spreading the Orthodox faith and
Byzantine culture in the region. In 1527, King Gostav Vasa of Sweden adopted the
Lutheran faith and confiscated much of the property of the Catholic Church. The Finnish
Reformation dates to 1527. Peter the Great took advantage of Sweden’s troubles/wars on
many fronts eventually storming through Finland (a land which in 1714-21, was decimated
by famine), a time still commonly referred to as the “Great Wrath”. The Treaty of
Uusikaupunki in 1721 brought peace at a cost – Sweden lost south Karelia to Russia.
Swedish King Gustav IV was drawn into the Napoleonic Wars and lost his crown in 1809.
Russia’s Alexander I signed a treaty with Napoleon and then, attacked Finland in 1808.
Sweden ceded Finland to Russia in 1809.
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In the 19th c., there were early stirrings of nationalism: “Swedes we are not, Russia we will
not become, so let us be Finns”. The Russian Revolution of October 1917 enabled the
Finnish parliament to declare independence on December 6 of that year. Shortly
afterwards, the Finnish Civil War broke out between the Communist Reds and the
Establishment Whites. The Whites, with substantial German help, eventually gained
victory. The war ended in 1918. The Winter War in 1939 saw the Soviet Union invade
Finland; a “friendship and cooperation” treaty was signed between Finland and Russia in
1948. In 1952, Helsinki hosted the Summer Olympic Games and completed its war
repatriation payment of US $300 million to the USSR, as decreed by the Peace of Paris in
1947. Finland joined the EU in 1995 and elected its first female president in 2000 (she was
elected for another 6 years in 2006). A more complete History of Helsinki follows in the
Appendix.
That’s the background and history for both country and city, that we were determined to
absorb in two and one half days. After checking into our pleasant hotel (our travel guide
described it as “if Helsinki is the daughter of the Baltic, then this grand hotel is her most
dashing suitor”), Judith headed for the spa, and I for Nokia, a member of the Committee
Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. Nokia began life as a pulp mill in the 1860’s before
diversifying into other industries and eventually, mobile phones. Nokia sold off operations
in forestry, paper, rubber and computers. It took 17 years of unsuccessful research and a
short-lived experiment in car phones before Nokia turned the corner. Today, more than 2
billion people worldwide own a Nokia handheld, and this telecommunications giant
accounts for more than 20 % of the nation’s exports. They moved their headquarters from
downtown Helsinki to neighboring Espoo (population 300,000), where I visited with their
new Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Corporate Relations and Responsibility and
Greg Elphinston, Director of Community Investment, Corporate Relations and
Responsibility. I hope to get Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, to participate in our
global leaders conference in London next May.
After returning to the hotel to gather up Judith, we were invited to the Elphinstons (Greg,
Andrea and three-week old, Isabel) for dinner. What a nice way to be introduced to
Finland. On the way, we stopped to get a bottle of wine and ended up in Helsinki’s megadepartment store, Stockmann; it would give any of our U.S. stores a real run for the vast
scope of product lines.
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July 3 - Helsinki - Reliving a 57-year memory
With no one to set our schedule, we slept until 10:00 am! The weather was perfect and we
were anxious to get to the 1952 Olympic Stadium — via tram. On the tram, we got into a
conversation with a young Finn who travels the world break dancing and has been to New
York four times to compete. He was on his way to practice at the pavilion next to the
Stadium.
As we approached the Stadium, we were
greeted with a sculpture of Lasse Viren,
who we had seen win four golds in the 5
and 10 K for Finland in 1972 and 1976
and a sculpture of the incomparable
Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) who won 9
golds and three silvers in 1920, 24, and
28. He lit the torch before 70,000 in the
rain and chill in 1952. The XV Olympic
Games were held from July 19-August
3, 1952, which many refer to as the “last
real Olympic Games”.
