LLL Russian Tour Special - Moscow - Subbotnik Festival Gorky Park
By
Xenia Gerasimova (Moscow) &
SusanneCk in colaboration with
Placebo Anyway
Layout by SusanneCk - Picture documentation by Mary Scott from Australia
Special guest: Alexandra Ugalde Mexico D.F. Mexico.
Hello, hello!! How are you? Haven't seen each other for two weeks, it's a long time...Have you been waiting for the next
Placebo Russian Tour Special? I hope so!!
Today we visit the penultimate city,
Moscow - Placebo are headliners of
'Svoy Subbotnik' festival on the
5th of July!
And you all know or heard anything about
Moscow, because from all the cities we have visited together virtually, it's one of the most known to you, except
St. Petersburg, which we will go to in several days live on the
Placebo Anyway page.
I offer you to change our usual tourist's programme today... Are you intrigued???
This time we have interviewed our dearest old school soulmate
Alexandra Ugalde from Mexico, who will tell us about her
10-day trip to Moscow and other places... Verrry interesting.
A MEXICAN GIRL IN RUSSIA - Interview with Placebo old school fan Alexandra Ugalde
READ THE INTERVIEW HERE
A little
geography, history and learning
Russian language:
The shortest geography course (with a humour) in your life:
- Where?
- In Russia, between rivers
Oka and
Volga.
Learning new Russian words.
I have chosen two words which you will learn by heart today:
The first one is
thank you. You know that
Brian has learnt this word. He has used it very often during the Russian tour.
In Russian
'ัะฟะฐัะธะฑะพ' - the spelling
[ spaหsi:bษ]
The next one is a theme word. New Placebo's album called
'Loud Like Love'...
You have heard this beautiful word so many times, so that I have decided you should know it in Russian!
This word is
LOVE. In Russian
'ะปัะฑะพะฒั', the spelling
[luหbof'].
Moscow is not only the capital of Russian Federation, but it is the biggest city with the population more than 11,5 million people -
the most inhabitaed city in Russia and Europe (It will burst very soon, irony). It is political, economic, scientific, cultural and touristic center.
Every day Moscow is visited by million of people from different countries. (Oh, I have seen so many pleasant visitors! Have recently met a girl from the USA, she has been trying to find the enterance to the
Tretyakov Gallery, but it has been closed by that time. She has asked me if they could make an exception for her, but unfortunately I couldn't help her, so be attentive and watch the time, my dear friends! Last year I met one German girl, she was so lovely!). Many people come here to make business, to find a job or to study. And of course tourists who come to see the most known sightseeings and walk in the streets. Moreover in Moscow you may find an enormous number of different restaurants, cafes, clubs, recreation zones, parks, shops and other.
A history course.
The first annalistic mention of Moscow as the settlement belongs to
1147 of which chronology of history of the city is conducted.
The Suzdal prince
Yury Vladimirovich Dolgorukiy is officially recognized as a
founder of Moscow.
It's known in that time lands of Moscow belonged to the
Boyar Kuchka who after
Yury Dolgoruckiy coming didn't want to give the lands to the prince and showed resistance to his plans. Legends tell us that after
Kuchka's execution Yury explored nearby lands and built a wooden hail. As a result of it the strengthened wooden walls of the
Kremlin were constructed, they protected inhabitants of the former villages of Kuchka and new settlers. The construction of the 'knyazhy' - prince yard and some other structures were also made. Besides, Yury Dolgorukiy's merit was that he promoted Christianity distribution among the population of this district which still was under strong influence of paganism and magicians.
During the rule of
Ivan lll Moscow had been already was the capital of the Russian state.
The ascension to the throne in
1547 of the first Russian
tsar Ivan IV Grozny (
Ivan the Terrible) became a fatal event for the Russian state.
It was paid much attention to a process of strengthening of Russian state, in particular, the Kremlin strengthenings and temples. At that time the area presently known as The Red Square was formed. Till the 16th century it was called
'Torg' (Bargaining), then received the name Troitsk, in 1571 - after a fire, the area was called Fire, and only in the middle of the 17th century the area found the present name.
Almos
t 8 centuries has passed. The city has been conquered, burnt and risen from the ashes many times.
To learn more go here
That's why use this tourist link
To learn more go here
(
During the break.... Xenia: "it's loooong and maybe boring for you." Susanne: "It will be great for the die hard history fans!!.")
That's why use this tourist link for the not die hard history fans. A bit more light ;-)
A very pleasant place to walk is
Alexandrovsky Garden, where you can find different monuments, the grotto, flowers, trees, benches...
There are always a lot of people, and Russians, and tourists.
