Moscow River Trip

Introduction

In the middle of the 12th century, Prince Yury Dolgoruky set up fortifications on the high bank of the Moskva River. Strong wooden walls and towers of the Kremlin were needed to defend the growing settlement in the days when Moscow was uniting the Russian lands. The little Russian town grew rapidly and by the 14th century became the center of the Russian principalities.

During the reign of Ivan III, the Kremlin grounds were extended to their present area and surrounded by new brick walls. Traders and craftsmen settled nearby in Kitai-Gorod.

Magnificent cathedrals and churches were created around the city. In 1712 the capital was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

25 years later a devastating fire destroyed many wooden buildings in and around the

Kremlin. Moscow witnessed Napoleon's troops marching through its streets and causing more damage to its buildings. After the war of 1812 all the historical monuments of the Kremlin were restored.

In 1918 the new Bolshevik government moved from Petrograd to Moscow. Ancient Moscow became the capital of the new Red Russia. The Large-scale construction before and after the Second World War were changed the face of the city.

There are over 10 million people living in Moscow today. It is an impressive, modern city. At the same time a great deal has been done to restore and preserve the historical and architectural monuments.

Well, during the summer visits, a leisurely trip on one of the many boats on the

Moscow River is enjoyable. Are you agree with me? Good.

The best place to join a river tour is as the mooring near the Kievskaya metro station.

After exiting the station, walk to the circle of flag poles and then follow the path down to the river. But today it is the Gorki-Park landing stage.

Tips for travelers: several ticket combinations are available. The main options are the longer Red route that goes past the Kremlin or the Green route which is shorter and circular. Then there is an all-day ticket. The boat stops at several moorings along the way.

You will see: the Moscow State University, Moscow International Business Centre, Gorky Park, and Russian space shuttle, Kremlin, St Basil's, Peter the Great monument, Cathedral of Christ the Savior and etc.

Moscow River Boat Trips

Moscow river boat trips are your definite choice when it's hot, sunny, and you've seen the city in any other way possible!

Just imagine how cool it is to have a slowly drift across the beautiful Moscow river banks, enjoying Moscow from a totally different prospective! The air is fresh, no exhaust pipes around - it's just you and the city!

Moscow awaits!

The Kremlin, Gorky Park, Cathedral of Christ the Savior and other Moscow sights are yours - no traffic, hassle and crowds around. Once you're done, you can get off at the nearest stop and continue your tour by feet.

OK, there are basically two types of Moscow river boat trips. One is called "river tram" or "river shuttle", and the other is more like a cruise.

It all starts here.

Well, make yourself snug! Take place with your local friends - nothing beats a good company and they'll help you out!

Want to know what to expect? Let's look at the typical Moscow river boat trips route:

"Sparrow hills" ("Vorobyovy Gory")

See the MSU?

Ahh, such a beauty! In summer, the hills turn entirely green, and you can clearly see the building of Moscow State University rising straight to the skies. You'll also see grasscovered beaches filled with bathing Muscovites.

Yep, the summer in "cold Russia" can be really hot!

History: Sparrow Hills (Russian: Воробьёвы горы, Vorobyovy Gory), known as Lenin Hills (Ленинские горы, Leninskiye Gory) between 1935 and 1991, is a hill on the right

bank of the Moskva River and one of highest points in Moscow, reaching a height of 220 m (720 ft), or 60–70 m (200–230 ft) above the river level.

The observation platform, which gives a good panoramic view of the city, is on a steep bank 85 m (279 ft) above the river, or 200 m (660 ft) above sea level. The Luzhniki

Stadium (formerly the Lenin Stadium), where the opening and closing ceremony for

the 1980 Summer Olympics took place, is right below, across the Moskva River. Next to it is the Novodevichy Convent, with its Naryshkin Baroquetowers.

Not far from the observation platform is the Luzhniki Metro Bridge. The two-level Metro-Bridge traverses the river to link Komsomolsky Prospekt with Vernadsky Prospekt. It serves two urban transport systems: motor vehicles and the Moscow Metro subway. The glass-walled subway station Vorobyovy Gory is at the lower level of the bridge.

