The Epiphany or the Baptism of Jesus is one of the main Christian holidays in Russia, is celebrated on the night of January 18th. It is believed that on this night, water becomes holy and powerful enough to wash away all of the sins and diseases of the person.
Thousands of Russians who share this belief go out and queue up next to the specially created openings in the ice that are called “Jordans” in honor of the Holy River. This year in Moscow, especially for this holiday there were 60 “Jordans” created in various parts of the city. No matter how old people are, no matter how cold it is outside, in Moscow for example it was only 14 degrees F., while in Yakutsk it was minus 40 degrees F., all believers, dive into the freezing water for a couple of seconds. Those who dive into the water during this evening of the Epiphany, say that they feel strong, healthy, and energetic after the dive. They feel that their sins and illnesses are “washed away”, and that they are blessed by the Savior. Even though participants overall feel invigorated, next to the each “Jordan” you’ll find medical workers and ambulances, ready to help those in need. This is because it is not uncommon to find children as young as two years old and people older than 80. Believers also go to church and take a bottle of water that was baptized on this Epiphany night. They believe that it helps to improve their physical and mental well-being if they take it every morning. This water is also sprinkled around the house to safeguard it from evil powers and is also used during prayers.
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Easter is finally here and many families are preparing their Easter table, enjoying company, and participating in Easter egg hunts. You might ask: “What kind of egg could possibly cost $300 million?” Indeed, the title of the article sounds a bit farfetched, but we are going to open a secret for you how you can acquire a vast fortune this Easter. Ask any kid and they’ll tell you that their favorite part of celebrating Easter is the Easter egg hunt. The key to gaining this unfathomable wealth is finding the right egg. So, just what is the “right egg”? Here are some important criteria:
What is a Faberge Egg? Faberge eggs are legendary Easter presents that Russian nobility, including the Emperors would give to their wives and mothers as a symbol of Easter. Faberge eggs are unique works of art or jewelry that were made with silver, gold, pearls, diamonds, rubies, and other precious gemstones. The most famous ones were made for the Russian Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II. In total, there were 50 “Imperial Eggs” created for the Royal family, 7 of them are still considered lost. So this is your opportunity to participate in the $300 million egg hunt! (Here comes slideshow with pictures:) Why Are They Called “Faberge” Eggs? Faberge Easter Eggs get their name from their creator, Peter Carl Faberge, the most famous Russian jeweler. A descendant of French parents, he received a great education in Europe and had quickly became the most highly regarded goldsmith in all of the Russian Empire. His worldwide reputation, however, came to Peter Carl after the creation of his first Easter egg. In 1885 Carl Faberge had received an imperial order for creating an Easter present for the wife of Czar Alexander III. That Easter Egg was called the “Hen Egg”, and was the first egg in a series of 50 jeweled eggs created for the Russian Royal Family. When the emperor saw this present, he was so impressed by it that he immediately assigned Faberge the title of Goldsmith of the Imperial Crown. After the death of Alexander III, his son Nickolas II (the last Russian emperor) followed the tradition of presenting Easter Eggs to his wife and mother and expanded it by requesting two eggs each year, one for each of them. The tradition continued until the October Revolution of 1917. The “Surprise” of Faberge Eggs: All of the Faberge eggs, created for the Royal Family, contained a secret: each of the eggs consisted of a number of layers, each with a surprise inside. On the shell of the egg you could find a secret button or a tiny latch, which would open the shell and reveal the hidden surprise. The Hen Egg that was created by the order of Alexander III, for example, consists of a gold shell, covered with white enamel to represent a usual chicken egg. When you open the egg, you’ll find a round-shaped golden yolk, the yolk then opens to reveal a surprise: a tiny golden hen with ruby eyes. The hen also opens to reveal two more surprises: a tiny gold and diamond replica of the imperial crown and a ruby pendant. Other Faberge Eggs have various hidden surprises, such as: portraits of the members of the Royal family, tiny animals, and objects. Some of these objects include: a royal ship, the imperial carriage, a train, jewelry, clocks, bouquet made of gemstones and miniature paintings of places that were memorable for the Royal family. Where are the Easter Eggs today? During the October Revolution, the family of the last Russian Emperor was executed and all of their possessions and property was confiscated and nationalized, including 50 Faberge Easter Eggs. During the 1920s the Soviet government had sold an enormous number of legendary pieces of art to gain money for “building a new country” and to foster the modernization of