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| Europa |
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| San Pietroburgo | Tula | Ural | |
| Vladimir | Irkutsk | Moscow | Vladivostok |
| Dagestan | Karelia | Krasnoyatsk |
| Thanks to www.moscowvoyage.msk.ru |
| PASSPORTS
AND VISAS 1. Passports Foreigners should be in possession of a valid national internal or foreign passport for entry and exit from Russia. 2. Visas Foreigners can enter or leave Russia or travel by transit through Russia with or without a visa. Visas for entry and exit from Russia are issued by Russian Consulates and Consular Departments of Russian Embassies abroad. To obtain a visa, the following documents should be presented to the Consular Office: - a valid passport, duly completed visa application, 3 recent passport photos 3і4 cm - a letter from the travel agency and a copy of MBV confirming the booking of tourist services to secure a tourist visa. - a ticket or a voucher for a ticket with confirmed dates and itinerary of transit travel trough Russia, as well as a letter from the travel agency with MBV confirmation of services provided on arrival and departure, transfer and excursions in the points reserved by the client to secure a transit visa. - a written invitation from an organisation or relatives (friends), located or residing in Russia to get an ordinary visa. The above mentioned documents should be presented in advance to the Russian Consulate in your country in accordance with the rules established by them. 2.1. For transit through Russia en route to and from Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadzhikistan and Usbekistan foreigners should be in possession of a valid visa for travel to one of the above mentioned states. 2.2. For transit through Russia en route to and from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and other foreign states, foreigners should in possession of a transit visa for both parts of the journey. Such transit visas are issued by the Russian Consulates to travellers possessing a valid visa to the abore mentioned countries, unless no other formalities are observed by inter-state agreements. 2.3. No visa is required for foreign tourists travelling as cruise passengers on board foreign ships or ships registered in Russian ports and going ashore in Russian ports if they are in possesion of a valid national, international or foreign passport, and on condition that: - the stop in the port of call does not exceed 48 hours - travellers stay overnight on board the cruise ship and leave port on board the same ship. 2.4. Visas for entry to the states of the former USSR can be obtained in Consular Offices of the newly independent states abroad or through the embassies of these states in Moscow. More detailed information on visa requirements can be obtained in Consular Offices of Russia abroad. Climate Average temperatures (Centigrade) in places of tourist’s itineraries: City January July Moscow –15 +22 Kostroma –12 +20 Almaty –10 +26 Irkutsk –23 +20 Archangelsk –15 +18 St. Petersburg –12 +22 Tashkent +3 +30 Kiev –9 +23 Novosibirsk –23 +22 Odessa –7 +25 Vladimir –15 +20 Khabarovsk –18 +23 Time There are 12 times zones in Russia. The difference between Greenwich Mean Time and the time in some Russian cities is: Moscow and St. Petersburg +3. National Holidays New Year January 1 Russian Orthodox Christmas January 7 Women’s Day March 8 Spring and Labour Day May 1–2 Victory Day May 9 Russia Independence Day June 12 Currency The Russian monetary unit is rouble. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency allowed to be brought into Russia. All money brought into Russia (including traveler’s checks) must be declared upon entering the country. In Russia tourists can exchange any amount of hard currency for roubles in hotels, international airports and sea ports, at any exchange office of authorized Russian banks. Exchange rates are set by authorized Russian banks within Russia. It is prohibited to take roubles out of Russia. Mail & Telephone Services The tariff for postal service and international and local telephone service on the territory of Russia is roubles. Major hotels have post office facilities. Automatic dial telephone service is available in most areas of Russia. Tourists can dial directly from their room phone in the hotel or from special pay phones in the lobby. Transport Metro is the most comfortable and fastest means of public transport within the city. The Moscow metro network has over 140 stations, the total length of lines covering about 215 kilometres. The transport fare for all metro lines in any city is one token. You can purchase a token at the entrance of all metro stations. Buses, trolley buses and trams operate on the ticket system. |
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main tourist centres and attractions of Russia Arkhangelsk Astrakhan Ivanovo Irkutsk Khabarovsk Kostroma Krasnoyarsk Moscow Nizhni Novgorod Novgorod Novosibirsk Omsk Orenburg Petrozavodsk Pskov Rostov Sergiev Possad (Zagorsk) St.Petersburg Suzdal Tula Ulan-Ude Vladimir Vladivostok Yaroslavl Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk See also: The main tourist centres and attractions of C.I.S countries Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk is the center of Belomorie (the White Sea region), a nature reserve in northen Russia. The former name of the city is New Kholmogory. The present name was given to the city after the old Michael-Archangel Monastery. Before the Reforms of Peter the Great, Arkhangelsk was the only “sea gate” of Russia through which trade with Europe was conducted. Russian shipbuilding originated at the end of the 17th century. Exactly in this area Peter the Great founded the first Russian shipyard, started the construction of the first ship, and in a year-time personally participated in its launching. Many well-known expeditions of Russian travellers for the exploration of the North and discovery of new lands started from the port of Arkhangelsk. During World War II, the port of Arkhangelsk connected Russia with the Allied powers. Military hardware from Britain, Canada and the U. S. came to Russia via the northern waters of the Arctic Ocean. Currently, Arkhangelsk is a well developed industrial, scientific and cultural center. Its history, monuments, museums, theatres, new squares and avenues, old city buildings, a beautiful embankment and unforgettable white nights — make the city a real attraction for tourists. top || accommodation Astrakhan Astrakhan is located in the upper part of the Volga River delta. It is the center of the lower reaches of the Volga. The city appeared on the map in the early Middle Ages. It was the center of the Khazar, a feudal state in Eastem Europe. At the end of the 13th century the Mongol Khans founded the city of Astrakhan on the right bank of the Volga River. It became the center of the Golden Horde. The state was founded by Batiy, a grandson of Genghis Khan. Soon the city turned into a large trade center, but at the end of the 14th centure it was ruined completely by Tamerlane, a famous invader. In 1558, warriors of Ivan the Terrible founded a fortress here, thus opening a new era in the history of Astrakhan — the period of a border city. In the 17th century, it became the southern advanced post of the Russian state which played a significant role in its foundation and development. Here passed trade routes to the Crimea, Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Persia and India. The intermingling of historical destinies of the Russians, Tatars, Kazakhs, Nagais, Kalmyks and the Caucasian peoples is a characteristic feature of the city. The combination of Russian Orthodox Churches with Moslem Mosques, Persian and Armenian caravanserais with synagogues is typical of Astrakhan’s architecture. Currently, Astrakhan is a large port on the Volga River with a population of 0.5 million. Astrakhan offers many interesting excursions including to the Kremlin — a monument of architecture of the second half of the 16th centry — and a picture gallery featuring more than 3,000 pictures, drawigs and items of applied art. A green-house with a unique collection of tropical flora is located at the October cinema built by an Astrakhan merchant. The Astrakhan biosphere national park in the lower reaches of the Volga, where the great Russian river breaks up into 800 small rivers, is of a special interest. It is a real kingdom of over 260 species of birds. There is also a wide variety of animals such as boars, raccoons, musquashes, desmans, otters and beavers. In addition, there are spawning grounds of the local marketable fish and sturgeon migration ways. top || accommodation Ivanovo Ivanovo, one of the Golden Ring cities, is located on the bank of the great Russian river, Volga, 300 km north-east of Moscow. The first settlement was founded in the 16th century, where peasants were engaged in woodcarving, preparing dye-stuff and weaving flax linen. Flax weaving was the key trade. In 1742, Boutrimov, a serfman, opened the first linen mill here. Soon the village turned into the center of the country’s textile industry, the so-called “cotton empire.” Ivanovo cotton fabrics were in great demand not only all over Russia but also abroad — in Britain, Persia and other countries. In 1871, when the village of Ivanovo merged with Voznesensk Posad, it became known as the city of Ivanovo. Ivanovo played an important role not only in the economic but also in the political history of Russia: in its time the city was the largest center of the working class movement, where the first Council (Soviet) was formed. It served as a model of the country rule in the Soviet period. Wonderful architectural monuments such as the wooden Assumption Church and Shudrov Tent —an example of industrial structure — have been preserved until now. Palekh — 65 km from Ivanovo. Tourists can see the Church of Exalatation of the Cross; icon painting of the 14—19th centuries; Memorial Museum of Ivan Golikov, the founder of Modern Palekh lacquer painting; exhibits of the Museum of Lacquer Miniatures. top || accommodation Irkutsk is the capital of Eastern Siberia. Irkutsk was founded as a small settlement by Russian Cossacks. It was a wooden fortress on the banks of the Angara-river, where the Irkut — its tributaryflows into its waters. Soon it got the status of the city. During its 300 years history it has witnessed many wonderful events. Today Irkutsk is a modern city with a population of 600 000 people. Traditionally Irkutsk has been the country’s main producer of furs. Siberian furs are of great demand at international fur auctions. The central part of the city is an outstanding architectural ensemble in the Russian classical style. Your aim will be the Lake Baikal (65 km), one of the most beautiful and deepest lakes in the world. The size of the lake is impressive: 636 km long, 31,5 thousand sq. km, 1620 m deep. The water in the Lake Baikal is unusually transparent and cold. The excursion to the Lake Baikal is unforgettable. Hunting and fishing are a unique opportunity not only to enjoy the beauty of Siberia but also to test oneself in the tour “for survival.” top || accommodation Khabarovsk is situated on the Amur river. The city was founded in 1858 as a military fortress. Today Khabarovsk is a modern city, a scientific, cultural and industrial centre of the Far East. Its population is about 600 000 people. From the cliff you can enjoy the beauty of the Amur-river, having its source in Mongolia. The length of it is about 4000 km, the width in summer is up to 3-4 km. The flora and fauna of the region are unique. You’ll be surprised to see a fir-tree entwined with grapes and manchurian nut-tree, growing close to a cedar and a fir. The Amur river abounds in fish. Only here you can see a tzar-fish-kaluga. top || accommodation Kostroma offers an opportunity to stay in the 19th cent. town. This is a town on the Volga with an unusual fan-shaped layout, designed by very talented architects. There are no houses alike in Kostroma. The town was founded in 1153 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, that’s why Kostroma is called Moscow’s “blood sister”. The pearl of Kostroma is the ensemble of the Ipatiev Monastery. The central part of the town is an outstanding architectural ensemble built in the Russian classical style: the market rows, the fire tower, the watchtower and the official buildings. The so-called old town is the oldest part of the monastery (15th cent.).The monastery’s pride is the five-cupols Trinity Cathedral. In 1613 an emissary of the Zemskii Assembly came from Moscow to announce to Mikhail Romanov (he was the first of the new dynasty of Russian tzars), that he had been elected a tzar. Rare books are kept in the monastery, among them the famous Ipatiev Chronicle, a real encyclopaedia of Ancient Rus. kostr3.jpg (16569 bytes) top || accommodation Out-of-town-tours: Pless; Nerekhta; Krasnoe-on-the-Volga village. kostr1.jpg (17307 bytes) kostr2.jpg (23184 bytes) top || accommodation Krasnoyarsk is the largest Siberian port on the Yenissey River. The history of the city, founded by the first Russian explorers, dates back to more 300 years. The city’s spectacular growth is largely due to the Trans-Siberian railway and the construction of the bridge across the Yenissey Krasnoyarsk was founded in 1628. It was a fortress built on the high Krasny Yar overlooking the Enissei river. Thanks to the fertile land the city was soon settled by Russian explorers sent here from the European part of Russia in the middle of the 18th century. The second largest hydro-electric power station (after Sayano-Shushensk) is at Krasnoyarsk. top || accommodation Nizhni Novgorod Nizhni Novgorod, 400 km east of Moscow, lies at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers. The town was founded in 1219-1222 as outpost of the Russian principalities in the struggle against external enemies. The nature of Nizhni Novgorod Region is various: in the north its area is covered with dense Kerzhensky forests, where, up to now, brown bears, wolverines, elks and other animals can be found. It was here, in the Kerzhinsky forests, that quite a few villages and small and secluded monasterits, inhabited by old believers since the 17th century, have been preserved to this day. In the south the steppe extends over a wide area. The Volga divides the area below Nizhni Novgorod into two almost equal districts, which are known since old times as “in the forest” and “in the mountains”. At the end of last century Nizhni Novgorod was a major commercial centre of Russia, and the Makaryevsky Fair, which was held there, was one of the most significant in Europe. All the architecture of the center of the town corresponds to the Russian merchants’ way of living. Visiting Nizhni Novgorod by foreigners besame available only in the post-Soviet period because of a great number of “classified units” located here. The Art Museum of the town is called a “miniature Tretyakow Gallery”: its collection of pictures by Russian artists of different periods is one of the best in Russia. Nizhni Novgorod Region has always been renowned for its crafts — Khokhloms and Gorodets painting on wood, Balakhna lace and Pavlovo filigree. In the forests behind the Volga, at the Svetloyar Lake, there is one of the most mysterious places in Russia. As a legend says, at one time there stood the town of Kitezh, which disappeared in a flash but did not surrender to the Tatar conquerors. The local citizens say that when the weather is clear and calm, one can see the reflection of the town in the lake and hear the quiet ringing of the church bells. top || accommodation Novgorod Though Novgorod means “a new city” in Russian, it is one of the oldest Russian cities. It was founded in 859 on the bank of the Volkhov River and for a long time was the capital of the rich and influential Novgorod Republic. Novgorod appeared at the crossroads of a number of imponant routes and soon turned into the leading trade center of feudal Russia. Novgorod became famous for the freethinking and independence of its citzens. Only as a result of the military campaigns of Tzar Ivan III in the 15th century the city was joined to the Russian state. Many architectural monuments were built in the 11–17th centuries including over forty ancient churches, magnificent museums of history and culture which make contemporary Novgorod a city-museum, an architectural preserve. Novgorod’s environs are also very interesting. The great Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky lived for a long time in the of Staraya Russa which was described in his novel, The Karamazov Brothers. The picturesque environs of one the most ancient monasteries in Russia — the Yuriev Monastery — have inspired many Russian artists. Vitoslavitsy — a museum of wooden architecture — features ancient churches (built in the 15—16th centuries) and peasant’s structures from the nearby villages. Near Novgorod, archeologists have found many written monuments of ancient Russian culture-birchbark letters and well-preserved remains of ancient structures, wooden pavements and different objects of everyday life. top || accommodation Novosibirsk The appearance of the city on the map of Russia is connected with the construction of the railway bridge over the Ob river for the Trans-Siberian railway. In was founded in 1893. This is the only city in the world where the population has reached 1,5 mln within 70 years. So, as for its area, it is the third city in Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg. Today Novosibirsk is one of Russia’s main scientific centres. The Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of Russia is located here, as well as research institutes of Western and Eastern Siberia and the Far East, the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Medicine. top || accommodation Omsk Although Omsk is a major industrial city of Siberia, it is very picturesque and comfortable. The city extends over 40 km along the banks of the Irtysh river. The city was named after the Om river, which means “quiet”. Its origin is connected with Russian Cossacks who founded a fortress at the confluence of the Om and the Irtysh in 1716. At the end of the 19th cent., the Trans-Siberian Railway was built, which connected Omsk with the European part of Russia. Omsk served as a place of exile for adversaries of tzarist regime. The life of the great Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky is closely bound with the city. He spent 4 years in jail and described that period in his famous “Notes from a Dead House”. top || accommodation Orenburg Orenburg was founded in 1743. Today Orenburg is a city with a population of 500,000. It is situated in the Southern part of the Ural mountains. Orenburg is a major industrial center of Russia, with 90 enterprises, including those of gas industry. Crafts made by local masters — down headscarves, as thin as a spider’s web so that they can be hidden in a goose-egg shell and pulled through a wedding ring — are famous all over the world. In Orenburg there is Russia’s oldest higher military-aviation school, where the first man in space Yuri Gagarin studied. One can see the plane he flew near its entrance. The history of Orenburg cover three centuries. The exploration of this place started in the 18th century and the center of a huge gubernia (region) was founded in 1743. The life was quiet and peaceful here up to 1773, when the gubernia, as well as the