We first went into the Stadium’s visitors
section, where we purchased tickets to
go to the top of the tower for lots of
photos. Remarkably, it was just the way
I remembered it. Then, the nice ticket
man, when he learned that I was
“returning”, unlocked doors and let us
have the run of the stadium. We stood in
the box where Mr. Paasikivi, President of the
Republic of Finland, presided over the Games
and where Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip
sat during their attendance. We went down on
the track; nothing has changed expect they have
covered lanes 1– 4 to widen the football pitch.
That’s a problem because I won my heat,
quarter-final and semi-final from lane 1 and the
final from lane 6! I easily remembered the
victory lap and the place where the awards
ceremony took place but couldn’t remember
where my family was sitting in the stadium. The
most important part was sharing this
experience with Judith. Neither of us will
forget my return.
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We then visited the Finnish Sports Museum, which was first established in 1938 but on a
much smaller scale. It’s worth remembering that Helsinki was scheduled to host the 1940
Games, but WWII intervened. Today’s larger museum is quite extensive and appropriately
focused on Finland’s development in sport. They also had a very nice gift shop.
Our next stop was the National Museum of Finland, resembling a Gothic church with its
heavy stone work and tall steeple tower. It was opened in 1916 and was divided into rooms
covering different periods of Finnish history, including a large collection of prehistoric
finds, church relics and cultural exhibitions. First point of interest was the cracked glass in
the front door, which was a result of a shot during their Civil War in 1918. We traced the
history and objects of the Ice Age and of the first settlers about 10,000 years ago, their
tools, pottery, perforated battle axes and burial sights (including cremation), followed by
the Bronze Age (up to 550 B.C.). Just four years ago, they excavated a seal skeleton with a
harpoon still in it; this type of seal in the Baltic is believed to be extinct right after the
Stone Age.
We next toured the Early Roman Period (0 to A.D. 200), the Merovingian Period
(A.D. 575 to 800), the Increased Trade and Formation of States in the North
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(A.D. 575-1025) and the Vikings Voyage, as they moved from the Gulf of Finland, down
the Volga River to Islamic lands. We then switched to religious paths: the Middle Ages
Reformation (1155-1520) and the Swedes’ intention to convert their people to Christianity
(Lutheranism) versus the Church of Rome (Catholicism). We saw wonderful paintings of
Bishop Henry, Patron Saint of Finland, and of Saint Barbara, depicting Jesus’ miracle of
saving her after being flogged, tortured and thrown into a dungeon, all because she
converted to Christianity.
We learned about the various treaties: Pähkinäsaari (east border) and Tayssini (1595,
established an eastern border to the Arctic Ocean). Finland’s National Postal Service and a
network of roads and highways were developed in 1638. Finland’s “Period of
Enlightenment” and political freedom didn’t come until the late 18th c. Its population
tripled (300 to 900 thousand) from 1721 to 1807. Their first newspaper in a foreign
language came in 1796. But by 1809, Finland was under the control of the Grand Duchy of
the Russian Empire, when Alexander I and Napoleon divided Europe. The successive
Russian rulers were:
Alexander I
Nicholas I
Alexander II
Alexander III
Nicholas III
1777-1825
1796-1855
1818-1891
1845-1894
1868-1918 (shot along with his wife, Alexandra and family)
In 1906, Finnish women were the first in Europe to be given the right to vote (at age 24)
and on December 6, 1917, Finland was given its independence. Of course, that was before
the Finnish/Soviet War (1939-40) and the Continuation War (1941-44).
Before leaving, we did see some wonderful icons: a Virgin of Kazan (with silver cover)
and an 18-19th c. Resurrection (with metal halo over Jesus), as well as an iconostasis from
Kizhi Island’s Cathedral of the Transfiguration.
After a quick lunch in the museum’s café, things literally
went downhill: I dropped my camera into the toilet
(camera is shot, but the memory card is okay) and I
stumbled climbing down a rock embankment trying to get
to the “rock church” (or Temppeliaukio Church) and landed
on my back on a rock pile! Nonetheless, I plodded to the
structure that truly symbolizes the modern innovativeness
of Finnish religious architecture and features a stunning 24
meter diameter roof covered in copper stripping, a Lutheran
church hewn out of solid rock. Designed by Timo and
Tuomo Suomalainen in 1969, this church is one of
Helsinki’s foremost attractions. It has a fine organ, a bronze
altar on stone and stone pedestals for the pulpit and
baptismal font.