industries. This lead to many Faberge eggs being auctioned off or sold behind closed doors, which resulted in 43 Easter Eggs leaving the territory of the country. In 2015 one of the missing eggs was found by accident and sold at auction for a cool $33 million! The owner of the egg discovered its value accidentally, right before starting the intended process of melting the precious “scrap metals” on the egg. Nine of the 50 Imperial Eggs are now in held in the Moscow Armory museum and nine are in St. Petersburg’s Faberge museum, all of the known remaining eggs were dispersed across the world and are held in museums and private collections. To this day, seven Faberge Eggs remain missing and the projected price of any one of the lost Faberge Eggs is valued at $300 million. Faberge museum in St. Petersburg The Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg is a truly unique place. It was opened only in 2013 by a famous Russian oligarch and businessman, Victor Vekselberg who not only acquired the eggs, but also reconstructed a 19th century palace to house the museum. This private museum holds one of the absolute best collections of art objects created by famous Russian artisans and jewelers, exceeding 4,000 pieces, including 9 Faberge eggs! The “crowning jewels” of the collection (no pun intended) are the following Faberge Eggs:
If, just like us, you are fascinated by these gorgeous legendary masterpieces, don’t hesitate to contact us to ask about a tour of the Faberge museum. We will be happy to accommodate all of your requests and share a piece of this rich and opulent history with you. Just follow this link and send us a message.
What was life in Russia like 50 years ago? I invite you to see for yourself with the help of a collection of pictures taken by foreign tourists in Leningrad (today, St. Petersburg) during the 1960s-1970s. During the late ‘50s and ‘60s, the USSR’s slogan was “Thaw”. The leader of the communist party, Krushchev, started to change domestic policy. He eased laws and censorship, and released millions of political prisoners from Gulags. All this followed the death of Stalin in 1956 when Krushchev immediately denounced Stalin, the cult of personality, and the totalitarian regime. As a symbol of good intentions and peaceful coexistence, Krushchev visited Beijing, Yugoslavia, and met with Dwight Eisenhower in the United States. The Thaw welcomed economic and political reforms, opened the borders, and gave opportunity for educational and cultural exchange with foreign countries. International movie festivals, American fashion, music, and literature filled the Soviet Union. The Thaw also allowed for incoming tourists to visit. Many European and American artists and photographers travelled to the Soviet Union in order to capture what everyday life is like in that unknown country and its people. These photos were taken during the period shortly after foreign tourists were first welcomed into Russia. When you’re looking at them, try to imagine what it was like to see these scenes for the first time, in a place that you were previously prohibited from visiting. Moscow, 1959, photo taken by Harrison Forman (USA) Below are vending machines in the Soviet Union, which served soda. They operated similarly the dispensers that you can find in many fast food restaurants today (but without free refills!). Since there weren’t disposable cups, everyone had to use a glass that would be automatically washed by the machine after every use. Since there weren't many opportunities to buy any kind of sweets and candies, children would also wait in lines to get to the "holy water". Nowadays, people that were growing up in Soviet Union are all old men and women, but each of them remembers that excitement of buying soda and amazing taste of the beverage. Sportsmen, marching along the Red Square ( 1959, photo taken by Harrison Forman, USA) In the USSR, one of the main goals of the government was to raise strong and healthy citizens. This is why all schools and kindergartens would start their day with the daily exercises. Parades and marches of athletes were commonplace, and served as an example for other people to strive for. Going to the theater (1959, photo taken by Harrison Forman USA) In the Soviet Union a great deal of attention was paid to children’s education and upbringing. Visits to the local museums and theaters was an essential part of it. Electric bus (1959, photo taken by Harrison Forman, USA) Public transportation in the USSR was extensive. A well-developed subway, bus, and trolley systems were great achievements in the 1950’s. New Zaporozhec cars (N. Rakhmanov, 1960) Public transportation is a nice thing of course, but having your own car is much more convenient. Buying a Soviet car was a chance of a lifetime, cars were not only very expensive, but they were also scarce. So when a family would manage to buy a car, they would celebrate it with all of their relatives and neighbors for a week. These cars were tiny and terribly uncomfortable, they would not start if it was too cold or rainy outside (which was most of the time) and this is why people started calling them by sweet nicknames, such as “Zapor”, which means constipation. Street cleaning (L. Lazarev, 1957) Order and cleanliness was seen as an essential responsibility of the city, so every morning every single street would be washed by