Ancient Russian Cities [antikvár]

Invitation to a Journey The vast expanses of Russia are dotted with hundreds of cities, large and small, on which the passing centuries have left their mark. Some of these cities are renowned the world over, and others are known only to experts in ancient architecture. The journey described herein will take the reader to eight of the more interesting cities of Central Russia. These cities are situated roughly in a semi-circle and are but a few hours from Moscow. Each of the trips described allows the visitor ample time to see Moscow and then go to the nearby cities: Smolensk to the west, Kalinin (formerly Tver) to the northwest, Zagorsk, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov, and Yaroslavl to the north, and Vladimir and Suzdal to the east. This tour guide does not attempt to describe the sights of Moscow, for that would require a separate, and rather lengthy volume — of which there are several, by the way. We will limit ourselves, therefore, to listing only the spots essential to even the most passing acquaintance with the city. They are, of course, Red Square, the Lenin Mausoleum, the Kremlin with its cathedrals, the Faceted Chamber, Armory Chamber and Diamond Fund of the Kremlin; the Tretyakov Gallery with its outstanding collections of 11th to 20th century art; the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum with its many excellent works of ancient and European art; the Central Lenin Museum; the Bolshoi Theater, and finally, the Exhibition of Economic Achievements, frequently referred to as "the USSR in miniature." The ancient cities of Russia have much in common: the subdued natural beauty of the central regions of European Russia, in which the dominant colors are the greens of grasslands and trees and the pale blue of the sky; gently rolling plains cut through by meandering rivers which flow unhurriedly through each of the cities (and were once the main arteries of transportation); a thick blanket of snow that covers the cities for five months out of the year; a slow pace of life;