whole of Russia suffiered the severe peasant war headed by Yemelian Pugachev. In the 19th century, the city was growing into a military and bureaucratic center. In the autumn of 1833, it was visited by Alecxander Pushkin, who afterwards wrote a novel, The Captain’s Daughter, and The History of Pugachev. In the city’s central street one can see buildings which are historical and architectural monuments. Here is the famous Rychkov’s house that once belonged to the explorer of the area. His wife was interested in local down scarves production and presented them in the Free Economic Society. She was awarded a gold medal for that. Since then the down headscarves became famous. Also you will hear about Orenburg Cossacks. Today Orenburg is a center of gas industry and down scarves craft. During the tour you will visit the Local History Museum. top || accommodation Petrozavodsk The capital of Karelia lies on the shore of the Onega Lake, 300 km north-east of St.Petersburg. Peter the Great gave rise to the city by building a gun factory there in 1703. In 1777 Petrozavodsk gained the status of the city. Its first Governor was the outstanding Russian post Gavrjil Derzhavin. The natural preserve, Kivach, is located not far from Petrozavodsk. There are more than fifty waterfalls on the River which is called “the mother of waterfalls”. There is also the first Russian health resort, Murtisialny Vody, near Petrozavodsk, founded by Peter the Great. The island of Kizhi, a one hour drive from the city, is a unique open-air museum of Russian wooden architecture. “The eighth wonder of the world” — the Intercession Cathedral of the 17th century — was built of wood with not a single nail. The structure astounds with its height and a great number of domes. Civil structures and temples created by northern architects in the 14th century, are also of great interst. top || accommodation Pskov The old Russian city of Pskov has not withered in the course of time. Its special serenity is typical of a provincial Russian town. The Kremlin of the city reflects its glorious past. Pskov was first mentioned in Russian chronicles in 903. From the 12th to the mid-17th centuries this strongly fortified city-state stood guard over Russian lands in the north-west. On April 5, 1242 Prince Alexander Nevsky routed the German knights on the ice of the Chudskoye Lake. This battle went down in history as the Ice Battle. The armies of the Polish king, Stephen Bathory, and the Swedish warrior-king, Gustav Adolphus, were defated at the approaches to the city. In the Middle Ages, Pskov like Novgorod was a feudal republic which did not want to submit to Moscow for a long time. In 1721 the war with Sweden ended. The Russian border was moved far to the west. And the city lost its military value. Tourist are attracted to Pskov by its ancient architecturat monuments. There are more than 100 of them in city. Among them are the Pskov Kremlin with the Trinity Cathedral (built in the 17th century) and Mirozhsky Monastery (12th century) which is famous for its frescoes. Other attractions include 17th century merchants’ houses, small churches and monasteries which are especially charming. Pskov and its environs are closely connected with the name of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. Mikhailovskoye, Pushkin’s family estate, is located not far from Pskov. Trigorskoye (“trigory” means “three hills” in Russian) is half-way from Mikhailovskoy. It belonged to Praskovya Osipova-Wolf. During his exile Pushkin often visited her family. And his wonderful verses were dedicated to them. Pushkin loved the beauty of the landscape which was a real inspiration for his works. And it was in the cemetery of Svyatogorsky Monastery that Pushkin was buried on February 6, 1837. The famous Russian composers Modest Mussorgsky and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov lived near Pskov at the end of the 19th century. top || accommodation Rostov Rostov the Great is one most interesting cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. “A miracle” from the past, “a symphony in stone”, “an eternal city of Russia” — such poetic names are given to this ancient Russian city by its visitors. At the end of the first millennium Rostov was a flourishing, densely populated city, an important center of Russian statehood. The fame of the city grew whith the construction of the Kremlin in the 17th century on the shore of the Nero Lake. Currently, the city takes pride in architectural monuments and items of monumental icon painting. The famous Rostov bell ringing was revived recently; for the harmony and fascinating sounds Rostov bells are called “red” (or “beautiful”). Amazing sounds of Rostov bell-tolling can be heard for miles and miles around. top || accommodation Sergiev Possad (Zagorsk) Sergiev Possad, one of the most interesting old towns of Central Russia, is situated 58 kilometres from Noskow. The town was founded in the 14th century as a settlement around the Trinity Monastery. The founder of the monastery was the Saint Sergy Radonezhsky canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. zagorsk2.jpg (20778 bytes) The Trinity Sergiev Monastery was one of the largest monasteries founded in Russia in the 14—15th centuries. In 1774, the monastery was given the title Lavra, i. e. the monastery of the highest rank. The Trinity Sergiev Monastery played an important role in the history of the formation of the centralized Russian state and in the development of the Russian culture. zagorsk1.jpg (27306 bytes) Due to its wealth, the monastery could afford to invite the best architects ans icon-painters for the construction and decoration of the buildings. The monastery bought and was given as gifts a lot of first class objects of art and crafts. The best of these now form the collection of the Museum which is located on the grounds of the monastery. The architectural ensemble of the Trinity Sergiev Monastery was accomplished by the end of the 18th century. The oldest structure of the monastery is the Trinity Cathedral built in 1422 to 1423 and painted by the Russian icon painters of genius Andrei Rublev and Daniel Chorny. The Assumption Cathedral (1558-1585) which resembles the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin is the center of the ensemble of the monastery. On the grounds of the Trinity Sergiev Monastery there is a museum which was founded in 1920. The exposition of the museum consists of ancient Russian art of the 14-17th centuries, embroidery, gold and silver works and masterpieces of ancient icon painting. In the Soviet time, the monastery was the official residence of the Patriarch of All Russia. zagorsk3.jpg (24066 bytes) top || accommodation Suzdal is a town-museum. It was awarded the Golden Apple prize by UNESCO for the preservation of its unique architectural ensemble and tourist development. Suzdal’s beautiful monasteries and churches attract tourists from all over the world. A special charm of Suzdal comes from its numerous architectural and historical monuments created in the span of many centuries. The ancient architectural ensemble of Suzdal is extremely picturesque. The town of Suzdal started with the Kremlin. Nowadays it houses an outstanding museum of icons. Suzdal emerged as a trade and artisan centre at the beginning of the 11th cent. After the capture of Kiev by the Lithuanians in the 13th century it became the religious centre of Mediaeval Rus. You’ll enjoy the monasteries of Suzdal (5), numerous churches dating from the 13th cent. In the Museum of Wooden Architecture, which is on the right bank of the Kamenka river, you can enjoy the beauty of traditional Russian architecture, learn about Russian history, culture and the life-style centuries ago. suzdal3.jpg (13064 bytes) suzdal1.jpg (14046 bytes) suzdal2.jpg (12449 bytes) top || accommodation Tula The history of the city of Tula has its origin from the depths of unrecorded time in the Vyaticht tribes, who settled in the basin of the upper and middle Oka. The first mention of the tows was made in the 12th centry. The name of “Tula” derives from the name of the Tulista River. According to the well-known linguist Vladimir Dal, the word “Tula” is interpreted as a “hidden, unapproachable, naturally well protected place.” After 1380, when in the great battle on the Kulikovo Field, 130 km south-east of Tula, the army of the Moscow prince Dmitry defeated utterly the tatar army of the Golden Horde, the town formed a part of the united Russian state. Its fate was defined by history itself to be the shield of Russia, to defend the capital from the south. By the middle of the 17th centure Tula was gradually becoming a more and more well-known center of crafts and commerce. The town was getting clothed in stone, life was becoming more brisk. At the of the 16th century the first settlement, inhabited by blacksmiths, sprang up here, which gave the town of Tula a new reputation of a weapons maker, the armory of Russia. In 1712, by the order of Emperor Peter the Great the Tula gun factory, the oldest one in Russia, was built, which has not lost its significance until now. The coat of arms of Tula, originated in the 18th centry, also reflects its craft — the art of weapons makers. top || accommodation Ulan-Ude is the capital of the Buryat Autonomous Republic of the Russian Federation. In is located at the foot of the mountains, at the confluence of two rivers, the Uda and the Selenga (75 km from the Lake Baikal). The population of Ulan-Ude is about 350 000 people. Ulan-Ude is almost 3 centuries old. Due to its advantageous geographical position the city grew rapidly and became a big trade centre which connected Russia with Mongolia. The city’s economic development is largely due to the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway (1899). There are a lot of historical and cultural monuments in Ulan-Ude, the settlements of ancient people, dating back to the 2-1 cent. B. C. In the 18th cent. Buryatia became the part of rhe Russian Empire. Ulan-Ude is one of centres of Thibetan medicine. It was officialy recognized as the Russian centre of Buddhism in the middle of the 18th cent. by Empress Elizabeth. Nowadays threre are 20 Buddhist temples in Buryatia. The most beautiful one is the Ivolga datsan — 40 km from Ulan-Ude. top || accommodation Vladimir vladimir.jpg (22521 bytes) is one of the oldest cities. It is a part of Russia’s Golden Ring tour. The northeastern part of ancient Rus is rich in historical and cultural monuments. In the second half of the 12th century it was the capital of Vladimir-Suzdal principality. The town developed, grew stronger, trade and crafts flourished. It played an important role in the formation of the Russian centralised state. Among the oldest buildings in Vladimir are the Cathedral of the Assuption (early 12th cent.) decorated by Andrei Rublyov, the Cathedral of St. Dmitrii (12th cent.), the church attended by Prince Vsevolod III, and finally the famous Golden Gates (12th cent.), one of the few survived defensive structures of ancient Rus. The wonderful monument of ancient Russian architecture of Vladimir and Suzdal will leave you with memories that will last for ever and will bring you closer to the culture and history of Russia. top || accommodation Vladivostok occupies a special place among the country’s cites. It is situated on the Muravyov-Amur peninsula. It is washed by the waters of the Amur and Ussuri Straits. There are several bays suitable for sailing, one of which, the Golden Horn, is closely linked to the history of the city. It was founded in 1860 when the Russian warship Manchur anchored in the bay of the Golden Horn of the Amur Gulf. A maritime strong point was laid on the northern side of the bay. Soon it was given the status of the city. On the 1st of June 1891 the construction of the railway line between Vladivostok and Khabarovsk was started as a part of the Trans-Siberian. Today Vladivostok is the country’s largest Pacific sea port, the city with the population of 700 000. The life of the city is closely linked to the sea. In 1992 the city was opened for foreign tourists. top || accommodation Yaroslavl is one of the oldest Russian cities. It was founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslavl is situated at the spot where the Kotorosl river inflows into the Volga. Yaroslavl emerged as a fortress which controlled the Volga trading route. Yaroslavl is famous for its remarkable architectural monuments. Not by chance they call it “Russian Florence”. The first stone buildings were constructed in Yaroslavl in the 13th ctnt. The oldest architectural monument goes back to the first half of the 16th cent. Among the monuments of that time of note are: the Cathedral of Transfiguration of the Savior, the belfry, the refectory, the church of Nativity. The 17th cent. in the history of the city is known as “a golden age”. At that time the so-called Yaroslavl school of architecture was formed: a mixture of Moscow school of stone architecture and traditions of northern wooden architecture. yarosl.jpg (20233 bytes) The pearl of Yaroslavl’s architecture is the church of Elijah the Prophet (1647-1650). Yaroslavl is the home of the first Russian professional theatre. The city’s proud is the embankment. It took shape in the first half of the 19th cent. Yaroslavl is a birthplace of many outstanding people. top || accommodation Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Out of 19 towns of the Sakhalin Island Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is the largest one. The town was founded in 1882 as a small settlement by Russian Cossacks. In 1905 the southern park of the island passed to Japan. They called the town Tajohara, which “fertile soiles”. Since 1947 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk has been the main town of the Sakhalin region. It includes 59 islands and the Kuril Islandes. The largest one is Sakhalin. The population of the town is about 170 000. Today Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a modern town, situated in the picturesque valley. There is the oldest railway for children in the country (built 30 years ago), the Drama theatre, the Puppet theatre, the Arts Museum, the museum of local history. The town of Kholmsk is of great interest for tourists. The road to Kholmsk is very picturesque. It runs through the Kamyshovskii range, bridges over canyons, numerous tunnels, the Devil bridge, which crosses the railway at high altitude, passes small rivers and waterfalls. It is possible to organise an excursion to the Kuril Islands, the mountain chain, having 40 active and many extinct volcanoes. The Kuril Islands are situated from the southwest to the north-east (from Hokkaido to the Kamchyatka peninsula). The big Kuril Range is 1200 km long, it consists of 30 islands. The small Kuril Range is 105 km. It has 6 islands. Out of 6 islands the largest one is Shikotan. “Shikotan” means “the best place”. The island is overgrown with forest and lianas. There is an active volcano (Mendeleev) and many hot mineral springs on the Kunashir island. The Kuril Islads are famous for numerous lakes. You’ll be impressed by the beauty of the mountain lake on the Onekotan Island, the boiling lake Ponto on the Kunashir Island and picturesque waterfalls. top || accommodation See also: The main tourist centres and attractions of C.I.S countries |
| ___________Transsiberian
railway 1. General facts Transsiberian trains go from Moscow to Beijing (China) or to Vladivostok. But the most popular route is Moscow-Beijing (through Mongolia). The major cities the trains going through are Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Ulan-Bator (Mongolia), Beijing (China). Our route planner allows to combine the FIT tour from the different segments of the journey. Part 2 – train departures information and tickets costs for any possible segments of the journey. Part 3 – FIT rates for the hotels, transfers and excursions in the cities of Transiberian route. Information about hotels, transfers and FIT excursions in Moscow is available from our general brochure “Confidential rates for travel agents” or from our WEB page http://www.moscowvoyage.msk.ru (click MOSCOW). 2. Railway tickets (The rates are given in USD p.p., min. group – 1 pax). 1-st class 2-nd class Scheduled departure time (Moscow time) Journey time (no route brakes incl.) Scheduled arrival time (Moscow time) Moscow - Beijingtrain № 20departs on Fridays 435 $ 270 $ 23-53 145 hours 05-20 Moscow – Ulan Batortrain №6 Russian/Mongolian wagons. Train departs on Wednesdays & Thursdays 285 $ / 275 $ 179 $ / 175 $ 21-32 102 hours 7-35 Moscow – Ulan Batortrain № 4 (Chinese) departs on Tuesdays 257 $ 156 $ 21-32 102 hours 7-35 Moscow – EkaterinburgTrain № 16, departs daily 198 $ 98 $ 15-57 27 hours 18-32 Moscow – IrkutskTrain № 10, departs 1,3,5…29 days of the mounth 435 $ 230 $ 23-35 77 hours 04-30 Moscow – IrkutskTrain № 2, departs on 1,3,5…29 days of the mounth 410 $ 220 $ 21-22 76 hours 02-33 Moscow – Ulan-UdeTrain № 340/350, departs daily 340 $ 165 $ 14-40 96 hours 14-16 Moscow – Ulan-UdeTrain № 2, departs on 1,3,5 and so on 495 $ 250 $ 21-22 85 hours 10-01 Moscow – Ulan-UdeTrain № 44, departs on 1,3,5 and so on 350 $ 175 $ 00-35 94 hours 23-06 Ekaterinburg – IrkutskTrain № 2, departs 2,4,6 days of the week 295 $ 170 $ 23-52 51 hour 02-33 Irkutsk – VladivostokTrains №2,8 , depart daily 325 $ 170 $ 02-56 72 Hour 02-07 Irkutsk – Ulan-UdeTrain № 364, departs daily Not available 42 $ 15-10 10 hours 01-25 Irkutsk – Ulan BatorTrain № 6 (Russian), departs on Mondays 115 $ 78 $ 01-04 25 Hours 07-35 Irkutsk – Ulan BatorTrain № 364 departs daily Not available 55 $ 15-10 34 Hours 06-20 Irkutsk – Ulan BatorTrain № 4 (Chinese), departs on Saturdays 100 $ 57 $ 01-04 25 Hours 07-35 Ulan-Ude – Ulan-BatorTrain № 364, departs daily Not available 90 $ 01-55 24 hours 23-25 Ulan Bator - BeijingTrain № 4 (Chinese), departs on Sundays 108 $ 79 $ 01-45 25 Hours 02-40 Ulan Bator - Beijingtrain № 364 (Chinese), departs daily 87 $ 47 $ 15-27 34 hours 0-30 Discount for a child under 10 years old - 25%. 3. Cities on route 3.1. Ekaterinburg 3.1.1. Ekaterinburg hotels (The rates are given in USD per room per night, VAT included) Hermitage hotel 3* BB Sngl – 88 $, Dbl – 121 $ Hotel charges additional 25% of the first night cost as the reservation fee Ural hotel 4* ВВ Sngl – 130 $, Dbl – 140 $ Atrium Palace Hotel 5* ВВ Sngl –199 $, Dbl – 261 $ 3.1.2. Ekaterinburg excursions and transfers. (The rates are given in USD p.p. VAT included). Description 1 pax 2 pax 3-5 pax Railway station-hotel transfer (or wise versa) 30 $ 15 $ 12 $ City sightseeing tour (3 hours) 44 $ 30 $ 26 $ Ural Golgofa tour (4 hours) 70 $ 50 $ 35 $ The Museum of Ural stones 33 $ 17 $ 10 $ Lunch or dinner 20 $ 20 $ 20 $ 3.2. Irkutsk- Baikal Tours TOUR N 1. Irkutsk (3 days\2 nights) Day 1. * Arrival in Irkutsk. * Transfer to the hotel*** or ****. * Accommodation in the hotel . * City tour. Day 2. * Full-day trip to the world deepest lake of Baikal. * On the way - visit to the Open Air Wooden Architecture Museum. * Lunch at the restaurant on the shore of the Lake. * Visit to Limnological Museum with its unique collection of flora and fauna species Baikal Lake. * Transfer to Irkutsk Day 3. * Visit to one of Irkutsk museums (at choice – local lore museum, art gallery, museum of Spasskaja church, mineralogical or nature study museum, etc.) * Transfer to airport or railway station. * Departure Price per person. FIT rates 2 pax 3 – 8 pax Hotel *** Sgl accommodation 367 $ 334 $ Hotel *** Dbl accommodation 321 $ 288 $ Hotel **** Sgl accommodation 436$ 403 $ Hotel **** Dbl accommodation 366 $ 334 $ TOUR N 2. Irkutsk – Baikal (5 days/4 nights) Circum-Baikal Raiway – NEW!!! The old part of Transsiberian , which is the unique monument of engineering architecture with 39 tunnels and more than 400 engineer constructions built in the beginning of the century. Day 1. * Arrival in Irkutsk. * Transfer to the hotel.