June 2010 in Moscow : Kuskovo

Let's enjoy the month of June (although some thunderstorms) to continue to visit parks around Moscow.

But first a short story about something very specific to Russian Stalin's snow !

This is not a joke but I had never heard of it before living in Moscow. It happens every year : no, this is not a fest !. You should have an idea of what it can be ?  I'll help you to find : it is because of Stalin who dediced to plant  hundreds of thousands of "Populus alba" (Silver Poplar) in Russian cities. 

Every year in May / June, it snows on Moscow : it is the pollen from the silver poplars. Better not be allergic ! Cotton balls are flying everywhere, "Stalin's snow" by breathing when walking, running, and are swallowed whatever we do. It flies very high, falling even in apartments. 
I have finally understood why there were mosquitoes screens on windows !

   

To learn more, I recommend the video (in English !) below :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83n2h6K13K0&feature=player_embedded

Now, enjoy the June sun (before a violent storm ! Fortunately we were back in the bus ...) to visit the Kuskovo park which is located east of Moscow.

How to get there ?

There is the Perovo metro solution (yellow line 8) and then to walk half an hour (ask for direction but evaluate the answer ... the Russians are always helpful, even if we do go in the opposite direction ... so, happened to us !) or take bus 260 to the metro station (the best). We made one way trip through the Novokosino metro station but it is noisy with lot of traffic and a great bridge to cross.

Kuskovo domain, nicknamed the "Versailles" of Moscow because of its French gardens, is a perfect example of a country residence in Moscow of the 18th century. The domain's history dates back to 1715, when Tsar Peter the Great gave Kuskovo village as a gift to the Russian General Boris Sheremetiev, famous for the Battle of Poltava (as anybody knows ... in 1709, decisive victory of Peter the Great over Charles XII of Sweden in the Great Northern War). Boris Sheremetiev decided to build a summer home here. The Sheremetiev have been one of the wealthiest families and most powerful one of Russia (after the family of Tsar as the Romanovs - see the June news on Kolomenskoye for those who do not follow ...) and the domain was used by several generations of the family. FYI, Moscow's international airport is called Sheremetyevo : well, it must explain the origin of this name (not everyone has a Charles de Gaulle name known in the world !).

The current architecture is coming from the son of Boris, Pyotr (Peter), who devoted his life to manage the domain after inheriting his father about 200,000 serfs (in the Middle Ages, a serf is a person who works for a noble -  a concept that ... crossed the border at that time !). He married Varvara Cherkasskaya, whose dowry included also serfs with talented architects including Fyodor Argunov and Alexei Mironov who were the creators of these buildings. The domain is gradually fell into disrepair after the death of Pyotr, and his son Nicolas spent his summers at the Ostankino palace instead of Kuskovo family one (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Останкино_ (усадьба)). The area has been damaged by the French army during the Moscow campaign of 1812 but then was restored. He remained one of the summer residences of the Sheremetiev family and a site for private receptions, celebrations and festivities until the Bolsheviks nationalized it in 1918.

The domain includes a central palace and some other interesting buildings around the landscaped park that includes French gardens, ponds, lakes, and also Italian and Russians sculptures.

One of the main features of the main Palace is that it was entirely built of wood : it has been since fully restored. Outside, It is painted with pink salmon and white, and it was achieved between 1769 and 1777 by architects (the famous serfs) Argunov and Mironov, with the supervision of the architect Karl Blank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Blank).

 

Among the rooms to visit, see for example, a billiard room, a dining room, a living room with Flemish tapestries, a bedroom with a grand allegorical fresco, and an office entirely covered with oak paneling.

  

But the highlight of the palace is undoubtedly the magnificent ballroom, which is lavishly decorated with gold ornaments, crystal chandeliers and bas-reliefs depicting the exploits of the heroes of ancient Rome, as Mutius Scaevola, which plunged hand in the fire to prove his indifference to pain (everybody knows it !).

The hall also has a fresco of Apollo and his Muses, glorifying Sheremetiev, their fame, wealth and power (now it is rather the one with the largest four wheel car in Moscow !).
In addition see some pictures on the Russian Web site site http://kuskovo.ru/vistavki_v_muzee/

Behind the palace there is a garden with geometric shapes (French style).
Note the black obelisk that was built to commemorate a visit of the Empress Catherine II "The Great".

 

Now, let's go to the Grotto. 
The building includes a dome and iron gates and has an interior decorated by the famous architect of St. Petersburg Johannes Fokt, using shells, stones, stucco and porcelain.

 

Right next to the grotto make a stop at the Italian Pavilion. Beautiful oak flooring that we visit with slippers.
If you forget to buy tickets at the entrance for access to buildings (which happens often because we think it's an entry fee for all), do not worry : in every building there is a cashier, unless the cashier made his lunch break (... the experience ...), then you can buy extra tickets.