There is the
Tomb to the Unknown Soldier.
Read more
here.
Near the
Alexandrovsky Garden is
The Manegnaya Square, where you can find the way to the
Red Square, the
Historical State Museum, the monument to the
marshal Zhukov,
hotel 'Moscow'...and the
Moscow underground!
Also you can find the mall
"Ohotniy ryad" (ะั
ะพัะฝัะน ััะด) right here on the
Manegnaya Square, where you can buy what you want, there are many many many
shops there and different
food courts!
By the way, between
Manegnaya Square and Alexandrovsky Garden you can find
Moscow Manege where different
exibitions, expositions and other
public events are arranged.
Walking
in the center of Moscow don't forget to visit
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts on the Volchonka St.,12!
It consists of
three buildings.
The main building: there are two floors, plenty of different halls that are dedicated various periods of times. There are paintings, sculptures, concerts,excursions, exibitions...lots of things.
Also there's a cafรฉ...
The second new building of the Pushkin Museum is the
gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art that was opened in 2006.
The third building is the department of private collections.
Here you can read much
more info.
Another very recomendable place to visit is the
The State Tretyakov Gallery (Russian: ะะพััะดะฐัััะฒะตะฝะฝะฐั ะขัะตัััะบะพะฒัะบะฐั ะะฐะปะตัะตั, Gosudarstvennaya Tretyรขkovskaya Galereya; abbreviated ะะขะ, GTG) is an art gallery in Moscow, Russia, the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world.
The gallery's history starts in
1856 when the Moscow merchant
Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov acquired works by Russian artists of his day with the aim of creating a collection, which might later grow into a museum of national art. In 1892, Tretyakov presented his already famous collection of approximately 2,000 works (1,362 paintings, 526 drawings, and 9 sculptures) to the Russian nation.
There are some really interesting exhibitions you should not miss!
Let's a have a look at some of them.
-
Iosif Rubanov. Heir to the traditions of Moscow. (20.06-07.09.2014)
- Pretty cool:
Birth of a Masterpiece: sketches, small studies, pictures...from "The Tretyakov Gallery Opens Upi its Store Rooms". (30.05.-09.11.2014)
-
Dmitriv Prigov. From Rrenaissance to Conceptualism and Beyond (16.05.- 09.11.2014)
-
Alexander Golovin. Fantasies of the Silver Age. On the 150th Anniversary of his birth. (28.05. - 24.08.2014)
More info
here.
The Museum of History of Moscow (Russian: ะัะทะตะน ะธััะพัะธะธ ะะพัะบะฒั) is
one of the oldest museums of the city.
The museum acquired more than one million articles depicting life in the city throughout its history, from Moscow's ancient beginnings to the present day.
This collection contains the archaeological finds, ancient tools, jewelry, bronze and stone items from most ancient period of Moscow history. There is a collection of maps and drafts which show how the city grew from year to year. Great number of photos recreate the important occasions, celebrations, and events of Moscow since middle of the 19th century to the present day.
The museum holds original costumes, accessories, furniture and other everyday objects produced by talented Russian and European masters.
The Museum's exhibition was housed in one of the
Krestovsky Towers.
More info
here.
The Moscow Kremlin is a very old historic fortified complex
at the very heart of Moscow and it has four palaces, four cathedrals, the well-known Kremlin Wall around it and great Kremlin towers. The complex used to be an official residence of the head of Russia when Moscow was its capital and is now the government’s headquarters. Several structures were built in stone at the behest of Ivan Kalita in the late 1320s and early 1330s, and then the construction of churches began. At first the great wall was wooden, but to protect the area from fire it was demolished and the stone wall appeared.
Learn more about this fantastic sight
here.
Red Square (Russian: ะัะฐัะฝะฐั ะฟะปะพัะฐะดั, tr. Krรกsnaya Plรณshchaฤ, IPA: [หkrasnษjษ หploษหษtสฒ]) is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod. Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow, because Moscow's major streets—which connect to Russia's major highways—originate from the square. Read more
here.
Although it's known to everyone as
St. Basil's, this legendary building is officially called
"The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat". The popular alternative refers to
Basil the Blessed, a Muscovite '
holy fool' who was buried on the site (in the Trinity Cathedral that once stood here) a few years before the present building was erected. More information
here.
Lenin State Library of USSR.
There is a monument to
Dostoevsky right here.
We recommend this restaurant with the
Russian and Ukrainian cuisine "
Korchma Taras Bulba".
A very nice place is
Mari Vanna, a cozy home restaurant for those who love transitional Russian cuisine.