*** or **** * Accommodation in the hotel (double & single rooms). * City tour, visit to Znamensky nunnery and the site of foundation of Irkutsk fort. Day 2. * Transfer to the railway station * Tourist train Irkutsk-Sljudianka-port Baikal –Listwianka (only on Wednesday and Saturday)- business class. * Lunch in the train. * Transfer to the hotel in Listwianka * Accommodation in the hotel*** Day 3. * Btreakfast * Tour of Listwianka * Visit to Limnological Museum with Aquarium * 1-hour boat trip on the Lake * Overnight in Listwianka Day 4. * After lunch – transfer to Irkutsk * On the way - visit to the outdoor Museum of wooden Architecture. * Accommodation at the hotel*** or ****. Day 5. * Transfer to airport or railway station. * Departure Price per person. FIT rates 2 pax 3 – 8 pax Hotel *** Sgl accommodation 593 $ 554 $ Hotel *** Dbl accommodation 547$ 508 $ Hotel **** Sgl accommodation 662 $ 623 $ Hotel **** Dbl accommodation 593 $ 554$ TOUR N 3. Irkutsk - Listvianka Homestay (4 days / 3 nights) (not more than 3 pax!) Day 1. * Arrival in Irkutsk. * Transfer to homestay. * Acquaintance with a family, and local life style. * City tour * Dinner Day 2. * Full-day trip to the world deepest lake of Baikal. * On the way - visit to Open Air Wooden Architecture Museum. * Lunch at the restaurant on the shore of the lake * Visit to Limnological Museum, widely presenting flora and fauna of Baikal lake. * Homestay or private hotel accommodation Day 3. * At leisure (rest at Baikal). * P.M. departure for Irkutsk. * Homestay. * Dinner. Day 4. * After breakfast - transfer to airport or railway station. * Departure. Price per person. FIT rates 1 pax 424 $ 2 pax 312$ 3 pax 283 $ TOUR N4 Irkutsk – Baikal (4 days/3 nights) Visit of Bolshie Koty village – NEW!!! Bolshie Koty is a small village, located at Lake Baikal shore 90 km northeast from Listvyanka. Surrounded by woody hills and picturesque rock cliffs this solitude place has its own life rhythm measured not by hours but seasons making you really relaxed of tight schedule, noise and rush hours. Day 1. * Arrival in Irkutsk. * Transfer to Listwianka * Accommodation at private hotel or hotel *** * Tour of Listwianka. * Visit to Limnological Museum with aquarium Day 2. * Transfer to the pier * Boat transfer to Bolshie Koty village. * Acquaintance with the biological scientific station * Trekking to old desolate gold mines * Climbing to the rock Grebeshok * Lunch-picnic * Trekking to Listwianka * Overnight at private hotel or hotel *** Day 3. * Btreakfast * Transfer to Irkutsk * On the way - visit to the outdoor Museum of wooden Architecture. * Accommodation at the hotel*** or homestay Day 4. * Transfer to airport or railway station. * Departure Price per person. FIT rates 2 pax Private hotel + Homestay Dbl accommodation 380 $ Hotel *** Sgl accommodation 562$ Hotel *** Dbl accommodation 457 $ 3.3. Ulan-Ude 3.3.1. Ulan-Ude hotels (The rates are given in USD per room per night, VAT included) Geser hotel 3* ВВ Sngl – 104 $, Dbl –144 $ Sagan Morin hotel 3* BB Sngl – 73 $, Dbl standard – 136 $ 3.3.2. Ulan-Ude excursions and transfers (The rates are given in USD p.p. VAT included). Description 1 pax 2 pax 3–5 pax Station – hotel transfer 30 $ 19 $ 18 $ City sightseeing tour 35 $ 30 $ 25 $ History and Nature museum 36 $ 33 $ 29 $ Ivolginskiy Datsan – the center of Russian Buddhism 124 $ 84 $ 55 $ Buryat folk show 62 $ 52 $ 40$ Shaman ceremony participation 58 $ 45 $ 38$ 3.4. Ulan-Bator (Mongolia) 3.4.1. Ulan-Bator hotels (The rates are given in USD per room per night, VAT included) Marco Polo hotel 3* BB Sngl – 58 $, Dbl – 86 $ Genex hotel 3* BB Sngl – 60 $, Dbl – 106 $ Zaluuchuud hotel 3* BB Sngl – 48 $, Dbl – 92 $ Tuushin hotel 3* BB Sngl – 82 $, Dbl – 124 $ Bayangol hotel 3* BB Sngl – 78 $, Dbl – 112 $ Chingis Khaan hotel 4* BB Sngl – 92 $, Dbl – 126 $ 3.4.2. Ulan-Bator excursions and transfers (The rates are given in USD p.p. VAT included). Description 1 pax 2 pax 3–5 pax Mongolian visa support 15 $ 15 $ 15 $ Station – hotel transfer 28 $ 15 $ 13 $ City sightseeing tour 45 $ 25 $ 21 $ City tour + Bogdikhan museum 51 $ 32 $ 19 $ Bogdikhan museum visit 30 $ 19 $ 16 $ Bogdikhan museum + Nature museum visits 42 $ 28 $ 25 $ Horse riding, per hour 9 $ 9 $ 9 $ Mongolian folk show visit 19 $ 17 $ 15 $ Visit of Terelj, 8 hours (entrance fee to the National Park and lunch at local restaurant are included) 96 $ 65 $ 45 $ 3.5. Beijing (China) 3.5.1. Beijing hotels (The rates are given in USD per room per night, VAT included) Grand Hotel 5* BB Sngl – 240 $, Dbl – 240 $ Sheraton Hotel 5* BB Sngl – 234 $, Dbl – 244 $ Grand Hyatt Beijing 5* BB Sngl – 260 $, Dbl – 275 $ Prime Hotel 5* BB Sngl – 172 $, Dbl – 182 $ Jianguo Hotel 4* BB Sngl – 188 $, Dbl – 198 $ Beijing LandMark Towers 4* BB Sngl – 123 $, Dbl – 135 $ Gloria Plaza Hotel 4* BB Sngl – 130$, Dbl – 140 $ Huadu Hotel 4* BB Sngl – 117 $, Dbl – 126 $ Taiwan Hotel 3* BB Sngl – 131 $, Dbl – 140 $ Jian An Huahg Du Hotel 3* BB Sngl – 87 $, DBl – 98 $ 3.5.2. Beijing excursions and transfers (The rates are given in USD p.p. VAT included). Description 1 pax 2 pax 3–5 pax Chinese visa support 15 $ 15 $ 15 $ Train station – hotel transfer 25 $ 18 $ 15 $ Hotel – airport transfer 35 $ 27 $ 23 $ The Great Chinese Wall, Min Dynasty cemetery (lunch included) 95 $ 85 $ 71 $ The Park of Peace and Sky Pagoda (lunch included) 90 $ 80 $ 67 $ Imperator Palace and Buddhist monastery visit (lunch included) 87 $ 76 $ 65 $ Imperator Garden, Oceanarium, Beijing Zoo (lunch included) 95 $ 85 $ 71 $ Beijing city sightseeing tour 50 $ 45 $ 39 $ Beijing Circus show 20 $ 20 $ 20 $ Beijing Opera performance 30 $ 30 $ 30 $ |
| _____________Moscow Accommodation || Transfers || Excursions Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, is a political, economic, cultural and scientific centre. It was founded in 1147 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki on the outskirts of Suzdar Principality. At the end of the 15th century Moscow became the capital of the first Russian centralized state. At the beginning of the 18th century. Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg. After the October Revolution it became for the second time the capital of a new state. The Moscow Kremlin: a symbol of Moscow and Russia. It’s the former residence of Russian tzars and patriarchs. It holds a unique collection of historical, architectural and cultural items. The Kremlin contains such unique masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture as the Cathedral of the Assumption — once the main cathedral of Rus, where tzars were crowned and patriachs buried; the Cathedral of Archangel Michael, the burial place of Russian tzars and Grand princes; the Cathedral of the Annunciation, the royal chapel. The Armoury Chamber, established in 1720 by order of Peter I, is the oldest Russian museum and a treasure house of Russian artistic craftsmanship from ancient times till our days. Red Square has had different names over the long years of its existence. Red Square is a unique architectural ensemble. Here is the gem of Russian architecture — the Cathedral of the Intercession (St. Basil’s Cathedral), the State Department Store (GUM), the Lobnoye mesto, the State History Museum. Red Square is famous for the many historic events is has witnessed. The Intercession Cathedral (St. Basil’s) is a unique monument of Russian architecture. It is a living witness of the Russian history. The Cathedral of St. Basil’s was built in honour of the final victory of Russian people over the tatar-mongols and the capture of Kazan (16th cent.). Now it is a branch of the State History Museum. The Tretyakov State Gallery, one of the world’s largest museums, a treasure house of old Russian art from the 11th cent. till our days. The gallery bears the name of its founder, Pavel Tretyakov, a rich Russian manufacturer and patron of art. He presented his collection to the city of Moscow in 1892. Now the Tretyakov Gallery holds more than 50000 works of painting, graphic art and sculpture. The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, one of the most famous museums of Western European. It is the second museum after the Hermitage as far as its collection is concerned. It was founded in 1912, as a collection of copies of famous sculptures of antiquity. Now it is one of the largest museums in the world with the unique collection of original works from Ancient Egypt, Fayum portraits, Western European art, a collection of impressionist and postimpressionist painting. Kuskovo. The palace and park of Kuskovo are one of the outstanding monuments of Russian culture. The palace, ponds, canals, pergolas and the park form the ensemble of the 18th cent. The palace of count Sheremetyev was built in the second half of the 18th cent, in the early classical style. The palace and park pavilions contain an exhibition of the State Ceramics Museum. Kolomenskoye. The architectural ensemble of Kolomenskoye, the former summer residence of Russian tzars was built in the 16—17th cent. It is an original example of ancient Russian architecture. The Ensemble includes the famous Church of the Ascension of the 16th cent. built in the old Russian “tent” style. An open-air museum includes examples of Russian wooden architecture of the 17—18th cent. The museum holds the collection of icons, metalwork, tiles, ets. The Moscow metro is considered the best in world. Today they cannot imagine Moscow without the metro. The metro map matches exactly the town map. It repeats Moscow’s traditional radial-circular lay-out. The Novodevichy (New maiden) Convent was founded in 1524 to commemorate the recapture of the old Russian city of Smolensk. The convent was built as a fortriess on the approaches to Moscow. The convent is unique ensemble. One can see the domes of its Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of Smolensk from quite some distance. The collection of the museum includes icons of the 16—17th cent., an exhibition of embroidery and jewellery. It is the residence of the Metropolitan of Moscow at the same time. On the grounds of the Convent there is the necropolis, where famous people are buried. The Holy Danilov Monastery is the oldest in Moscow. It was founded in 1282 by Grand prince Daniil, the youngest son of Alexander Nevskii. The monastery suffered a lot during the course of history, many times repulsing enemy attacks. From ancient times the monastery has been one of the centres of the Orthodox religion, culture and enlightenment. In 1987 the monastery was restored and expanded. The monastery is the venue for international ecumenical and peace conferences and religious assemblies organised by the External Church Relations Department. Nowadays it is the centre of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Moscow residence of the Patriarch of All Russia, an active monastery. Out-of-town excursions Sergiev Posad (the former Zagorsk). The history of the town is closely linked with the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh, who becoming a monk, in 1337 had founded the Monastery of the Holy Trinity. In the 17th cent. the monastery was turned into a strong citadel which repulsed enemy attacks on more than one occasion. Nowadays it is an active monastery with the theological Academy. It is a religious centre of the Russian Orthodox church, one of the residences of the Patriarch of All Russia. Its architectural ensemble of the 15—19th cent. represents all stages in the development of Russian architecture. The museum boasts a rich collection of icons, rare examples of folk art and Russian national dresses. Savvino-Storodgevsky Monastery. Situated in the town of Zvenigorod, 60 km from Moscow, it is one of the gems of Russian architecture of 15–17th centuries, the former summer residence of Tzar Alexei Romanov. Trinity-Sergius Lavra (70 km). It is the religious centre of Russian Orthodox church, the residence of the Patriarch of All Russia, a working monastery, with the Theological Academy. Its architectural ensemble of the 15—19th centuries represents all stages in the development of Russian architecture. The museum boasts a rich collection of icons the 15—17th centuries, rare examples of folk art and Russian national costumes. Klin (90 km) is one of the oldest cities of Central Russia. For the first time it was mentioned in the chronicles in 1234. Due to its advantageous position the town grew rapidly. Klin is famous for P. Tchaikovsky’s house-museum. The great Russian composer lived here for the last 8 years of his life. In Klin he wrote The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, completed the opera The Queen of Spades. The memorial museum attracts not only musicians from all over the world but also lovers of the great Russian composer. Transfers Destination Car (1-3) Minibus (8-10) Minibus (11-14) Coach (50) Airport SVO 1,2, Vnukovo, train st .- Hotel 50 85 105 150 Airport - Airport 65 95 120 150 DME Airport - hotel 55 90 110 150 Prices are net in EURO per car (minibus, bus) Individual fit rates for the excursions with guide services Excursions Working days Duration (hours) 1 pax 2 pax 3 pax 4 pax 1 City tour Daily 3 90 50 40 35 2 City tour with Kremlin territory Daily 5 155 90 75 65 3 Kremlin territory + 1 Cathedral Except Thursday 2 105 65 55 50 4 Kremlin territory + Armoury Chamber The same 3 130 90 80 75 5 Kremlin territory + Diamond Fund The same 2 125 85 75 70 6 Red Square + Mausoleum(walk) Exc. Monday, Friday 1,5 30 20 15 13 7 Moscow Metro (subway) (walk) Daily 1,5 30 20 15 13 8 Stary Arbat street Daily 1 30 20 15 13 9 Tretyakov Gallery Except Monday 3 100 60 50 47 10 Pushkin Fine Arts Museum The same 3 100 60 50 47 11 Borodino Battle Panorama Except Friday 2 95 55 45 40 12 New Maiden Monastery Except Tuesday 2 95 55 45 40 13 Kolomenskoye Museum-preserve Except Monday 4 100 60 55 50 14 Sergiev Posad (Zagorsk) Except Monday 7 220 120 100 78 15 Day trip to the Golden Ring Cites - Vladimir and Suzdal (inc. car) Daily 15 395 210 170 145 16 Monino Aviation museum Daily 8 270 160 140 100 Prices in EURO per person. Guide Services: English, French, German, Italian, Spain ____________St.Petersburg Accommodation || Transfers || Excursions St. Petersburg has played an exceptional role in the life of Russia. It is the second largest city in our country. St. Petersburg is the most northern capital in the world. It is on the latitude as Greenland, Alaska an Chukotka. This explains the white nights which are most clearly visible between 11 June and 2 July. The city is rather young. It was founded less than 300 years ago. The founder of St. Petersburg is Peter the Great, who laid the first stone of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1703 on Hare island, thus starting a new city. In 1712 it became the capital of Russia, the centre of its political and cultural life. St. Petersburg is one the greatest and most beautiful cities in the world. Its historical and cultural importance is as big as that of Paris, London or Rome. “Northern Palmira”, “Northern Venice” attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. The Palace Square is one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in the world. The square is dominated by the Winter Palace, the former residence of tzars, designed by Rastrelli in 1754–1762. In the centre of the square there is the Alexander Pillar, the monument to the victory of Russian people in the Patriotic war (1812). The ensemble of the square includes the monumental Admiralty building, designed by Peter the First in 1704. Like the Red Square in Moscow, the Palace square has witnessed the most important events of Russian history. The Hermitage is Russia’s largest museum. There are a few museums in the world which can compare with it in its value, richness and variety of its exhibits. Its collection includes over 2,7 mln items of both European and Russian culture. It is housed in 125 halls. The Peter and Paul Fortress is located on Hare Island, on the right bank of the Neva river. It was designed by Peter the First. It has never been used as a fortress and its bastions were turned into political cells. Nowadays it is a museum of architecture and history. The Peter and Paul Cathedral was the burial-vault of Russian emperors since Peter the Great. Today the Russian museum contains more than 300,000 paintings by Russian artists starting from the 10th century. The St. Isaac’s Cathedral is one of the most grandiose cathedral in the word. It can hold 14,000 people. A marvellous view of the city one can have from its observation platform. The Smolny architectural ensemble is a proud of the city. It took shape in the 18—19th cent. The oldest part of it is Smolny Convent (1764) with magnificent 85 m high Cathedral. In the 19th cent. The Smolny Institute, the school for girls of noble origin, was built close to the convent. St.Isaac’s Cathedral. One of the most beautiful and highest buildings with a cupola 101.5 meters high. It was built during 40 years (1818—1858) to the design of French architect August Monferan in Russian classical style. It is interesting not only for its architectural style and construction technology but also for its interior decorated with 150 paintings, 62 mosaics, sculptures of Russian and Italian sculptors. Peter and Paul Fortress. The oldest monument of history and architecture in St. Petersburg.The construction of it started in 1703. It was built as a fortification during the Russian-Swedish war. But it was never used as a fortress and its bastions were turned into political cells. There a son of Peter the Great, prince Alexei, a famous pretender to the throne, princess Karakhakova, writer Radishchev, Decembrists, narodniks and revolutionaries were held prisoners. The Peter and Paul Cathedral designed by Tresini was the burial-vault of Russian emperois since 1725. Yusupov Palace. The residence of an old and noble Russian family — the Yusupovs. It was also the site where Rasputin was murdered. Gala and residential rooms of the palace are open to visitors. Concerts of classical and folk music are held there. Out-of-town excursions Petrodvorets (Peterhoff) is one of the most beautiful towns in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. Before the October Revolution it was the imperial summer residence. It is situated on the Gulf of Finland, about 30 km from the city. At the beginning of the 18th century palaces were built and parks with fountains were laid under the order of Peter the Great. The complex includes 7 parks, 20 palaces and palaces and pavilions, fascinating fountains, among there is the highest in the world — the Great Cascade fountain. Pushkin is situated 25 km south of St. Petersburg. Since the early 18th century until 1917 it has been the official royal residence — Tsarskoye Selo. Catherine’s Palace, constructed in the 18th century, is noted for its beauty, majesty, interior decoration and the famous Jade Room. Pavlovsk (32 km from St. Petersburg) was established in 1777. It was a present from Catherine II to her son, Paul I. The park of Pavlovsk is considered one of the most attractive royal parks in Europe. The palace was totally renovated after its destruction in the Second World War. Lomonosov (Oranienbaum). In 1710, the governor of St. Petersburg and Peter’s favorite Alexander Menshikov ordered to construct a grand summer residence not far from Peterhoff (10 km) on the Gulf of Finland. Visitors can see residential and household rooms of the time of Peter III in the China Palace built by architect Rinaldi. In the Katalnaya Gorka pavilion, exhibition are held, the most interesting of them is that of porcelain. Transfers Destination Car (1-3) Minibus (8-10) Minibus (11-14) Coach (50) Airport - hotel 50 85 105 150 Prices are net in Euro per car (minibus, bus) Individual rates for excursions – St. Petersburg Excursion Hour 1 pax 2 pax 3 pax 4 pax 1 City Tour 3 90 50 40 35 2 St. Isaak’s Cathedral 1 100 60 50 45 3 City Tour + St. Isaak’s 4 130 75 65 55 4 City Tour + Peter & Paul Fortress 5 125 70 60 50 5 Hermitage 3 105 65 55 50 6 Hermitage + Golden Chamber 4 160 130 120 115 7 Russian Art museum 2 100 65 50 47 8 Marble Palace 1,5 95 60 45 42 9 Yusupov Palace: orientation excursion 1 100 60 50 45 + Rasputin premises 2 115 75 65 60 + premises of Yusupov 2 115 70 55 50 10 Alexander Nevsky Lavra 1 100 60 50 45 11 Menshikov Palace 1,5 95 60 45 42 12 Boat ride by Neva river (with transfer) 1,5 95 55 40 37 13 Pavlovsk 5 175 95 85 60 14 Pushkin/Katherine’s Palace + Park 5 180 100 90 65 15 Pushkin + Pavlovsk (2Parks + 2 Palaces) 7 180 100 90 65 16 Petrodvoretz (Grand Palace + Park) 6 200 115 100 85 17 Novgorod the Great (Kremlin, St Sophia Caht.) 9 245 180 155 120 18 Nikolaevskiy Palace Folk Show 2,5 75 55 50 45 Prices in EURO per person. Guide Services: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Questo articolo č rilasciato sotto i termini della
