Along the lakes, rivers and canals between St. Petersburg and Moscow

During our journey on the MS Russ, we traveled on the Neva River, the Svir River and the Volga River.  We went across Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega (the first and second largest lakes in Europe.)  

We passed through the taiga, the boreal forest.  

We passed towns, small and large.

We also passed churches with their onion domes.

We also traveled on the Volga-Baltic Canal.   Its construction resulted in the flooding of areas leaving behind the the remnants of 18th century churches.

This belfry was flooded in 1940 with the construction of the Uglish Hydroelectric Station and the Uglich reservoir.

We went through a series of locks along the way.

In the beginning of our journey, we were too far north to be awake for sunset (about 11:30 pm) or sunrise (about 4:30 am).  We did catch some color when we neared Moscow.

July 18 -- 22 St Petersburg

Sights in St Petersburg,  Russia

St Petersburg - the Venice of the North

Alexander Column

Palace Square

St Issacs Cathedral

St. Isaac’s Cathedral, ordered by Alexandra I, was built between 1818 and 1858.  St. Isaac's is the fourth biggest single-domed cathedral in the world after St. Peter's in Rome, St. Paul's in London and Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.

Peter and Paul Fortress

Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral

The remains of Alexander II and his family were returned to the cathedral in 1998 and are buried in a side chapel.

Rostral Column - Memorial and Lighthouse

The Bronze Horseman - Monument to Peter the Great

Smolny Cathedral

Smolny Convent

Smolny Convent on the banks of the Neva River in St. Petersburg was built to house Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great.  When she was disallowed succession to the throne, she intended to become a nun.   The complex was to include a nunnery and a school for girls.  When Ivan IV was overthrown, she decided against monastic life and accepted the offer of the Russian throne.  The story goes that she then said that after 10 years she would take her vows; after another 10 she still enjoyed the luxurious life.  She never did use her convent.    Construction began in 1748 and was completed in 1761.

During World War II, Leningrad (the name for St Petersburg at that time) was under siege for 900 days.  The monument was built in the early 1970's to commemorate the heroic citizens of Leningrad as well as brave soldiers on the Leningrad front.

July 18 - 22 St Petersburg The Church of Savior on Blood

 Construction of the Church of Savior on Blood began in 1883 under Alexander III as a memorial to his father, Alexander II.  Ii was completed during the reign of Nicholas II in 1907.  Located on the spot where Alexander II was assassinated, it was used solely for memorial services.

The interior has beautiful mosaics.

There is also a beautiful iconostasis..

 After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the church was badly damaged by ransacking and looting.  It was closed to worshippers in the early 1930s.  It was further damaged in World War II.  Restoration began in 1970.  In 1997 it was reopened but it has not been reconsecrated.  It is a museum of mosaics.

July 18 - 22 St Petersburg The Hermitage

The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in a series of buildings.

  The most famous is the former Winter Palace which was the official residence of the Russian emperors.  It dates back to the 18th century.  A fire destroyed it in the 19th century but it was restored.

Visitors to the Hermitage can view the wonderful and varied collection of art.

But they are also treated to a journey through its beautiful interior.

The museum was damaged during the Siege of Leningrad. Over a million works of art were shipped to the Ural mountains.   Damage to the Hermitage was minimized by the artists who took shelter there and worked to clear the rubble and remove charred flooring after each bombing.  The museum has been restored.