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Russia, the largest foreign diplomatic compound in the world, is situated not far[clarification needed] from Sparrow

Hills.

The hills, immortalized by many Russian poets and writers, are thought[according to whom?] to have been named after the village Vorobyovo, which was acquired by Grand

Duchess Sophia Vitovtovna, Vitovt's only daughter, from the priest Vorobey in

1451. Alexander I of Russia wished to build the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour there; his successor had construction works suspended and the cathedral eventually was erected near the Kremlin.

The main landmarks of the hills are the Moscow State University (at one time the tallest building in Europe) and the Trinity Church.

Moscow International Business Center ("Moscow City").

...and if you pay attention, you will also see the towers of Moscow Inetrnational Business Center rising up to the skies from one of the banks.

Church of Saint Nicholas in Khamovniki

(Russian: Церковь Cвятителя Николая Чудотворца в Хамовниках) is a late 17th century parish church of a former weavers sloboda in Khamovniki District of Moscow. The church is a federal listed memorial building. It marks the corner of present-day Komsomolsky Prospect and Leo Tolstoy Street, two blocks beyond the Garden Ring. The church yard occupies a whole block between Leo Tolstoy and Timur Frunze streets and includes a row of small old houses.

History

First records of a presumably wooden church on this site are dated 1625. The main five-domed church was built in 1679-1682; bell tower and refectory were completed around 1694. Present day church sources claim that the bell tower in Khamovniki is one of the highest tent-style bell towers in Moscow region. In 1757 the builders added a side annex dedicated to Saint Dmitry of Rostov.

The church is an example of late Muscovite Baroque that preceded short-

lived Naryshkin Baroque of 1690s. It belongs to a numerous class of bonfire temples – church buildings without three internal load-bearing columns, crowned with layers of small circular kokoshnik-type gables. Each gable is a symbol of a heavenly fire (biblical thrones - angels or seraphs); a tightly packed group of gables is an

architectural metaphore for the Throne of God. Small decorative columns "supporting" the lower level gables are an indicator of a Western influence in a typically vernacular building.

The church was severely damaged by the fire of 1812 and reopened only in 1849. Shortly before that, in 1848, the church acquired its principal relic - a copy of Defender of the sinners’ icon of Theotokos from Odrin convent, donated by Dmitry Doncheskul; the icon was permanently placed in the former Saint Dmitry annex. It also possesses 17th century icons of Saint Alexis and Hodegetria of Smolensk. In 2002 the church donated its icon of Archangel Michael to the reopened church of Archangel Michael in Devichye Pole.

The church operates continuously singe in 1849. It was never closed in the Soviet period although it lost its main bell (restored in 1992). It was restored externally twice, in

1949 and 1972. Father Pavel Lepekhin served here one of the longest continuous tenures in the 20th century Orthodoxy – from 1915 to 1960. Metropolitan Pitirim Nechaev (1926– 2003), who was offered the tenure in Khamovniki in 1972, declined the offer: according to Pitirim, the congregation always filled the church beyond its capacity, making service extremely difficult physically even for young priests.

Leo Tolstoy lived in the church parish, two blocks to the north on the street now bearing his name.

Andreyevsky Bridge

(Russian: Андреевский мост, St.Andrew’s Bridge) name refers to a historical bridge demolished in 1998 and three existing bridges across Moskva River, located

between Luzhniki and Gorky Park in Moscow.

History:

Andreyevsky Rail Bridge (1907, demolished 1998)

The original Sergievsky Bridge (Сергиевский мост), named after the late Grand Duke

Sergei Alexandrovich, and its twin, Nicholas II Bridge (Мост Николая II,

later Krasnoluzhsky Bridge) were built in 1903-1907, replacing temporary wooden truss bridges of the Moscow Inner Ring Railroad. New bridges were designed as through arch bridges by Lavr Proskuryakov (structural engineering) and Alexander

Pomerantsev (architectural design). The 135 meter wide, 15 metre tall steel arch (1400 metric tons) was made at Votkinsk works. Proskuryakov's work, considered a marvel of engineering, was proven by the 1908 flood: water level exceeded the maximum design specification by a metre and a half; the bridges stood unharmed.

