Moscow

The Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and all of 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.


I visited Russia in 2006, and that was the start of my first travel with SA tours. Ironically Italy may be my final travel with them.

Russia Spectacular was from 31 May - 9 June 2006. As I bring you through the places, one will know why Russia has been the top of my list of countries that I have travelled to, until the recent Italy trip, which pushed the country down to the 2nd spot of my travel list.

Upon arrival, we began our tour with a walk into the red Square. There we continued on to the entrance into the gorgeous St Basil Cathedral.

Saint Basil's Cathedral was the first building which gave the square its present-day characteristic silhouette (on the Kremlin towers but has not yet been built pyramidal roofs). In 1595, wooden market lines were replaced with stone.

The only sculptured monument on the square is a bronze statue of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, who helped to clear Moscow from the Polish invaders in 1612, during the Times of Trouble.

GUM department store

On the eastern side of the square is the GUM department store and next to it the restored Kazan Cathedral. The northern side is occupied by the State Historical Museum State, whose outlines echo those of Krelin towers. The Iberian Gate and chapel have been rebuilt to the northwest.

The Red Square was considered a sacred place. Various festive processions were held there. The Kremlin and Red square were together recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, due to their inextricable links to Russian history since the 13th century.

The buildings surrounding the Square are all significant in some respect. Lenin's Mausoleum for example, contains the embalmed body of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Union. We visited the place in the later part of our journey. Nearby to the south is the elaborate brightly-domed Saint Basil's Cathedral and the palaces and cathedrals of the Kremlin.

Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer

The Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer, also known as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, is the largest church in Russia, holding 10,000 worshipers

Gina & Pat

That was my 2nd time travelling with Gina, always a delight to travel with her. As of 2011, we have travelled together 6 times already. Gina is an avid traveller. The challenge is finding places she hasn't been to.

When I visited Russia, I wasn't prepared for the chilling winds. Temperature at times can be around 10 degrees. Now I am a more prepared traveller. During that period, it was summer. Hence it was long day where the night sets in at around 11pm. Sun rise is around 3am.

Scenic surroundings of Moscow
Tulips outside our hotel - Tourist Hotel - 1 June 2006

3 Star hotel. The lift could only hold 2 people with the luggage