the trucks pictured below. To this day, you can still see street-washing trucks passing over the streets of St. Petersburg early in the morning, though they use a newer model of truck now. Swans (E. Umnov, 1963) The ballet school of Russia is famous for its rich history, world-class instruction, and professionalism. In order to secure a good place in the theatre, ballet dancers needed to practice endlessly and maintain an immaculate body, but a little cake once in a while couldn’t hurt. Waiting lines (Unknown photographer, 1970's) Starting from the mid 70's, in Soviet Union people have experienced severe deficit of produce and common goods. Getting a pair of tights, a new chandelier or just a good piece of meat was a big victory for a Soviet woman. As a rule of thumb, people had to wait in lines for 5-6 hours. Leningrad (R. Lipset, 1976) Even though the Thaw brought unprecedented liberalization, the communist party and its ideology was not suspended, it continued to follow citizens throughout their lives. Comrade Lenin “kept watch” over people through ubiquitous banners calling for the proletariat revolution. Note that the second photo shows banners over what is today, The Hermitage museum. If you are curious to see how Russia has changed (and hasn't) since the fall of the Soviet Union, you should look into paying a visit to St. Petersburg. Feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have so we can get started on your perfect Russian experience ! For more information please contact me by email at: [email protected] Or contact us by facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceRussia/ Hello there, this blog post has been moved to my new site at: https://exptours.co/kokoshnik-the-main-part-of-the-traditional-russian-national-costume/ . Please visit the post at the new URL for the most recent version. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by this. Today the biggest collection of Kokoshniks and Russian national costumes can be found in the State Ethnography museum in St. Petersburg. Book a tour with your private guide in St. Petersburg and get a unique opportunity to meet the Real Russia. Find out more on my fb page.
1. Russian national nesting doll Matryoshka (俄罗斯 套娃) The Matryoshka is the most famous symbol of Russia, symbolizing Russian women and their big familes. Every Matryoshka consists of many parts, up to 50 smaller dolls, each hiding inside the one before it. The biggest doll is always the mother of the family and all of the smaller dolls are her children. Matryoshkas are often presented to newlyweds and young couples as a wish for healthy kids and prosperity. Check this article about Matryoshka nesting dolls. 2. Amber jewelry (湖泊) St. Petersburg is located by the Gulf of Finland, part of the Baltic Sea, that is famous for the Amber found on its shore. Amber, is the fossilised resin of ancient trees (40 million years) and is highly recognisable for its natural qualities and benefits to health, what is more, it is a very light material and that is why it is so appreciated by jewellers. 3. Lacquer boxes (漆盒子) Lacquer boxes were first produced in 18th century and since then have become an essential part of Russian national culture. Professional artists paint each of them layer by layer. Decorating one box can take up to seven months. Every box tells a different story or fairy-tale, shows different towns and churches. 4. Faberge replicas (法貝熱彩蛋) Faberge Eggs were created by the famous master Carl Faberge as an Easter present for the Russian Royal Family. The Royal family liked the present so much that ordered a whole series of Easter eggs. Nowadays you can get replicas of each of the Easter eggs so highly recognized by Russian emperors. 5. Caviar (鱼子酱) There are two types of caviar that you can find: red and black. The most elite and famous is black caviar of sturgeon fish. It is often called black gold, as for you can buy it in small amounts and it can be quite expensive. You can transport up to 5 kilos of red caviar and 250 grams of black caviar without making a declaration to customs upon your departure from Russia. 6. Fur (毛皮) Russian furs are famous all over the world for their beauty and quality and if you live in a cold climate, you should definitely take a look at fox, mink, arctic fox or sable fur coats, hats or mittens. 7. Traditional scarves (毛巾) Traditional scarves are made of pure wool and are decorated with designs of beautiful roses and peonies. They will keep you warmeven if outside the temperature dropped 25 degrees C below zero. Always choose scarves made in the town of Pavlovposad, as for its masters are the best in the whole Russia. 8. Vodka (白酒) The most famous Russian drink contains 40% alcohol and can be enjoyed in the form of shots or used in different cocktails. Choosing the best brands like Tsar’s or Beluga and people will definitely remember your party. Check this article and find out history and all secrets of vodka,which one is the best, how to drink and many more. 9. Semiprecious stones (半宝石) Russia is famous for its natural resources among which you can find semiprecious stones like lapis lazuli, agate, malachite and many others. Jewellery with semiprecious stones is very popular in Russia and you may find it in every souvenir shop. 10. Christmas ornaments (圣诞装饰物)
