I’m having spasms of guilt over not writing enough on my blog. Joe and Sara are so good at it. Why do I have so much trouble? I’ll go for a few days without writing, and then post two or three in a day when I get inspired. Joe says I’m binge blogging. Probably. But hey, I warned you.
In order to avoid wracking my brains for a witty yet profound topic, I think I’ll stick with a travel journal this time. On Friday, Sara, Rachel, Joe, and I finally visited the Kremlin with our fantastic interpreter/administrator, Nastya. She was sweet enough to volunteer to come with us, I think because she’s taken so many people there she could sleepwalk around the museum and still translate the labels.
It didn’t start out as the best day we’ve seen in Moscow weather-wise – and shockingly, yes, we’ve had some good ones – but we didn’t pick the day. Both our classes happened to be cancelled, so clearly the universe was to blame, or perhaps our professors. At first, it was just plain dreary and drizzling. Nastya suggested we check out the Armory first, hoping that the weather would clear up by the time we were done.
So, I’ve seen a lot of these kinds of museums – case after immaculate case of solid gold punch bowls, jewel-encrusted potato peelers, and porcelain teacups that were gifts from Prince Gilgamesh the Great, or whoever the visiting monarch happened to be. Usually, one blinding room is about all I can take. You can only look at so many shiny forks.
But I was really surprised by the Kremlin Armory: the whole first floor held an incredible collection of clothing, livery, and carriages, items that were actually owned and used by the tsars. There were gorgeous coronation dresses, complete with all the outrageous styles of the 18th century; there were dazzling crowns and massive, intricately carved thrones; there was even a pair of Peter the Great’s enormous boots from 1700. The man apparently had ridiculously large feet.
The carriages were really the most impressive. They had about 15, from several different emperors, and they were gigantic. Most of their back wheels were as tall as I am, and several of them were as long as two cars. Two Smart Cars at least. Maybe three. Beyond that, we learned that some of them were so heavy it required ten horses to pull them. Of course they were all stunningly decorated with everything from wood carvings, to gold statues, to semi-precious stones. I think we have a new reality TV series here. Pimp My Ride: 17th Century.
In addition to the carriages, there was a room full of decorative horse harnesses, saddles, and bridles. These horses seriously wore more jewels than New York socialites. The detail was incredible. Russians redefine the phrase “jewel-encrusted”, in clothing and livery, as well as the “royal gifts” that were displayed upstairs. Piece after piece covered in pearls, jade, emeralds, rubies, diamonds. Most of the treasures of the monarchy in Britain or Italy seemed to be purely gold or silver, but here there was no end of precious stones. I swear there were more than 100 Bibles with gold and gemstone covers.
How did the Russians manage to keep all of this? They had just as much political strife and destruction as western Europe – maybe more. And yet Catherine the Great’s coronation dress, and the porcelain plates Napoleon gave to Alexander I (before they went to war), all survived. Where? Buried in some hole in the Kremlin? It’s amazing to me. It also crossed my mind that perhaps during dubious times in the 20th century, some of these things had been manufactured, for whatever reason. But I’d rather believe that they’re real.
So, after thoroughly enjoying this collection, we headed back outside to find…snow. Yes, a full-blown snowstorm, on a day where it was 65 degrees in the States. Wonderful.
We decided to brave the weather anyway, and headed to Cathedral Square – an area inside the Kremlin surrounded by four cathedrals. One of them, Archangel Cathedral, was the coronation site of all Russian tsars. The churches were gorgeous, but the outside was hard to admire in a snowstorm. The walls inside are covered with beautiful icons, which in the Orthodox faith are seen as more than just paintings of saints or the Holy Family – they are a direct connection to heaven. As we’ve started to learn in our art/architecture class, Orthodox churches are built on a different plan than Catholic and Protestant cathedrals: square instead of cross-shaped, with small, circular chapels housing different icons (why the bigger churches have several towers), and one large main cupola.
Despite the weather, the adventure ended up being wonderful, and we’re definitely going to go back when it’s warm and sunny. We’re hoping that will be soon. Hoping.