GNU Free Documentation License Esso utilizza materiale tratto da http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inno_dell%27Unione_Sovietica Cronologia/Autori: http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Inno_dell%27Unione_Sovietica&action=history Inno dell'Unione SovieticaDa Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.L'Inno dell'Unione Sovietica in russo Гимн СССР[?], nome completo in russo Гимн Советского Союза, Gimn Sovetskogo Sojuza[?], sostituě l'Internazionale come inno ufficiale il 15 marzo 1944. Le parole sono opera di Sergej Michalkov (1913-2009) e Gabriel El'-Registan, e la musica fu scritta da Aleksandr Aleksandrov (1883-1946). Il motivo principale del cambiamento era la convinzione che i soldati dell'Armata Rossa sarebbero stati piů motivati da un inno dedicato prevalentemente all'Unione Sovietica piuttosto che a un movimento di respiro globale. La musica era stata ripresa dall'inno del Partito bolscevico, il quale a sua volta era stato composto da Vassilij Lebedev-Kumach nel 1939.
La
melodia dell'inno sovietico.
Storia [modifica]Originariamente Stalin veniva menzionato, ma dopo la sua morte, sopraggiunta nel 1953, le parti che lo riguardavano non vennero piů considerate opportune allo spirito generale dell'inno e al suo significato. L'inno sovietico non fu piů cantato fino al 1977, anno in cui vennero ripristinate le parole, senza alcun riferimento riguardante personalitŕ specifiche - all'infuori di Lenin, che viene considerato come padre spirituale del comunismo russo. Il nome ufficiale del testo del 1977 č "Inno dell'Unione delle Repubbliche Socialiste Sovietiche" (in russo: Гимн Союза Совéтских Социалистических Республик o piů brevemente Гимн Союза CСР). Dopo il collasso dell'Unione Sovietica nel 1991, la Russia ha adottato un nuovo inno ufficiale. A partire dal 31 dicembre 2000 č stato ripristinata la musica dell'inno sovietico, e lo stesso Michalkov si č occupato di riscriverne le parole con lo scopo di rappresentare compiutamente la nuova natura non comunista della Federazione.
Versione del 1977 [modifica]
Testo russo (cirillico) [modifica]
Testo russo (latino) [modifica]Segue una traslitterazione dall'alfabeto cirillico, con regole generalmente adottate dalla maggior parte delle grammatiche e dei corsi di lingua russa per italiani. Č bene ricordare che:
Laddove possibile, sono stati inseriti gli accenti.
Traduzione in italiano [modifica]Inno dell'Unione delle Repubbliche Socialiste Sovietiche
Versione del 1943 [modifica]
Testo russo (cirillico e latino) [modifica]
Altri progetti [modifica]
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| Russia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Wooden church at Kizhi Wooden church at Kizhi Nowran Russia has for many years been a land of mystery and intrigue to Westerners. For hundreds of years, depending on the direction of political winds, Russia has been an enigma, a friend, or an enemy of the West. It is a miraculous country and still mysterious to many foreigners, with many cultural and historic treasures, unspoiled nature; and industrious, bright and hospitable people. Russia mothered Peter and Catherine the Great, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Tchaikovsky, Nabokov, among others, who have contributed to the rich cultural heritage. Russia is geographically enormous, far larger than Canada or the United States. It is still the biggest country in the world, stretching from Poland to Korea and from the Polar Regions to the deserts Asia. It is also the country with the most number of neighbors in the world. On this huge landmass there are many of the worlds greatest sights to discover. St. Petersburg and Moscow are surely exciting places to start your sightseeing of Russia, with world class museums, churches and other historic centers well worth exploring. There are two ways how you can explore Russia. First, is the conventional land tours to Russia. Second is Russian river cruises. Land tour gives you more freedom to choose where to go and what's to see, while cruise allows you to see more for less and with a company of other travelers. You can get the idea about land tour prices at www.travelallrussia.com and rates on river cruises at www.allrussiacruises.com. ___________Sights Edit This The Palace at Peterof The Palace at Peterof Joseph Hollick Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: mnvpfho wiym [Add Sight] Peterof - Gardens, Fountains & Palace Edit This The Palace at Peterof The Palace at Peterof photo by: Joseph Hollick About one hour ouside of St. Petersburg is Peterof which consists of another palace which is fantastic, however even more impressive are the grounds which extend to the Gulf of Finland. The gardens and fountains will leave you speechless! A must see! type: Palaces World66 rating: [rate it] _______History Edit This The Russian Federation was established in late 1991, when the former Soviet Union (USSR) disintegrated and all the 15 Soviet republics became independent countries. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed immediately afterwards to foster economic co-operation among the former Soviet Republics except the Baltic States. The Russian Federation then became a member of the CIS. However, the differences in political and economic conditions have prevented the CIS from implementing common economic policies or creating a free trade area, and Russia has its own systems. The Russian Federation extends from the Baltic States and Ukraine to the Ural Mountains, while the Asian part covers Siberia to the Russian Far East bordering the Pacific Ocean. The country is divided into republics (formed on the basis of ethnic lines), territories and administrative regions (on geographical or industrial basis, with some being autonomous regions), as well as two municipalities, Moscow and St Petersburg, directly under the central government. _________Practical Information Edit This In order to be ready for a visit to any foreign country you should definitely know some of its basic rules and peculiarities. We tried to prepare some information for you that might be very useful to learn before undertaking the trip. This information is divided into sections below. There you'll find out about the type of money the country uses, the entry regulations, visas etc. ________Getting Around Edit This Air Not long ago, Aeroflot was the only airline that served internal Russia. Now there is a great number of companies that can deliver you to any place in Russia you might wish to visit. However, the service may differ. Aerflot has offered deals a couple times a year from major US hub cities to Moscow. It is a deep discount to watch out for. Other airlines these days definitely compete for that discounted rate, though. Take your time and shop for the best deal below $1000 roundtrip. Railroad Another way to travel through Russia is to take a train. The country has developed rail network that makes trains a viable means of getting to practically anywhere. They are cheap and comfortable. However, they are too time consuming. The air and rail network run on Moscow time but the suburban train services work on local time. For someone on a budget the train is a great way to travel between Western Russia and European countries. They are indeed very comfortable, nicer (I hear) than some European trains. It is economical and easy to sleep on the train if you're going overnight. Horses Russian horses are a great way to travel when between small towns. They are comfortable and very well served. Cars Driving in Russia can be a little bit difficult for those who haven't gotten used to the rough road conditions. Obtaining permits for owning cars for foreigners is a lengthly ordeal. Importing a car into Russia as a foreigner is even worse. Some expats (those that can afford it) buy cars once they're in Russia and hire a driver from a driving company to smooth out the paperwork process. It's less of an ordeal that way. Public Transportation In Moscow, using taksis, buses, minibuses, trams and the Metro is pretty everyday commonplace. Only the wealthy actually own their own cars. The public transportation system in Moscow is one of the very best in the world, so use it. Subway trains in the Metro leave every few minutes, so there is no need to time your arrival at the station. Negotiate your fare with the private taksi drivers; they'll try to rip you off if you don't bargain. Otherwise, fares are preset, paid for upfront and cheap. The Metro is open until late and you can always catch a taksi home whenever. River transport River transport remains an important way of transportation, especially in summer. Using paasenger boats you can travel far along the major Russian Rivers.The main passenger services ply between Moscow and St Petersburg and between Moscow and various points on the Volga and Don including Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd, Astrakhan and Rostov-on-Don. The trip for sure will be fun. No one seriously does this except for fun and travel. ____________Getting There Edit This Passports & Visas All visitors must have a valid visa afixed to the passport prior to entering Russia with the exception of Cruise ship passengers arriving at the port of St Petersburg. This visa waiver is for those who make advanced arrangements for guided tours from authorized tour companies. The most common visas for visitors are the Tourist. Business and Homestay Visas. The Tourist is good for a maximum of 30 days and cannot be extended from within Russia. Business visas can be 30, 60, 90 180 and 365 day maximum duration. Foreigners are required to submit an AIDS certificate when applying for visas with durations of longer than 3 months. A Homestay Visa is intended for those invited to stay in the home of a Russian citizen friend or relative and is available in durations up to 3 months. Check the Russian Embassy online for the most accurate and recent info. There are slight variations between local Russian Consulate visa application procedures in different countries. A visa application form, passport type photo and an invitation from your hosting organization or hotel. An extention or renewal is not possible from within Russia so long term visitor can renew visas by exiting Russia and applying for a new visa in any other country. The standard processing time at the consulate is 7 days but shorter processing times are available down to 1 hour at some consulates. The consular fees increase for shorter reqested procssing times. If you need to identify your self, as in any country away from home, the only valid form of ID is your passport. Don't lose it, a replacement can take some time and a visitor without a passport must leave the country within a short period. Booking a hotel room, getting cell phone accouts, booking train or bus travel will all require showing your passport. Foreigners living in Russia have plenty of stories to tell about militsiya and passports. It ranges from simple stops on the subway, to bribe extortions and/or jail time hopefully with help from an influential person to convince the guards to let you out early. Generally speaking all those stories are 3rd or 4th hand and not easy to verify. Asking the same person if it has happened to them personally will usually result "no" as the answer. People from the Caucasus region can expect to be checked for proper visa and passport. Advice? Always have a valid passport and visa. Air Aerflot has offered deals a couple times a year from major US hub cities to Moscow. It is a deep discount to watch out for. Other airlines these days definitely compete for that discounted rate, though. Take your time and shop for the best deal below $1000 roundtrip. I flew in on Scandinavian and out on Aeroflot. Discount European airlines are now flying into Russian major cities for ticket prices 1/2 to 1/5 that of train tickets. GermanWings for example has flights from German cities to Moscow for less than 40 euros Railroad For someone on a budget the train was the best choice for travel between Western Russia and European countries. Now, however there are discount flights and bus service for lower prices. Russian trains in the 2nd class and 1st class cabins are indeed very comfortable. It is economical and easy to sleep on the train if you're going overnight amd have booked a sleeping cabin. Other classes offer seating which are much less expensive and fine for shorter trips. Russian train stations are based out of or near Metro stations around Moscow. Train destinations are organized by region: western Europe, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Eastern Russia, commuter cities, etc. One train station serves one region. Be sure to check you have the right train station; they're spaced far, far apart from each other in the city. It would be a pain to drag bags and bags of luggage across town on the Metro because you arrived at the wrong train station. Ticket sales are run by government employees and independent ticket sellers. Agents or independent sellers add a small commission to the offical ticket price. If you make sure you understand where the station is for your destination and what your ticket says, then it should be a breeze from there. There will be a customs stop right at the border to check passports (regardless of the hour). Trains have the easiest customs and passport control procedures, with only a brief stop to pick uip customs and imigrations official who process entry for passengers while the train travels to the border where the officals get off. Except for express trains running between Mosocw and St Petersburg, most Russian trains are slower and have rougher tracks than Scandinavian or European routes but the cabins can be quite cozy and relaxing for longer trips. Bus There is bus service to and between European cities. This is sometimes cheapest way to go, but it is also less comfortable than a sleeping cabin on the train. Quality buses are used on most routes so short trips can be quite convenient and accessible. Russian transportation vocab Mozhna kupit... = Can one buy... platit = to pay (for) Da, mozhna. = Yes, it's possible. Nyet, ne mozhna. = No, you can't (sometimes absolutely not). Da nyet. = May be. tooda ee obratna = there and back (round trip) adin poot = one way bilyet = ticket veeza = visa vogzal = train station stansiya metro = subway station astanofka = bus stop passport = passport samolyet = plane pa-yezd = train AFtoboos = bus zaits = hare (aka someone who cheats the fare and rides for free) ____________Economy Edit This Economy overview: In terms of natural resources, a well-educated population and developed industrial base Russia could be considered a wealthy country. However, its economy experiences formidable difficulties in moving from its old centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. Major Exports Russia's major exports are fuels, energy, metals, machinery & equipment, chemicals, and oils Vadca, and clothes. Major Imports Russia's major imports are machinery & equipment, food and agricultural raw materials, chemicals and metals. Major Export Markets Main export markets are Ukraine, Germany, Belarus, Netherlands and China. Major Import Markets Russia's main import markets are Germany, Ukraine, Belarus and the US. Agriculture Russia is a major producer of wheat, barley, oats, and rye. In the early 1990s Russia annually produced 46 million metric tons of wheat, 25.5 million metric tons of barley, 13.9 million metric tons of rye, and 11.5 million metric tons of oats. Other important crops in Russia include dry peas, corn, millet, buckwheat, rice, and soybeans. Various types of temperate-climate fruits, such as apples, pears, and cherries, are also grown extensively in Russia. In the far north, reindeer herding is a major occupation among the native peoples. Fishing Russia's fishing industry is one of the largest in the world. In the early 1990s the annual catch was about 9.2 million metric tons. Marine fisheries accounted for the largest share of the catch. Of the inland catch, the saltwater Azov, Black, and Caspian seas accounted for about three-fifths of the total; freshwater lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and ponds accounted for the remainder. Mining Mining is a major sector of the Russian economy and provides important items for national export. Mineral resources are diverse, abundant, and generally well developed. Russia has large reserves of energy-bearing minerals, including petroleum, coal, and natural gas. For many years it extracted enough of the minerals to meet domestic demands, provide for nations in its economic sphere, and export to industrial nations of the West in return for needed hard currency. Export Russia is a major exporter of iron ore, with most production occurring in the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly of south central Russia. Iron ore deposits near Magnitogorsk in the Ural Mountains have been largely depleted. Russia is also a notable exporter of copper (168,000 metric tons in 1990) and nickel (127,000 metric tons in 1990). Copper and nickel ores are mined primarily in the Urals, although sizable deposits of nickel are also located in the Kola Peninsula near Murmansk. The country is one of the world's leading producers of gold, which is mined in the Urals, western Siberia, and eastern Siberia in the valley of the Lena River. Russia is also a major diamond producer. ___________Administrative Structure Edit This Political System Government type: Federation. ” The Chief of State is the President. The President is elected by popular vote for a four-year term. ” The Head of Government is the Premier and Chairman of the Russian Federation Government. Legal System Based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts. The Constitution was adopted 12 December 1993. Administratively, Russia includes 21 republics; 6 territories known as krays; 10 national areas called okrugs; 49 regions, or oblasts; 1 autonomous oblast; and 2 cities with federal status. _____________People Edit This photo Population: Russia's total population in 2005 was estimated at 143,420,309, making the country the sixth most populous, after China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. The country is inhabited by one of the widest varieties of nationalities and ethnic groups in the world, and many of the country's national groups have their own administrative territories. More than 100 nationalities inhabit Russia, making it one of the most multinational states in the world. The country contains 32 ethnic divisions that are scattered throughout its territory. Three-quarters of the total population constitutes are concentrated in European Russia, while urban populations constitute over two-thirds of the total. Moscow, the capital, and St Petersburg are the two most populated cities, with 11 million and 5 million inhabitants respectively. They are major centres of business and political activities. Ethnic groups: Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 10,704,617/female 10,173,313) 15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,429,716/female 52,799,740) 65 years and over:14.2% (male 6,405,027/female 13,907,896) (2005 est.) Population growth rate: -0.37% (2005 est.) Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) Net migration rate: 1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.1 years male: 60.55 years female: 74.04 years (2005 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.) Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Budhism, other Languages: Russian,Tatar, other Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.5% (2003 est.) ::::::::Altai Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see The Katun river with looming hills. The Katun river with looming hills. Val Buzeta Altai is a region of southern Russia which borders Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. Accessable only from Barnaul in Siberia or nearby Biysk, it is famous for it's mountains and rivers which provide hiking and adventure sport opportunities. Historically, Altai offers the chance to see ancient kurgans and the land of tatooed mummies: some of the oldest evidence of human habitation in Russia. Today, Altai is sparcely populated with a large number of the local peoples living in villiages along the Chyusky Trakt. As a result, it is easy to get away from civilisation and see some truly isolated and unique nature. The main method of travel around Altai is the Chyusky Trakt - a road which cuts a swaythe through the centre of the area, winding precariously around hills and mountains at several points. Some small roads can be found in the west towards Mount Belukha (4506m) and in the north east around Lake Teletskoye. Beyond this, the numerous rivers often provide a lifeline to the people who live alongside it. The most well known routes for white water rafting include the Katun and Chuya rivers, both ranging from level 0 all the way to level 5. Thanks to the difficulty in travelling around Altai, many suggest travelling either with an organised group or with a well-known and trusted guide. In-depth knowlege of the local area is essential, as even a trip down the river can quickly leave travellers stranded and far away from the nearest road. :::::::::::Dagestan Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Most/Kujnik Most/Kujnik Rasim Kasimov Dagestan is a republic within the Russian federation. Located between the Caspian sea on the East and Caucasus mountains on the West, it is one of the most attractive places in that part of the globe. In size it is close to Scotland. With population of just above 2 million people, Dagestan is the homeland to over 36 different nationalities, and each one of those nationalities has its own unique language. Such combination of languages, cultures, types of landscape and customs makes it a one of a kind place in the world. The capital of Makhachkala is the most important town and the best place to start exploring the many aun's in the neighborhood. Derbent is an attractive city with very old roots. Tidib is set stunningly in the mountains and the watchtower is an important monument. These days, however, Dagestan is going through the times of heavy unrest, both political and ethnical. ::::::::Ekaterinburg Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see My city was began since 1723 year. It was A factory-fortress at the river Iset. The Factory did guns , anchors , coins. Since 1738 year the mineral workshop began to work. The Ekaterinburg area still has the different minerals. The name City Ekaterinburg receive from the queen Ekaterina I. She was second wife of tsar Petr I . Ekaterinburg was too the places where Decembermen (in 1813-1814 y.y.nobleman revolutioners which wanted to deleted the serfdom) did stop at the way to Siberia , and where them wives stoped too , when came to Siberia for to being with love husbands. Now Ekaterinburg is a big city, where live near 1500000 citizen. It is many theaters, cinemas, Universities. Too it is Underground (Metro), Zoo, circus . Own worldwide aroport. Near Ekaterinburg is the boarder of Europe and Asia. :::::::Irkutsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see bank of Angara bank of Angara Chaporgin A. Irkutsk is located 60km East of the world famous Lake Baikal. It is administrative centre of Irkutsk oblast (province) in the east-central Russia. The city lies along the Angara River at its confluence with the Irkut River. More than 750,000 people live in this city surrounded by natural beauty. Gorgeous birch forests link urban center to its residential area giving a kind of resort feeling to Irkutsk. It was founded as a wintering camp in 1652, during the first Russian colonization of the area; a fort was built in 1661, and Irkutsk rapidly became the main centre of Cisbaikalia and of the Russian trade route to China and Mongolia. It acquired town status in 1686. Its importance grew after the coming of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 1898. The city of Irkutsk, with attractive embankments along the river and many surviving wooden houses on its tree-lined streets, is an administrative and cultural centre for Eastern Siberia and of the Russian Far East. Irkutsk State University (1918) and the Siberian branch of the Academy of Sciences are among the city’s many teaching and research institutes.b>Irkutsk has taken on several roles in its nearly 350 years of existence, including expedition base for explorations of Siberia, city of exiles, and gold rush town, just to name a few. The city’s nicknames include the capital of Siberia, the pearl of Siberia, and even Paris of Siberia. Irkutsk is lighthearted and sunny, filled with pastel-colored 18th century buildings and delicately sculptured old wooden houses where the political rebels lived n serene exile. Elaborate brick mansions were built at the turn of the century, and the dark black wooden cabins were adorned with a local "lace" sculpture that gives them a touch of the Italian Renaissance. In the late 19th century, gold was discovered in the nearby Lena Basin, and the Siberian Gold Rush began. People came to the region hoping to strike it rich, and those who were successful built sprawling classical mansions and financed public buildings, some of which still stand today. Irkutsk is in many ways the heart of Siberia, with its proximity to Lake Baikal. As a local writer once noted, "To miss seeing Irkutsk is to miss Siberia." To read about what is happening in Irkutsk and Baikal today you may visit Baikal Club blog on google ( http://baikalclub.blogspot.com ), where local people and travellers post their thoughts and ideas. ::::::Kaliningrad Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Kaliningrad has land borders with Poland and Lithuania, and several crossing points to both countres. There are several buses a day to Kaunas, Vilnius, Tallinn, Gdansk, Warsaw, and german cities, also daily trains to Berlin and Gdansk. The domestic and international airport is 10 miles from the city. Kaliningrad region occupies 0.1% of the RF territory - 15.1 thousand km2. Some areas thereof are situated below sea level. The highest point is Vishtynets upland -- 242 m above sea level. :::::Kaliningrad Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Region, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic sea. It is surrounded by NATO and EU members Poland and Lithuania and is geographically separated from the main part of Russia itself. In 2002, it had a population of 430,003 people. It was named Königsberg originally. It was the capital city of the German province of East Prussia. The city had that name from 1254 to 1945. One of the famous people from Königsberg was the philosopher Immanuel Kant. ::::::::::Kamchatka Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Mountains around Nalechevo Park, Kamchatka Mountains around Nalechevo Park, Kamchatka Val Buzeta Kamchatka is a volcanic peninsula towards the extreme far east of Russia. In the same time zone as New Zealand, it relies on trade with far eastern countries such as Korea rather than Russia itself. Kamchatka, as part of the "ring of fire", has upto 68 active volcanoes and one of the few areas of geysers in the world. A recent landslide (June 3 2007) was believed to have destroyed the Valley of the Geysers but so far evidence seems to have shown that the damage may not be so severe. Along with the volcanoes and geysers, Kamchatka features a unique wildlife thanks to it's climate and has particularly interesting sea-life. Nearby islands provide the chance to see sea-lions, puffins and more. Likewise, the local breed of bear is unique to the peninsula and is numerous accross the area. The indigenous people of Kamchatka are more closely related to the Ainu of Japan. As a result, visiting cultural festivals and towns such as Esso can be worth including in a tour of the area and are often part of tour packages. The majority of the inhabitants live in and around the capital Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky and nearby Yelizovo. Travel away from these towns can often force reliance on 4x4s, boats and even helicopters. Some areas are only accessable via helicopter and so careful advance organisation is recomended. For wintersports, such as heliskiing, the whole of winter (upto April, or even May) is a good time to visit. For hiking and outdoor persuits, August and September provide the chance to see Kamchatka at it's best. :::::::::::Karelia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Wooden church at Kizhi Wooden church at Kizhi Nowran Karelia is situated on the board with Finland on the North from St-Pet. It is the land of virgin woods, thousand picturesque lakes and hundreds of rivers. Here You have excellent conditions for backpacking and rafting. The visitor can hunt an elk, a brown bear or go fishing. Kola peninsula located to the north of Karelia. It is remarkable for its amazing nature. High hills adjoin dense taiga woods and the open tundra. There is the one of the best mountain-skiing routes of Russia in the southern part of Kola peninsula. Karelia is stretched on 600 kilometers from the north on the south from Northern polar circle up to the Ladoga Lake. Karelia is often called the country of the lakes. There are more than 60 thousand big and small lakes here including the largest lakes in Europe - Ladoga and Onega. Most of them are connected by some short rivers that perfectly suit for rafting. Karelia is certainly created for boating. Here one can choose the routes, various on extent and complexity. Karelia is the land of the virgin pine woods. These woods are popular with the hunters. Traditionally the objects of hunt here are the elks, brown bear, wood-grouses and blackcocks. The most beautiful waterfall Kivatch is located near the city Petrozavodsk. This is the second-largest after Rhine flat waterfalls of Europe. Its height is about 11 meters. On the territory surrounded by waterfall falls there is a natural reserve "Kivatch". The rare Karelian birch grows here. Karelia republic the subject of the Russian Federation was founded July 8, 1920. About 790,000 people inhabit this northern part of Russia. The republic is divided into 19 districts, including 13 towns, 12 settlements of urban type and 128 volosts (Provinces). The capital of Karelia is Petrozavodsk. The total population of the city is about 290,000 people. It is the most important industrial city of the republic, an important scientific and cultural center. It is situated on the shore of the Petrozavodsk Bay of the Lake Onega, 925 km to the northwest of Moscow. ::::::::::::::::::::::Valaam Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see A group of picturesque rocky islands, the archipelago Valaamsky, is located in the northern part of the Lake Ladoga. The island Valaam is the main among them. The monastery was founded here in the 14th century. The name of the island comes from Finno-Ugric "valomo" - which means "the high, mountain land". The monks living there found this name harmonious to the name of the bible prophet so they named the island Valaam. Today the island Valaam itself and the male monastery located on the island is the united architectural complex. Those who love nature and history must visit this cultural center. The monks transformed this wild northern island into flourishing garden. The monks did not cut down the trees but used for their needs only the trees that had been tumbled down by the wind. Therefore Valaam is still covered by the virgin taiga. From the highest points of island one can enjoy the magnificent views to the Ladoga Lake. Other islands of archipelago create the world of fantastic landscapes with the rocks and the gulfs. :::::::::Kazan Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan on the junction of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers about 500 miles south-east of Moscow. Founded circa 1005 AD, it later served as the capital of the Kazan Khanate. It is an ancient city filled with magnificient buildings, monuments, boulevards and many other incredibly beautiful sights to see. In fact, Kazan is devided into two distinct parts : the upper town with the Kremlin, where the Russian gentry, merchants and craftsmen lived, and the lower town , the Old Tatar and new Tatar settlements, where Tatar tradesmen, merchants and even peasants lived, since cultivated fields extended to the very edge of the lower town. In the cultural sence, Kazan always struck a balance between Europe and Asia: the life-style of a provincial capital combined with the traditional mode of existence, resulted in a fascinating synthesis unique to Kazan. Naturally , the architectural regulations of the time also affected the construction of Kazan ’s stone mosques from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, which were built, as a rule, where old wooden mosques had been standing before. Although only a few of the mosques have survived , they demonstrate a surprising variety of architecture. _______Sights Edit This Aerial view of Kazan Aerial view of Kazan n/k [Add Sight] Kazan Kremlin Edit This The Kazan Kremlin is a wonderful combination of Muslim and Christian monuments, symbol of West meeting East. In 2000 the Kazan Kremlin was included in UNESCO World Heritage list. The Kremlon like all the central part of Kazan is a wonderful place for walks. In the central part you can admire the most ancient temples in the city. Among them are Peter and Pavel Cathedral and Mardzhani (Unousovskaya) Mosque. type: Landmarks World66 rating: [rate it] _________Getting There Edit This From Moscow ,St Petersburg, or any other city you can get to Kazan by air, rail or by bus. For the best air-ticket prices check the Priceline.com. The connection to the site is provided at the Links page. If you are spending time in the Volga region, you might be coming from/going to places like Cheboksary, Ulyanovsk, or Samara. Between Cheboksary and Kazan the bus is definitely easier, as with the train you must go to Kanash and then change trains for Kazan there. South along the Volga, there is only one train a day, six days a week (not Saturday). :::::::::Khabarovsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Khabarovsk is the capital of Far East of Russia. :::::::::::Krasnodar Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see City at south of Russia, the center of Krasnodarsky Kray. Population 600.000 people. 