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Clearly a day to remember, we finished it off with a terrific dinner at the Fish Market and
after-dinner drinks in our hotel’s busy bar. I had a Finnberry with Finlandia cranberry
vodka, Buckthong liqueur and Cloudberry liqueur, and Judith had an Applesynth with
Absinthe, sour apple juice and apple syrup. You can’t go right to sleep on that kind of
“medication” so we listened to Sir David Frost on BBC in which he quoted Tony Blair as
saying “Obama doesn’t need cheerleaders, he needs partners”. Now, we’re ready for sleep.
July 4 - Helsinki - No fireworks, but lots of weddings
Our last day; we had to bring Helsinki to its feet – on our feet! How about four museums
and as many churches as part of a grand walking tour?
First up was the Design Museum. We started on the second floor, and were immediately
introduced to ryijys rugs (Scandinavian derivation is “rough and shaggy”). In general, these
wool rugs were designed by artists and made by professional weavers. They are used as
rugs, wall hangings and art work for interiors of national importance. While the earliest
record of these rugs goes back to the 16th c., the best were made in the 1770-1820 period.
The Friends of Finnish Handicrafts (established in 1879 and following the lead of the
Swedes) have done much to catalogue the technique and development of this important art.
On the first floor, we visited the Museum’s Permanent Collection, which develops Finnish
design starting with industrialization in Finland (1860-70), heavily influenced by the
English, followed by a period of national Finnish style (1890), where Russian Karelia
developed into Finnish “art nouveau”. Finnish Independence in 1917 ushered in urban
housing internal construction. WWII choked efforts toward “modernization” but by 1950,
Finnish design was known for its “simplified form and genuine sense of the material”.
Next, we reviewed industrial design, including Fiskars scissors and Nokia mobile phones,
but faded fast when we got to their Textile Art Nouveau; it’s way over the top!
Before our next museum conquest, we stopped and purchased a box of strawberries and sat
in the grass and ate them all. That set the stage for the Ateneum, dating back to 1887 and
once holding the Design Museum’s collection until that grew too large in the 1970’s. We
were introduced to a new traditional epic: Kalevala. Elias Lönrott (1802-82) collected
folklore, which he translated into epic poems, the key elements of which represent the bond
between people and national forces, great emotions and adventures, mythology and
tragedy. Many of the paintings we saw related to mythological subjects including those by
Robert Ekman (1808-73) and Akseli Gallea-Kallela (1865-1931), whose work resembles
some of N.C. Wyeth’s illustrations and who was responsible for a prolific triptych from the
Kalevala depicting Väinämöinen’s pursuit of the maiden Aino. On another floor, their
Permanent Collection (“In Search of the Timeless”), we saw Russians, Ilya Repin’s (18441930) “Portrait” and Hugo Simberg’s (1873-1917) “The Wounded Angel”, as well as
paintings by Vincent van Gogh (1853-90), Eduard Munch (1863-1941), Paul Gauguin
(1848-1907) and Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905). Another section was devoted to the “Spirit
of Picasso”. It is felt the Finnish painters were particularly influenced by Picasso,
particularly Alvar Cawein (1886-1935), who introduced one of the first Cubist paintings in
Finland. While I suppose the Ateneum offers an ideal crash course in Finnish art (painting
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and sculptures from the 18th c. to the 1950’s), Judith and I found the paintings quite flat,
and certainly not comparable to the amazing art we had seen in Russia.
Then, we checked out two small museums: Museum of the University of Finland
featuring dentistry, operating room, gynecology, and x-ray developments in Finland, along
with chemistry lab, the history of music in Finland and rooms full of minerals and rocks
(they even had a “restless casket” for restraining disturbed patients) and the Helsinki City
Museum (oldest stone building in Helsinki, dating back to 1757), that focuses on all kinds
of “celebrations”; egs.: Santa Claus was introduced to Finland in the 20th c. and Lutheran
Christmas dinner in 1930 featured ham and lentils. Both museums are near the huge Senate
Square, on which borders the Palace of Government (including offices of the Prime
Minister), National Library, the Cathedral of Helsinki, the House of Nobility, and the
Mayor’s house. A monument to the Russian Tsar, Alexander II, was erected in 1894 in the
middle of Senate Square to honor the ruler who returned Finland to a constitutional form of
government.
