HOME
Our Travels
Day 11 July 10: - Uglich
This morning we <cruised along the river> Russians affectionately call the Matushka (“Dear Little Mother”) Volga. This is the greatest river in Europe, twisting, meandering, and flowing from the Valday Hills to the Caspian Sea for almost 2,500 miles, draining an area of a million square miles, and linking five oceans and seas to Moscow through its canals. <Cruisng to Uglish>
<Uglich>, with its many medieval buildings, is an impressive site. The town dates from the 10th century and was used by Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) in the 16th century as a base for his attacks against the Tatars.
The Uglich fortress, or Kremlin is on the bank of the Volga River and includes impressive churches. The town’s long history is reflected in these ancient buildings within the Kremlin. One of the most massive structures is the <Cathedral of Transfiguration>, built from 1700 to 1713.
The striking <Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood>, with its red walls and blue domes that appear as you sail into Uglich, dates from around 1690. It was built and named to honor the spot where Prince Dmitri, the youngest son of Ivan IV, died in the late 16th century. An aura of mystery still surrounds the exact circumstances of his death.
Back onboard it was time for Matryoshka Discovery. <Matryoshka> is Russia’s famous nesting dolls and we had a chance to paint our own Matryoshka dolls. We had a contest for the best Matryoshka
This is our last night on the river and after the <Captain’s Reception,> where we drank (what else) Vodka to celebrate our voyage. Entertainment tonight was a crew and passenger comedy skit.
Cruising from <Uglich to the Moscow Canal> system.
Day 12 July 11: -Moscow
As we approach Moscow, relax and enjoy the passing scenery on the <Moscow Canal System.>
Once we were docked in Moscow we were ready to set out and begin our explorations. Our destination was Red Square and getting there we had a <glimpse of Moscow.> On our way to Red Square we could not help but stop to see the gleaming white marble Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The <Cathedral of Christ the Saviour> in Moscow on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks southwest of the Kremlin is largest Orthodox Church ever built.
When Napoleon Bonaparte retreated from Moscow Emperor Alexander I, on December 25, 1812, declared his intention to build a cathedral in honor of Christ the Saviour "to signify Our gratitude to Divine Providence for saving Russia from the doom that overshadowed Her" and as a memorial to the sacrifices of the Russian people. The cornerstone was not laid until 1839. The cathedral took over twenty years to build and did not emerge from its scaffolding until 1860.
Under state atheism espoused by the USSR, many church institutions were systematically destroyed in the 1921-1928 antireligious campaign. The prominent site of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was chosen by Joseph Stalin for a monument to Socialism. With the dome of the church containing over 20 tons of gold, on December 5, 1931 the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was dynamited and reduced to ruble. It took more than a year to clear the debris from the site.
In February 1990, the Russian Orthodox Church received permission from the Soviet Government to rebuild the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The completed Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was consecrated on the Transfiguration Day, 19 August 2000