120 km from Black Sea. ::::::::::Krasnoyarsk region Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Krasnoyarsk region is the center of Siberia. Its territory occupies one seventh of Russia and can find room for 4 territories equal to Spain, 5 equal to Thailand or 52 to Estonias. Krasnoyarsk region is stretching for three thousand kilometers from the north to the south and crosses four climatic zones - from polar islands of the Arctic Ocean up to the subtropics of the Sayan mountains. In the southernmost city of the region Minusinsk the weather is well-suitable for water-melons growing, but in the northernmost city Norilsk, the winter temperature sometimes reaches -50 centigrade degree. The great Siberian river Yenisey flows through the territory of Krasnoyarsk. It is considered to be the most abounding in water river in Russia. The capital of the region, Krasnoyarsk, is one of the largest cities of Siberia and Russia. It is located on the Trans-Siberian Railway. An architectural symbol of the city is the Chapel of Paraskeva Pjatnitsa towering on Karaulnaya mountain. There is a unique natural reserve Stolby in several kilometers from Krasnoyarsk. The nature itself has created this marvelous cosy nook and decorated it with tens of natural granite sculptures. Some of them have absolutely fantastic shapes. It is worth visiting the settlement Shushenskoe in the south of Krasnoyarsk region. Local ethnographic museum displays in details the wooden architecture and way of the Siberian peasants life of the past centuries. ::::::::Moscow Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Red Square Red Square Horace Chan Moscow is one of the oldest and most beautiful Russian cities. The emperors, or tsars, made the city their base of rule until 1712, when the capital was moved to Saint Petersburg. Moscow was restored as Russia's capital in 1918, and it served as the capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1922 until 1991. Since then Moscow has been the capital of the Russian Federation. Moscow has a long and dramatic history. The city has been completely destroyed and rebuilt again many times throughout the years. Its most ancient wooden buildings disappeared in fires. Each time the city was resurrected from the ashes, it became more and more beautiful. For every rebuilding, the most talented and famous architects were invited from around the world to restore Moscow. This history of reconstruction Moscow has undergone is part of the reason she has absorbed the many different and diverse styles that visitors experience here. Stalin's epic and monumental buildings neighbor with small two-store nineteenth century town houses, while splendid cathedrals peer out from behind modern skyscrapers. Even in the heart of Moscow, in the Kremlin, old churches compete with the immense Congress Palace for space. Despite the size of the city (about 900 square kilometers) and the scale of many of the buildings and avenues there, the general layout is easily grasped - a series of concentric circles and radial lines, emanating from the Kremlin; the center being compact enough to explore on foot. The Kremlin and its surroundings are a great place to spend time. In the summer the temperature can get high. This surprises many people, as they associate Russia with snow. I arrived in June and was met with fantastic 90F heat. I headed straight for the Kremlin and Red Square, and found this is to be real hangout for young and old alike, with street bars everywhere and people jumping in the fountains to keep cool. The Kremlin deserves a full circumnavigation to appreciate the architectural splendour. This area is a very cool place to chill out! For more information on other attractive places that you can see in Moscow, please check the Sights section. :::::::::::Murmansk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Murmansk known as Romanov-on-Murman at the date of its foundation October 4, 1916 is the centre of Murmansk region and the largest Russian seaport on the Arctic Ocean. The city was named after the Russian Royal Dinasty Romanovs Romanov-on-Murman. The name Murmansk the city got after the Revolution in 1917. Some consider that the word Murman is decsended from "Nurman" (Normann). Peoples of Scandinavia Russians called as "Murmans". Murmansk's development only started at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that, the Kola Peninsula was inhabited only by the Skolt Lapps and a few Russian settlers. The main sources of livlihood are fishing, shipping and the navy. This is a great sight to see largely because of the unique Arctic nature. The peninsula is covered by thousands of lakes and dense forests. Here you'll observe the polar day in summer and the polar night in winter. Murmansk is a strange city in many ways: it is above the polar circle, so endures weeks of total darkness in the winter and enjoys weeks of 24 hour sunshine in the summer. It is above the tree line; the trees peter out a couple of hundred miles to the south. It is above the 10 degree isotherm; that is a line drawn around the arctic where the average June temperature is 10 degrees celsius or less. And last but not least, despite cold winters, the sea doesn't freeze (because of the Gulf Stream). Go in winter, and you can have air temperatures of -16 degrees Celsius, with great clouds of steam coming off the water and hanging over the port area as fog. The people of Murmansk is genarally kindly but very few speak english. Lots of places in the surrounding are military areas and they are not marked. You should not take photographs in such places or in the harbour if you don't want to be stopped by the military police. See also other cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Novgorod Novosibirsk Orel Pyatigorsk St Petersburg Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ______ ________History Edit This [Add New] Armageddon00 Edit This ?????? (History) In 1915, a railroad line to the Kola Peninsula allowed for the establishment of a city known as Romanov-on-Murman after the Dynasty of the Romanovs. After the October Revolution it was renamed ???????? (Murmansk) . During WWII, ???????? was a port city that imported vital products from the western world. These products were dominantly military supplies and manufactured goods, both of which were essential to the Russian WWII War Machine. During WWII, the Germans attacked more.. World66 rating: [rate it] zipcode: 03038 address: 92 drew rd email: egamefanatic@yahoo.com ::::::::::::Novgorod Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Novgorod is an old Russian city, history of which goes back to almost 1000 years. Once it competed with Moscow for domination of Old Russia and emerged as a political center of Slavic and Fino-Ugric tribes in the mid-9th century, while as a town it was formed in the middle of the 10th century. Just outside of Novgorod is the Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture which has a collection of 22 wooden structures all built without nails. 240 000 inhabitants populate now this nothern city. Modern Novgorod is a stunning combination of old and new. After the Second World War the historical part of the city was built up in such a way as to avoid confining ancient temples within the narrow well-like yards of high-rise apartment buildings. Nowadays Novgorod, lying on the highway connecting Moscow and St Petersburg, enjoys stable economic and cultural links with both capitals, the Karelia region and the Baltic states, and also attracts foreign investors. Novgorod is also on the list of those Russian cities that have joined the New Hanseatic League. The city uses modern communication facilities, has art galleries, art school, two theaters, a philharmonic society, a ballet troupe, music and dance ensembles, casinos and discotheques. Several newspapers function in the city which also has its own television and radio stations Novgorod is a university town. The University named after Yaroslav the Wise is one of the largest scientific centers in Northwest Russia. The city trains professional athletes in such sports as gymnastics, rowing, swimming and boxing. Modern Novgorod is a center of Russian domestic and international tourism. :::::::::Novosibirsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Winter Park Winter Park Ankarusskaya Novosibirsk is a heart of Siberia and is considerd its cultural and industrial center with the population of 1.6 million people. By all standards its a relatively young city founded in 1893. Actually at that time the city was called Novonikolaevsk aft the Nicholas II (Nikolay Alexandrovich Romanov) the last Emperor and Sovereign of Russia. Considered the business center of Siberia, Novosibirsk is a home to the largest Siberian banks, as well as the Siberian Stock and Commodity Exchanges. Aside from business, Novosibirsk has a rich cultural and spiritual life. Six theatres, a philharmonic orchestra and a musical conservatory are located in the city. The Novosibirsk Opera House, an architectural marvel in itself, houses two permanent ballet and opera companies known throughout the world. The intellectual community is equally rich and is fostered by more than 16 institutions of higher education. Since 1957 city serves as a center for Siberian Science Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It has a special place called Akademgorodok (the Academic City). However, both cultural diveristy and intellectual community fail to conceal the fact that Novosibirsk's major palette is based upon - and consists only of - all imaginable greys. Which comes at no surprise, since Novosibirsk was built for and by unqualified labourers. The city got a significant development boost from arriving workers in the early 1940s, when heavy machinery plants were hastily transferred inward the USSR from its western frontiers. Novosibirsk can easily beat Novokuznetsk or Kemerovo in a battle for 'The Most Kafkaesque Settlement' title. See also other cities of Russia: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi St Petersburg Murmansk Novgorod Moscow Orel Pyatigorsk Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladivostok Vladimir Yakutsk _____Attractions Edit This The Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra is on of major attractions in the city. The Orchestra is well-known outside Siberia and Russia. The Novosibirsk Philharmonic is among the best orchestras of Russia. The conductor of the orchestra is Arnold Katz. :::::::Orel Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Orel is one of the oldest Russian cities located on the Oka River with a long and dramatic history. It was founded in 1564 by Ivan IV as a defense post against Mongol invasions. During World War II it was badly damaged. Orel now is a capital center of the Orel oblast. It is known for hosting a famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, who spent his childhood there. The house that he lived in is now turned into museum. Orel is a center of agricultural trade. Manufactures include machinery, clothing, flour, and beer. See also other Russian cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Murmansk Novgorod Novosibirsk Pyatigorsk St_Petersburg Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ::::::::Ossetia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Ossetia is a part of the Russian Federation. This tiny republic is located in the Caucasus. Visiting Osetia is an unforgettable experience, the awe-inspiring Caucasus peaks being but one gem on the tiara of this ancient land. Despite the overall state of the Russian economy, Osetians remain perhaps the world's most hospitable people. Spending even a short time with an Osetian family offers an unforgettable insight into a close-knit society, one eager to show off to guests its heritage and customs, as well as the region's natural wonders. (For those who prefer not to live with a family, furnished apartments are also available.) Snow-capped peaks soar above--you gaze upon them from your cozy baths amid temperate air, some of the cleanest on earth. Legend has it that bathing here quickens healing--you are sure to believe it as you take in the rugged alpine landscape. In truth, however, travel to Osetia currently is not without risks. If you consider yourself an "adventure" traveller... :::::::Perm Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see we are in the main Lenin Street we are in the main Lenin Street pavelff Perm is the most Eastern city of Europe, and therefore its province is often referred to as Eurasia. With a population of about 1 million, Perm is one of the largest cities in Russia and the third largest in the Urals. The city was formerly called Molotov, after the minister of foreign affairs during Joseph Stalin's ruling. The Perm province, "Permskaya Oblast", or "Prikamye", is around two-third the size of the United Kingdom and covers a great area in the very heart of the Ural Mountains. Perm is internationally known as the name for the geological period in which the Ural Mountain Range was formed, 45 million years ago. In contrary to the Urals, Perm itself is rather young. The citizens loudly celebrated its 280th birthday in 2003 with street parades, concerts and fireworks throughout the whole city! Perm owes its existence to two factors: firstly the large amounts of natural resources (minerals, oil and timber) that are present in the region, and secondly (but more important): its location. The mighty Kama River (up until 4 kilometers wide!), the Great Trans Siberian Railroad and main motorways from Moscow/Kazan to Siberia all cross in Perm, making Perm an important transportation hub. The city is the doorway from Europe to Asia and to Siberia in particular. Although established already in the XVIII century as an industrial town, Perm grew under the Soviet rule into a major industrial center with a lot of machine-building, chemical and etc. industry, as well as a huge amount of military industry. Artillery and rocket vehicles, as well as rocket launching systems, jet engines for MiG jetfighters and canons of all ranges were (and in smaller proportions still are) produced in Perm. Therefore, the city was closed to foreigners until the end of the Cold war. Nowadays, Perm is obviously accessible to anybody. Actually it is the third fastest growing city in Russia because of its economical prosperity. Perm is known as Russia's leading city for opera, ballet and drama after St. Petersburg. Arguably Russia's greatest balerina, Anna Pavlova, was born in Perm. Furthermore the city and its region brought forward a number of famous people: the composer Tchaikovsky, inventor of the radio Popov, the industrial revolutionist Stroganov family and the writer of Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak. Perm is not the only city in the Ural Mountains, yet it provides the best access to the mountains of all of them. The mountains gain popularity among adventurous tourists every year. ::::::::Pskov Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Hram Hram vika Pskov is an ancient Russian city, situated almost on the border with Latvija and Estonia, on the shores of the river Velikaya. It was founded in IX century and soon become a center of a big medieval feudal republic. It was a city of merchants and because of its agressive neighbours - Teutonic Order, Litva and Poland - it needed a good fortifications. Thus Pskov was one of the strongest fortresses in medieval Europe, it was besieged 42 times, only 2 times stormed succesfully. Now this city have a lot of tourists attractions, such as Krom - medieval fortress, well preserved, situated in the center of the city, several towers in different parts of the city, on of them, Pokrovskaya Tower, 40 meters high aand extremely broad, was once a biggest sinle fortification building in Northern Europe. Also there's a big cathedral in the Krom, great iconostasis (row of icons) inside it, almost 40 meters high and 20 meters wide, with a lot of jilted wood. Also there's more than 40 ancient churches in the city, most of them built earlier then XVI century. Outside the city there's an ancient fortress of Izborsk, also worth to see it, and Pskov-Pechorian Lavra (monastery), one of the biggest and most beautiful monasteries in Russia. Pskov could be reached by the road from St-Petersburg (320 km), from Latvijan border(50 km), or by railroad from any of the big cities nearby, in Russia and in Baltic states. :::::.Pyatigorsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Kolonny (Collumns) Kolonny (Collumns) Denis5gorsk Pyatigorsk is a small town hidden in the Northern Caucasus mountains with the population of about 150,000 people. "Pyatigorsk" means "Five Mountains Town". This place is a famous Russian mineral water resort and even during the time of the tsars the nobles would come to drink, bathe and relax in the mineral water and recover their health. Pyatigorsk was the home of the poet Lermontov, and the site of his death in a duel. City life revolves around the linguistic university, pharmaceutical college, and outdoor activities. Pyatigorsk is at the same latitude as Minneapolis, and they have similar weather patterns in the summer: very hot and humid. ______Getting There Edit This You can get to Pyatigorsk either by air, rail or bus from Moscow or Simferopol. This is not quite true. You can't fly directly to Pyatigorsk. You CAN take a train directly there but it's a long trip (at least 8 hours and very likely much more) no matter where you're coming from.You can fly to Min. Vody directly from Moscow, Sochi, Rostov, or St. Petersburg, and Min. Vody is about a 25 minute drive from pyatigorsk, or an hour bus ride (so many stops...) :::::::::Ryazan Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Ryazan's Kremlin Ryazan's Kremlin Robert Lawton Ryazan is a city in central European Russia, and is capital of Ryazan' Oblast. Ryazan is located on the Oka River. The city is an industrial and transportation center. Manufacturers include agricultural machinery, chemicals, and clothing. Ryazan was originally founded in the 11th century, downstream from its present site. It was completely destroyed by the Tatars in 1237, and was then moved to the city of Pereyaslav-Ryazanskiy. In the 15th century the community became the capital of a principality. It passed to Moscow in 1521 and was given its present name in 1778. Ryazan's population in 1999 was 528,800. The Ryazan area is the home to several famous Russians. Poet Sergei Esenin was born in nearby Konstantinovo and lived there most of his life. One can still visit his home. World-renown scientist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was born in Ryazan and did his famous research with dogs and bells there as well. One can visit his birthplace as well as his laboratory. There is a guided tour through the lab as well. ::::::St Petersburg Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Church of Spilled Blood Church of Spilled Blood vika St Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia. The city was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. It was renamed Petrograd, then Leningrad, during the twentieth century. In the early nineties people voted to return to the name of St. Petersburg. The city contains many cultural heritages including the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Russian Museum. The most famous inhabitants of this city are Dostoyevski, Pushkin, Tschajkovski, and Tcherniavski. ::::Staraya Ladoga Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Small village, situated on the southern shore of Ladoga Lake, in North-West Russia. Staraya Ladoga (Old Ladoga) once was a first Russian capital, being founded in IX century. Nowadays its a fortress (XV-XVI century), well-preserved, cathedral of XIII century inside, two ancient monasteries, one of which have another XIII-century cathedral. One of the monasteries is under restavration. Place is famous because of its history and because of the beautiful views from the fortress's walls on the river Volchov. 