Russia is an Orthodox country and people pay a lot of attention to religious holidays, which is why traditional wooden Christmas ornaments are very popular among locals. You may find a lot of wooden figurines of Father Frost (Santa), snowmen and Snegurochka, the granddaughter of Father Frost that helps him to bring presents for kids. St. Petersburg is home to one of the biggest museums in the whole world. Originally, built as private palace for Russian Empress Katherine II, nowadays it amaze tourists not only with enfilades, dance rooms and reception halls, but with the amazing collection of paintings, sculpture, icons and other examples or arts and crafts, created by the most famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Rembrandt. Lets have a look at the list of the most impressive and famous works of art of the Hermitage that will leave you speechless. 10. The Peacock Clock, 1777 The Peacock Clock is a large automaton featuring three life-sized mechanical birds: a peacock, a cock, and an owl as well as a dial incorporated into the head of a mushroom. It was manufactured by the entrepreneur James Cox in the last half of the 18th century. This clock was acquired by Grigoriy Potyomkin, one of the favorites of Russian empress Katherine the Great and was presented to her in 1781. 9. Antonio Canaletto, the Reception of French Ambassadors in Venice, 1726 Being born and living in Venice, Canaletto mastered in painting grand scenes of the canals of Venice and the Doge's Palace. His large-scale landscapes portrayed the city's pageantry and waning traditions, making innovative use of atmospheric effects and strong local colors. For these qualities, his works may be said to have anticipated Impressionism. The reception of French ambassadors in Venice depicts an official reception in Venice. In the background we may see the most magnificent Venetian building – Doge’s Palace. Canaletto is famous for depicting every detail down to the venetians in their colorful dresses and mascaraed masks, hundreds of boats and cupolas of cathedrals, making us feel that we are looking at a photo that was taken just a moment ago. 9. Diego Velázquez, Breakfast, 1618 Velázquez was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV and one of the most important painters of the Spanish Golden Age. Velázquez was an individualistic artist of the contemporary Baroque period, and became known for his portraits. Breakfast is one of the early works of the master. It concentrates with particular intensity on the individual characterization of the men, who are shown half-length and three-quarter length, and are of different ages. The frugality of their meal obviously does not impair their enjoyment of life. The composition presents a view from above of their expressive faces and hands, the tablecloth, and the physical materiality of the bread, pomegranate and wine, symbols of Jesus Christ. 7. Titian, Danae, 1546 Titian, one of the greatest Venetian artists of the 15th century was highly recognized by his contemporaries as "The Sun Amidst Small Stars". Titian's unmatched handling of color is exemplified by his Danaë, one of several mythological paintings, or "poesie" ("poems") as the painter called them. The myth of Danae tells how the King of Argos and father of Danae, consulted an oracle who foretold his death at the hands of his grandson. In order to avoid this, he locked Danae in a tower, which failed to prevent Zeus from possessing her in the form of golden rain. 6. Raphael, Madonna “Conestabile”, 1504 Raphael, together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period. His works are admired for the clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur. The painting portrays the Madonna holding the Child while reading a book. In 1881, when the picture was moved to canvas, it was discovered that in the original version the Madonna contemplated a pomegranate, symbol of the Passion, instead of the book. This painting was acquired by Russian emperor Alexander II in 1871, as a present for his wife. It was kept in her bedroom up to the revolution of 1917. 5. Caravaggio, The Lute Player, 1596 One of the early masterpieces by Caravaggio. We can clearly see the play of shades and contrast, emphasizing the figure in the center of the canvas and giving volume to every single detail of the painting. It was Caravaggio who made the technique a dominant stylistic element, darkening the shadows and transfixing the subject in a blinding shaft of light. With this came the acute observation of physical and psychological reality which formed the ground both for his immense popularity and for his frequent problems heart with his religious commissions. Here this master tried to show us a scene from the real life, with real hero and real feelings. Caravaggio shows us a beautiful young boy, playing his lute and singing a song about his girl leaving him for another man. In his eyes, we may see emptiness and the pain of his broken heart. 4. Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna “Benois” (with a flower), 1478 It is likely that the Benois Madonna was the first work painted by Leonardo independently from his master. For centuries, Madonna and Child with Flowers was considered lost. In 1909, the architect L. Benois sensationally exhibited it in Saint Petersburg as part of his father-in-law's collection. This painting is one of the early works of da Vinci and his first oil painting. It depicts a young Virgin Mary with her adorable child, playing with a flower. Mother’s eyes are full of love and care for her little son. What is very unusual for 15th century painting is that Virgin Mary is dressed up in a fashionable for those days dress and her hair is done according to those times trend, not according to the rules for depicting Virgin. 