Continuing the tour with a stop at the aviary (without birds !) and then go to the Orangerie to see the museum of ceramics.

There is a dinner service of Sevres porcelain (Vivant Denon) which has been given by Napoleon Bonaparte to Tsar Alexander I in 1807, as well as vases commemorating the construction of the Moscow Metro.

 

Not far from the Orangery, there is the Hermitage in Baroque style, surmounted by a statue of a goddess (Flora, it seems, goddess of spring and birth). Closed to visitors.

 

A little further there is the Holland pavilion (closed for restoration) which is facing a small lake.

Nearby is a house created by Swiss designer Nicolas Benois from St. Petersburg (a French !). We can't visit it and it needs some restoration.

To conclude the visit, let's try to go to the church which is next to the main palace, but as often for churches ... it's closed (it must be to prevent theft of icons). We had the chance to hear the bell that is manually activated (you have to zoom in on the right picture to see the bell ringer).

 

Thus ended the visit of Kuskovo domain, well worth a visit !

June 2010 in Moscow : Kolomenskoe

In summer, Kolomenskoe is one of the most popular Muscovite park, although there remains little space in the park (390 ha) to find calm and solitude.

In winter, the park is perhaps even more impressive when there are fewer visitors and the buildings seem to have been abandoned to the crows and snow.

Whatever time of year when you come to Moscow, Kolomenskoe should absolutely be on your itinerary. We tested with and without snow !

The village of Kolomenskoe was founded in 1237 by refugees from Kolomna (city 100 km south-east of Moscow). There will probably be an article in the blog about this town in the coming months : wait and see ...

Archeological remains have been found here dating back over 2,500 years of civilization from pre-Slavic. Peter the Great (Peter 1st) was brought here to ensure his safety during the insurrection of 1682, and began his studies here. His daughter, Elizabeth, was also born here. Later, Alexander the Great studied here with his grandmother, Catherine the Great (1790). Hmm, you're lost in the dynasty of Russian Czars ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanov  or view the family tree :

Also (in French) : http://www.bibliotheque-orange.org/v2/livres-2009/la-saga-des-romanov/

The main entrance of Kolomenskoe is 10 minutes walking away from the Kolomenskaya subway station.

Coming from the metro you walk through the door of the Saviour (1670). The wood shingles are characteristic of 16th-17th century Russian architecture. Before 1917, there was an icon of the Savior above the arches, hence its name.

 

Going straight you discover the beautiful Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan with bright blue domes and much gold, built under Alexei II in 1644.

   

By continuing you arrive at the Red Door which was the main entrance of the royal palaces.
Its construction dates from 1672 to 1673. In buildings located on the sides you can visit an exhibition on the history of Kolomenskoe and a collection of art.

 

Let's go through the Red Door to discover the Church of the Ascension (1530-1532). This is one of the most remarkable buildings of Moscow : it was a radical break with the traditional Byzantine style. Basil III has made this building as a pyramid shape feature to commemorate the birth of his heir, Ivan the Terrible. Unlike traditional cruciform domed churches, the Church of the Ascension has been created as a huge pillar and has neither support nor columns. The height of the church is 62 meters. The Church of the Ascension has been classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.

  

 

Besides the Church of the Ascension there is the bell tower of the remaining St. George the Victorious church which was built in the first half of the 16th century by an architect not yet identified.

 

Not far from it these is the water tower built in the 1670s. The interior is a mechanism created by the captain Bogdan Puchin. A deep well was dug beneath the tower and the water was pumped to go in a tank in white stone, and thence to the Royal Court.

 

In this March day, enjoy the landscape towards the Moskva river and have still a look to the Church of the Ascension.

 

Continuing through the park with its gardens, you can visit an old wooden house (wood brought here from different regions of Russia) : Cabin of Peter 1st of Arkhangelsk.

  

A special feature of parks around Moscow there is a cashier for each building to visit and the bad surprise is that it is 4 times more expensive for non-Russians (it's easily to recognize them by our accent ...). 
Come visit this house which takes us back 3 centuries.

     

It seems that Peter 1st (Peter the Great) was really tall : we have verified (2.04 m), it is the highest spike !

Let's go to the Church of Saint John the Baptist through orchards, then down into a valley and up the stairs (not easy to find!).

Near an old cemetery (most of the graves are covered with lily of the valley, which seems to be a tradition), this St. John the Baptist church was built by Ivan the Terrible to mark his coronation.

  

One option is to leave the park at this location to explore the countryside around and then join the Moskva river where there is a pier with boats that can drive you back to the center of Moscow. 
And there is even a "pub" below !

   

More information about Kolomenskoe (in Russian: we understand better after a beer !) : 

http://www.kolomenskoe-park.ru/

http://www.sedmitza.ru/text/471907.html