250 km from the Saint-Petersburg to the East, Route M 8, guided tours available. ::::::::::Suzdal Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Suzdal is a small pretty provincial Russian town. However, once it was capital of the ancient state named Rostovo-Suzdalskaya Rus'. The city has history of ten centuries and is famous for its cultural influence on entire Russia. Suzdal is in 230 km east of Moscow, and its neighboring city of Vladimir, are known worldwide for architectural masterpieces of XII to XVII centuries. See also other cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Murmansk Novgorod Novosibirsk Orel Pyatigorsk St_Petersburg Tula Ulyanovsk Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ::::::::Sights Edit This Suzdal has a great number of ancient sites to visit and learn more about the develpment of the Russian History. There is a small settlement Kideksha not far from Suzdal. Once it had been the summer residence of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, the founder of Moscow. The Church of Boris and Gleb, the monument of Vladimir-Suzdal architecture is located in the settlement. :::::: The Black Sea coast Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Anapa Anapa The Russian part of the Black Sea coast has always been the most popular Russian holiday resort during more than hundred years. Warm Black Sea and the Caucasian mountains blocking up the northern winds create here a special microclimate. Here the swimming season lasts from May till October, and in summer the water temperature reaches 26 centigrade degrees. The main resort centers of the Black Sea coast of Russia are Sochi, Anapa and Gelendzhik. Sochi is often called the resort capital of Russia. Every year millions of people come here for a vacation. Sochi is also well known for its unique mineral water and curative mud. Anapa is a perfect family and children's resort. Here you'll find wide sandy beaches and the plenty of sunny days (more than 280 sunny days per year). This pleasant environment enabled Anapa to become the famous "children's" resort. Gelendzhik is also well suited for family leisure. It is a comfortable resort with picturesque landscapes and quiet slow atmosphere of life. The mounting-skiing resort Krasnaya Polyana (Red Glade) is located in the mountains of Caucasus not far from Sochi. Every year it becomes more popular not only for mountain-skiing fans, but also for fans of the ecological tourism. ::::::::::Tula Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Tula is one of the oldest cities in Russia that has been founded in 1146. It is the central city of Tula oblast and has a population of more than 560.000 people. It is not only an industrial center but also a cultural point. Tula is a world famous place because of her once glamorous resident-the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy who lived at Yasnaya Polyana, which is just ten kilometers away from the town. Tula also is rather famous for its weaponry masters, who produced world-known guns. Some of the items are displayed at the wonderful museum. Moreover, Tula is famous for its gorgeous Samovars, the grandfather of the contemporary electric kettle. They were invented at the end of the 17th century by the same smiths who produced weapons. Initially this industry was just a sideline until they decided to concentrate on the new samovar business. The best exemplars of Tula samovars are exhibited at the local museum. Extremely delicious Pryaniki, or honey pastry add to Tula's fame. They come in 100 different kinds and shapes. You definitely should indulge yourself in Tula's Pryaniki in order to get real taste of a real cookie. Being an old city, Tula preserved a number of splendid churches and cathedrals and the Kremlin. ::::::Tyumen Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Tyumen is a support center for the surrounding oil industry. :::::::: Ulyanovsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Lenin Square, Monument to Lenin Lenin Square, Monument to Lenin Marina Romanova Ulyanovsk is the center of the Ulyanovsk Region that is located in the central part of European Russia. The region is a part of the Middle Volga Valley. ” It occupies a territory of 37,000 sq. km. ” The population is 1,488,300 people. ” The Ulyanovsk Region has 21 administrative areas (rayons) and 6 cities. The administrative center Ulyanovsk has a population of around 700,000 residents. It is located 441 miles east of Moscow. Besides Ulyanovsk the other large city of the Ulyanovsk region is Dimitrovgrad (134,000 inhabitants). Approximately 73 percent of Ulyanovsk residents are Russians, 11.4 percent are Tatars, 8.3 percent are Chuvash, and 4.4 percent are Mordva. The prevalent religions are Orthodox Christianity lam. See also other cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Murmansk Novgorod Novosibirsk Orel Pyatigorsk St_Petersburg Suzdal Tula Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ________Sights Edit This Ulyanovsk is the birthplace of Lenin. You can see the house where he grew up and there are still many statues of him around the city. _______Getting Around Edit This Guided tours in Ulyanovsk. Let me see you around our small historical town, show the most interesting museums, places to go and eat out. You will have a chance to buy traditional souvenirs and have an unforgettable holiday in Ulyanovsk. I shall be happy to guide groups up to 10 people 12 a day. e-mail: trav21@inbox.ru ____Getting There Edit This tatyana's city tatyana's city You can get to United States from Ulyanovsk by air. By Air The flight from Moscow to Ulyanovsk takes 1 hour and 25 minutes. You can take it from Moscow Domodedovo Airport. By Railroad There is one direct and 3 transit trains from Moscow to Ulyanovsk. They depart daily from the Moscow Kazansky train station . It will take you 16 hours to reach Ulyanovsk. ::::::::::Ural Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see me sking me sking jonathan The Ural Mountains, (Russian Uralskiy Khrebet) also known simply as the Urals, are a mountain range that run roughly north and south through western Russia. The Urals extend 2500 km from the Kazakh steppes (see Kazakhstan) along the northern border of Kazakhstan to the coast of the Arctic ocean. The island of Novaya Zemlya forms a further continuation of the chain. Geologically this range marks the northern part of the border between the continents of Europe and Asia. Its highest peak is Naroda Mountain (Poznurr, 1895 m). Erosion has exposed considerable mineral wealth in the Urals, including gems such as Topaz and Beryl. The Virgin Komi Forests in the northern Urals is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. The Urals were formed in the late Carboniferous period, when a continent consisting largely of Siberia collided with the supercontinent that contained much of the world's land at the time: the combination of Laurussia (Europe and North America) and Gondwana. Europe and Siberia have remained joined together ever since. Geographers have divided the Urals into five regions: South, Middle, North, Subarctic and Arctic Urals. So the Ural Mountains were formed by tectonic plates. *[http://welcome-ural.ru/urals/77/ Five parts of the Ural Mountains] ::::::Vladimir Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Vladimir Monestary Vladimir Monestary Jennifer Farthing Vladimir, Russia one of the oldest and most famous cities of Russia is the center of the Vladimir region. The city has the population of 360,000 people and covers the area of 11,145 hectares.Growing cities in the region other than Vladimir are Kovrov, Murom, Alexandrov and Gus-Krustalny. has a millenial history; according to the latest data discovered by the historians and archaeologists, Vladimir was founded in 995. In the early part of Vladimir's history the city was the capital of Russia. It was a political, cultural and religious center . Vladimir is famous for its unique cathedrals dating back to the XII century. Four of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The city belongs to the so called "Golden Ring" of Russia and, consequently, presents a major international tourist center. The geographical position of Vladimir makes it an attractive place for business development. The city is located in the Central Region of Russia; 180 km east of Moscow. Such prominent scientific-industrial centers as Nizhni-Novgorod, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl and Ryazan are situated not far from Vladimir. The city is linked with them by railways and highways. :::::::::: Vladivostok Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Some decay in the downtown Some decay in the downtown J. Solly Located in the East of Europe, Vladivostok, with the population of 594'700 is the largest Russian city on the Pacific Ocean. The home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet, the city was founded in 1859 by Count Nikolay Myravyov-Amursky (for more details see History section). Once created as a citadel against enemies' invasion, Vladivostok stood guard for many years. The city covers over 600 sq. km and lies on the shore of the Pacific Ocean at the Muraviyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide. The city has magnificent old and new buldings,monuments and a lot of other sights to wander around. Other facts: ”The highest point is the Orlinoye Gnezdo Mountain (Eagle's Nest). The height of the Mountain is 214 m ” The mean annual temperature is +5 C, the temperature in January is -14 C, the temperature in August is +24 C The annual precipitation is 765 mm ” Railroad distance to Moscow is 9302 km ” Direct distance to Moscow is 9302 km. ” Direct distance to Bangkok is 5600 km, to San_Francisco - 8400 km, to Seoul - 750 km, to Tokyo - 1050 km. ” Vladivostok is a sister-city of San-Diego and Tacoma (USA), Niiagata, Akita and Hakodate (Japan), Pusan (Korea) and Palyan (China). :::::::Volgograd Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Mamaev Kurgan Mamaev Kurgan David Malin Volgograd was originally named Tsaritsin, then in 1925 the name was changed to Stalingrad. Stalin died in 1953, but it took another 12 years for the name to be finally changed to Volgograd in 1965 by Khruschev. The city is located on the river Volga. In the summer it can be more than 30°C and in winter the temperature can become very cold (minus 20°C or more). Outside the city you can find a typical nearly desert nature. Also the battle fields of World War II are located around here. The city itself is not very nice but has a few interesting spots. The monument on the hill, the promenade at the river also with its Powerplant. I guess it will be very difficult to find people to speak to if you can not speak russian. But if so it can be interesting to find out more about the history of the city. Volgograd, still referred to by war historians as Stalingrad, was the site of THE bloodiest battle in the history of the world. During the struggle the city was reduced to rubble and was the setting for a struggle between the might of the German and Soviet war machines. Because of this there are many fascinating memorials and museums to visit. The city is rich with culture and history, and offers a wonderful experience of Russian life. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: wikipedia ::::::::: Vologda Region Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Vologodsky Region (Vologodskaya Oblast) is one of the biggest regions of the European part of Russia, located in the north part of the country. It is the land of monasteries and churches, magical white nights, rivers and blue lakes, a popular tourist region. The network of waterways, railroads and highways makes getting to and around the Vologda Region easy. Main sity of this region is Vologda located about 500 km to the north of Moscow. _________Vologda Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Vologda is one of the oldest Russian cities located on the picturesque coast of the small still river which has the same name. It is considered to be founded in 1147. The ancient Russian city was the "gate" to the North. Vologda was large trade and handicraft center, an advanced post of Moscow in constant struggles against the foreign conquerors. Many pages in history of Russian culture are connected with the name of Vologda. Lace weaving appeared here in the beginning of the 19th century. Nowdays the Vologda laces are world-famous. Vologda has many beautiful architectural monuments. Majestic Sofia Cathedral, the Vologda Kremlin, Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery are the most delightful among them. Many monuments of the wooden architecture remained in the city. ::::::::::::Yakutia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo The Republic of Yakutia (Saha) occupies almost all the north-eastern part of Asia. Its area makes the one sixth part of the territory of Russia. The climate here is expressly continental, with short warm summer and long frosty winter. The settlement Oimyakon in the east of Yakutia is the Cold pole of the Northern Hemisphere. This is the place where the lowest temperature of the populated part of the planet -72°C below zero was reported. Yakutia is the land of a dense jungle of taiga, vast expanses of tundra, severe mountains and original culture. Since the olden days Yakuts have lived according to shamanism traditions. Yakut shaman practice is very popular both with the scientists and mysticism-lovers. Shaman traditions are mirrored in Yakuts everyday life - in their clothes, utensils, ornaments, in their calendar and holidays. ___________Things to do Edit This Cruise along the Lena River Perhaps, the most fascinating travel which can be made in Yakutia in summertime is cruise by steam-ship along the Lena River. The Lena is the largest river of Eastern Siberia. It runs through the picturesque mountain and flat areas and flowing into the Arctic Ocean. The most known natural sight of the Lena banks is Lenskiye columns. These are the huge steep rocks rising upwards for several stages. They have the shape of columns, spikes, towers and form a real cosmic view. :::::::::::Yaroslavl Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Church of the Prophet Elijah. 1647-50 Church of the Prophet Elijah. 1647-50 Martin Laska The City of Yaroslavl, located at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers, is today a World Heritage Sight. Said to be founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslavl the Wise, it was incorporated into the principality of Muscovy in 1463. In the 17th century it was Russia's second largest city, and during the Polish occupation of Moscow in 1612, it was the de-facto capital of Russia. Today it is an important industrial center, and is the administrative center of the Yaroslavl Region, or Oblast, bordering the Moscow Oblast. Yaroslavl has some of the "Golden Ring's" most impressive churches and monasteries, highlighting some of the countries most beautiful frescos and the architectural "Yaroslavl Type" church (red brick and bright tiled exteriors). Yaroslavl in also a college town, with about a dozen institutes of higher learning. The city boasts the oldest remaining theater in all of Russia, the Volkov theater built in 1750. Yarolsavl also has a well developed system of public transportation, with frequent trolleys, trams, and buses traveling all over the city. There are two major train stations in Yaroslavl, with daily trains to Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well to many other major locations and medium sized towns in Russia. Yaroslavl is approximately 250 kilometers north east of Moscow and has a population of over 600,000. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: Facts and Dates from Wikipedia |
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GNU Free Documentation License Esso utilizza materiale tratto da http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia Cronologia/Autori: http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Russia&action=history RussiaDa Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.
La Federazione Russa (in russo Российская Федерация, Rossijskaja Federacija, /rʌs'sijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪ'raʦijə/, chiamata anche Россия, Rossija, /rʌs'sijə/) č un paese che si estende tra l'Europa e l'Asia. Con una superficie di 17.075.200 chilometri quadrati, č lo stato piů grande del mondo. Confina con Norvegia, Finlandia, Estonia, Lettonia, Bielorussia, Lituania, Polonia, Ucraina, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakistan, Cina, Mongolia e Corea del Nord. Č bagnata a a nord ovest dal Mar Baltico, a Nord dal Mare Glaciale Artico, ad oriente dall'Oceano Pacifico e a sud dal Mar Nero e dal Mar Caspio. Come principale successore dell'Unione Sovietica, la Russia č ancora uno stato con una forte influenza politica, specialmente all'interno della CSI, che comprende tutti gli stati dell'ex Unione Sovietica tranne la Lettonia, l'Estonia e la Lituania.
[modifica] Storia
[modifica] Popoli delle steppeNei secoli precedenti la nascita di Cristo, le vaste terre della Russia meridionale erano abitate da una serie di popoli come i proto indeuropei e gli Sciti. Tra in III e il VI secolo dell'era cristiana, le steppe subirono, a ondate successive, le invasioni di popoli nomadi, guidate da tribů bellicose che si dirigevano verso l'Europa occidentale. Fu il caso degli Unni e degli Avari. Un popolo turco, i Cazari, governň la Russia meridionale durante l'VIII secolo. Furono preziosi alleati dell'Impero Bizantino e condussero diverse guerre contro i califfati arabi.
[modifica] Rus'
Una mappa approssimativa delle culture nella Russia europea al
momento dell'arrivo dei Variaghi
Dal VII secolo, gli Slavi costituirono la maggioranza della popolazione nella Russia occidentale e pian piano assimilarono le preesistenti tribů Ungro-Finniche, come i Merya, i Muroma e i Meshchera. A metŕ del IX secolo un gruppo originario dalla Scandinavia, i Variaghi, assunse il ruolo di élite dominante nella capitale slava di Novgorod. Anche se l'elemento etnico dei Variaghi si confuse abbastanza presto nella maggioritaria popolazione slava, la dinastia da loro espressa rimase al potere diversi secoli, durante i quali si affiliň alla Chiesa ortodossa di Bisanzio. La capitale venne trasferita a Kiev nell'882. In questo periodo, il termine "Rhos" o "Rus'" iniziň ad essere riferito ai variaghi e, in seguito, anche agli slavi che popolavano la regione. Tra il X e l'XI secolo la Rus' di Kiev divenne lo stato piů grande d'Europa ed uno dei piů prosperi, grazie alla sua posizione commerciale tra Europa ed Asia. L'apertura di nuove vie commerciali con l'Oriente al tempo delle Crociate contribuě al declino e alla frammentazione dello stato di Kiev nel corso del XII secolo, aggravatasi dopo la morte, nel 1132, del figlio di Vladimiro II Monomaco. Nei secoli XI e XII, le sempre piů frequenti incursioni di tribů turche, come i Kipchaks e i Peceneghi, portarono le popolazioni slave del sud a spostarsi verso le regioni del nord, note come Zalesye. Gli stati di Novgorod e Vladimir-Suzdal emersero come eredi del Rus' di Kiev nei territori settentrionali, mentre il medio corso del Volga fině sotto il controllo dello stato islamico del Volga Bulgaro.
[modifica] I TatariCome molte altre regioni dell'Eurasia, questi territori vennero invasi dai Mongoli, che nel 1240 distussero Kiev. Conosciuti piů tardi con il nome di Tatari, i Mongoli avrebbero governato le zone meridionali e centrali dell'odierna Russia per circa tre secoli, tempo durante il quale i vari potentati locali sarebbero stati dipendenti del loro Khanato dell'Orda d'Oro. I territori delle odierne Ucraina e Bielorussia furono inclusi nel Gran ducato di Lituania e nella Polonia, fattore che differenziň ucraini e bielorussi dalle altre popolazioni russe. Come nei Balcani e in Asia Minore, il lungo governo dei nomadi avrebbe ritardato lo sviluppo economico e sociale del paese. Peraltro, Novgorod e Pskov riuscirono a ritagliarsi un certo grado di autonomia, che li preservň da molti problemi e molte atrocitŕ del periodo. Nel XIII secolo, il signore di Novgorod Alexander Nevsky respinse gli svedesi e i cavalieri teutonici che cercavano di colonizzare la regione.
[modifica] La Moscovia
Con Ivan I (1332 - 1341) il Granducato di Mosca si avviň a divenire il piů importante principato russo. Contrariamente alla sua fonte d'ispirazione politica e religiosa, l'Impero Bizantino, lo stato russo incentrato su Mosca fu in grado di sopravvivere e di organizzare una propria riscossa, riuscendo infine a sottomettere i suoi nemici e ad occupare i loro territori. Dopo la Caduta di Costantinopoli nel 1453, la Russia moscovita rimase l'unico stato cristiano sulla frontiera orientale dell'Europa, facendo sě che esso, in qualitŕ di Terza Roma, rivendicasse l'ereditŕ dell'Impero Romano d'Oriente. Ancora sotto il dominio dei mongoli e con il loro assenso, il Ducato di Mosca iniziň ad affermare la sua influenza sulla Russia occidentale all'inizio del XIV secolo. Assistita dalla Chiesa Ortodossa Russa e dalla rinascita spirituale portata da San Sergio di Radonezh, nel 1380 la Moscovia sconfisse i tatari nella Battaglia di Kulikovo. All'inizio del XVI secolo, lo stato moscovita riuscě a riprendere tutti i territori russi persi a seguito delle invasioni dei tatari. Nel contempo, si riuscě pure a proteggere le regioni ai confini meridionali dagli attacchi portati dai Tatari della Crimea e dalle altre popolazioni turche. I nobili, a cui era concessa una tenuta dai sovrani, furono obbligati a servire nell'esercito. Il sistema delle concessioni diventň una delle basi dell'esercito nobiliare a cavallo.