3. Pablo Picasso, Absinth drinker, 1901 Picasso produced this work in the autumn of 1901 during his second trip to Paris, when he was just 22 years old. The theme of loneliness, of isolation and emptiness was not new to French art in the second half of the 19th century. In the beginning of the 20th century feeling emtyness,as well as the lost self became one of the main themes of modern art. On this painting we may see a lonely woman that sits at a table in a cafe, the background a dirty-red wall which reinforces the sense of discomfort. Emphasizing the flatness of the canvas, the color of the walls and the bluish tone of the marble table seem to press the space inwards, around the woman, enclosing her in her miserable lonely life. 2. Henre Matisse, the Dance, 1910 Matisse is commonly regarded, along with Pablo Picasso , as one of the three artists who helped to define the revolutionary developments in the plastic arts throughout the opening decades of the twentieth century, responsible for significant developments in painting and sculpture. The painting shows five dancing figures, painted in a strong red, set against a very simplified green landscape and deep blue sky. It reflects Matisse's incipient fascination with primitive art and uses a classic Fauvist color palette: the intense warm colors against the cool blue-green background and the rhythmical succession of dancing nudes convey the feelings of emotional liberation and hedonism. 1. Rembrandt Van Rijn, the Return of the Prodigal Son, 1669 Rembrandt is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period of great wealth and cultural achievement that historians call the Dutch Golden Age. This painting is among the Dutch master's final works, likely completed within two years of his death. In the painting, the son has returned home in a wretched state from travels in which he has wasted his inheritance and fallen into poverty and despair. The prodigal son kneels before his father in repentance, wishing for forgiveness and a renewed place in the family, having realized that even his father's servants had a better station in life than he. His father receives him with a tender gesture. His hands seem to suggest mothering and fathering at once; the left appears larger and more masculine, set on the son's shoulder, while the right is softer and more receptive in gesture. This painting demonstrates the mastery of the late Rembrandt. His evocation of spirituality and the parable's message of forgiveness has been considered the height of his art. These and many other pieces of art you will see on a tour with your private guide in St. Petersburg. Contact me for all tour options and special offers at my FB page
Maslenica is a unique Slavic holiday, a mix of Orthodox and pagan traditions. It lasts for a whole week and takes place during the last week before the Great Lent followed by Easter. Since Lent excludes parties, secular music, dancing and other distractions from spiritual life, Maslenica represents the last chance to take part in social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful, sober, and introspective Lenten season. It is a time when societal rules could be broken including wearing masks and clothing of the opposite gender, role-playing, gorging, and consuming large amounts of alcohol. In European countries there is a holiday analogous to Slavic Maslenica, the Carnival. This famous Slavic holiday is a blend of Orthodox traditions (eating before the Great Lent and preparing the body and soul for the whole month of a strict diet and rules) and the Pagan ideology of saying goodbye to and killing winter in order for spring to come. During the whole week people celebrate the coming spring and the winter dying by cooking fattening and delicious foods, such as bleeni with butter or sour cream (think of thin pancakes), sirniki (fried cottage cheese cakes), vareniki (Belorussian dumplings), pelmeni (Siberian meat dumplings), while drinking gallons of milk and eating tons of dairy products. Because of the practice of eating these foods, the Maslenica has also been known as: “bleeni eater”, “overeating week”, “voracious week”,"fatty week", “milk week”, and “cheese week”. Looking at the word “Maslenica” itself: the root of this word is “maslo”, which means butter. For every day of the Maslenica week, there were different traditions and activities to be held, each day had a very important meaning for all people: Monday: Parents sent their daughter in law back to her parents, just for one day and in the evening visited them. People started cooking bleeni (pancakes). The very first pancake had to be given to the poor, for him/her to commemorate the deceased. People also found old shoes and clothing to make a straw figures of a women symbolizing winter which were put on a big poles to be carried through the streets. Tuesday: This day was important for all families with unmarried children, it was used as a day for looking at possible future husbands. All young people would go sliding