After the February Revolution of 1917, Romanov names were erased from the map. Sergievsky Bridge was renamed to Andreyevsky after nearby St. Andrew’s monastery,

Nicholas II Bridge became Krasnoluzhsky Bridge.

In 1937, the arched stone pillars over embankments were extended from one to two spans (each side) to accommodate increased street traffic. A similar reconstruction of Krasnoluzhsky Bridge was completed in 1956.

The bridge was still in good order when it was demolished to make way for the construction of the Third Ring highway. Space limitations required vertical and horizontal realignment of track (1.5 metres up and 22 metres downstream), so the whole rail bridge (arch, roadway and pillars) had to be rebuilt on a new site (unlike Krasnoluzhsky bridge, which retained its pillars). Demolition (actually, careful disassembly) began in April 1998.

Pushkinsky Pedestrian Bridge (2000)

Instead of scrapping the steel arch of the 1907 Andreyevsky Rail Bridge, city planners re-used it as a structural core for the new pedestrian bridge. May 22, 1999, three barges towed the steel frame to the new anchorage, 1.5 kilometre downstream. By this time, contractors already set up concrete foundations, pillars and arches at the new site; they were finished with granite slabs salvaged from the old site.

Moskva river, at this point, is wider than at St. Andrew’s, so four pillars and three

25-meter arches over water were required to close the gaps.

Pushkinsky bridge connects First Frunzenskaya street in Khamovniki (left bank) with the southern edge of Gorky Park and Titovsky Proezd leading to Leninsky Avenue (right bank). Design team was led by Yu.P.Platonov. Main pedestrian walkway and stairs are completely enclosed in a glass canopy; there are two open-air side walkways. Left bank entrance has a two-lane escalator. On the right bank, the main flat walkway extends 240 metres past the pillars through the park.

Andreyevsky Rail Bridge (2001)

Initially, rail bridge completion had a higher priority and a 15-month fast track schedule, but in real life priorities changed, and the new road bridge was completed first. Both jobs required removal of old rail bridge, which was done May 22, 1999 after 11 months of preparation. Rail service of the Inner Ring was suspended for two years until completion in 2001.

New steel arch (engineer S.S.Tkachenko) is superficially similar to Proskuryakov's original design; it is now 21.5 meters tall, with a higher track alignment; width remains the same, 135.0 metres. The bridge has only one (upstream) pedestrian walkway and two copies of four original obelisks.

Andreyevsky Road Bridge (2000)

New Andreyevsky Road Bridge (Aндреевский автодорожный мост) was completed in

December 2000. Design challenge included merging the bridge with the tunnel system under Gagarin Square. Significant incline of roadway ruled out the box girder style in favor of concrete truss arch bridge (lead designer E.G.Gapontsev), set on a 32-metre deep pile foundation. The arch is 135 meters wide and 15 meters high; 39-meter wide roadway has 8 lanes for regular traffic and a single pedestrian and bicycle walkway.

An effective and economical solution, however, failed to preserve visual coherence of two adjacent bridges; new structure completely obstructs the fine outline of Proskuryakov's classic.

NOVODEVICHY CONVENT

What can I tell you about Novodevichy Convent? It's not easy, really, because the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" applies here probably the most.

When you visit this beautiful, quiet place right by the shores of Moskva River, you immediately feel how the sweet tranquility fills up your entire being.

I don't know how to describe that feeling. Some call it "holiness", others "wholeness", and Buddhists call it "Nirvana", but as I said - words don't apply here, and even pictures do not. Seeing this place from a boat is not enough - you absolutely have to visit it, because only then you will literally feel "The Force" flowing through you.

In fact, I don't really understand where this feeling is coming from, because Novodevichy Convent's history is literally one big piece of drama, right from its foundation.

The convent was built by Tsar Vasilii III to commemorate the capture of Smolensk - and was also meant to be a fortress "covering" Moscow's borders, along with many other monasteries like Donskoy, Danilov, Simonov and Novospassky.

