Friday: Christ the Savior Cathedral, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Pushkin Square

Friday we slept in a little, then went to see Christ the Savior Cathedral. In pre-WWII, the Soviets demolished the cathedral, and intended to put the largest, grandest of the Gothic style buildings. But, they quickly found the soil was not stable and would never support the structure. So, they ended up building a giant swimming pool. It was like a big circular moat. The center had a park or leisure area. After Communism fell, and the Russian Orthodox Church was no longer scorned as “the opium of the masses”, the church leaders and the new government rebuilt the church. It was commissioned in the mid-90’s with the Patriarch and Boris Yeltsin. The church is not quite complete, but the main area is finished, and they are still painting the lower levels. There was a large museum/memorial to the Patriarch who built the church, and died last year. It was very interesting watching the local people using the church in its intended purpose, reverencing the Icons, praying, lighting candles, etc. Also, the frescos and Icons were fresh and bright. Photography was prohibited though.

We then headed to Red Square. We passed along the Kremlin wall, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We noticed a wedding party arrive, and remembered that it is tradition for a new bride and groom to lay flowers at the tomb. So, we waited a few minutes. And a few more. And some more. Finally, they approached, and one of the guards came up to remove the chain and let them in to lay the flowers.

By then, it was about lunch time, so we wanted to try this place that was supposed to have a good lunch, and was inside of Red Square. Well, they were closed. So, we went into the “Гум” (Goom) to find food. We finally came across a neat little place that had “stuffed pancakes”. They are basically like crepes with various fillings. Together we got some with “meat” (seemed like hamburger), "spinach and onion", "potatoes and mushrooms", and "apples and raisin" stuffed pancakes. I also had some more “Борш” (borsh), and a nice large “Пива” (Piva, or beer). When we got through the line to pay for it, she wanted us to tell us what we had (all the “pancakes” look the same). Thankfully the lady who served them to us (while we pointed) was kind enough to come by and tell the cashier. The food was fantastic!!

St. Basil’s is just was striking inside as it was outside! Each dome and each spire is atop a different chapel. Incidentally, if the dome is blue, the church is dedicated to Mary; and if red to Jesus. I forgot what gold was.

The front wall of one of two of the chapels. One has Icons covering the wall, and the other has the doors open to the Sacrasty.

We went up some VERY steep stairs.

Looking up inside some of the spires and domes.

Exterior surfaces of St. Basil's.

After St. Basil’s, we headed to

Pushkin Square. There was a big statue of him. More importantly, there was the first McDonald’s in Moscow!! Yeah, we continue our (or at least my) tradition of McDonald’s in every country!! Then we headed to Eliseevskeye, a famous grocery store started by a wealthy man about the turn of the century (1900, that is). It was a “must see”, but we had to get some vodka and a couple of other things anyway. Once inside, I took the first picture, and was, uh, warned (?) by a guard. I think it was OK to take pictures of the building, but NOT of the merchandise.

Finally, at the end of the last day of touring, we headed home. As we got out of the Metro, I wanted to get one last picture. The railroad station that we walked near each time we headed to the subway is the Westernmost point, the terminus, of the Trans-Siberian Railroad—the longest rail route in the world. It goes from Moscow to (depending on exactly which route) Vladivostok, near Japan.