from hills, playing snowballs together and if a girl was interested in a guy, she would offer him to go to her parents’ house to eat pancakes, so the whole family could meet the young man. Wednesday: On this day, the son in law would visit his bride’s mother, who had to cook fresh pancakes for her guest. Thursday: Starting from this day any kind of activities related to work had to stop, no one was allowed to work. People had to participate in different fun activities: dancing, singing, riding horses, tobogganing, pranking neighbours and so on. The main activity was a gigantic snowball fight and building snow fortresses. The most authentic feature of Maslenica is burning big fires and jumping over them. This practice has pagan roots and served to clean the body with the fire. Also, starting from Thursday, young people could go carolling door-to-door and the owner of the houses had to give singers some money, sweets and a bit of wine. Friday: On Friday the mother in law had to go to the house of her daughter and daughter’s husband, to eat fresh and hot pancakes. With the help of such visits, parents and young couples had to show each other their good attitude and kindness. Saturday: On this day young married girls had to invite and serve husband’s sisters and other young relatives of the husband as well as all her personal unmarried female friends. Sunday: Sunday is the most important day of the Maslenica week, it is also called “Forgiven Sunday”, all relatives had to ask each other for forgiveness for all offenses that they did during the previous year. On this day, churches held special memorial services for deceased. Also people had to go to Russian baths to wash off all old dirt and leftovers of food had to be burnt and all dishes had to be washed. At the very end of the day, all people would go out and burn the straw figure of the woman, symbolizing the cold winter. The ashes of that burnt winter had to be poured over fields, as a call for good harvest. Maslenica is a unique holiday, a living proof of the ancient traditions rooted in worshipping Pagan gods, donating to the earth, and burning the dead in honour of new life. Personally, I love this holiday because I can overeat pancakes with sour cream during the whole week without anyone complaining about it : p If you are interested in Russian culture and traditions and you also like this article, please give us a thumb up on our Facebok page
In 988 A.D. Russia was baptized by the famous count Vladimir. During those times Russia did not exist as a country, instead there were dozens of small principalities with their own leaders, their own small armies, and the territory that they lived in was known by Europeans as Slavic Rus’.
Count Vladimir was one of the most powerful counts and the most crucial for the history of Russia. He understood that as long as the country remained divided and as long as counts and principalities fought against one another, the country would remain vulnerable to outside conquerors. This is why Vladimir decided to find a motivation for people to unite. What thing could unite people with different lifestyles, incomes and occupations? Religion of course! This answer lead to one more question: which religion? Vladimir had a choice from the most powerful religions of the world: Islam, Judaism and Orthodox Christianity, he didn’t consider Catholicism because Europeans always tried to invade Russian Slavs, take their lands, and baptizing people in the enemies’ religion meant surrender. Followers of Judaism are not allowed to work on Saturday and had to eat kosher food, which was too restrictive for peasant he thought. In Islam, followers are required to pray many times a day, eat foot that is halal, and are forbidden from drinking alcohol, which also seemed to Vladimir like it would have been troublesome. Followers of Orthodox Christianity were allowed to eat and drink without restriction, what is more, there were many trade roots to the Byzantine Empire and it was really close. “Bingo!” So Orthodox Christianity was chosen. When Vladimir decided to baptize people, he did so deceptively by persuading them to step into a river. After, a priest brought from Byzantium baptised the water and all of the people in it and no one understood what had happened. At the mean time he ordered to burn and destroy totems of all pagan gods. During those times, people living in the Russian territory believed in their own gods. There was a god or a ghost for everything: sky, thunder, rain, soil, sun, trees, wind, swamps and so on. Everyone believed in pagan gods and each principality had their main pagan god. Day by day, the idea of having one God was grew to be more accepted. After a couple dozen years the masses were followers of Orthodox Christianity; despite this, the idea having many gods, ghosts, strange creatures, witches and talking beasts is still alive in the minds and folk culture of Russians. St. Petersburg is a world-famous Russian city that combines royal heritage, historical treasures and is steeped in Russian traditions and European class. In this city, the best European architects created their masterpieces that are famous all over the world. It is not without reason that St. Petersburg is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. So let’s have a look at some of the biggest reasons for visiting St. Petersburg!