In order to avoid wracking my brains for a witty yet profound topic, I think I’ll stick with a travel journal this time. On Friday, Sara, Rachel, Joe, and I finally visited the Kremlin with our fantastic interpreter/administrator, Nastya. She was sweet enough to volunteer to come with us, I think because she’s taken so many people there she could sleepwalk around the museum and still translate the labels.
It didn’t start out as the best day we’ve seen in Moscow weather-wise – and shockingly, yes, we’ve had some good ones – but we didn’t pick the day. Both our classes happened to be cancelled, so clearly the universe was to blame, or perhaps our professors. At first, it was just plain dreary and drizzling. Nastya suggested we check out the Armory first, hoping that the weather would clear up by the time we were done.
So, I’ve seen a lot of these kinds of museums – case after immaculate case of solid gold punch bowls, jewel-encrusted potato peelers, and porcelain teacups that were gifts from Prince Gilgamesh the Great, or whoever the visiting monarch happened to be. Usually, one blinding room is about all I can take. You can only look at so many shiny forks.
But I was really surprised by the Kremlin Armory: the whole first floor held an incredible collection of clothing, livery, and carriages, items that were actually owned and used by the tsars. There were gorgeous coronation dresses, complete with all the outrageous styles of the 18th century; there were dazzling crowns and massive, intricately carved thrones; there was even a pair of Peter the Great’s enormous boots from 1700. The man apparently had ridiculously large feet.
The carriages were really the most impressive. They had about 15, from several different emperors, and they were gigantic. Most of their back wheels were as tall as I am, and several of them were as long as two cars. Two Smart Cars at least. Maybe three. Beyond that, we learned that some of them were so heavy it required ten horses to pull them. Of course they were all stunningly decorated with everything from wood carvings, to gold statues, to semi-precious stones. I think we have a new reality TV series here. Pimp My Ride: 17th Century.
In addition to the carriages, there was a room full of decorative horse harnesses, saddles, and bridles. These horses seriously wore more jewels than New York socialites. The detail was incredible. Russians redefine the phrase “jewel-encrusted”, in clothing and livery, as well as the “royal gifts” that were displayed upstairs. Piece after piece covered in pearls, jade, emeralds, rubies, diamonds. Most of the treasures of the monarchy in Britain or Italy seemed to be purely gold or silver, but here there was no end of precious stones. I swear there were more than 100 Bibles with gold and gemstone covers.
How did the Russians manage to keep all of this? They had just as much political strife and destruction as western Europe – maybe more. And yet Catherine the Great’s coronation dress, and the porcelain plates Napoleon gave to Alexander I (before they went to war), all survived. Where? Buried in some hole in the Kremlin? It’s amazing to me. It also crossed my mind that perhaps during dubious times in the 20th century, some of these things had been manufactured, for whatever reason. But I’d rather believe that they’re real.
So, after thoroughly enjoying this collection, we headed back outside to find…snow. Yes, a full-blown snowstorm, on a day where it was 65 degrees in the States. Wonderful.
We decided to brave the weather anyway, and headed to Cathedral Square – an area inside the Kremlin surrounded by four cathedrals. One of them, Archangel Cathedral, was the coronation site of all Russian tsars. The churches were gorgeous, but the outside was hard to admire in a snowstorm. The walls inside are covered with beautiful icons, which in the Orthodox faith are seen as more than just paintings of saints or the Holy Family – they are a direct connection to heaven. As we’ve started to learn in our art/architecture class, Orthodox churches are built on a different plan than Catholic and Protestant cathedrals: square instead of cross-shaped, with small, circular chapels housing different icons (why the bigger churches have several towers), and one large main cupola.
Despite the weather, the adventure ended up being wonderful, and we’re definitely going to go back when it’s warm and sunny. We’re hoping that will be soon. Hoping.
You'd probably have more time and energy to write in your blog if what's-his-face wouldn't keep you on the phone all of the time... Come home now?
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