Moscow City Guide, RUSSIA
Airing Date: Oct 23rd, 2006
The Great Outdoors has finally made it to Russia! This country covers more than 17 million square kilometres. It takes about a week to cross the country's ten time zones by train, and ten hours by air. It's steeped in history, tradition, beauty and mystery.
But where to start?? Moscow of course! Moscow's Kremlin is one of the oldest architectural ensembles in the world. The word Kremlin means fortified Town.
The Kremlin is a self-contained city with a multitude of palaces, armories, and churches and is situated over the left bank of the Moskva River and off Red Square.
Red Square is the most recognised national symbol of Russia. It's considered the centre of Moscow. This famous Square earned its name from the Russian word for "red", which many centuries ago also meant "beautiful". Its attractions include:
* St. Basil's Cathedral - Moscow's iconic church
* Lenin's tomb - the mausoleum of the famous revolutionary
* Memorial Wall - housing the ashes of prominent Russians
* Alexandrovsky Park with the grave to " The Unknown Soldier"
* GUM (The Gosudarstvenny Universalny Magazin or State Department store in English) which houses over 1000 shops and plenty of luxury goods.
The Metro is the cheapest and easiest way to get around Moscow. With contributions by some of the best artists and architects of the USSR, these stations are more like museums of art and history.
Each station has a unique theme, often reflected in the design and name of the station. They're constructed in marble and decorated in bas-reliefs, stucco, mosaics and chandeliers.
Moscow has many parks where you can get away from the rush of the city. One such park is Bauman Park. This place has an amusement park for the kiddies and is also a good place to sit down and play some chess with the locals!
If you REALLY love your chess and want to see the experts at it there's a number of chess clubs around Moscow. We met up with Grandmaster, Alexandra Kosteniuk who is ranked third woman in the world.
If you want to see where Alexandra is playing next check out her website. You never know you might be in Russia at the right time to meet her yourself!
On the outskirts of Moscow is The Kubinka Museum of armoured vehicles, the largest museum of its type in the world. Over 300 pieces from 12 countries are featured here including the world's biggest collection of combat tanks, armoured cars and self-propelled guns.
The armoured vehicles range from the first constructions in WWI right up to modern day battle tanks. If you want to take a piece of Russia home with you a visit to the Vernisazh crafts market is a must!
On weekends, this open air market is filled with pensioners, collectors and tourists engaging in a brisk trade of Soviet kitsch. You can buy almost anything imaginable here, including religious icons, factory pins, Stalin ashtrays, Red Army dinnerware, chess boards and of course the essential take home gift matryoshka dolls!
FURTHER INFORMATION Thai Airways International Return to Moscow from $1730 ex west coast, $1822 ex east coast. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 28/9/06
5 day Grand Moscow package from $1468 a person. Includes accommodation, breakfast, transfers & excursions, Twin share. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 23/10/06. MyPlanet - PH: (02) 9020 5800.
7 day Military Glory of Russia package from $3280 a person. Includes accommodation, some meals & 5 hour tour
of Kibinka Tank Museum. Twin share. Price includes taxes. Subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 23/10/06. MyPlanet - PH: (02) 9020 5800.
