Have you decided to spend a vacation at home and decide what to see in Russia? Just as the country itself is large, the list of domestic attractions is also huge, so the compilers of short guidebooks to Russian cities cannot be envied, because they have to fit into short lists and highlight only a few "best" ones. But we will try - although it is very difficult, it is quite possible. Indeed, among the readers of numerous travel publications, surveys are often conducted, and experts in the field of tourism make up their ratings of tourist preferences. Based on them, we will try to identify our most popular attractions.
TOP-15 sights of Russia
Moscow Kremlin
The oldest part of the old center of the Russian capital, the Kremlin is called the heart of the country. The main historical and artistic complex of Moscow also houses the official residence of the president. The length of the walls of the Kremlin is 2500 meters, the height of some of its 20 towers reaches 80 meters, and it was built at the end of the 15th century.
Special attention in the Moscow Kremlin complex deserves:
- Assumption Cathedral, erected by the Italian architect Fioravanti. Served as the main cathedral of the state until 1917. The oldest building in Moscow, fully preserved to this day.
- The Tsar Cannon, cast from bronze in the 16th century by the Russian master Andrey Chokhov. The mass of the gun is nearly 40 tons.
- The Armory, in the collection of which unique creations of jewelers of the XII-XX centuries are presented. The most famous exhibits are Monomakh's hat and Alexander Nevsky's helmet.
The main square of the country, Red, is also considered part of the territory of the Moscow Kremlin.
Lake Baikal
Locals call the deepest lake on the planet the sea. Its waters and shores are distinguished by a special variety of fauna, and many of the 2600 species are found only in these places.
Popular hiking trails along the shores of Lake Baikal begin in the village of Listvyanka. It is located 65 km from Irkutsk and you can get to the starting point of the excursion by bus or boat. Cruises from Listvyanka to Olkhon Island and the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula are especially popular. The Great Baikal Trail is being laid around Lake Baikal, and some of the routes through nature reserves and national parks are already available.
hermitage Museum
In the former residence of Russian monarchs, one of the most significant museums in the world is open. Its history began with a small collection of paintings collected by Catherine II, and today the Hermitage funds have millions of exhibits.
The exposition of the museum presents the stages of development of world art since the Stone Age. In the main museum in Russia, you can look at paintings, icons, jewelry and imperial porcelain.
The price of tickets to the Hermitage starts at 300 rubles. When ordering a ticket on the museum's website, you can avoid queues at the ticket office. The first Thursday of every month the Hermitage is open for free.
Peterhof
At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I decided to build a ceremonial country residence that would surpass the French Versailles. This is how Peterhof appeared - a palace and park ensemble on the shores of the Gulf of Finland.
The main attraction of the complex is the Lower Park with fountains. In addition to him in Peterhof, it is worth seeing:
- The Upper Garden and the Neptune Fountain, set in the center of a large pond.
- The Great Peterhof Palace, built in the Baroque style in the middle of the 18th century for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
- Fountain "Samson Breaking the Lion's Jaws". It is called the visiting card of Peterhof.
- The cascade "Golden Mountain", trimmed with copper sheet and giving the impression of a flowing stream of gold.
The opening hours of the palace and park complex depend on the season and it is better to check the details on the Peterhof website. The ticket price is 700 rubles.
St Basil's Church
It is as if this bright and very beautiful temple, built in the middle of the 16th century on the Red Square of the capital on the orders of Ivan the Terrible, descended from a popular print. It was erected in honor of the victory over the Kazan Khanate. Legend has it that talented architects were blinded after construction, so that they could not repeat more of such splendor.
The temple is jointly run by the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. You can get to the service on Sundays. Buried in the cathedral are St. Basil the Blessed, an arch with a carved canopy over whose grave is revered as a shrine.
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
Designed by Auguste Montferrand in the style of late classicism, St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg is undoubtedly one of the main attractions not only of the city, but also of Russia. Every year millions of tourists come to see the masterpiece of architecture of the 19th century, and the golden dome of the cathedral is often called the hallmark of the city.
Along the spiral staircase you can climb the colonnade and see Peter from a bird's eye view, and inside the temple you will find an interior made of colored stone - marble of various shades, jasper and porphyry.
St. Isaac's Cathedral is located on the square of the same name in St. Petersburg. The price of entrance tickets to the museum and the colonnade is 250 and 150 rubles, respectively.
Ipatiev Monastery
In the current male monastery on the banks of the Kostroma River in 1613, they crowned the kingdom of the Romanovs, and therefore the Ipatiev Monastery is called the cradle of the royal house. The monastery is famous for its sights: wall paintings by Guri Nikitin, the Ipatiev Chronicle, carefully kept in the monastery's library, the gilded iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral and the stove tiles of the chambers of the Romanov boyars.