St. Petersburg is one of the most unique and interesting cities that you will ever travel to. It incorporates not only museums and tourist sights, but also the core of Russian culture and traditions. St. Petersburg, the birth place of Czars and revolutions, poets and composers, artists and philosophers. Come to St. Petersburg and see for yourself! Journey to St. Petersburg- is something you will keep boasting about for many years. Your Russian experience- is something all your friends will be envious of forever. If you are interested in St. Petersburg, Russian culture and you enjoyed this article, please like us on Facebook Today, on the 27th January we celebrate one of the most important days for locals. This day , 72 years ago, the siege of Leningrad* was fully lifted. City and suburban areas were freed from Nazi occupation. The siege of Leningrad is one of the longest, most destructive and costliest sieges in the history. Economic destruction and human losses in Leningrad exceeded those of the Battle of Stalingrad or the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The siege of Leningrad is the most lethal siege in our world history, and some historians speak of the siege operations in terms of genocide, as a "racially motivated starvation policy" that became an integral part of the unprecedented German war of extermination against populations of the Soviet Union generally. The defeat of Leningrad was one of three main strategic goals in the German Operation Barbarossa and the main target of Army Group North. The strategy was motivated by Leningrad's political status - the symbolic capital of the Russian Revolution, its military importance as a main base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and its industrial strength. In 1941 Nazi troops got close to Leningrad and started to form a ring around the city and on the 8th of September, 1941, when the last road leading to Leningrad was blocked, the hell started. People were completely not ready for the war, they didn't have any food supplies, factories were not ready for producing enough weapons and tanks. The siege caused extreme famine in the Leningrad region through disruption of utilities, water, energy and food supplies. During the 900 days of the siege about 1.5 million people died, this comes up to 45% of the population of the city! Corpses of adults and children were everywhere, people were not strong enough to move bodies away and bury them. Civilians in the city suffered from extreme starvation, especially in the winter of 1941–42. From November 1941 to February 1942 the only food available to the citizen was 125 grams of bread, of which 50–60% consisted of sawdust and other inedible admixtures. 97% of all deaths in the city were caused not by bombardments but by the terrible starvation. In conditions of extreme temperatures, down to −30 °C (−22 °F), and city transport being out of service, even a distance of a few kilometers to a food distributing kiosk created an insurmountable obstacle for many citizens. Deaths peaked in January–February 1942 at 100,000 per month. Cases of the severe muscle atrophy started to be called Leningrad illness. The only way to bring supplies to the city and to evacuate women and children was to use the Ladoga lake as a road. In winter 1941, when the water froze, the lake route was opened. There was the risk of vehicles becoming stuck in the snow or sinking through broken ice caused by the constant German bombardment. This route was called The Road of Life. This road helped Leningrad to survive and according to data, 700 000 people were evacuated by Ladoga lake. Not only Leningrad was facing losses: all suburban towns and villages, Czar's palaces and mansions, everything was destroyed. Such famous places as the Czars Village, Peterhof palace, Gatchina and Pavlovsk were blown up. People living in villages were taken to Germany and occupied regions as a cheap labor. When my grandmother was 5, she and ger mother as well as many other people from the village were taken to Lithuania where they were working on a farm of one of the nazis. Even though the situation was terrible, people tried to believe in future. Some schools, museums, concert halls kept working even though 40% of the employees disappeared forever. On 9 August 1942, the Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" by Dmitri Shostakovich was performed by the Leningrad Radio Orchestra. The concert was broadcast on loudspeakers placed in all the city and also aimed towards the enemy lines. The same day had been previously designated by Hitler to celebrate the fall of the city with a lavish banquet at Leningrad's Astoria Hotel.
The siege continued until 27 January 1944, when the Soviet Leningrad-Novgorod Strategic Offensive expelled German forces from the southern outskirts of the city. This day, day of liberation of the city we celebrate every year. In may, 1945 Leningrad was given a special honorary title of the Hero City awarded for outstanding heroism during World War II. People never gave up. And today we celebrate the spirit of the brave citizens and we remember all those victims: soldiers fighting for their country, women and children, working 14 hours at factories, doctors and policemen, all of them, who gave their lives for our bright future. Siege of Leningrad will always stay in minds of locals, their families and all Russians. We, living people are in charge of the future of the world, not only our country and not only our nation, but the whole world. And I hope that lessons of the past will help us to prevent the same mistakes and avoid the same victims. * (St. Petersburg was called Leningrad after the death of Lenin in 1924, up to 1991) |
AuthorHi there! My name is Mila, I have been working as a local guide for six years and I've decided to share with you essential information about St. Petersburg, life in Russia and Russian culture. I hope you will enjoy! Archives
January 2018
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