A riddle wrapped inside a mystery inside an enigma? Winston Churchill’s oft-quoted aside on Russia might have applied to the politics and culture But today it can equally be applied to Moscow's cuisine. Intriguing, glamorous and traditional in equal measures - it really is a city that offers something completely unique.
Read more about this lovely place here.
An interesting restaurant review.
Photo credit: Travis Vaughn
Let's go shopping now in Moscow!!
Anyone who still pictures shopping in Moscow as waiting in endless queues to choose from a limited selection of shoddily-made goods is in for a big surprise. The tone in the modern city is set by the big-spending, ultra-fashion-conscious super-rich, and the downtown is filled with gaudy and glamorous stores selling everything from designer clothes to quirky souvenirs. Shopping in Moscow doesn't have to break the bank, however, and a little research can lead to some truly original and uniquely Russian purchases.
(Sources: moscow.info.com)
Clothes and Accessories
Find everything from Moscow haute couture to Soviet vintage clothing.
›››
Food and Drink
Everyday essentials, Russian delicacies, liquor and fine wines.
›››
Books in English and Russian, guidebooks, and maps in Moscow.
›››
Shoppings Malls in Moscow!
And do not miss to visit
GUM!!
GUM (Russian: ะะฃะ, pronounced [หษกum], an abbreviation of the Russian: ะะปะฐะฒะฝัะน ัะฝะธะฒะตััะฐะปัะฝัะน ะผะฐะณะฐะทะธะฝ; Glavnyi Universalnyi Magazin; literally "main universal store") is the name of the main department store in many cities of the former Soviet Union, known as State Department Store (Russian: ะะพััะดะฐัััะฒะตะฝะฝัะน ัะฝะธะฒะตััะฐะปัะฝัะน ะผะฐะณะฐะทะธะฝ; Gosudarstvennyi Universalnyi Magazin) during the Soviet times. Similarly named stores were found in some Soviet republics and post-Soviet states.
The most famous GUM is the large store in the Kitai-gorod part of Moscow facing Red Square. It is currently a shopping mall. Prior to the 1920s, the location was known as the Upper Trading Rows (Russian: ะะตัั
ะฝะธะต ัะพัะณะพะฒัะต ััะดั). Nearby, also facing Red Square, is a building very similar to GUM, known formerly as the Middle Trading Rows. It is about the same size as a large North American shopping mall. It has a clear roof. Read more
here.
Photo credits: http://www.msk-guide.ru
Gorky Park is the capital’s central park, with more than 20 000 visitors on weekdays and 100 000 on weekends and public holidays. Since 2011 the park has been setting new standards, becoming
Russia’s first world-class park and a space for recreation, sport, dance and outdoor games.
Free entry, Wi-Fi coverage, new zones of contemporary design, a well thought-out
events programme and regard for people have transformed
Gorky Park into an epicentre of life in the capital, making it one of the main points of attraction for youth, adults and the family alike.
I think that Gorky Park is a very lovely place. When I was a little girl we went there for a walk often. Then there were lots of attractions.
Now it's still a wonderful place for foot walks, riding a bicycle, rollerskating and other things.
There are always many people visiting this place.
Photo credits: http://www.photo-moskva.ru/
And now soulmates!! Let us speak about the
Subbotnik Festival (Russian: ะกัะฑะฑะพัะฝะธะบ)
This festival is an annual international music festival, which takes place in Moscow, Russia.
Subbotnik became the first musical event of this scale ever held in the territory of
Gorky Park. It was organized by the concert agency Pop Farm and corporation PMI together with Gorky Park. It is planned to become an annual event.
The first festival held in Gorky Park on Saturday 6 July
2013. Acts for the 2013 edition included Hurts, Foals, Jessie Ware, Savages, Motorama, Kasta, 130 ะฟะพ ะฒัััะตัะฝะพะน ะฝะฐ ััะฐัะตะฝัะบะพะน Vespa, ะะตะณะตะฝะดะฐัะฝัะต ะดะตัะธะปะต 76-ะณะพ ะณะพะดะฐ. The headliner for the 2013 festival was British band Arctic Monkeys, it was the first time they played in Russia.
The SVOY Subbotnik 2014 festival will be held on Saturday 5 July 2014. The festival will be headlined by
PLACEBO.
More info
here.
LLL Russian Tour Special - Moscow - Subbotnik Festival Gorky Park
By
Xenia Gerasimova (Moscow) &
SusanneCk in colaboration with
Placebo Anyway
Layout by SusanneCk - Picture documentation by Mary Scott from Australia
Special guest: Alexandra Ugalde Mexico D.F. Mexico.