Our first church visit was to the neo-gothic, twin-spired Church of St. John (built in
1891). It’s an interesting comparison with the new (1969) Lutheran Church hewn into solid
rock we visited the day before. It’s all wood inside – pews, altar, pulpit and roof framing –
and is Helsinki’s largest church. At the front door is a wonderful sculpture of John the
Baptist, by Kari Juva. They even have a ryijys rug. As we were leaving, a wedding party
was assembling.
Next on our itinerary was the Old Church (Vanha Kirkko) designed by Carl Ludwig Engel
(1778-1840), and founded in 1790. It was built of massive logs, since it had been ordered
by Imperial decree that a church was to be made of wood. The church was lit first with
candles in the chandeliers; gas lighting was introduced in the 1860’s. The inside has been
recently restored; everything is white, including the piano and baptismal font. There is no
stained glass. When we arrived, a wedding party was just departing and another ceremony
was scheduled to take place within the hour. Opposite the church is a memorial to Elias
Lönrott, compiler of the Kalevala epic (see notes on the Ateneum), depicting the author
flanked by his most famous character, “steady old Väinämöinen”.
We were not able to enter our last two church destinations:
the Cathedral of Helsinki, (Tuomiokkirko), also designed
by C.L. Engel, and the Uspenski Cathedral, because of
weddings. But we had a good look around and took a lot of
photos. The former is a chalk-white neoclassical cathedral
presiding over Senate Square high above the city, but was
engaged in a wedding, so no admission. A Lutheran church,
it was not finished until 1852. Engel died in 1840. The latter
is an eye-catching red brick Russian Orthodox church again
on top of a hill in clear sight of the Cathedral of Helsinki. It
was closed until 6:00 pm! Consecrated in 1868, we
understand it has a lavish iconostasis; but we had already
seen a few of those.
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Disappointed in missing our last two significant churches, but very fulfilled with our day’s
exploration, we hiked to the harbor and then back to our hotel, where we joined crowds of
Finns for a glass of wine at our street-side café. After dinner at our hotel’s new Japanese
restaurant (really superb!), we settled into a final gin rummy game, instead of preparing for
the big packing the next day.
July 5 - Helsinki to New York - Homeward bound
What do you do on the last day of an incredible vacation?
In this case, pack and check out. Our check-in at the
International Helsinki Airport, unlike in St. Petersburg,
went without a hitch. Our first-class cabin ride on Finnair’s
Airbus 340 was as comfortable and luxurious as it gets.
With a tailwind, we landed at JFK ahead of schedule.
Nothing remained except to unpack and open the mail. It
had been an amazing trip.
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Epilogue - “Discovery”
No one word better describes our shared trip experiences in terms of:
R especting the importance of leadership no matter the form of government or
sovereignty.
U nderstanding the dynamics over time between the rich and poor and how that has
impacted development on all fronts.
S tarting to fit the pieces of history in the Eastern European theatre together, especially
through the lens of culture and religion.
S avoring the people of many races and religions and their evolution through good and
bad times.
I nvestigating the potential for peace, civility and human rights and the understanding
and compromises that may require.
A ppreciating the amazing contributions made by the actors in the regions visited
throughout the ages.
Not a discovery, but once again I confirmed how lucky I am to have Judith as such a great
traveling partner, navigator, photographer, editor and best friend. We made a memorable
and significant dent in our “bucket list”.
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Appendix - The History of Prague
Prague’s position at the crossroads of Europe has made it a magnet for foreign leaders since
pre-recorded times. By the early 10th c. it had developed into a thriving town with a large
market place (the Old Town Square) and two citadels (Prague Castle and Vyšehrad), from
where its first rulers, the Přemyslids, conducted their many family feuds. These were often
bloody: in 935, Prince Wenceslas was savagely murdered by his brother Boleslav.