[modifica] Russia ZaristaNel 1547 Ivan IV (detto il Terribile, 1533-1584) venne incoronato primo Zar di Russia, termine derivato dal latino Caesar. Durante il suo lungo regno, Ivan annesse gli stati islamici lungo il Volga e trasformň la Russia in uno stato multietnico. Ridusse il potere dei Boiari, ossia i signori feudali, dando inizio ad uno stato autocratico. Sotto Ivan IV la Russia si estese verso est a scapito dei Tartari occupando Kazan ed Astrakhan. Alla sua morte seguě un periodo di turbolenze dovute ai tentativi dei boiari di recuperare il potere perduto ed anche all'ingerenza polacca. Nel 1613, con la salita al trono del primo dei Romanov inizia una nuova fase di potenziamento dello stato russo. Sotto il regno degli Zar, la Russia divenne una delle maggiori potenze europee, conosciuta come Russia Imperiale, ammodernata e sempre piů espansa a ovest, a partire dal XVIII secolo. Comunque, all'inizio del XX secolo il potere della Russia stava scemando e nel contempo montava lo scontento fra la popolazione, a questo si aggiunga anche la sconfitta militare subita durante la prima guerra mondiale. Tutti questi eventi precipitarono drammaticamente nel 1917 quando la rivoluzione di febbraio, d'ispirazione borghese, spazzň via il regime zarista di Nicola II e la seguente Rivoluzione d'Ottobre portň al potere il partito bolscevico sotto la guida di Vladimir Ulianov detto Lenin. Gli anni che seguirono, fino al 1922, videro lo scontro tra l'esercito sovietico, la cosiddetta Armata Rossa, organizzato e comandato da Lev Trockij ed i vari eserciti che si rifacevano al potere zarista, le Armate Bianche.
[modifica] L'Unione delle Repubbliche Socialiste SovieticheNel 1922 venne fondata l'Unione delle Repubbliche Socialiste Sovietiche abbreviata in URSS, in cui entrň a far parte anche la Repubblica Russa. Lenin soffrě una serie di infarti che portarono alla sua morte nel 1924. Dopo una breve lotta per il potere, la guida dell'Unione Sovietica venne consolidata nelle mani del dittatore Josif Dzugasvili, detto Stalin. Il regno brutale di Stalin costň milioni di vittime, tra le quali oppositori politici, noti o sospettati, e ufficiali militari che vennero giustiziati o esiliati in Siberia durante le Grandi Purghe degli anni '30. A seguito della vittoria Sovietica sulla Germania Nazista, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, l'Unione Sovietica si sarebbe sviluppata in una delle due potenze dominanti della Guerra Fredda, fungendo da principale avversario ideologico degli Stati Uniti. Le due nazioni ingaggiarono una lunga lotta geopolitica per il controllo dei cuori e delle menti del Terzo Mondo a partire dalla Crisi di Suez del 1956. I sovietici crearono il Patto di Varsavia per opporsi alla NATO, e le due parti si imbarcarono in una lunga e costosa corsa per accumulare il maggior numero possibile di armi nucleari. Nel 1962 con la crisi dei missili di Cuba, il leader sovietico Nikita Khruščёv quasi fece scoppiare una guerra con gli Stati Uniti, quando fece posizionare delle armi atomiche offensive a Cuba. I sovietici diedero anche il via alla corsa allo spazio lanciando lo Sputnik 1, il primo satellite a orbitare attorno alla Terra, e rendendo il Colonnello Jurij Gagarin, il primo uomo a viaggiare nello spazio.
[modifica] Crollo del comunismo e nascita della Federazione russaAlla fine degli anni '80, il leader sovietico Mikhail Gorbačëv introdusse delle riforme come la glasnost e la perestroika, ma queste misure non furono in grado di prevenire il collasso dell'Unione Sovietica, dopo un fallito colpo di stato militare nel 1991. La RSFS Russa dichiarň la sua indipendenza il 24 agosto dello stesso anno come Federazione Russa. In quanto principale erede dell'Unione Sovietica, ha da allora cercato di mantenere la sua influenza globale, ma č stata ostacolata da difficoltŕ economiche. [modifica] Politica
Cremlino
Residenza del Presidente russo La Federazione Russa č una democrazia federativa con un presidente, eletto direttamente per un mandato di quattro anni, che detiene un notevole potere esecutivo. Il presidente, che risiede al Cremlino, nomina le piů alte cariche ufficiali dello stato, compreso il primo ministro, che deve essere approvato dalla Duma, la camera bassa del parlamento. Se la Duma respinge per tre volte la candidatura proposta, il presidente puň decretarne lo scioglimento. La Duma puň approvare una mozione di sfiducia al governo a maggioranza assoluta, ma il presidente puň manifestare il suo dissenso; se la Duma approva entro tre mesi un'altra mozione di sfiducia, il presidente puň optare tra l'accettazione delle dimissioni del governo e lo scioglimento dell'assemblea. Il presidente puň far passare dei decreti, senza il consenso del parlamento; č il capo delle forze armate e del consiglio nazionale di sicurezza. I forti poteri di cui č titolare hanno determinato una definizione della forma di governo russa come "presidenzialistica". La Russia ha un parlamento bicamerale. L'Assemblea Federativa o Federalnoe Sobranie consiste in una camera alta conosciuta come Consiglio Federativo (Sovet Federacii), composta da 178 delegati che prestano un servizio quadriennale (ognuna delle 89 suddivisioni amministrative ne nomina due), e in una camera bassa conosciuta, appunto, come Duma di Stato (Gosudarstvennaja Duma) che comprende 450 deputati, anch'essi in carica per quattro anni, dei quali 225 sono eletti dal voto popolare diretto su base maggioritaria, mentre gli altri 225 sono eletti con il sistema proporzionale da liste di partito a base nazionale [modifica] Geografia
La Federazione Russa si estende su gran parte dell'area settentrionale
del supercontinente
Eurasiatico
e per questo motivo conosce una grande varietŕ di paesaggi e climi. Gran
parte del paesaggio consiste di vaste pianure, sia nella parte europea che
in quella asiatica. Queste pianure sono predominantemente
steppa
nella parte meridionale,
foresta
a nord, e
tundra lungo la costa settentrionale. Le catene montuose si trovano
lungo i confini meridionali, come il
Caucaso
(che contiene il
Monte Elbrus,
il punto piů elevato della Russia, a 5.633 m) e i monti
Altai, e
nella parte orientale, come il massiccio di
Verkhojansk o i
vulcani della
Kamčatka.
Degna di nota č anche la piů centrale catena degli
Urali, che
forma la principale linea di demarcazione tra
Europa e
Asia.
La Russia ha una linea costiera di oltre 37.000 km, lungo il
Mare Glaciale Artico e l'Oceano
Pacifico, cosě come lungo i mari interni, come il
Baltico, il
Mar Nero
e il
Mar Caspio. Bacini piů piccoli fanno parte degli oceani;
Mare di Barents,
Mar
Bianco,
Mare di Kara,
Mare di Laptev e
Mare Siberiano Orientale sono parte dell'Artico, mentre
Mare di Bering,
Mare di Okhotsk e
Mar del Giappone appartengono al Pacifico.
[modifica] Economia
Centrale energetica a
Mosca
Piů di un decennio dopo il collasso dell'Unione Sovietica nel 1991, la Russia sta ora tentando di sviluppare un'economia di mercato e di conseguire una crescita economica piů consistente. Dopo il 1991, l'economia russa, in precedenza pianificata e controllata dalle autoritŕ centrali, subě una severa contrazione per cinque anni, mentre governo e parlamento non riuscivano a porre in essere le necessarie riforme e l'antiquata struttura industriale del paese affrontava un serio declino.
[modifica] La crisiDopo l'era sovietica la Russia visse una prima, limitata ripresa nel 1997, in cui si mostrarono i segni di un'influenza del libero mercato. In quell'anno si verificň la crisi finanziaria asiatica che portň in agosto al deprezzamento del rublo e, nel 1998 al default del debito pubblico. A ciň conseguě la recessione, un forte deterioramento dei livelli di vita e un'intensa fuga di capitali all'estero.
[modifica] Ripresa
Alexei Kudrin, Ministro delle finanze russo
L'economia iniziň a riprendersi nel 1999, grazie alla debolezza del Rublo, che rese piů cari i prodotti importati e incoraggiň la manifattura locale. In seguito, si entrň in una fase di rapida crescita, in cui il PIL č cresciuto del 6.7% in media annua dal 1999 al 2005, sulla scorta del rublo debole, di piů alti prezzi del petrolio, della maggiore produzione industriale e una maggiore vivacitŕ dei servizi. Il paese ha un forte attivo nella bilancia commerciale, grazie anche alle barriere protezioniste che, assieme alla diffusa corruzione, ostacolano le piccole imprese straniere ad esportare in Russia, senza consistenti appoggi in loco. Alcuni di questi ostacoli dovrebbero venire meno, a seguito dell'adesione della Russia al WTO. Nel 2004 la crescita del PIL č stata del 7,2 % e nel 2005 del 6,4 %. Attualmente quella russa č la nona economia del mondo e la quinta in Europa. Se venisse mantenuto questo livello di sviluppo, in pochi anni la Russia diventerŕ la seconda economia europea, dopo la Germania. La ripresa e i rinnovati sforzi governativi (nel 2000 e nel 2001) di avanzare sul terreno delle riforme strutturali, hanno aumentato la fiducia di imprese e investitori sulle prospettive della Russia. Il settore delle materie prime, come petrolio, gas naturale, metalli e legname, costituisce l' 80% delle esportazioni, con la conseguenza che il paese č fortemente vulnerabile alle variazioni dei mercati internazionali. Le esportazioni dell'industria militare, dopo un periodo di crisi, costituiscono ora la seconda voce attiva, dopo le materie prime. Negli ultimi anni, peraltro, un altro fattore positivo per l'economia č stata la crescita della domanda interna (del 12% annuo tra il 2000 e il 2005). Lo sviluppo del paese č stato estremamente disuguale: la regione di Mosca, in cui si concentra solo un decimo della popolazione complessiva, produce un terzo del PIL.
[modifica] Dati recentiIl PIL a paritŕ del potere d'acquisto nel 2004 č ammontato a 1,5 trilioni di dollari. Nel 2005, secondo il servizio federale di statistica, il Prodotto interno lordo č stato di 765 miliardi di dollari (21,7 trilioni di rubli), equivalenti a 1,6 trilioni di dollari a paritŕ di potere d'acquisto. L'inflazione si č attestata al 10,9%. Le uscite dello stato sono state di 215 miliardi di dollari. Il governo progetta di ridurre il carico fiscale, anche se la tempistica e la misura di tale riduzione non sono state ancora decise. Nel 2005 le esportazioni russe sono state pari a 241,3 miliardi di dollari, mentre le importazioni hanno raggiunto i 98,5 miliardi di dollari. Il conseguente avanzo di 142,8 milioni di dollari ha registrato una crescita del 33% rispetto a quello del 2004 (106,1 miliardi di dollari)[1] Il 17 agosto 2006, le riserve in valuta della Russia ammontavano a 277 miliardi di dollari. A fine anno dovrebbero essere cresciute a 320 miliardi, e a 350–450 miliardi a fine 2007 [2][3]. Grazie agli alti prezzi del greggio, nel 2005 le esportazioni di petrolio sono state pari a 117 miliardi di dollari e quelle di gas a 32 miliardi. Ciň significa che il petrolio e il gas hanno costituito da soli il 60% delle esportazioni russe nel 2005.[4] Nel gennaio 2004 il governo ha formato un "Fondo di stabilizzazione", che raccoglie alcune entrate derivanti dall'esportazione di idrocarburi ed ha la funzione di bilanciare la volatilitŕ del mercato petrolifero. Altro proposito č quello di evitare l'apprezzamento del rublo. Nel novembre 2006 il Fondo ha raggiunto il valore di 76,6 miliardi di dollari. Il paese ha pagato gran parte del debito estero che aveva con il Club di Parigi delle nazioni creditrici nell'agosto 2006, soprattutto attraverso il fondo di stabilizzazione. Al 1 ottobre 2006, il debito con il Club di Parigi ammontava a 1,9 miliardi di dollari, confrontati ai 23,7 miliardi al 1 luglio[5]. Secondo l'ufficio federale di statistica, il salario medio nominale a giugno 2006 ammontava a 10.975 rubli (circa 408 dollari al valore nominale, 740 dollari a paritŕ di potere d'acquisto), del 25,6 % piů alto rispetto all'anno precedente.
[modifica] Problemi e prospettive
L'Universitŕ statale di Tomsk
Per molti osservatori, il problema principale dell'economia russa č quello di incoraggiare lo sviluppo delle piccole e medie imprese in presenza di un sistema bancario ancora giovane e spesso inefficiente. Diverse banche sono proprietŕ degli "oligarchi", ossia ricchi uomini d'affari collegati al potere politico, che spesso utilizzano il denaro dei depositanti per sostenere le loro aziende. La BERS e la Banca Mondiale hanno tentato di incoraggiare pratiche bancarie piů moderne, ma hanno ottenuto un successo molto limitato. Altri problemi risiedono nella considerevole diversitŕ di sviluppo tra le diverse regioni. Mentre nella regione di Mosca i livelli di reddito si stanno rapidamente avvicinando a quelli delle maggiori metropoli della zona Euro, gran parte del paese rimane indietro, soprattutto nelle aree rurali e in Asia. Fuori dalla regione moscovita, segnali di sviluppo e integrazione nel mercato si fanno sentire soprattutto nelle altre grandi cittŕ, come San Pietroburgo, Kaliningrad, Ekaterinburg e, piů di recente, nelle aree rurali vicine ai grossi centri. L'arresto dell'oligarca Mikhail Khodorkovsky, per accuse di corruzione e frode riguardo alle privatizzazioni su larga scala effettuate sotto la presidenza di Boris Eltsin, contrariamente ai timori, non ha causato eccessive preoccupazioni degli investitori sulla stabilitŕ dell'economia russa. Se all'estero si sono espresse preoccupazioni sull'applicazione "selettiva" della legge contro certi uomini d'affari, le azioni del governo in questo senso sono state accolte con favore dall'opinione pubblica russa. Peraltro, gran parte delle fortune ora in evidenza derivano spesso dall'acquisto di beni pubblici e concessioni governative ad un prezzo particolarmente basso.
Incoraggiare l'investimento estero č un grosso problema, a causa delle particolaritŕ russe in campo legale, culturale, linguistico ed economico. Nondimeno, negli anni recenti si č assistito ad un certo afflusso di capitali europei, attratti dai terreni a buon mercato, da un piů basso costo del lavoro e da piů altri tassi di crescita rispetto al resto dell'Europa. Del resto, l'elevato standard educativo raggiunto dalla maggioranza della popolazione (comprese le donne e gli appartenenti alle minoranze etniche), una mobilitŕ sociale abbastanza elevata e le attitudini laiche rendono la Russia piů simile ai paesi sviluppati che a quelli in via di sviluppo. Il paese ha beneficiato degli alti prezzi del petrolio ed č stato in grado di ridurre in maniera sostanziale il suo enorme debito estero. Comunque, il trasferimento dei proventi derivati dal commercio delle materie prime agli latri settori economici rimane un problema. Dal 2003, peraltro, il peso delle esportazioni di risorse naturali sull'economia si č ridotto in termini percentuali, grazie al rafforzamento del mercato interno, stimolato dal settore delle costruzioni e dai consumi. Se in buona parte del paese la domanda e l'offerta di consumo sono ancora molto semplici, nelle cittŕ maggiori il mercato si č reso piů simile a quello dei paesi piů avanzati, specialmente in campi come l'abbigliamento, il cibo e il tempo libero.
[modifica] Demografia
La Russia č scarsamente popolata in rapporto alla sua enorme estensione; la densitŕ della popolazione č maggiore nella parte europea della Russia, nella zona delle montagne degli Urali, e nella parte sud-orientale della Siberia. La Federazione Russa ospita molti differenti gruppi etnici e popolazioni indigene. Piů dell'80% della popolazione č composta da Russi etnici, il resto comprende Baschiri, Ceceni, Ciuvasci, Cosacchi, Evenki, Tedeschi, Ingusci, Yupik, Ebrei, Calmucchi, Careliani, Coreani, Mordvini, Osseti, Taimyri, Tatari, Tuvani, Jakuti e molti altri. La lingua russa č l'unica lingua ufficiale di stato, ma le singole repubbliche hanno spesso reso il loro linguaggio nativo co-ufficiale con il russo. Il cristianesimo ortodosso č la principale religione ed č in continua crescita. In esso si riconosce il 30 % della popolazione. Vi sono minoranze di musulmani (10%), cattolici (4%) e altri cristiani (1%). Tuttavia, anche in conseguenza del passato regime comunista, il 55% della popolazione si dichiara non credente.
[modifica] CulturaLa matrioska č una delle piů conosciute espressioni artistiche e culturali della Russia
[modifica] Altri argomenti
[modifica] Altri progetti
[modifica] Collegamenti esterni
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