In fact, Novodevichy's main cathedral is called "Smolenskiy Sobor" - which is again dedicated to Smolensk. By the way, Tsar Vasilii was so proud of himself that the monastery even has a second name - "Bogoroditse-Smolensky Monastery", and I'd bet it was given to make sure no one will ever forget the glorious Russian victory - and the Tsar, of course.

I could never understand this. I don't know about other countries, but in Russia the convents were always associated with war. On the one hand it's good, because the convents were guarding the borders of our country, but on the other hand, I could never get the idea of fighting in God's name, because that's not quite what Jesus taught us, right?

I remember I even had an argument with a priest I know, and he literally knocked me down by telling that the monks were actually learning martial arts! That is why, he said, the Tsars always relied on the holy men to protect the country - the priests were actually fearsome warriors!

Now where did I hear that, hmmm? Perhaps the word "Shaolin" rings a bell? Guess the world's religions are more similar then we're used to think!

Ok, so as weird as it sounds to me - Novodevichy Convent was built to commemorate the victory and to protect Moscow from unwanted visitors, like Tatars and Poles. Although I may not agree with blending of war and religion (lots of people still do), I am very, very happy the convent was build because it is sooooo beautiful!

Take a look at Smolensky sobor, for example. These golden domes, this architecture that goes back for many centuries - the entire place literally breathes with Russian spirit!

In fact, doesn't it remind you of a miniature Kremlin?

It does look like a fortress, doesn't it?

To be honest, even now, when I'm looking at this place, I feel strange warmth spilling inside my soul. Forgive me for being so sentimental - but I really, truly can't hold it. As cynical as I sometimes may sound - Novodevichy is our little personal totem...

And when you get inside, umm....when you get inside, you'll see ground floors, large spaces (because that's how we like to build in Russia), and many magnificent golden frescoes. Sometimes it's hard to believe they are real, but trusts me - they are, and it's a true wonder they've made it to our time through all the troubled years!

And boy there were troubled years! Novodevichy was attacked countless times by the enemies of Moscow (no, not the Americans, silly, the Cold War happened much later!), and in 1612 it was captured and partly destroyed. Later on, thanks to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, the convent was re-captured and rebuilt with a new design.

But that’s not all. There’s another drama hidden behind those stone walls. You see, with time the monastery began to serve as a retirement place and sometimes a prison for the wives and female relatives of tsars and nobility.

Some of them came willfully, while others were literally forced, like with the case of

Sofia Alexeevna, a half-sister of Peter The Great, whom he basically imprisoned. And might

I add that her sad story wasn’t unique at all…

Why did Peter do that? Because Sofia refused to give the throne away to her brother, and so probably one day Peter woke up in a bad mood and decided to show everyone once and for all who was the man in the family.

To be serious, this is terrible – it’s basically a life sentence, but with a much stricter rules! Imaging waking up every single time at 5 a.m. just to pray and work all day long!

And to think Peter could do this to his close relative… what can I say - power games can often get very, very nasty!

Beautiful, isn't it?

By the way, one of the reasons the monastery became so rich with time is because the women had to hand over all their jewelry when they entered the convent, so I guess it was quite profitable to say the least.

Well, what do you know - I’m getting cynical….again!

By the way, right near Novodevichy Convent there’s Novodevichy Cemetery – a place where many historic figures are buried. Scientists, philosophers, historians, artists – and many other people whose names are often mentioned in our school books.

Sure, that’s not exactly a good place for a visit – but that’s enough to only take a short glance to literally understand how “condensed” the history is over there.

Once you’ve finished going through the place, you can walk among the riverbanks to slowly think about what you’ve seen and more important - what you’ve felt.

I really, really hope that Novodevichy Convent will strike you right in the heart, and make you never forget your Moscow trip again! By the way, these days it’s also a branch of

State Historic Museum, so think for yourself how important this place is!

And please, don’t think Novodevichy is located somewhere far, far away from the city center. Not at all! In fact, it sits right near “Luzhniki” stadium – and very close to “Lubianka” metro where there’s also a building of a once-almighty Russian KGB. From there, you can continue straight to the Kremlin if you like…

…but I suggest you dedicate to Novodevichy a whole separate day!

The Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex

(Russian: Большая спортивная арена Олимпийского комплекса Лужники) in Moscow, or briefly Luzhniki Stadium (Russian: Стадион "Лужники"), is the biggest sports stadium in Russia. Its total seating capacity is 78,360 seats, all covered (upgraded). The stadium is a part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, previously called the

Central Lenin Stadium (Russian: Центральный стадион имени В. И. Ленина). The name Luzhniki derives from the flood meadows in the bend of Moskva River where the stadium was built, translating roughly as "The Meadows". The stadium is located

in Khamovniki District of the Central Administrative Okrug ofMoscow-city. As part of the Olympic complex, Luzhniki also has the Palace of Sport at Luzhniki.

Its field is used mainly for football games by Torpedo Moscow club, who also own the sports complex, and Spartak Moscow. It is also one of the few major European stadia to use an artificial pitch, as it installed a FIFA-approved Field-Turf pitch in 2002. The pitch is necessary for the cold Russian climate, as regular grass pitches are often destroyed during a typical winter and must be replaced at high cost. However, a temporary natural grass pitch was installed for the 2008 Champions League Final.

The Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium was the chief venue for the 1980 Summer Olympics, the spectator capacity being 103,000 at that time. The events hosted in this stadium were the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Athletics, Football finals, and

the Individual Jumping Grand Prix.

The Luzhniki Stadium was chosen by UEFA to host the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final won by “Manchester United” who beat “Chelsea” in the first all English

Champions League Final on May 21.

Prior to the match some skeptics questioned the state of the pitch and also the ability of Russian authorities to keep order amongst the traveling British fans, however the match passed incident free and a British Embassy in Moscow spokesman said, “The security and logistical arrangements put in place by the Russian authorities have been first-rate, as has been their cooperation with their visiting counterparts from the UK.”

The 2018 FIFA World Cup has been awarded to Russia and the Luzhniki Stadium has been selected by the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup bid as the venue for the final which will be held on July 8, 2018. The stadium will then join Rome's Stadio Olimpico,

On October 20, 1982, disaster struck during the UEFA Cup match between FC “Spartak Moscow” and HFC “Haarlem”. 66 people died in the stampede, which made it

Russia's worst sporting disaster at the time.

Take a look around Krasnoluzhsky bridge.

Krasnoluzhsky (the former Emperor Nicholas II) bridge carrying a hard service on the 38th kilometer of the Moscow circular railway in 1907 - on it were moving freight trains, and here passed across the Moscow River from the pedestrian Berezhkovskaya to Luzhnetskaya. Bridge length of 135 meters and a weight of 1,400 tons was built, as well as his twin Andrew (former St. Sergius), designed by the prominent Russian engineer and architect L.D.Proskuryakova, A.N.Pomerantseva in the period 1905-1907. During the construction of the Moscow Ring Railway.

Reconstruction of the District Railway, accompanied the construction of the third ring road transport, demanded the replacement of old bridges that are over a hundred years of wear and have become dangerous to the movement of rail transport. However, as a pedestrian crossing, they would be able to find a second life. For this reason, in 2000 Krasnoluzhsky Railway Bridge has been moved to 2.2 kilometers upstream of the Moscow

River and is set in a new place, connecting area of the Kiev station with Savvinskaya waterfront and Plyushchikha.

Memorial Bridge is recreated at the new location in every detail, including the lining of supports old, but well kept and cleaned the stone facing, but became open. Under his translucent veil placed another shopping center. On the part of the Kiev railway station entrance to the bridge is equipped with escalators, and on the other side mounted lift-lift.

The reconstructed bridge was named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky. Corresponding decree was signed by Mayor Yuri Luzhkov. And the management of housing and communal services and improvement of the city was asked to install a plaque on the bridge with the following text: "Bogdan Khmelnitsky Bridge was built in 2001. Named in memory of Ukrainian statesman, Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky (1595-1657 years).

A reliance on the old bridge at the Luzhniki Stadium Krasnoluzhsky got a brand new bridge, which became part of the Little Train of the ring. Next to the road bridge built the Third Ring Road.