Feel with us the charm of Russian province. You will visit places of Moscow region and also some places of other Russian regions geographically and historically connected with Moscow. There are many amazing and beautiful places in this area including ancient monasteries, palaces and estate architectural ensembles with beautiful parks and gardens, unique corners of Central Russian nature.
The capital of Russia — Moscow is a well-known tourist center. Many people every year visit the Red Square, Moscow Kremlin, Tretyakov Art Gallery, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow Metro. But the area around Moscow is also very interesting for tourism. Inhabitants of Russia call this area Podmoskoviye (literally it means an area around Moscow). Such verbal construction is used in Russian for environs of Moscow city only (as, for-example, Americans use construction like New Yorker for the people of New York city only). Moscow area is located in the central part of the East European Plain (also called the Russian Plain) in interfluve of the Volga River and the Oka River in mixed coniferous forest terrestrial zone. Podmoskoviye is not only suburbs of contemporary Moscow and the Moscow Region but also some places of other Russian regions geographically and historically connected with Moscow.
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The town of Sergiev Posad (74 km to the north-east from Moscow) is lovely provincial town whose life is centered around the well-known monastery whose overwhelming panoramic view you can see from the Pancake Hill driving to Sergiev Posad from Moscow. The town was named in honour of St. Sergius who was born in the neighboring town of Radonezh and founded of the Trinity Monastery that is now known as the Holy Trinity Sergius Laura, spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church, one of the main destinations of Christian pilgrimage and one of the greatest attractions for tourists. Architectural ensemble of the Trinity-Sergius Laura (XV-XIX cc.) reflects all periods of Russian architecture development. The Trinity Cathedral, the major church of the monastery has unique iconostasis of Andrei Rublev. The Dormition Cathedral is a sepulcher of the Russian patriarchs. The Trinity-Sergius Laura is functioning monastery (about 200 monks). The Ecclesiastical Academy is located on its grounds. You have a chance to stand a service at one of churches open to public and to listen to one of the best choirs of Russia.
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Historical reconstruction of the Battle of Borodino is held annualy at the Battle of Borodino Museum in the first week-end of September. Usually about 1,000 people in the uniform of the Russian and French armies accompanied by spectacular pyrotechnic effects take part in reconstruction of the Battle of Borodino episodes.
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The most popular Russian souvenir is well-known Matryoshka (Little Matron) – wooden doll decorated with paintings with the same figures of a smaller size inside of it. The Matryoshka Doll was designed in 1890 by Sergei Malyutin, Russian painter of the Abramtsevo circle, and made by Vassily Zvyozdochkin, the best doll master from Sergiev Posad. The idea of the Matryoshka was suggested by similar Japanese Fukurokuju doll brought by wife of Savva Mamontov from the Hokkaido Island. Matryoshka made an impression at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris and soon became one of the main symbols of Russia in the world. That’s why we are not sure that you would be understood quite well by you familiars if you return from Russia without Matryoshkas. At the Museum of the Toy Factory in Sergiev Posad you have a chance to see and purchase different kinds of this fascinating Russian souvenir and even to take part in painting of Matryoshka or in making of traditional Russian rag doll.
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historical cities and towns
over 100
country estates
over 100
national nature parks and reserves
over 20