Wenceslas was later canonized and became Bohemia’s best-known patron saint.
During the Middle Ages, Prague enjoyed a golden age, especially during the reign of the
Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV. Under the auspices of this wise and cultured king,
Prague grew into a magnificent city, larger than Paris or London. Charles instigated the
founding and building of many institutions, including the first University of Central Europe
in Prague. The University’s first Czech rector was Jan Hus, the reforming preacher whose
execution for alleged heresy in 1415 led to the Hussite wars. The radical wing of the
Hussites, the Taborites, were finally defeated at the Battle of Lipany in 1434. During the
16th century, after a succession of weak kings, the Austrian Habsburgs took over, beginning
a rule that would last for almost 400 years. One of the more enlightened of all the Habsburg
Emperors was Rudolph II. He brought the spirit of the Renaissance to Prague through his
love of the arts and sciences. Soon after his death, in 1618, Prague was the setting for the
Protestant revolt which led to the 30 Years’ War. Its aftermath brought a serious decline in
the fortunes of a city that would revive only in the 18th century. Prague’s many fine
Baroque churches and palaces date from this time.
The 19th century saw a period of national revival and the burgeoning of civic pride. The
great public monuments – the National Museum, the National Theatre and Rudolfinum –
were built. But a foreign power still ruled the city, and it was not until 1918 that Prague
became the capital of an independent Republic. World War II brought occupation by the
Germany army, followed by four decades of Communism. After the “Velvet Revolution”
of 1989, Prague is today on the threshold of a new era.
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Appendix - The History of Russia
6th c.
800
Slavs first settled; they came from Eastern Europe
Varangians (Vikings)
988
Grand Prince Vladimir I was baptized into Orthodox Christianity and
married the sister of the Byzantine Emperor. Vladimir’s conversion deeply
affected the future of Russian people.
Mongols invaded and for the next 240 years Russian principalities paid
exorbitant yearly tributes to the Khans, though they were left to govern
themselves
Ivan I (“Moneybags”) is chosen by the Mongols as Grand Prince of Vladimir
Ivan the Great’s grandson, Ivan IV (“the Terrible”), transformed himself
into“Tsar of All the Russians”
Ivan IV’s retarded son Fyodor ruled under the guidance of Boris Godunov;
on Fyodor’s death (without child), Godunov installed himself
Mikhail Romanov (16 years old), great-nephew of Ivan’s first wife
Anastasia, was nominated to lead Russia, thereby initiating a 300 year rule of
the Romanovs
Peter I (“the Great”) begins reign; he died in 1725 leading to the “Petticoat”
Period with Catherine I, Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine II
Catherine II (“the Great”) usurped the throne of her feeble husband Peter III,
with the help of her lover, Grigoriy Orlov
Napoleon invaded Russia and was defeated
Nicholas I became Tsar, succeeded by Alexander II
Alexander II killed, succeeded by Alexander IV who dies and is succeeded
by Nicholas II
WWI breaks out and Russia loses 3.5 million soldiers
The Russian Revolution starts in St. Petersburg; the Tsar abdicates; the
capital moves back to Moscow
Lenin dies; Stalin uses power of General Secretary of the Communist party
to establish leadership
Stalin dies; Khrushchev takes over and denounces crimes in 1956 (“The
Thaw”)
Brezhnev takes over the role of General Secretary after Khrushchev
(Brezhnev dies in 1982)
Richard Nixon is first U.S. president to visit Russia
Gorbachev takes over and announces his policies of Perestroika
(restructuring) and Glasnost (openness)
Yeltsin is elected President of Russia, and USSR is dissolved in December
Putin becomes President of Russia
Medvedev becomes President of Russia
1237
1328
1533-84
1584-98
1613-45
1646
1762
1812
1825
1881
1914
1917
1924
1953
1964
1972
1985
1991
2000
2008
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Appendix - The History of Helsinki
Founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa, Helsinki was to be a rival to the Hansa trading
town of Tallinn. Earlier trials at Ekenäs were fruitless, so by royal decree traders from
Ekenäs and a few other towns were shanghaied to the newly founded Helsingfors (the
Swedish name for Helsinki).
