The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was rebuilt in 1997 by famed architect Zurab Tsreteli.
The original cathedral, built to commemorate the Russian army's victory over Napoleon, was destroyed by Stalin who planned to build a grand Palace of Soviets on the grounds. The cathedral was razed, but the construction on the palace never got underway, so instead it became a favorite swimming pool for Muscovites.
Babushkas with matching headscarves
This statue commemorating the nautical interests of Peter the Great is loathed by Muscovites. After all, Peter is the tsar that moved the capital from Moscow to St. Petes.
It 's double the size of the Statue of Liberty without her pedestal.
Statue of Alexander the 1st overlooking Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Painting of Lenin's Mausoleum
Statue of legendary Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky outside a metro station
Moscow State University building
The McDonald's across the street from Red Square is absolutely packed at dusk
State Museum of History, and the entry archway into Red Square (to the left) lit up at night
I couldn't really understand what I was reading, but I think these are wishes put on this fake tree
The entry arches into Red Square
Soldiers marching outside of Red Square
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at night
Huge shadow of the statue outside the State Museum of History
More of the State Museum of History on the left, and the Kremlin on the right
The Golden Ring Hotel near my hostel lit up at night to look like the Russian flag
There were two Starbucks on my street within 100 yards of each other
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs building is one of Stalin's ”Seven Sisters,“ buildings around Moscow in a Russian gothic style.
View of the Red Square and Kremlin from “lovers' bridge”
Michelangelo's David in the Pushkin Museum
Fond last look at my statue
Other replicas of statues
Zeus replica
Looks like it could hurt
Cool sculpture
The non-statue woman is Yunna, Nathalia's (new CCS director) friend, who served as my tour guide for the day.
Sculpture opposite the Moscow Choral Synagogue
Friends with New York
The sanctuary in Moscow Choral Synagogue. It was built in 1891 and was one of the only temples to continue to operate during the Soviet-era depsite the government's protests.
I believe it is an orthodox synagogue, so the women sit up here.
Facing the entry door
Another look at the bimah and ark
Tzdakah box in Hebrew and Russian
Jewish gift shop
The front of the synagogue
My delicious lunch of caesar salad at a cafe called Eric Kayzers
Art in the subway station
More underground art
Me with three friends (Masha, Katya and Pasha L to R) outside a famous music conservatory. If you read my ”Second Weekend in Moscow“ post, these are some of the girls who I met asking for directions. Pasha is the rapper.
Mosaic subway art
Another mosaic
Bigger painting in a subway station
The really cool mall at the Kievskaya metro stop across the street from a train station. I went ice skating here, charged my iPod and had a delicious steak dinner. The blue straight ahead are escalators.
Cool building outside the mall
The hammer and sickle in a metro station
Statue of famed Russian poet Alexander Pushkin on Arbat Street where my hostel was located. Arbat used to be a major place for the Moscow intelligentsia, and now functions more as a cool tourist attraction. There are caricature artists, tarot card readers and other forms of entertainment at all times of the day.
The view of Arbat Street late at night. Note Hard Rock Cafe to the front left
Closer look at Hard Rock. (Pectopah is pronounced restaurant in Russian)
Moo-Moo was right around the corner from my hostel. It is a cheap-eats Russian chain, where you pick food at a buffet and pay for what you get at every trip. Food was cheap, but a little too rubbery for my taste.
The Foreign Affairs building lording over Arbat Street.
Close-up of the Foreign Affairs building
Plaque commemorating Pushkin's residency on Arbat
More subway station art
Long escalator into the subway station
Neverending escalator out of the subway
More subway art
Art and people at the top of the subway station
Looked like the smoke stacks were making clouds
This square, the sculpture and circle of flags, was dedicated to Russia's close ties to Europe.
Flags from all of Russia's European friends
Unfortunately, there was no joy the day this square opened.
Awesome bridge outside the Kievskaya mall and European Friendship Square
View from inside the bridge
Moscow's skyline: under construction
Cool military statue on a bridge
I was pretty sure that this was L.A.'s skyline based on the one building towards the left between the two beer mugs.
Yednaya Rossiya- United Russia, the ruling party at pretty much all levels of government.
The backside of the Triumphal Arch celebrating the victory over Napoleon. It was demolished by order of Stalin in the 1930s but reconstructed in a fit of post-WWII patriotic spirit.
The front of the Triumphal Arch
Moscow written into the grass
Cool statue on the walk to the obelisk
The 142 meter obelisk (each 10 cm representative of one day in WWII) stands in front of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War (World War II)
Church of St. George
Statue at the top of the obelisk
Moscow and Leningrad
Statue in front of the obelisk. I think the komodo dragon-like animal represents the Nazis, and the soldier on horse the Russians.
Side-view
Statue with obelisk
Broken swastikas and other Nazi propaganda
Better look at the soldier
Relief of soldiers in combat
Kiev and Minsk
Stalingrad
One of two identical statues facing each other atop the museum
Soviet weaponry
Although this might look more like a shower, it is in fact a Soviet-era toilet. And it is not a museum exhibit.
Still not sure why there's a first aid center in a World War II museum...
Check the last line of the third paragraph. Little dose of Soviet propaganda.
The little droplets are supposed to represent tears shed by the families of the soldiers killed in battle. There is one for each wartime death.
Mother/sister/wife weeping over the corpse of a soldier. Pretty stirring tribute especially in light of the Soviet emphasis on the collective “we” over the life of the individual “I.”
Close-up of the statue
Nazi blimps over Red Square. I may be wrong but I don't think the Germans ever made it that far into Russia. Still a cool picture.
These next 15 pictures are dioramas portraying every major WWII battle featuring Soviet soldiers
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This diorama portrays the 3 year siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg)
More battles
List of every single armed serviceman in the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War
Close-up of some of the names
More paintings and dioramas
Bust of Stalin
Map of German attack plan “Barbarossa” to conquer the USSR
Soviet wartime propaganda showing Red Square
More propaganda showing a Red Army soldier and Hitler
Sign in German urging the Nazi army to give up
The yellow star, among other Jewish artifacts here, always moves me.
A copy of the Soviet newspaper Pravda featuring Stalin, FDR and Churchill
More propaganda reminiscent of the statue in front of the obelisk
Captured Nazi memorabilia
The Hall of Glory
Pobedy at the bottom of the circle means victory
Moscow relief
An orchestra of teenagers was randomly performing in the foyer of the museum
The Foreign Affairs building with the Golden Ring Hotel
