The Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery in Moscow is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The grounds of the convent were very beautiful. The cemetery was unlike anything I have ever seen. I think I visited more grave sites on this trip than I have on any other trip outside the USA. Or ever for that matter.
I have a lot of pictures and can only show a few, so hard to choose.
Tsaritsa's Tower and the Gate Church of the Transfiguration
The Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk (rear) with the Chapel in the foreground
Iconostases in the Cathedral above and painted walls below
Palace of Irina Gudunova, sister of Boris Godunov
Gate Church of the Intercession
Domes of the Cathedral
The Cemetery
Tomb of Raisa Gorbachev
Boris Yeltsin's Tomb - the sculpture is the Russian flag
Nikita Khrushchev - the black and white monument represents the contrasting sides of his personna
Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 below. I had the pleasure of hearing this conducted by Valery Gergiev several years ago.
Tolkien Bonus: N is for the Nazgul, faceless riders on black horses, later creepy flying beings, nine in number, slaves of the nine rings and the go-fers of Sauron. The things of nightmares. Did I say 'creepy'?
Even their convents look like something out of FairyLand. The convents I've seen are so austere. These look so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThere is a former seminary (now a private high school for boys) just up the road from me. The buildings are very austere. The only nice thing is that it is on a lake.
DeleteAll so interesting! I especially liked Kruschev's monument
ReplyDeleteThe cemeteries we visited were nothing like I'd ever seen before. The monuments were very elaborate.
DeleteLovely photos. Here via the A-Z challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the photos. Russia is featured all month long.
DeleteI love those pictures Denise. What stupendous architecture. I was interested to see the tomb for Raisa Gorbachev. I didn't even know she had died. She can't have been that old. 67 I just checked. Love that flag sculpture for Yeltsin too. The palace of Irina Gudonova is somewhat plain after all the other gorgeous buildings.
ReplyDeleteOur guide said that folks always want to know where Mr. Gorbachev is buried and are surprised to find out he is still alive. They put a lot of thought into all of the monuments.
DeleteOK the Nazgul's are really creepy and I had a nightmare with them once-brilliantly done. Now these pictures are again-just breath-taking. The wall in the cathedral is beautiful along with the paintings on the pillars. I love the cemetery plots because there was thought behind the monuments for the people. I love Khrushchev's plot.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it was long after I wrote the post that I got the connection between the cemetery and the Nazgul. Maybe it was something in the back of my mind.
DeleteAmazing photos. Those churches and cathedrals look so beautiful. I love to see the rich art and architecture in old places of worship like this.
ReplyDeleteAnd Russia is very old. More really old stuff to come.
DeleteAll I can think of to say is, WOW! So pretty.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the A to Z Challenge!
A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
http://pensuasion.blogspot.com/
Wow pretty much sums up a lot of this architecture.
DeleteOh wow! Those are beautiful illustrations on the walls!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! It really is gorgeous!
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
What a visual feast. I wouldn't have had enough memory room on my iPhone for a trip like you took. Each post seems more colorful than the last one. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThat's why I travel with a digital camera with lots of memory. But I must say my friend's pictures on her iPhone were really good.
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