For more than 200 years it remained a backwater market town on a windy, rocky peninsula.
The Swedes built their fortress named Sveaborg in 1748 to protect the eastern part of the
empire against Russian attack. In the war of 1808, the Russians took the theoretically
impenetrable fortress and annexed Finland as an autonomous grand duchy. A capital closer
to St. Petersburg was necessary to keep a closer eye on Finland’s domestic politics, and a
really big fort would come in handy. In 1812 sophisticated Turku lost its standing as
Finland’s capital and premier town to what was once a trading outpost.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Helsinki grew rapidly in all directions. German
architect, C. L. Engel was called on to dignify the city centre, which resulted in the
neoclassical Senaatintori (Senate Square). The city suffered heavy Russian bombing during
WWII, but in the postwar period Helsinki recovered and went on to host the Summer
Olympic Games in 1952.
In the 1970s and ‘80s, many new suburbs were built around Helsinki and residents
celebrated their ‘Helsinki Spirit’, a term used for Cold War détente. It remains the seat of
national parliament and the official home to the president. Pride in the city peaked in 2007
when it hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, an opportunity for Helsinki to show off its
dynamic cultural life to the world.
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Index - Chronological Order of Churches and Monasteries Visited
Prague
St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Michael’s Church
Church of St. Francis
Church of St. Thomas
St. Nicholas Church in Lesser Town
St. George’s Basilica
Moscow
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Church of St. Michael
St. Basil’s Church (Pokrovsky Cathedral)
Church of our Lady of Kazan
Cathedral of the Assumption
Cathedral of the Annunciation
Cathedral of the Archangel
Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery
Uglich
Chapel of Dmitry
Church of the Transfiguration
Plyos
The Eternal Peace Wooden Church
Yaroslavl
Transfiguration of the Savior Monastery
Church of the Epiphany
Chuch of Kazan
Chuch of St. Michael
Church of St. Elijah the Prophet
Goritsy
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Ferapontov Monastery
Kizhi
Church of the Transfiguration
Church of the Intercession
Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus
Chapel of the Archangel Michael
St. Petersburg
Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood (Resurrection Church of our Savior)
Helsinki
Temppeliaukio Church (“Rock Church”)
Church of St. John
Vanha Kirkko (“The Old Church”)
Cathedral of Helsinki
Uspenski Cathedral
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Index - Chronological Order of Museums Visited
Prague
Prague Castle Picture Gallery (part of the National Museum)
Sternberg Palace (part of the National Museum)
Lobkowicz Palace (part of the National Museum)
Moscow
Pushkin Museum (3 separate buildings)
New Tretyakov Gallery
Open Air Sculpture Park
Old Tretyakov Gallery
Tsereteli’s Artist Gallery
State Armoury (Royal Palace)
Pylos
Travkin Museum of Primeval Man
House Museum of Isaac Levitan
Yaroslavl
Institute of Artists
Kizhi
Kizhi State Museum of Architecture and Cultural History
Mandrogi
Vodka Museum
St. Petersburg
The Hermitage Museum (twice)
Pavlovsk Palace
Catherine Palace and Park
Cottage Palace (Peterhof)
Mon Plaisir (Peterhof)
Russian Museum
Helsinki
Finnish Sports Museum
National Museum of Finland
Design Museum
Ateneum
Museum of the University of Finland
Helsinki City Museum
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Index - Chronological Order of Lectures
June 23
“Democracy Deferred” - Simon Marks
June 24
“Russia Resurgent” - Simon Marks
June 25
“Present at Gorbachev’s Arrest” - Helen Evans
June 26
“The Monasteries of the North” - Helen Evans
June 27
“Origins of Icons”- Helen Evans
June 28
“Medieval Muscovy: Real and Remembered” - Helen Evans
66