Tsarina KATHARINA's PALACE St. Petersburg, Russia

Tsarina KATHARINA's PALACE St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg, Russia South of St. Petersburg, in todays Puschkin, is the splendid Catherines Palace, built by the Russian tsars for the tsarinas, Elizabeth and Catherine.Magnificent frescos and decorative inlays offer but a small hint of the seemingly boundless wealth of the Russian tsars, a fuller indication of their extravagance unfolding with the appearance of generously-gilded interiors, extravagant art collections and the boldness of Baroque architecture manifesting itself in wide staircases and intriguing courtyards. Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations.Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.

Global Treasures Peterhof Russia

Global Treasures Peterhof Russia

Located Outside St. Petersburg, Peterhof is the name of the majestic palace that was once the summer residence of the Russian Tsar's. Whether public galleries or private quarters, everywhere there is a superb array of many objets d'art and splendid interior architecture.

The central point of the Peterhof's 21 hectare upper park is a replica of Nurnberg's glorious Neptune Fountain, which is both an architectural and horticultural work of art. Tsar Peter The Great gathered together an army of soldiers, serfs and servants to dig the ditches and canals that would serve the gardens and their gigantic water features. The glittering design of the lower park leaves no doubt that the Peterhof was a powerful symbol of the new sea lords who ruled over Russia.

Peterhof Russia - Summer Residence of the Russian Tsars

Peterhof Russia - Summer Residence of the Russian Tsars

Located Outside St. Petersburg, Peterhof is the name of the majestic palace that was once the summer residence of the Russian Tsars.Whether public galleries or private quarters, everywhere there is a superb array of many objets dart and splendid interior architecture.

The central point of the Peterhofs 21 hectare upper park is a replica of Nurnbergs glorious Neptune Fountain, which is both an architectural and horticultural work of art.Tsar Peter The Great gathered together an army of soldiers, serfs and servants to dig the ditches and canals that would serve the gardens and their gigantic water features.The glittering design of the lower park leaves no doubt that the Peterhof was a powerful symbol of the new sea lords who ruled over Russia.

Global Treasures KATHARINA's PALACE St. Petersburg, Russia

Global Treasures KATHARINA's PALACE St. Petersburg, Russia

South of St. Petersburg, in today's Puschkin, is the splendid Catherine's Palace, built by the Russian tsars for the tsarinas, Elizabeth and Catherine.

Magnificent frescos and decorative inlays offer but a small hint of the seemingly boundless wealth of the Russian tsars, a fuller indication of their extravagance unfolding with the appearance of generously-gilded interiors, extravagant art collections and the boldness of Baroque architecture manifesting itself in wide staircases and intriguing courtyards.

Global Treasures Hermitage St. Petersburg, Russia

Global Treasures Hermitage St. Petersburg, Russia

The Russian flag still waves proudly above the roof of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the former Winter Palace of the tsars. However, despite the meaning of its French name it is no longer a place of seclusion. Designed by Rastrelli and built between 1754 and 1762, today the Hermitage is the centre of an art museum that consists of several buildings.

The impressive Peter Hall is dedicated to the legendary founder of the Russian Empire, Peter The Great. Indeed, it is a remarkable work of art in its own right and both the Parade Stairs and Jordan Stairs are fine examples of the Winter Palace's dramatic architecture.

The purchase of more than two hundred paintings from Berlin formed the basis of the Russian aristocracy's passion for art and served as the catalyst for the subsequent museum. Works by the most famous Italian artists, including Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raffael, have their own splendid exhibition rooms within the Eremitage. In addition to its remarkable works of art, the museum also contains a large number of archaeological discoveries and artistic treasures from entire cultural epochs.

The Hermitage is an art museum of the superlative. It contains a total of 2.7 million exhibits many of which are the finest examples of their kind.

The Hermitage, the former Winter Palace of the Russian tsars and today the greatest museum in Russia, is a veritable palace of outstanding art and history.

Global Treasures - St. Petersburg - Russia

Global Treasures - St. Petersburg - Russia

In 1703, Tsar Peter The Great founded St. Petersburg in the swampy delta mouth of the River Newa and today it is a living monument to the lives and times of Russias Imperial Tsars.

The Winter Palace contains Russias largest museum, the Eremitage, which houses more than two and a half million exhibits. Since Peter the Great, Russian rulers purchased many major works of art, but it was Catherine The Great who acquired complete collections from the auction houses of Europe.