You will find the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma at st. Enlightenment, 1.
The ticket price for the museum exposition is 100 rubles. You can walk around the territory for free.
Church of the Intercession on the Nerl
One and a half kilometers from the village of Bogolyubovo in the Vladimir region, in the middle of a flooded meadow, stands a white-stone church, which is called an outstanding masterpiece of architecture of the Vladimir-Suzdal school. The temple was erected in honor of the memory of the deceased son of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1158.
The unique place where the church was built is annually filled with the waters of the Nerl River during the spring flood, and the temple seems to float above the mirror surface, being reflected in it. Architects call this church the most beautiful church in Russia, thanks to the perfection of its proportions, simplicity and harmony of the building with the surrounding nature.
Rostov Kremlin
The Kremlin of Rostov the Great is one of the most significant sights among others in the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. Powerful walls and tower tents protect the Bishop's Court, several churches, the Assumption Cathedral and residential buildings from the middle of the 17th century.
The Kremlin in Rostov did not perform defensive functions and served only as the residence of the Metropolitan of the Rostov diocese, but the traditions of military architecture are strictly observed in it.
The Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral is famous for its belfry. By order of Metropolitan Jonah, bells were cast, the weight of which reaches 2000 poods.
You can visit the objects of the Rostov Kremlin from 10.00 every day. A ticket to all expositions of the museum will cost 550 rubles.
Curonian Spit
The sandy strip of land separating the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. The unique landscapes of the spit are not the only reason for its value and popularity among tourists. The combination of various landscapes in a small area allows observing rare birds in the reserve, choosing the scythe as a stopover during the spring-autumn migration.
The length of the Curonian Spit is about 100 km, the width ranges from several hundred meters to 3, 8 km. Several hiking trails have been laid in the Curonian Spit National Park, allowing you to get acquainted with the unique ecosystem of Russia, look at the inhabitants of the dunes, try to unravel the mystery of the Dancing Forest and look at the Baltic waters from the height of the Orekhova Dune, the highest on the spit.
Mamayev Kurgan
During the Second World War, fierce battles took place on this hill in Volgograd, in which thousands of city defenders died. Today Mamayev Kurgan is a memorial complex, and its main monument is called the 85-meter sculpture "The Motherland Calls!"
On the Mamayev Kurgan, excursions are held with a visit to the ruin walls, unchanged from the war times, and the hall of military glory, where original photos, documents and other evidence of the valor of the defenders of Stalingrad are collected. To climb from the foot of the mound to its top, you will have to overcome 200 granite steps - according to the number of days of the Battle of Stalingrad.
Valley of Geysers
The largest geyser field in Eurasia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Kronotsky Biosphere Reserve. On the slopes of the deep canyon of the Geysernaya River, several hundred geysers, mud volcanoes, thermal springs and springs break out to the surface. The Valley of Geysers is inaccessible. Excursions are possible with the help of local small aircraft, the number of those wishing is strictly rationed, and the state of the natural complex is strictly monitored. Independent tourism on the territory of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve is prohibited.
Kul Sharif
The main mosque of Kazan was built in 1996 and completely recreates the appearance of the multi-ministerial mosque, which served as a center of religious education in the Middle Volga region in the 16th century and was destroyed by the troops of Ivan the Terrible during the capture of Kazan.
The height of the main minarets is 58 meters, the granite and marble used in the construction were brought from the Urals, and the chandelier of colored crystal, five meters in diameter, was made by Czech glassblowers.
Trinity-Sergius Lavra
The largest monastery in Russia was founded in 1337 by Sergius of Radonezh. Today, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra is an Orthodox shrine and a museum, where the relics of church art are carefully kept. The main value of the monastery is the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
The architectural structures of the monastery were built by the best architects. The Holy Trinity Cathedral was erected at the beginning of the 15th century, in the Assumption Cathedral you will see the ancient image of the "Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos", and in the western vestibule of the Nikon Church - a piece of her robe.
The monastery has a pilgrimage center where you can sign up for an excursion.
Kizhi
The island in the north of Lake Onega became famous thanks to the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard. Two wooden churches and a bell tower, built of wood in the 18th-19th centuries, are combined into a single harmonious ensemble.
The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is crowned with 22 chapters, and its four-tiered iconostasis is made up of 102 images. The Church of the Intercession of the Virgin with a seven-domed turret and a tent-roofed bell tower were also built without a single nail.