The Admiralty, with its needle-shaped, gold-plated tower, is one of the citys most famous landmarks, its grand architecture depicting the emergence of Russia as a naval power and the marvelous Isaaks Cathedral has the third largest dome in the world.Twenty four thousand tree stumps were used for its foundations and it can accommodate a congregation of 14,000.

At the widest part of the Newa is the regal and dominant, Peter And Paul Fortress that Peter The First had built to protect his capital city from Sweden and to guard Russias passage to the East Sea.The focal point of the fortress is the Peter And Paul Cathedral that served as the burial place of the Tsars and contains the marble coffin of Peter the Great.

Russian Baroque and Russian Classicism were established in St.Petersburg city of monumental events, outstanding architecture and an Imperial metropolis on the grand scale.

Catherine's Palace Pushkin RUSSIA near St Petersburg

Catherine's Palace Pushkin RUSSIA near St Petersburg

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Global Treasures - PETER & PAUL FORTRESS - St. Petersburg - Russia

Global Treasures - PETER & PAUL FORTRESS - St. Petersburg - Russia

St. Peter and St Paul

The Peter And Paul Fortress is the historic centre of the tsars city of St. Petersburg and is located on Rabbits Island within the mouth of the Newa River. Its slender, gilded bell tower is 122 high and is one of the citys most dominant landmarks.
The cathedral was built between 1712 and 1733 and contains both Dutch and Early Baroque building styles. Since Peter The Great the building was used mainly as a place of burial for the tsars and the Tsarina Catharine The Great lies within a sarcophagus of white Carrara marble.

Numerous wall paintings and captured flags from the wars against the Swedes and the Osmanic Empire still decorate the splendid interior of the cathedral. In front of the main guard house there is a controversial bronze sculpture by the Russian, Michail Schemjakin, that depicts Peter The Great with a strikingly small head.

The Peter And Paul Fortress never saw battle and was later converted into a state prison. The participants of the December Revolt which took place in 1825 were also imprisoned within its walls and until the October Revolution in 1917 the fortress also served as a notorious prison for the enemies and critics of the tsars.

During the Revolution, the canons of the fortress fired 40 shots at the Winter Palace that is located on the opposite bank of the Newa. Today, the thunder of canon is a daily event and punctually at noon a shot is fired from the Naryschkin Bastion. With this simple ceremony due homage is paid to an age old tradition of Peter The Great as it was in this way that he announced lunchtime for all the inhabitants of the city!

Global Treasures - Pawlowsk Palace - St. Petersburg - Russia

Global Treasures - Pawlowsk Palace - St. Petersburg - Russia

In 1782, Tsar Catherine The Great had the magnificent Pawlowsk Palace built for her son. It is difficult to believe that it was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War, after which it was fully restored. The palaces furniture and art were spared from enemy bombardment thus preserving their full splendour to the present day.

The interior architecture of the building was formed by two main influences: the military preferences of Tsar Paul I and the opposing taste of his wife, Maria. During the lifetime of the Tsars, the palace became more than merely a functional building as it combines richly designed architecture with an amazing array of art from the 18th and 19th centuries, making it a combination of both palace and art museum.

Many European flowers and trees have found a new home in the marvelous setting of the 600 hectare Pawlowsk Park, a scene of harmony and romantic tranquility which contains various small temples, pavilions and monuments, including 200 sculptures.

Clint Denn's Cruising Russia St. Petersburg to Moscow

Clint Denn's Cruising Russia St. Petersburg to Moscow

RUSSIA - on the Volga & Neva
Experience a spectacular voyage through the heart of Russia. We will travel the scenic and historic Russian waterways, along the Neva, across two of Europe's largest lakes, Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega, down the Volga-Baltic Waterway through river lockages, and on the historic Volga.

St. Petersburg holds the fascination of a time past. Created by Peter the Great to be his "window on Europe,", it is considered to be the cultural heart of modern Russia. Cruise the canals around the Church on Spilled Blood and visit Peterhof and its spectacular fountains. Visits to small towns and the enchanting Golden Ring cities of Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Uglich provide unique opportunities to delve into Russian culture. In Yaroslavl we will visit the Savior Monastery and Church of Elijah the Prophet. See local handcrafts in Kostroma. In Kitzhi we'll explore the exciting Museum of Wooden Architecture. In picturesque Uglich the Cathedral of the Transfiguration is a reverent and historic stop. We will join a Russian family home for breakfast, as well. At the samll farming town of Goritsy is the Assumption Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake.